🍱 Kintokimame-iri-Barazushi (Barazushi with red kidney beans)

Barazushi is made by mixing red kidney beans sweetly boiled with soy sauce and sugar as well as seasonal ingredients with vinegared rice. Tokushima's soil was originally difficult for rice to grow in, so it is said that this local cuisine originated from the idea of adding various ingredients instead of rice to bulk it up. The ingredients used vary depending on the region and season, and it is also called by a variety of names, including “mazekuri,” “gomokuzushi,” “kakimaze,” and “osumoji” in addition to “barazushi.” The vinegared rice is sometimes flavored with shredded yuzu peel or sesame seeds, making it a dish with a gorgeous aroma, appearance, and flavor. By the way, red kidney beans are a familiar ingredient in Tokushima. A variety of local dishes are popular, such as “mametentama,” which is okonomiyaki with red kidney beans added, and “renbu (denbu),” which is simmered red kidney beans, black beans, and root vegetables.