May 3, 2013

Shoyu Mame (Shoyu no Mi)/しょうゆ豆(しょう油の実)

I ordered a set of six packs of O-Shoyu Mame (product name) two days ago. It arrived this morning.
I think I was lucky, because this particular product, made by Takamura Shoten located in Nagano prefecture, is a seasonal one, and is only available in winter.
二日前(ふつかまえ)に「おしょうゆ豆」(商品名)6パックのセットを注文し、今朝届きました。ラッキーだったと思います。長野県にある高村商店製造のこの製品は季節限定で、冬にしか手に入らないからです。
   
I fell in love with this product instantly when I had it for the first time in my late teens or early twenties (I don't remember exactly when).
10代後半か20代前半(正確にいつか覚えていません)初めて食べて、すぐに好きになりました。
 
It is additive-free, and must be kept refrigerated.
無添加なので、要冷蔵です。 
The ingredients are soy beans, kuromame (black beans), rice malt, and soy sauce.
原材料は大豆、黒豆、米麹、しょうゆです。 
I had it with hot rice. Very, very good!
温かいご飯と食べました。すごく、すごい美味しいです!

If you ever want to taste shoyu mame (shoyu no mi), search for the real one, with no additives.
しょうゆ豆(しょう油の実)を味わいたければ、添加物のない本物を探して下さい。

Note: Shoyu mame (shoyu no mi) is a specialty of Shinshu (Nagano).
There is a similar product in Niigata, which is usually called shoyu no mi:
注: しょう油豆(しょう油の実)は信州(長野)の名産です。
新潟にも似たような商品がありますが、通常、しょう油の実と呼ばれています。
Images of Niigata shoyu no mi/新潟 しょう油の実の画像

There is a product with the same name in Kagawa prefecture (fava beans soaked in sugar, soy sauce, mirin, and red pepper):
香川県には同名の商品があります(そら豆をしょう油、しょう油、みりん、唐辛子に漬けたもの):
Images of Kagawa shoyu mame/香川 しょうゆ豆の画像
 

2 comments:

Fräulein Trude said...

Soy beans and black beans simmered in soy sauce and mirin for a longer time - the ultimate baked beans... Looks very tasty.

Hiroyuki said...

Kiki: No mirin in Shinshu's shoyu mame (shoyu no mi). Soy beans, kuromame (black beans), rice malt, and soy sauce are the only necessary ingredients.

Niigata's shoyu no mi = Soy beans + water + rice malt + salt (NO soy sauce)

As I suggested in the post, not all products labled "Shoyu no mi" or "Shoyu mame" are the same. Some taste just awful. For example, the one I bought in Gangi Dori is way too salty, and lacks the flavor that shoyu no mi should have.

I am really lucky that I had the real shoyu mame right from the beginning. The miso manufacturer that makes this particular product is located in the area of Shinshu where my father comes from.