🍲 Uchikomi-jiru (Uchikomi Soup)

“Uchikomi soup” is a soup commonly made on cold winter days in rural areas. It's a quick dish made by adding generous amounts of seasonal vegetables to a stock made from dried sardines and then incorporating noodles made simply from wheat flour and water, without adding salt. The noodles can be either thick or thin, adding an element of fun to the preparation. The name uchikomi (“to throw in”) is believed to come from the practice of directly adding the freshly made noodles into the soup without pre-boiling them. The warm and dry climate of Kagawa Prefecture is well-suited for wheat production, making wheat flour a common household ingredient. Additionally, the Seto Inland Sea, particularly around Ibuki Islandーknown for its “Ibuki dried sardines,” is abundant in Japanese anchovy, which is a key ingredient for broth. This has also contributed to making noodle dishes a staple in local cuisine.