Shimi-Konnyaku, commonly known as Shimi-Kon, is a unique and ancient
food product in Japan that can be preserved for over 50 years if kept dry.
The food is made from konnyaku-potato and is naturally freeze-dried during
the coldest winter season.
The process takes about 20 days, during which the Shimi-Kon is splashed
with water 3 to 4 times a day.
It then freezes at night and melts during the day, resulting in a natural
freeze-dried food product.
Shimi-Kon was first produced in the former Suifu-Mura (village), which
is now known as HitachiOta, where more than 50 producers were making
it in the 1940s.
However, due to the difficult work and harsh winter climate, the production
of Shimi-Kon decreased over the years.
In 1984, a new producer started making Shimi-Kon and became the
only one in Japan at that time.
Later, two more producers started making Shimi-Kon, and it became
more popular.
This unique food is very light and easily blown by the wind.
It is also a healthy food that contains a lot of fiber and is low in calories.
The technology of producing Shimi-Kon was brought to Kegano-cho in
HitachiOta by Mr. Kenji Kimura, a famous explorer and medical doctor from
the Edo period. Mr. Kimura was born and raised in Kegano-cho, and in 1795,
he brought the technology of producing Shimi-Kon from Tanba (currently
part of Hyogo prefecture and Kyoto) to his hometown.
Kegano-cho and Tanba had similar climates that were ideal for making Shimi-Konnyaku.
Cooking preparation:
Soak Shimi-kon in hot water for half an hour and then rinse thoroughly
with cold water
or hot water. And then gently squeeze Shimi-kon to extract the water to prepare it for the
next stage of cooking. " It absorbs water like dry cotton
"
Shimi-kon is flavorless so
that you can make it taste like anything you like.
Examples of this
would be Deep fried Shimi-kon, Shimi-kon Burger, or Tempura.
Refer to NHK World on Youtube:
「Trough the kitchen Window]
中嶋商店 （Nakajima Sho-ten）
Mailing Address： 6077 kegno-cho HitachiOta Ibaraki 313-0351 JAPAN
eMail: nakajima@sakura.email.ne.jp
Search
by Shimi-konnyaku
Web: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/shimikon/nakajima/
Shimi-konnyaku order in detail