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estebanana -> RE: Asian Seafood (Aug. 2 2015 13:15:14)
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There's a Japanese tamale too, it's called Akumaki. It's rice wrapped in a bamboo leaf and then cooked for several hours in water soaked in wood ash. The akumaki is made to have some natural preservative strength, it can last few days without being refrigerated.
It's an old old food style and many Japanese don't even like or have had it. But since we live in the deep south this old style is still in the country. The woman across the street makes it to sell in markets and she gives me a few every month. When her daughter found out I eat akumaki it became a subject of much discussion and giggling. The older people eat it, but many younger folks think it is old fashioned or plain stinky.
The akumaki was carried by samurai and traveling folks because it would last a few days on the road. There is a local samurai residence compound that is now preserved as a historical site. An interesting local history of samurai, they guarded the border between Kumamoto prefecture and Kagoshima at Izumi, about 20 minutes north by car. The port of Kagoshima was unique and provided an easy safe anchorage for trade ships from China and the West, so at Izumi they put up a strong border to keep other factions from coming down and taking control of the harbor. Fascinating local history. next time I go other there I'll take my camera. The Kagoshima harbor is where that big active volcano is located, the one we talked about a few weeks ago called Sakurajima. I wish I had a better camera, theres is lots of interesting history here that done not get known much outside the area.
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