Ekiben that are rich in local specialties and regional characteristics are enjoyable in themselves. The “Early Summer Kanagawa Ajiwai Bento” we were served this time was a tie-up project between Sakiyo-ken of Yokohama, well-known for its shioumai, and Kanagawa Prefecture. The concept of the lunchbox is “to know and taste Kanagawa.
This bento is truly Kanagawa-inspired, with the Yokohama specialty shiomai, as well as Misaki tuna, Miura hijiki, Odawara kamaboko, and Odawara umeboshi (pickled plums).
First, there are two kinds of rice. The white rice is topped with pickled plums from Odawara, which are soaked only in salt and dried in the sun. Both the appearance and the taste of the pickled plums are reminiscent of the old days. The other is rice with wild vegetables. The light and elegant flavor of the wild vegetables was so delicious that I wished all the rice dishes were made with it.
Miura tuna simmered with ginger has a slightly strong ginger flavor, but the tuna is thick, so the flavor of the ingredients is not lost. The Miura braised hijiki, bracken, and shirataki are also from Miura. You can enjoy the tastes and textures of both the mountain and sea vegetables, but I had the impression that the star of the dish was the hijiki.
And then there is Odawara’s kamaboko. On the back of the wrapper, the kamaboko is described as having a good chewiness, but it is not just elastic; it has a softness and a good springiness that is typical of fish paste. Kamaboko is a common ingredient in many ekiben, such as makunouchi bentos, but this Odawara kamaboko is a cut above the rest.
And, personally, “Bamboo shoot stew” is a representative of Sakiyo-ken along with shioumai. The key point of this dish is that it is filled with plenty of bamboo shoots. The fact that the flavor was slightly transferred to the lotus root next to it was also a good point for those who like bamboo shoot stew.
While “bamboo shoot stew” is characterized by its sweet flavor, carrot stew, shiitake mushroom stew, and konnyaku stew have a much less sweet flavor. Although they are the same simmered dishes, this difference shows a wide range of flavors. Then there is the Yokohama specialty, “old-fashioned shioumai. It is so delicious that no explanation is needed. The character for “Hama” used in the description on the wrapping paper shows the care that has gone into this dish.
Dessert was “Shonan Gold Water Manju”. Shonan Gold…… was a name I had never heard before, so I looked it up and found that it is a new variety of citrus fruit developed by Kanagawa Prefecture over the past 12 years. The white bean paste with Shonan Gold puree kneaded into it is full of fruitiness, and combined with the texture of the kuzu dough, it is quite refreshing.
In the case of the author, there are not a few opportunities to learn about local specialties through bento lunches like this one. I fell firmly into the Kanagawa Prefecture’s intentions, wanting to try Shonan Gold as a fruit this time.
The all-Kanagawa bento “Early Summer Kanagawa Ajiwai Bento” was, as the name suggests, a lunch box that allows you to discover the deliciousness of Kanagawa.
© Source travel watch
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