🍡 Nerikuri, Nettabo, Imo-mochi (Sweet Potato and Mochi Dumpling)

In Miyazaki Prefecture, sweet potatoes are called "Kansho", and "Nerikuri" made from sweet potatoes is eaten mainly in the vicinity of Miyakonojo City. It is also called "Nettabo," "Nettakuri," or "Karaimo-mochi" depending on the region. This dish has been made since the Edo period (1603-1867) and is a type of sweet potato rice cake made by combining rice cake and steamed sweet potato. In the old days, when pounding rice cakes for New Year's, boiled sweet potatoes were put into the last mortar of the rice and pounded up. Nerikuri is made from hardened rice cakes and water cakes left over from New Year's. It is made by pounding boiled rice cakes and steamed sweet potatoes into a round ball and sprinkling Kinako on it when eaten. The word "Nerikuri" means "to mix" in the Miyazaki dialect, and is said to be derived from "Kneaded Botamochi" or "Botta-botta" (kneading and mixing), hence the name. Nettabo has been eaten as a substitute for staple foods and as a snack for farmers. In Japan, the sweet potato is said to have originated in the Satsuma Clan. Since it was introduced from Kara (China) on the continent, it is called Kara-imo (Chinese sweet potato) in the former Satsuma Clan, and is also called the same in Miyakonojo City.