September 6, 2016

Kuri Kuri Bozu vs. Kuri Cutter/栗くり坊主と栗カッター

I keep receiving boxes of grapes from my generous father, who lives in Chiba prefecture.
千葉に住む父から、ブドウをもらい続けています。 
Shown above is a variety called Kyoho (called the King of Grapes in Japan).
これは、巨峰(日本ではブドウの王様と呼ばれる)という品種です。


I have also received boxes of chestnuts from him.
また、栗ももらっています。


I simmered small and medium sized ones in a pot for 30 minutes.
小さいのと中くらいのは鍋で30分煮ました。 
Only the large sized ones should be mixed with mochi rice to make "kuri okowa" (mochi rice cooked with chestnuts)!
大きいのだけ、もち米と混ぜて、栗おこわを作ります! 
I guess I should refrain from talking about my kuri okowa, because I have talked about it so many times before.
私が作る栗おこわについては、これまで何回も話しているので、控えようと思います。


Instead, let me talk about the "Kuri Cutter", which I bought last year from the "recycle shop" (secondhand store).
代わりに、去年リサイクルショップで買った「栗カッター」について話します。


Right: Kuri Cutter
Left: Kuri Kuri Bozu
右:栗カッター
左:栗くり坊主
As you can easily imagine, kuri means chestnut.  Kuri Cutter is a product of Kai Corporation, while Kuri Kuri Bozu is a product of SUWADA, located in Sanjo City, Niigata, which is very famous for their nippers-type nail clippers.
ご想像通り、クリとはchestnutのことです。栗カッターは貝印(かいじるし)の製品、栗くり坊主は、新潟県三条市にある諏訪田製作所の製品です。諏訪田はニッパータイプの爪切りでとても有名です。


The "reference price" for the DH-2234 is 1,620 yen. There are other models, DG-2002 and DH-7248, whose reference prices are also 1,620 yen, according to Amazon. I'm not 100% sure, but the DH-7248 is probably the newest model.
DH-2234の「参考価格」は1,620円です。他のモデルもあり(DG-2002、DH-7248)、アマゾンによれば、それらの参考価格も1,620円です。100%確かではないですが、たぶんDH-7248が最新モデルです。


I got mine (DH-2234) for 480 yen at the "recycle shop".
私は「リサイクルショップ」で480円で買いました(DH-2234)。 
 
I found my new Kuri Cutter very easy to use, because it was light (68 g) and the blade was very sharp.
私の新しい栗カッターは、軽くて(68 g)、刃は鋭いので、とても使いやすいと思いました。
 
 
Even so, it took me more than 30 minutes to peel the 31 large chestnuts.
それでも、大きく栗の皮をむくのに30分以上かかりました。

On the other hand, Kuri Kuri Bozu is available in three models:
1. Kuri Kuri Bozu (shown in the fourth photo above)
Weight: Approx. 130 g
Reference price: 2,700 yen (probably)
Blade: Top-class cutlery steel
Replacement blade attached.
2. Shin-Gata (New Type) Kuri Kuri Kuri Bozu
Weight: Approx. 140 g
Renferece price: 2,700 yen
Blade: Top-class cutlery steel
Replacement blade attached.
3. Kuri Kuri Bozu II
Weight: Approx. 60 g
Reference price: 2,700 yen
Blade: Stainless cultry steel

You can view a photo of each model from here.

一方、栗くり坊主には3タイプあります。
1. 栗くり坊主(上の4番目の写真)
重さ: 約130 g
参考価格: 2,700円(多分)。
刃: 最高級刃物鋼
替え刃付き。
2. 新型栗くり坊主、約140 g、参考価格2,700円。
重さ: 約140 g
参考価格: 2,700円
刃: 最高級刃物鋼
替え刃付き。
3. 栗くり坊主II
重さ: 約60 g
参考価格: 2,700円
刃: ステンレス刃物鋼
ここからそれぞれのタイプの写真が見れます。

Edited to add some photos:
Left: 2.5 go mochi rice
Right: 1 go regular rice (uruchi mai in Japanese)
写真を追加:
左: もち米2.5合
右: 粳米(うるちまい)1合
1 go is equivalent to 180 ml.
1合は180 mlです。

I personally don't like the texture of mochi-rice-only kuri okowa, so I add some regular rice. I have found that the 2.5:1 ratio is just right for me.
もち米だけの栗おこわの食感は個人的に好きではないので、粳米を少し足します。2.5:1の割合が私にはちょうどいいです。

Add water up to the level for 3.5 go of rice.
水を3.5合のレベルまで足します。 
Add 1 tbsp sake and 1 tsp salt.
お酒を大さじ1、塩を小さじ1足します。

Finally, add 31 peeled chestnuts.
最後に皮をむいた栗を31個入れます。 
An IH rice cooker is capable of making perfect kuri okowa.
IH炊飯器は、完璧な栗おこわを作ってくれます。 
In days of old, a steamer was commonly used.
昔は、蒸し器が一般的に使われていました。

7 comments:

ErinBear said...

I hope the kuri okawa turns out well! The grapes looks really delicious. How nice to get such wonderful gifts from your father!

Take care,
Erin from California

Hiroyuki said...

ErinBear: Thanks! It turned out fine, as usual. I have added some photos of it.
I wished I could have sent some of the kuri okowa to my son!

diu said...

Live Brazil, I loved the cutter,I'll look in the stores here or on Amazon sell? I love your blog

Hiroyuki said...

diu: Amazon sells all three models of Kuri Cutter. Here's a page on DH-7248:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/House-Select-DH-7248/dp/B00ZVUNR68/ref=dp_ob_title_home

Amazon also sells two of the three models of Kuri Kuri Bozu, Shin-Gata and II.
Here's a page on Shin-Gata:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E8%AB%8F%E8%A8%AA%E7%94%B0%E8%A3%BD%E4%BD%9C%E6%89%80-KURI-003-%E8%AB%8F%E8%A8%AA%E7%94%B0-SUWADA-%E6%A0%97%E3%81%8F%E3%82%8A%E5%9D%8A%E4%B8%BB/dp/B009G9ZYUM

I have no idea if they sell them to Brazil, though.

Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

Wow, chestnuts - I love chestnuts. Here, they are a bit later in season. I'm looking forward to them and hope they'll appear on the markets soon.
By the way, I've adopted your method of freezing left-over rice. The parcels come in handy when one only has to pull one from the freezer and into the microwave. Time-saving. Energy-saving as well, I guess.
Apologies for appearing here only as "anonymous", I'm not a blogger myself.
Regards, Philip

Hiroyuki said...

Philip: Maybe we are talking about different varieties of chestnuts, but any variety tastes good!

Thanks for adopting "my" method, although it's not my invention (laugh).
I also keep bread in the freezer or in the partial freezing compartment (-3 C) of the fridge, so it stays fresh!

Anonymous said...

Both, I think, different varieties and/ or a slightly different climate leading to a later harvest begin.

Yes, but reading about your habit of storing cooked rice changed my mind and gave me that last little "push" to implement the same in my kitchen. I have an old Zojirushi rice cooker which I don't like leaving on when I'm away the whole day. Have a great week! Regards, Philip