🍚 Uzumi (Soup with Rice hidden by Tofu and Shiitake Mushroom)

‘Uzumi' is a clear soup made from ‘dashi' soup stock from shiitake mushroom or kombu(=kelp) placed cooked rice at the bottom of a bowl berried by tofu and shiitake mushroom. It is served at memorial services. Add sesame seeds, green onion, ginger or yuzu as condiments. ‘Uzumi' is a local food from Hirai Village located in the furthest of the Kozagawa River in Higashimuro District, and it is passed down this area exclusively. The Kozagawa River is close to former Oto Village (current Tanabe City) and former Hikigawa-cho (current Shirahama-cho), and it is the place where Murakami clan reached after being driven out from the capital city due to ‘Jokyuu-no Ran' in 1221. There is a cuisine called ‘Uzumi Ryori' in the ‘Cha-kaiseki' (=light meal served at tea ceremonies) in Kyoto and it is luxurious used with yuzu. Therefore, it is believed that the origin of ‘Uzumi' is this cuisine from Kyoto delivered by Murakami clan. The name ‘Uzumi' came from rice buried (‘uzumeru' in Japanese) at the bottom of the soup. Another saying is that Hirai area is developed by Heike clan defeated in the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185, and farmers hided precious white rice under other ingredients when they ate so that no one could find it. ‘Uzumi', the dish passed down only in the village closed to the river source of Kozagawa River. It's simply cooked with soup stock from kombu(=kelp) and shiitake mushrooms because it is ‘shojin ryori' (=vegan cuisine for Buddhist monks), but it has great smell and rich in flavor, and looks beautiful with white tofu, yellow yuzu and ginger, and green onion.