Shimotsukare すみつかれ

History and Origins

It's also called "beautiful," "be found" and "be found." The dishes are cooked with the leftovers of the celebration, such as the head of the bowl that I had eaten on New Year's Eve and the beans that were left over by the dither. They harvest more crops the year before and add more vegetables such as carrots and other vegetables after eating. It's mainly a celebration known for the north Kanto. It was called the Edo period, and once it was the first day of February, the first day of the festival, it was served on a plate with red rice at the rice shrine. Not only did it hang on a plate, but it was also said that it was sometimes served in bundles and served as a "Wake Alone."

When It Is Eaten

It is common to eat with red food in hopes of a disease-free disaster after setting up the rice god at the first stage. In each home, they made a large pot full of them, ate it with their families, but also shared it in the neighborhood, and played with visitors. It is said that some families made and ate on the second day of the festival, although only the first season is served.

How It Is Eaten

Although the details vary from home to community, they were considered important before they were boiled. First of all, it's the point of putting the carrots down at the root. Besides cooking and burning the soybeans before they are cooked, the head of a cucumber is to be burned and kept on fire. In addition, such things as heating and other materials were often used as tools. Materials and wines are cooked with wine, soy sauce, lentils, soy sauce, and so on. I'll make it boil with water from the vegetables instead of water.

Recipe — Serves 10

Ingredients

• 1 kg daikon radish
• 100 g carrot
• 1 aburaage (fried tofu pouch)
• 20 g soybeans
• 50 g 塩鮭の頭など
• 30 g sake lees
• sake, to taste
• as needed soy sauce

Method

1. The carrots are dropped in a rough-eyed caster.
2. We cut the oil in half, and the wine bowl is cut in small pieces.
3. Soybeans go in two pieces and remove the skin. The salt bowl will be cut into one-inch cubes.
4. Put all the ingredients and wine into the pot until it's soft and boiling. If you don't have enough salt, put the right kind of rice.

More About Shimotsukare

Shimotsukare (しもつかれ) is a local Japanese dish served in the Northern Kantō region of Japan, primarily in Tochigi Prefecture but also in Gunma Prefecture and Ibaraki Prefecture. The dish is generally served on hatsu-u-no hi (初午の日, literally; first day of horse in the month of February) together with sekihan as an offering to appease the legendary deity, inari. Shimotsukare is usually made by simmering salmon head, vegetables, soybeans, abura-age (あぶらあげ or deep fried tofu skins) and sake kasu (酒粕, literally rice pulp from fermented sake). Common additional ingredients include grated raw radish (oroshi daikon) and carrots. The dish is also known as shimitsukari, shimitsukare or sumitsukare in some areas.

Origin and history

The origins of shimotsukare can be traced back to Edo period (1603–1868) and is thought to be a derivation of su-mutsukari (酢むつかり, literally roasted soy beans in vinegar), a speciality dish which was mentioned in mythological narratives of Uji Shūi Monogatari (宇治拾遺物語) and Kojidan (古事談). The origin of the name "shimotsukare" remains in debate. It is also widely believed that as the dish is mainly served in Tochigi Prefecture, formerly known as Shimotsuke Province (下野国), the name of the dish is thought to be a derivation of the phrase shimotsuke no karei (下野の家例, "traditional customs of the Shimotsuke clan")

Presentation

Various presentations of shimotsukare exists in different areas in Japan. The dish is served either hot or cold. Shimotsukare is normally served with rice but could also be taken without it. In some areas, once the dish is simmered, it will not be re-heated again when served.

As a means of preservation, simmered shimotsukare is kept in frozen grounds during winter and served on top of warm rice to allow it to thaw naturally.

Shimotsukare, together with its distinct flavor, scent and semi-liquid appearance is well received by some locals but not all. It is even nicknamed neko no gero (猫のゲロ, literally "cat's barf") by some Japanese.

Nutrition

Some sayings such as "shimotsukare o nana-ken tabearukuto byoki ni naranai" (しもつかれを7軒食べ歩くと病気にならない literally, eating shimotsukare prepared from seven houses will keep you from getting sick) noted that consuming shimotsukare promotes good health. The dish is also sometimes included in jubako (重箱 or Japanese tier bento bako) and shared amongst neighbours to prevent them from catching cold during winter.

Culture

Shimotsukare is a traditional home cooking and the recipe is passed down from mothers to the next generation. Though each preparation carries the same name of 'shimotsukare', ingredients and method of preparation varies from one household to another. Consequently, it is possible for people living in the same district to stumble upon shimotsukare that is totally different from their own preparation.

Shimotsukare can now be obtained conveniently in supermarkets and is sometimes served during kyushoku in some schools in Tochigi Prefecture.

1. ^ "Shimotsukare／Sumitukare ｜ Our Regional Cuisines : MAFF". www.maff.go.jp. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
2. ^ "Shimotsukare - 【郷土料理ものがたり】". kyoudo-ryouri.com. Retrieved 2025-05-02.

Text adapted from the English Wikipedia article Shimotsukare by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Dish data: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), “Uchi no Kyodo Ryori” (Our Regional Cuisines) database, used under the Public Data License (PDL1.0); translated and adapted from the Japanese original.