Spring in Tsuruoka is “Moso Bamboo Soup

What flavor of spring do you feel?

When one thinks of the “taste of spring” in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, the first thing that comes to mind is “moso bamboo soup. This dish, which can be called the soul food of the Shonai region, is a special local dish that can only be enjoyed in early spring.
The star of the show is bamboo shoots, which are the young bamboo shoots of the moso bamboo plant. The softness and aroma of the bamboo shoots are infused into the miso broth, making this dish a tender treat for the body and soul after a cold winter.

In this issue, we would like to take a deeper look at the appeal of “mosojiru”.

🌱What is “Moso bamboo”? King of bamboo shoots

The bamboo shoots used in moso soup come from a species of bamboo called moso bamboo. Native to China, they spread in Japan from Satsuma (present-day Kagoshima Prefecture) during the Edo period (1603-1867). The characteristic of moso bamboo is that it is thick, soft, and aromatic. For this reason, it is the most popular edible bamboo shoot, and is especially in season during the first few weeks of spring.

Moso bamboo grows wild in abundance around Tsuruoka City, and locals eagerly await the spring sale of local bamboo shoots. It is an annual spring event in Shonai to prepare moso soup from freshly dug bamboo shoots.

🍲What kind of food is “moso bamboo soup”?

Moso soup is a simple soup made with plenty of pre-boiled moso bamboo shoots, simmered with pork, deep-fried tofu, and dashi broth, and seasoned with miso. This “simplicity”, however, is filled with the luxury of the season, which requires a lot of time and effort.

Then, sake lees sold at local sake breweries are added to the product.
The sweetness of the miso, the texture of the bamboo shoots, and the richness of the pork are a perfect match, and will definitely make your rice and sake go further!

🧄The key to taste is “seasonal handiwork”.

One of the charms of Moso soup is that it is carefully prepared in season. Freshness is the key to bamboo shoots. By removing the scum immediately after digging and cooking, a rich flavorful soup is created without bitterness or bitterness.

It takes a lot of time and effort, but the time the family spends digging, peeling, and slowly stewing bamboo shoots as a springtime tradition is part of life in Tsuruoka.

🥄How to make meng soup (basic recipe)

Ingredients (4 servings)

bamboo shoots (moso bamboo, pre-boiled) ... 400g
Pork belly (thinly sliced) - 200g
1 piece of deep-fried tofu
Dashi stock ...800ml
3-4 tablespoons miso (rice miso)
Sake lees ... 50g ~ to taste
Sake ... 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet cooking sake)
Ginger (shredded) - to taste
A few sprigs of Japanese leeks (for finishing)

way of making

Cut bamboo shoots into bite-size pieces. Drain fried tofu in boiling water and cut into strips.
Put broth and pork in a pot, heat and simmer while removing scum.
Add bamboo shoots and fried tofu, season with sake and mirin, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Dissolve miso and sake lees, add ginger and cook for another 5 minutes.
Dissolve in sakekasu, add more miso, and mix gently.
Add shredded ginger and bring to a boil. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle with the green onion to complete the dish ✨.

📍If you want to taste it in Tsuruoka

If you visit Tsuruoka City, be sure to try some spring mengoshu-jiru. It is served at local restaurants and roadside stations when it is in season.

🥄If you're going to go to the trouble, I'll give you another one.

Freshness is essential for moso bamboo. The longer it is left raw, the more it will become bitter.
So the rule of thumb is to heat it right away...
Wait a minute: ！！！！
Before cooking, cut off the tip part of the moso bamboo and serve it uncooked. ❣️ You can serve it with wasabi shoyu or with salt 💕.
If you have a small moso, you can grill it before peeling it so that the moisture does not escape and it tastes even better 💕.

🌱Trivia: “How to store moso bamboo”

Anyway, the harvest season of moso is over at once as it enters the harvest season. For those who still want to eat them even after the season is over, here are some recommendations on how to store moso.

As I mentioned earlier, moso bamboo quickly loses its freshness and becomes gassy. The best way to prevent this is to cook it while it is still fresh. However, even if it is cooked through, there are many times when it is 💦 too much to eat. Do you know how to store them in such cases?

Freeze the boiled mengzou with the boiled water.
Oh my gosh, that's all. You can keep it for a while with this. The only thing to note is that when you boil them, you need to put in the hawk's claw. So, it will be a little spicy, but don't worry, it won't bother you so much once you cook and season it. ❣️
It can be served for up to 2 weeks without loss of flavor. We recommend thawing naturally when defrosting ✨.

🌸If you want to feel spring, start with “Moso soup

Spring foods are full of vitality. The strength of bamboo shoots that sprout after winter and the warmth of the people who take the time and effort to prepare them. Moso soup is filled with such “spring stories” and is a treasure unique to Tsuruoka.

If you travel to Yamagata and Tsuruoka, you should try not only cherry and plum blossoms, but also “seasonal tastes”. ❣️

That's all for today's article.
We blog about the charms of Tsuruoka and things to do at Guesthouse Watabusagi. The latest information is posted on our Instagram story, so please follow us and wait for us at ❣️ We are happy to like and share 😊.