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Koneri ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Oita Prefecture

    Koneri

Koneri

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  • Main lore areas

    Bungo Ono City

  • Main ingredients used

    Eggplant, bitter melon, miso, wheat flour

  • History/origin/related events

    "Koneri" is a dish in which summer vegetables such as eggplant and bitter melon are stir-fried in oil, then seasoned with miso dissolved in dashi broth, and thickened with flour dissolved in water. It is an efficient way to get nutrients, because the wheat seals in the moisture containing nutrients from the vegetables. It is easy to eat even in the summer when appetites tend to decrease, so it is frequently made at home. It is said that the name "Koneri" comes from the fact that it is thickened ("neru") with flour.
    In the Kunisaki Peninsula, "Koneri" made from eggplant and bitter melon is referred to as "Holland," but the reason is unknown. It is also called "Kokake," "Ankake," and "Babakoroshi."
    In Bungo Ono City, with its undulating topography and rivers of various sizes, boasts one of the best dry-field farming areas in the prefecture, with an abundant eggplant cultivation. The eggplants produced in this region have a beautiful appearance, and they are trademarked under the name "Bi-nasu" (beautiful eggplant). There is a theory that the farmers started eating "Koneri" as a way to to deal with the large quantity of harvested eggplant and bitter melon.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    It is made in the height of summer, during the harvest of eggplant and bitter melon. These vegetables are easy to grow, and many households grow them in their own gardens, so it still persists as part of the diet today. They become tender when cooked properly, and are well-loved by people with weak digestion and the elderly.

  • How to eat

    The eggplant is cut into rounds or rectangles, and the bitter melon is cut into 0.7 cm thick slices. The eggplant and bitter melon are stir-fried in a frying pan, then seasoned with miso dissolved in water. To finish, flour dissolved in water is poured in, and once it thickens, it is plated and served. It can be made with only eggplant or only bitter melon, as well as other vegetables like green bell pepper, and some households even add pork or small fish. Miso is the most common flavoring, but there is also soy sauce flavored "Koneri," and there are infinite variations in the ingredients and seasoning depending on the household. It will be less sticky if you mix egg in with the flour. Bitter melon can be blanched quickly to remove the bitterness so that children can eat it more easily.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)
    This dish is easy to prepare, so even today it frequently appears on ordinary household dining tables during the summer.

source : Oita Dietary Improvement Promotion Council

RECIPE

Ingredients (4 servings)

  • Eggplant 3 pieces
  • Green bell pepper 3 pieces
  • Dried sardines to taste
  • Flour 50g
  • Water 50g
  • Sugar to taste
  • Miso 1.5 to 2 tbsp
  • Oil as needed

How to cook

  • 1. Cut the eggplant and soak in water.

  • 2. Cut the green bell pepper into thin strips.

  • 3. Heat a large amount of oil in a pan, stir-fry the dried sardines and eggplant, and add the green bell pepper once the eggplant has softened.

  • 4. Dissolve flour, miso, and sugar in water. Adjust the amount of water and flour to your liking.

  • 5. Reduce the heat to low, add the melted powder to the pan, and stir while cooking the powder.

  • 6. Once the powder has been cooked, adjust the taste.

provider : Oita's Local Cuisine for the Next Generation.

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

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