Asian Culture

saidai no aki
BY JAPANESE CHEF JINO AKIHIRA
So, basically, you make offering and enjoy food
and drink while everyone looks at the pretty
moon. The offerings you give have various
meanings to them. The most traditional food
associated with Tsukimi are known as tsukimi
dango, or small white dumplings made of rice,
it look similar to a moon, so they symbolize
thanks for the rice harvest. The tsukimi dango
are typically displayed in an alter to represent
an offering to the moon.
Other foods wich are associated with tsukimi
include chestnuts, known as “kuri” in Japanese,
and taro, known as “sato imo”, in Japanese, as
wells as kabocha (Japanese pumpkin).
Boiled soba or udon noodles topped with nori
and raw egg, then covered with broth are
known as Tsukimi soba or Tsukimi udon. In
Kitakyushu an egg served atop yaki udon is
known as Tenmado, another name for
Tsukimi in the local dialect. Similarly when a
raw quail egg is used to top sushi, like
battleship sushi gunkanzushi or a handroll
temaki it is referred to as tsukimi style.
Confectionary, such as Mooncakes, are also
enjoyed.
At some fast food restaurants in Japan a
special Fall Menu is offered during September
and October featuring fried egg sandwiches
known as the Tsukimi burgers.
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