🍱 Jibuni
“Jibuni” is a simmered dish that represents Ishikawa Prefecture. It is simmered with duck, sudare-fu (wheat-gluten bread) and seasonal vegetables. The duck is coated with flour, which makes it thickened. This samurai dish is believed to have been eaten since at least the Edo period (1603 - 1868). There are many theories as to its origin, such as that Takayama Ukon, a Christian feudal lord, learned it from a missionary and introduced it to the Kaga domain, that Okabe Jibuemon, who served as Toyotomi Hideyoshi's food service officer, introduced it from Korea, and that it was introduced by a wandering Russian. As to the origin of the name "Jibuni", there are various theories, including that it is derived from "Jibu” by Okabe Jibuemon and the onomatopoeic word "Jibu Jibu” for simmering. Funaki Dennai, known as "Knife Samurai", who worked in the kitchen of the Kaga domain, wrote down several dishes and their recipes in his book "Cuisine Chikara-so", including "Jibu Jibuni, Iridori (fried chicken), Yudori (hot water chicken), Noppei (vegetable soup) and Mugidori (wheat chicken)". The modern "Jibuni" is believed to be the recipe for Mugidori in the text passed down. It is said that the name of the dish was changed from Mugidori to "Jibuni" for some reason after a long period of time. When about 3,000 retainers were invited to the opening banquet of the Kanaya Goten, a villa of the Kaga domain lord, “Jibuni” with duck, Japanese parsley, sudare-fu and arrowhead were served to the lord.