🍱 Kigosho

Fushimi Togarashi" is a traditional Kyoto vegetable cultivated in the Fushimi Ward area of Kyoto City. Although the details are not clear, it is recorded in "Yongshu fushi," a geographical journal compiled in 1684, that it was cultivated in Yamashiro-no-kuni (present-day southern part of Kyoto Prefecture). Kyoto Prefecture has designated vegetables that have been cultivated in the prefecture since ancient times as "Kyoto's traditional vegetables" and is attempting to brand them. In branding, the vegetables are defined as those introduced before the Meiji era, and are grown in all areas of Kyoto Prefecture, excluding mushrooms and ferns. While chili peppers are generally thought of as spicy, the Fushimi Togarashi is also known as "Fushimi amanaga" because it is not spicy and has a unique sweet taste. When ripe, the fruit turns red like a red pepper, but the pungency does not increase. The blue and red fruits are sometimes combined to add color to dishes. Compared to the "Manganji Togarashi," which is also grown in Kyoto, it is slender and 10 to 15 cm long. In the market, it is known by the nickname "Aoto. The young leaves are called "Kigosho" and together with the small fruits are used for food such as tsukudani. Fushimi Togarashi is often used, but other chili peppers may also be used. The leaves are tender and have a subtle chili pepper flavor and a distinctive bitterness.