Food Treats in Summer
The Japanese summers can get to be quite hot and very uncomfortable. Not all houses have air-conditioning, either. So finding some form of summer treats to lift ones spirits becomes important during this time.
And there are plenty of treats!
Tokoroten: chilled agar-agar jelly noodles. Agar-agar is a material obtained from red algae or other seaweed. The algae is boiled and the liquid obtained is poured into a mold where it cools and gels and is then cut into blocks which are left floating in water. the gelled block is then pushed through a noodle press onto a dish and topped with vinegar and soy sauce, then seasoned with green seaweed and mustard. This is another dish dating back to the Edo Period (1600-1868).
Mizumame: soft, jellied bean paste from red beans. To this is added a sweet, dark syrup, agar-agar gelatin cubes, sweet jellies made from rice flour, and the fruit of one's choice. A scoop of sweet bean puree is added to get an-mitsu.
Kuzumochi: sweets made of kudzu starch. Water is added to wheat and judzu flour and left to stand overnight then the mixture is poured into wooden molds, steamed, chilled, cut into triangles, drenched in molasses-like mitsu and sprinkled with kinako (roasted soy bean powder).
Mizuyokan:a light, chilled gelatin made of strained sweet red bean paste.
Kakigoori: shaved ice topped with flavored syrup
Kabayaki: charcoal-broiled eel, usually served on a bed of rice and with a thick, slightly sweetened, soy-based dressing.
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