🍡 Kamabuku (Potato and Mochi Cake)

"Kamabuku" is a sweet cake made from boiled and mashed potatoes with glutinous rice flour and sugar, and formed into a half round shape. In Japan, rolled dishes, such as "Datemaki" and "Futomaki", have been widely eaten on special occasions. In Akita Prefecture, "Kamabuku" is made to resemble "Kamoboko" fish cake, and has been an indispensable treat for celebrations and festivals. It is said that in the old days, fish was hard to come by in the mountainous inland areas of Akita Prefecture, so they devised a creative way to use familiar ingredients. In the Kami-Iwakawa area of Mitane Town, the word "Kamabuku" is a dialect of "Kamaboko." In the Yamadate area of Odate City, it is called "Agemono", a gift, because it was made during the off-season in winter and given to relatives and others. Unlike regular "Kamaboko" fish paste, "Kamabuku" does not contain any fish paste. Instead, it is a mixture of potato pur e, glutinous rice flour, sugar, and salt. In some areas, short-grain rice or sticky rice flour (=iriko), or short-grain rice flour is used. Depending on the family, the dough is mixed with "Azuki beans(=Red beans)", pumpkin, walnuts, sesame seeds, or other ingredients of their choice. The colored dough and the potato dough are rolled on top of each other to create a gorgeous looking "Kamabuku". It has the simple sweetness of the ingredients, chewy texture and fully satisfying. Because of the time-consuming nature, fewer and fewer people make this confectionery, which makes it precious and difficult to taste these days.