Cook the local flavors once more

Mehari-zushi

A finished mehari-zushi, fully wrapped

A Wakayama specialty: a large rice ball wrapped in salt-pickled takana leaves. It spread through the south of the prefecture, where fishing and forestry thrive, as a lunch that could be eaten quickly between jobs. Takana grows well even in shady spots, so it has long been cultivated in the mountainous south where flat land is scarce; it is harvested from winter to early spring and pickled in salt. The name has several explanations: opening your mouth so wide your eyes open wide, food so good it makes your eyes widen, or wrapping it with no gaps. This time I seasoned the takana with soy sauce from neighboring Yuasa.

Ingredients

Cooked rice
Pickled takana (leaves and stems)
Soy sauce (from Yuasa)

How I made it

Chop the takana stems and season them with soy sauce
Fold the chopped takana into rice and press into a ball
Wrap the ball completely in a whole takana leaf

Sources: maff.go.jp

This moment in the journey

Mehari-zushi, wrapped in takana

I folded the chopped takana into the rice and pressed it firmly into a ball, then wrapped it in a whole takana leaf. This is mehari-zushi, a traditional dish of Wakayama.

There are several stories behind the name. One says you open your mouth so wide to eat it that your eyes open wide too (me o haru). Another says the leaf seals the rice completely, like taping up a window (meba-ri). Folding in the edges of the leaf, I found myself agreeing with both.

It is said to have spread as a quick lunch for fishermen and foresters to eat between jobs. I also made rice balls mixed with umeboshi and red shiso, and set them out on a black plate.

Watch this scene on YouTube1:08

Read this scene in the full journey