🐟 Ebi mochi(Shrimp mochi)

Miyagi Prefecture has an abundance of mochi dishes; there are said to be over 50 different kinds. Naturally, mochi is eaten during annual events like New Year's celebrations, weddings, memorial services, and funerals, but it is also eaten during breaks while working on the farm. Though it used to be that mochi was made at home, recently there are increasing numbers of people who purchase ready-made mochi. Particularly in the northern parts of the prefecture, there is a rich variety of mochi, including adzuki mochi, mochi soup, grated radish mochi, ginger mochi, shrimp mochi, and fermented soybean mochi. Indeed, at any one time there may be five or six mochi dishes on a single dining table. Amongst such variety, shrimp mochi stands out for its delicious-looking red-and-white appearance. During New Year, it is offered as a special treat to visiting guests. Kurihara is an agricultural region situated in the interior of Miyagi Prefecture. As such, freshwater shrimp and loach caught in rice paddy irrigation canals and ponds provide an important source of protein. Shrimp mochi, made using that precious source of protein that is freshwater shrimp, and smoked mochi, made using pond loach, are meals for special occasions in Kurihara. "Shrimp mochi ”is made by taking pond-caught freshwater shrimp, seasoning it with soy sauce and sake, and combining it with fresh mochi. Though the preparation is simple, since the shrimp are left intact when mixed with the mochi, the dish leaves a strong impression on someone seeing it for the first time.In addition to rice cake dishes, swamp shrimp is also served over boiled rice or with grated radish.