- 2022.05.26
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Welcome to the Sunday Market, filled with seasonal delights!
If you’re a foodie (I mean, who isn’t?), you must visit Kochi's Sunday Market to try all kinds of local delicacies! Today, we’d like to introduce three foods that are unique to Kochi in some way
Itadori (Japanese knotweed)
Itadori is a wild mountain vegetable that has a crunchy texture and refreshing sour taste. We love to cook it with some sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and bonito flakes. It's umami and crunchiness pair particularly well with dry sake! You can find itadori both fresh and cooked at Sunday Market from April to May.
Yamamomo (Bayberry)
This unique fruit has a strawberry-like tartness and sweetness. Definitely grab some for a perfect juicy snack as you walk down the palm tree-lined road of Sunday Market! Fun fact: The petal-less yamamomo flower is Kochi’s prefectural flower!
Ume (Japanese plum)
Although ume is very popular all over Japan, there is a unique dish in Kochi called ume no kasuzuke (ume pickled with sake lees), which is a traditional recipe that dates back to the Edo period (1603 – 1868)!
If you want to make your own, you need 100 grams of ume (bigger the better), 20 grams of salt, and 100 grams of sake lees.
1. Remove the ume lye by soaking them in a bucket of water for a few hours (the time depends on their ripeness)
2. Rub the ume with salt, press them down with a weight, and let them sit in a bucket for one to two weeks
3. Drain the water and let the surface of the ume dry
4. Wrap each plum with sake lees and shape them into a ball
5. Place them in a sanitized jar and keep them in a dark, cold place for about 6 month
6. Enjoy the crunchy sake-flavored plums!!
Learn more about Kochi City’s Sunday Market: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/highlights/sundaymarket
Itadori (Japanese knotweed)
Itadori is a wild mountain vegetable that has a crunchy texture and refreshing sour taste. We love to cook it with some sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and bonito flakes. It's umami and crunchiness pair particularly well with dry sake! You can find itadori both fresh and cooked at Sunday Market from April to May.
Yamamomo (Bayberry)
This unique fruit has a strawberry-like tartness and sweetness. Definitely grab some for a perfect juicy snack as you walk down the palm tree-lined road of Sunday Market! Fun fact: The petal-less yamamomo flower is Kochi’s prefectural flower!
Ume (Japanese plum)
Although ume is very popular all over Japan, there is a unique dish in Kochi called ume no kasuzuke (ume pickled with sake lees), which is a traditional recipe that dates back to the Edo period (1603 – 1868)!
If you want to make your own, you need 100 grams of ume (bigger the better), 20 grams of salt, and 100 grams of sake lees.
1. Remove the ume lye by soaking them in a bucket of water for a few hours (the time depends on their ripeness)
2. Rub the ume with salt, press them down with a weight, and let them sit in a bucket for one to two weeks
3. Drain the water and let the surface of the ume dry
4. Wrap each plum with sake lees and shape them into a ball
5. Place them in a sanitized jar and keep them in a dark, cold place for about 6 month
6. Enjoy the crunchy sake-flavored plums!!
Learn more about Kochi City’s Sunday Market: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/highlights/sundaymarket
