# Sumitsukare ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Sumitsukare

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Tomo

## Main Ingredients Used
Radish, salmon, soybean, and sake lees

## History, Origin, and Related Events
Also called “shimotsukare,” “sumitsukari,” and “shimitsukare,” this is a dish made by simmering leftovers from celebratory feasts, such as salmon head eaten during the New Year and beans left over from "Setsubun". In addition, leftover vegetables such as radishes and carrots that were harvested the previous year and are past their ripeness are often added. In addition to Gunma, it is an event food that is popular mainly in the northern Kanto region, such as Tochigi and Ibaraki. "Sumitsukare" is said to have its origins in the Edo period and was once offered on a plate with "sekihan" at an "Inari Shrine" on Hatsuuma, the first day of the horse in February. It is said that in addition to being served on a plate, the plate was sometimes placed on tied straw and served as a “warabocchi.”

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
After preparing it for an "Inari Shrine" on Hatsuuma, it is generally eaten with "sekihan" to pray for good health. Each household would make a large pot of it, and not only would the family eat it, but they would also share it among their neighbors and serve it to guests. Also, although it was only offered on "Hatsuuma", it is said that some families made it and ate it on the second day of the horse as well.

## How to Eat
The exact ingredients differ depending on the household and region, but preparation before simmering was considered important. First of all, the key is to grate the daikon radish and carrots with a special grater. In addition to cooking the soybeans before simmering them, the salmon head is also grilled in advance to brown it. Other ingredients such as fried tofu were also often used. The ingredients and sake lees are simmered with sake, dashi, mirin, soy sauce, miso, etc. Without adding water, simply let the water from the vegetables simmer.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)It used to be commonly made at home, but now more and more stores are selling it as a side dish. In addition, the website Gunma Agrinet, which introduces Gunma's agricultural and livestock products, has published a recipe adapted from "sumitsukare". In addition to using white wine instead of sake lees to make it easier to eat, the dish also has a variety of ingredients, making it a feast for the eyes as well.

## Ingredients
- Radish: 1kg
- Carrots: 100g
- Fried tofu: 1
- Soybeans: 20g
- Salted salmon head, etc: 50g
- Sake lees: 30g
- Alcohol: an appropriate quantity
- Soy sauce: as appropriate

## Recipe
1. 1. Grate the radish and carrots using a coarse grater.
2. 2. Cut the fried tofu in half and cut it into thin pieces. Tear the sake lees into small pieces.
3. 3. Split the soybeans in half and remove the skin. Cut the salted salmon into 1cm cubes.
4. 4. Add all ingredients and sake to a pot and simmer until soft. Add soy sauce as needed if it is not salty enough.

## Provider Information
provider : "NPO Gunma Food Culture Research Group"

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