Hechima Jiru (Luffa Soup) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Kagoshima Prefecture

Hechima Jiru (Luffa Soup)

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NPO Kirishima Nutrition Education Research Association

Main lore areas

All areas in the prefecture
Main ingredients used

hechima (luffa), somen noodles, barley miso, soup stock

History/origin/related events

"Hechima Jiru" is a local dish from Kagoshima Prefecture. It consists of miso soup with luffa served in a bowl of somen noodles. While people in other regions use luffa as a scrubbing brush or lotion, Kagoshima locals have been eating it for a long time. In fact, the 1802 encyclopedia "Shaping Illustrations" compiled by Shigehisa Shimazu describes luffa cuisine.
Luffa belongs to the Cucurbits family and is native to tropical Asia. It thrives in hot and humid weather, which is why it is mostly grown in Okinawa Prefecture and southern Kyushu in Japan. Its high fiber content earned it the nickname “ito-uri” (sponge gourd) and later it was abbreviated to “to-uri”. And since “to” is in between “he” and “chi” in the Iroha order (traditional order of the Japanese syllabary), it came to be called “hechima” (meaning between the “he” and “chi”).
For food, a variety with less developed fibers is grown. The fruits are harvested when they are young, less than 20 cm in length, to prevent the fibers from becoming tough. Kagoshima locals serve luffa dishes in the summertime. The most popular dish is luffa soup, but luffa is also used in other dishes such as stir-fries.
Opportunities and times of eating habits

Luffa is a vegetable that is mainly distributed during the summer season, from July to September. It is very popular in Kagoshima Prefecture and is often served on summer tables. Luffa soup is an essential part of the Bon Festival vegetarian dishes.
How to eat

Dissolve miso in broth, add luffas cut into bite-size pieces, and simmer until they are tender. Pour the luffa miso soup into a bowl of boiled somen noodles, and garnish with slices of Japanese ginger and other condiments as desired. The thick texture and natural sweetness of the luffa combined with the sweetness of the barley miso makes this dish easy to eat even during the summer heat when you may not have much of an appetite.
Efforts for Preservation and Succession

(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)
In the past, luffa dishes were used to be made at home in the summer, but nowadays, the opportunities to make it at home are decreasing. In some areas, it is served as a school lunch menu or taught in cooking classes to preserve the tradition of luffa cooking.

RECIPE

Ingredients (4 servings)

Medium luffa 1
Somen noodles 1 or 2 bunches
Niboshi (dried sardines) 30g
Barley miso 60g
water 800cc
Japanese ginger Appropriate quantity

How to cook

1. Add dried sardines to water and heat for about 30 minutes, then bring to a boil and simmer for about 3 minutes to dissolve miso (you can take out the sardines or leave them as they are).
2. Peel and cut luffa into large bite-size pieces, add to miso soup, and simmer until the it becomes soft.
3. Boil somen noodles, place them in a soup bowl, pour miso soup with luffa on top, and garnish with slices of Japanese ginger, if desired.

provider : "NPO Kirishima Nutrition Education Research Association"

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

Hechima Jiru (Luffa Soup) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Kagoshima Prefecture

Hechima Jiru (Luffa Soup)

Main lore areas

Main ingredients used

History/origin/related events

Opportunities and times of eating habits

How to eat

Efforts for Preservation and Succession

RECIPE

Ingredients (4 servings)

How to cook