# Iriyaki ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Iriyaki

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Tsushima City

## Main Ingredients Used
Chicken or seafood (yellowtail, kingfish, rockfish, grouper, blackfish, conger eel), tofu, konnyaku, carrot, napa cabbage, onion, burdock root, leek, fresh shiitake mushroom

## History, Origin, and Related Events
A hot pot dish that has been passed down since ancient times in Tsushima, a remote island in the Sea of Japan. Since long ago, local households had a custom of slaughtering locally raised chickens to serve in a yosenabe hot pot for ceremonial family gatherings, and this is said to be connected to the "Iriyaki" of today. However, households by the sea in fishing villages were said to make their hot pot using fish caught in the nearby sea instead of chicken. Today, the basic "Iriyaki" recipe has two variations: one with chicken and one with fish. It is called "Iriyaki" because when making the hot pot, the chicken or fish are first fried in camellia oil. It is considered to be the same cooking technique as the "Iriyaki" that appears in “the Konjaku Monogatari” during the Heian period.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
Even today, this dish is made by households to served to guests for celebrations and Buddhist ceremonies. At the same time, many restaurants also serve it as a local specialty, so both locals and tourists can eat it whenever they like.

## How to Eat
It is a yosenabe hot pot with chicken or fish as the main ingredient, and other ingredients such as leafy greens, konnyaku, and tofu. When fish is the main ingredient, you can add fish caught in the sea surrounding Tsushima such as yellowtail, kingfish, rockfish, grouper, blackfish, and conger eel. In the winter, the standard is to add fatty winter yellowtail. The soup seasoning varies by household, with sugar and mirin added in addition to soy sauce for a slightly sweet flavor. After eating the ingredients in the hot pot, the local method is to add plenty of somen noodles or Taishu soba to the leftover broth, which is full of umami from the ingredients. This is so delicious that it spawned a proverb that says "Iriyaki after eating."

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)A group in Tsushima City offers a course in which you can try "Iriyaki" at a private residence. The goal is for visitors from all over Japan to learn about the deliciousness of Tsushima "Iriyaki," so that the flavor and culture can spread throughout the country.

## Ingredients
- Local chicken (white fish such as sea bream can also be used): 1 to 2kg
- Napa cabbage: 300g
- Green onion: 50g
- Chrysanthemum leaves: 150g
- Konnyaku: 30g
- Shiitake mushroom: 20g
- Burdock root: 15g
- Sugar: 25g
- Soy sauce: 40g
- Sake: 20g
- Soba or somen noodles: to your liking

## Recipe
1. 1. Boil the chicken in a pot (the longer you boil it, the softer it will be, and the more flavor goes into the dashi broth).In Tsushima, buy one whole chicken and use that (it is a specialty store where the chicken will be pre-cut into easy-to-eat pieces).
2. 2. Chop the vegetables and other ingredients.
3. 3. Add the seasonings and bring to a simmer.
4. 4. Add the chopped vegetables.
5. 5. Put homemade soba noodles or boiled somen noodles in a bowl, then pour the Iriyaki over, broth and all. Fish Iriyaki is often seasoned with salt and soy sauce only. The fish is generally white fish, sea bream, or young bluefin tuna that is cleaned and added whole.

## Provider Information
provider : (public corporation) Nagasaki Dietetic Association

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