🍚 Tororomamma (tororo rice)

"Yama-no-imo" (Japanese mountain yam) in a "Suribachi" (Japanese mortar) and mixing it with a thick miso soup to create a spread. In the Akita style, it is made with a type of "Yama-no-imo" that has a firmer texture than "Nagaimo" (Japanese long yam). Yama-no-imo is often circulated as "Tsukuneimo," characterized by its round, black appearance resembling a fist and its low moisture, dense, white, and sticky interior. In Akita, a major rice-producing region, production of Yama-no-imo has increased, especially in Odate City, because it is easy to grow and does not compete with rice cultivation. Tororo has been highly valued as a nutritious food known for its energizing properties and is believed to have the power to ward off evil spirits. Therefore, there is the tradition of eating it on New Year's Day. In some regions, it may also be consumed on the 2nd or 3rd morning of the new year. In the Yuri area, the custom is to sprinkle tororo in a straight line between the gates of the house to pray for good health, and in the Daisen area, the custom is to offer "Tororo jiru" (tororo soup) to the altar of the gods on New Year's Day. In some areas, people also eat "Tororo-meshi" (tororo rice) on the day following the celebration to bring happiness to the family as tororo is considered an auspicious food.