# Ishigaki Mochi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Ishigaki Mochi

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
All areas in Oita Prefecture

## Main Ingredients Used
Sweet potatoes, wheat flour

## History, Origin, and Related Events
Flour has become a fundamental part of Oita Prefecture's food culture. Due to unsuitable conditions for rice cultivation, wheat and other grains grew and thrived after the construction of waterways. In the 1950s, rice farming in the area surpassed 40,000 hectares, leading to the spread of local dishes and confections that used flour as a staple food among the common people."Ishigaki-mochi" is a snack that originated from the flour-food culture, and served as a quick bite for farm workers. Its name comes from its rough appearance resembling a stone wall, or due to its origin in an area with many stone walls. As the ingredients are readily available and easy to make, "Ishigaki-mochi" gradually became popular throughout Oita Prefecture.The mochi's names and origins differ among regions, such as "kirikomi-mochi" for sweet potatoes cut into pieces and "konekomi-mochi" for kneaded sweet potatoes. The dough is made of only wheat flour and sweet potatoes, resulting in its signature chewy texture. Besides ishigaki mochi, "yaseuma," flattened wheat flour noodles, and "yude-mochi," boiled sweet bean paste-filled mochi, are also popular among people of all ages as Oita Prefecture's representative local sweets.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
From winter to spring, sweet potatoes were eaten as a snack between farm work, and their simple sweetness soothed tired bodies. Today, sweet potatoes are still eaten as a snack in many places.

## How to Eat
Generally, sweet potatoes are cut into small pieces, mixed with flour and water, kneaded, rolled into a suitable size, and steamed in a steamer. However, the size of the sweet potatoes and the amount of flour used vary from region to region, and baking powder is sometimes added to give the fluffy texture. Some people use pumpkin, carrots, sweet corn, etc. instead of sweet potatoes. The secret is to mix the sweet potato with the flour from the beginning, since it will not mix in after the flour is kneaded.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)Although the chances to prepare this dish at home have decreased, it is still being served as a dessert in elementary schools for lunch, and the tradition continues. Furthermore, kindergartens and elementary schools are taking steps to pass on the taste of "Ishigaki mochi" by encouraging children to try making it. Additionally, cooking classes are organized to present the local cuisine of Oita Prefecture in a more elegant way, and "Ishigaki mochi" has been added to the menu.

## Ingredients
- All purpose flour: 500g
- Sweet potato: 650g
- Sugar: 75g
- Salt: 12g
- Water: about 125cc

## Recipe
1. 1. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1.5cm cubes 2 to 3mm thick. If they are clean, you can skip peeling them to retain their natural color.
2. 2. Soak the sweet potatoes in water to remove any scum.
3. 3. Sprinkle them with sugar and let them sit for a while until the water comes out.
4. 4. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Coat the sweet potatoes with the flour mixture.
5. 5. Add water with dissolved salt to the sweet potatoes, a little at a time, while kneading well. Adjust the amount of water as needed and avoid adding all of it at once.
6. 6. Keep kneading the dough until it doesn't stick to your hands.
7. 7. Use your hands to roll out the dough and place it in a steamer lined with a thin cloth. Steam the dough for about 15 minutes until the sweet potatoes are cooked.

## Provider Information
provider : "Oita's local cuisine that we want to preserve for the next generation"

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