🍱 Neginuta (Green Onion Nuta)

Saitama Prefecture produces a whopping 50,600 tons of green onions, making it the second biggest producer of green onions in all of Japan (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, (2020 Annual Production, Crop Survey (Vegetables))). With the nation's largest 2,230 square meters of cultivated land dedicated to green onions, they're certainly one of Saitama Prefecture's leading local produces. Summer green onions are grown in cities such as Koshigaya, Yoshikawa, and Misato in the southeastern side of the prefecture, while winter green onions (aka Welsh onions) are grown in Fukaya, which is on the northeastern side; “Fukaya green onions” in particular have become a brand of their own. Fukaya uses green onions in many dishes such as negiyaki pancakes, which truly bring out the flavor of green onions, or shiraae salad, nanbanzuke marinated meat, etc. Green onions are especially indispensable in niboto, a noodle dish that is part of Fukaya's regional cuisine. Neginuta is another dish using green onions which is a must at all celebrations. Winter green onions in particular have a mouthfeel that heightens the sweetness of any dish and pairs deliciously with the flavors of vinegared miso, creating an exceptional taste. Neginuta has traditionally been brought out at celebrations to subtly indicate to guests that “the event is going to end soon.”