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  7. Awa no Itokoni (simmered azuki beans with sweet potatoes)

Awa no Itokoni (simmered azuki beans with sweet potatoes) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Tokushima Prefecture

    Awa no Itokoni (simmered azuki beans with sweet potatoes)

Awa no Itokoni (simmered azuki beans with sweet potatoes)

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  • Awa no Itokoni (simmered azuki beans with sweet potatoes)

    Image Source : Tokushima Culinary Science Society, Keiko Takahashi, Shikoku University

  • Main lore areas

    All of Tokushima Prefecture

  • Main ingredients used

    Sweet potato, Azuki bean (or Black-eyed pea)

  • History/origin/related events

    The dish called "Itokoni" refers to a simmered dish with azuki beans and vegetables. While it is commonly made with ingredients like pumpkin, "Awa no Itokoni" uses sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes are first dried into sweet potato chips and then simmered together with azuki beans, resulting in a gentle sweetness. Incidentally, there are two methods of drying sweet potatoes: "Shiroboshi" involves cutting fresh sweet potatoes and air-drying them, while "Yudeboshi" involves boiling them once before drying. In the case of Awa no Itokoni, the latter method, Yudeboshi, is employed for drying sweet potatoes.
    In the past, azuki beans were considered a special ingredient eaten on festive occasions, leading to variations like adding alternatives such as small millet to boiled sweet potatoes. During times of sugar scarcity in wartime, Itokoni was prepared without sugar, but later, sugar was added, making it a popular accompaniment to tea and a cherished snack, as well as a side dish. Incidentally, it is said that many households may have grown sweet potatoes in their fields in the old days. Therefore, it is thought that they dried them as a way of preserving them and used them to cook with.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    In winter, as the air becomes clear and dry, dried foods such as dried persimmons, cut-and-dried daikon radish, and dried sweet potatoes are often made. Awa no Itoko-ni is made using dried sweet potatoes where the umami and sweetness are concentrated through the drying process. As a dish that warms both the body and the heart during the cold season, it is well-loved by the local people. Additionally, it was commonly prepared as a light snack during breaks from farm work and served as a treat for children. It was typical to prepare a large amount in a big pot because it can be well-preserved.

  • How to eat

    Boiled dried (Yudeboshi) sweet potatoes are rehydrated in water, then in a pot, azuki beans and a pinch of salt are added and simmered over low heat for about 2 hours. The way the sweet potatoes are cut, their softness, the amount of azuki beans, and so on, vary from household to household, resulting in uniquely flavored dishes. By the way, since it takes time to cook the dried sweet potatoes, a key point is to pre-cook azuki beans separately and add them later.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Overview of the people who have passed down the tradition, preservation groups, use of SNS, modern efforts such as commercialization, etc.)
    The dish continues to be commonly made in households today. Additionally, the Misato Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Yoshinogawa City, Tokushima Prefecture, publicly shares the recipe for Awa no Itokoni in the "Misato Dried Food Recipe Book," making an effort to promote regional cuisine and make it known to people beyond the local community.

RECIPE

Ingredients (4 servings)

  • Dried sweet potato 200g（400g after rehydrated）
  • Azuki bean 150g
  • Sugar(granulated sugar) 85g
  • Salt 1.2g

How to cook

  • 1. In a pot, put azuki beans and plenty of water, and let it sit overnight.

  • 2. Place it on heat, and once it boils, drain and rinse. Add water again and simmer until it becomes soft. Strain to remove excess water.

  • 3. Place dried sweet potatoes in a pot with water and soak for about 30 minutes until the sweet potatoes become soft.

  • 4. Heat it up, and once the sweet potatoes become soft enough to easily pierce with a skewer, add the azuki beans from step 2, along with sugar and salt. Simmer over low heat until the liquid is reduced.

provider : Keiko Takahashi, Shikoku University

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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