Sekihan (赤飯 lit. red rice, rice boiled together with red beans[1]) is a Japanese traditional dish. It is sticky rice steamed with azuki beans, which give a reddish color to the rice, hence its name.[2]
The rice of ancient times of Japan was red. Therefore, red rice was used in the ancient divine work. Red rice has a strong taste of tannin, and its cultivation has been almost completely abandoned. The present Sekihan is colored red using azuki.
Sekihan is often served on special occasions throughout the year in
Japan, for example, birthdays, weddings and some holidays, such as Shichi-Go-San.[2]
It is believed that sekihan is used for celebrations because of its red color, symbolic of happiness in Japan.
Sekihan is traditionally eaten with gomashio (a mixture of lightly toasted sesame and salt).
There are also regional varieties of sekihan. Some versions call for sugar instead of salt to give a sweet flavor. Others use amanattō (sweetened bean confectionery) instead of azuki.
Amanattō (甘納豆) is a Japanese traditional confectionery that is made of azuki or other beans, covered with refined sugar after simmering with sugar syrup and drying.[citation needed]
It was developed by Hosoda Yasubei during the Bunkyū years (1861–1863) in the Edo period. He opened a wagashi store in Tokyo, which he named for his childhood name: Eitaro. This store continues to operate.[citation needed]
In Hokkaidō, amanattō is used in cooking sekihan. For this reason, unlike other areas, the sekihan of Hokkaidō is a little sweet.[citation needed]
Originally amanattō was called amananattō (甘名納糖); the name was abbreviated to amanattō after World War II. The resemblance of the name to the fermented bean dish nattō is coincidental.[citation needed]
No comments:
Post a Comment