After the New Year's festivities in Japan, we finish off the meal with a hearty bowl of nana-kusa-gayu (rice gruel with seven herbs), which is gentle on the stomach.
The seven herbs are said to ward off evil spirits because they are the first to sprout in early spring. Therefore, people ate seven herbs gruel to pray for good health and good fortune. In ancient times, the number of times to chop the seven grasses was determined by tapping them on a cutting board. This way of eating is like a spell, but in fact, it is a very good culinary custom.
The seven herbs are Japanese herbs, so to speak, and eating them in a porridge that is easy on the stomach and intestines is just the right food to help the stomach recover from New Year's fatigue. The light porridge has a fresh taste after a series of strong-flavored Osechi dishes. Because it is fresh green grass, it contains plenty of vitamins. During the New Year, when greenery tends to be in short supply, the seven nourishing herbs will refresh you.
Celery, shepherd's purse, Gogyo is jeresy cudweed, Hakobera is chickweed, Suzuna is rootstock, and Suzushiro is radish. The custom of eating rice porridge with these seven herbs on January 7, "Nanakusa-gayu", or rice porridge with the seven herbs, became popular during the Edo period (1603-1867).
The number of the seven herbs varied depending on the time period and region, and sometimes there were more or fewer than seven herbs, but no matter what time period or region, there is no difference in the feeling of praying for a good harvest at the beginning of the year and eating porridge while wishing for a healthy life for the whole family in this year as well.
1. せり celery
3. ゴギョウは、ハハコグサ Jersey cudweed (species of cottonweed, Gnaphalium affine)
4. ハコベラは、ハコベ chickweed
5. ホトケノザ henbit
6. スズナは、かぶ rootstock
7. スズシロは、大根 Daikon radish
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Why don't you eat "Nanakusa porridge" on January 7 every year to heal your body and pray for good health for the year?
ぜひ、
1 comment:
Will definitely try:)
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