🍱 Garagara-Oroshi

"Garagara-Oroshi" is a local dish of Mie Prefecture made with a special bamboo grater which is named “Oni-Oroshi-Ki” (Demon grater). During the Edo period (1603-1868), rice was paid as annual tribute, but when rice could not be delivered, it was offered as a substitute for rice. It is said that regions that delivered "Garagara-Oroshi" were exempted from paying annual tribute rice due to the scarcity of food. It is thought that the "Garagara" in "Garagara-Oroshi" comes from the word "rough" is described as "garagara" or the sound made when daikon radish is grated with an “Oni” grater. With an ordinary grater, the water from the daikon radish is released, but with an “Oni” grater, large, soft, and light daikon radish grates can be made in large quantities at a time. “Oni” grater was often handmade by each family and given to the daughter by her mother as one of her wedding gifts when she got married. The name and ingredients used for it differ from region to region. It is called "Garagara-Oroshi" in Shimo-Okubo Cho, Suzuka City and Shimono, Komono Cho in the Hoku-sei region; "Gatagata-Oroshi" in Aino, Ureshino Cho, Matsusaka City; and "Paripari-Namasu" or "Kamitare-Namasu" in Kasamatsu Cho, also in Matsusaka City in the Chu-Nansei region. "Garagara-Oroshi" was a “Hare” cuisine prepared and eaten at a special occasion where people gathered such as weddings, funerals, New Year's and festivals, but it was also served at everyday tables. Although the history of this dish is completely different, it is similar to "Shimotsukare" in Tochigi Prefecture in that the daikon radish is grated with an “Oni” grater.