Kamabuku

Kamabuku was created in Akita as an alternative to the rolled delicacy kamaboko, to be served or gifted around holidays and celebrations such as New Years Day. Kamaboko's origin can be traced back to the Heian period, with it traditionally being served like Kamabuku on special occasions. The first documentation of kamaboko was a celebratory dinner for a Minister in the 8th century, and became more popular over time as kamaboko businesses were established and grew. Similar rolling artistry is used in Kamabuku, however fish paste is substituted for potatoes as fish was more difficult to access in inland Akita historically, due to snowy winters and mountainous terrain. Potatoes were seen as a good substitute to make these traditional sweets as they were more affordable and easy to come by.

Kamabuku is a mochi cake with simple base ingredients of potato, rice flour, and sugar. It is chewy in texture and usually presented in a rounded oval shape after being cut from a rolled log. There are generally two or more colours and flavours of dough that are rolled to create unique designs, and this allows for a multitude of flavour combination possibilities, including adding walnuts, pumpkin, sweet potato, sesame seeds, or azuki paste. Kamabuku has the satisfying stretch and chewiness of mochi, and the sweetness you would look for in a bite sized treat. 

Method

1. Boil, peel, and mash the potatoes for both doughs.

2. Make the white dough by first mixing potatoes with white sugar and salt. Then add glutinous rice flour and short grain rice flour. Mix by hand.

3. Make the azuki dough by first mixing potatoes, white sugar and salt. Then add sweet bean paste. Finally, add glutinous rice flour and mix by hand.

4. Roll the white dough and the azuki dough into thin, rectangle shapes. Then layer the rolled out azuki dough on top of the white dough.

5. Roll the overlapping doughs into a spiral pattern and steam for 1.5 hrs. Cool and then cut into pieces.

(Akita Hanamaru Green Tourism Promotion Council, 2021)