🍱 Nasuno-koujizuke (pickled eggplant with kouji)

"Nasuno-koujizuke" is a pickle made by marinating eggplant in rice and Kouji. It is pickled mainly in the southern part of the prefecture. In the old days, during the eggplant harvest season from July to October, every household would lavishly use the second-best rice from the new crop and make it as one of their winter preparations. Akita Prefecture is home to many traditional vegetables, and there are many varieties of eggplant. The famous "Aradokoro eggplant" from Yokote City, characterized by its drawstring shape, is valued as "Hana-zushi". There are also "Sekiguchi eggplant" from Yuzawa City and "Senboku round eggplant" from Daisen City that are still cultivated as native varieties despite being pushed out by various improved eggplant varieties. The dark blue color of the skin is bright and crispy, and the inside is firm. Since both the flesh and peel are firm, the flesh does not easily retain water even when stored in salt, making them useful for long-term preservation in "Nasuno-koujizuke".