Fushimen

"Fushi" is a by-product of Handasomen, and it is chewier than somen because it is a part which is pulled most strongly when somen noodles are hanged and dried. Fushimen is very chewy and has a smooth texture, and is known as the best part of somen noodles. In the mountain areas, it was considered as a food for "hare" and highly valued. When guests come around in New Year's, fushijiru, fushimen cooked in soy sauce based dashi with some ingredients, is usually cooked. Fushimen is also used as pasta, or cooked in sukiyaki.

for ４ persons

fushimen80g
chikuwa1
tofu1/2
fresh shiitake mushrooms2
carrot1/4
aburaage1
aonegi1
dashi4 cups

[ seasonings ]

wafu dashi1 teaspoon
mirin2 teaspoons
usukuchi soy sauce1 and 1/2 tablespoon
niboshi8

1.: Put niboshi in a dashi bag, and soak in water over night. Put in a pan and heat to boil, and remove after boiling for 2 to 3 minutes.
2.: Cook fushimen in plenty of boiling water, and set aside.
3.: Slice chikuwa into halves, and cut tofu into 1.5cm squares. Slice shiitake mushrooms into thin slices, cut carrots into thin rectangles, cut aonegi into small pieces. Quickly soak aburaage in hot water to remove excess oil, and cut into thin slices.
4.: Cook chikuwa, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, tofu and aburaage in dashi cooked in 1.
5.: Add seasonings and fushimen. Sprinkel with aonegi.
* Daikon, renkon, satoimo and mitsuba could be added depending on the season.
* Sliced sudachi or yuzu peels could give refreshing flavor and aroma to it.

Information provided by : とくしまの郷土料理