Kanpyō-maki – [Sushi/Foodlore]

Description

Kanpyō-maki. – 干瓢巻き – Aka: Teppo-Maki. 鉄砲, 巻き. [Sushi/Foodlore] 

• About this roll: Dried, shaved strips of Kanpyō (Fukube, Round Calabash Gourds!) Re-hydrated and flavoured in a sweet & savoury soy sauce broth, simmered & then served as an ingredient in Futomaki rolls; The mouthfeel is thick and a bit chewy, similar to that of shiitake mushrooms. occasionally topped with sesame seeds.  This roll is A staple In traditional Edomae sushi and is often referred to by chefs as “Norimaki” But depending on shop/region, it might also be called “Teppo-maki” (‘Musket rolls’ or ‘Gun rolls’ – named as such as they are cut taller than your average maki roll and thus somewhat resemble a cannon or the end of a musket rifle!) – Traditionally these are served and eaten last at the end of a meal as a finisher! (–that might read as a bit of dark humour? But in any regard, it does make for an excellent filling drink chaser!) – In Chiba prefecture; during Setsubun, Teppo-maki rolls are filled with extra stuffing and Katsuo bushi (bonito flakes) and are eaten in place of Eho maki rolls, along with a prayer for good luck in the coming year! – Deelish!!

In the edo period, These gourds where set on a spinning wheel against a sharp toothed blade which cuts into it as it spins, the long strips are then hung up to dry (exactly like laundry!) the preparation of which takes 3 whole days! – A testimate to this process is famously featured as woodblock print, the 50th stop in Utagawa Hiroshige‘s Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō road which depicts some ladies from Minacuchi (south east of tokyo) hard at work: cutting & preparing the gourd-strips, hanging them up to dry! – Today, Kanpyo is mostly harvested in Tochigi prefecture (North of Tokyo!) there are a number of folktoys from Tochigi area called Fukube saiku (ふくべ細工 )  bottles & hand made masks are often made with these gourds as well! – Dried Kanpyo can also sometimes be tied as a knot as a sort of edible decoration. (Pretty cute!) 

[Kanpyō drying in Minakuchi-juku from The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō by Hiroshige]

[a photo of a Fukube gourd & the kanpyo being hung to dry, image source: taste of culture.]

[Art sticker by @samkalensky (yo, thats me!) part of my sushi and foodlore series of stickers, follow and support for many more :)]