[Blog/Nikomi Mist] Okinawa is a hidden stew paradise! The world of Okinawan stew dishes is not just about pork

Okinawa's stew culture

Okinawa's food culture has developed since the Ryukyu Dynasty through exchanges with China, Southeast Asia, Korea, and Japan. Ryukyu cuisine has so many pork dishes that it is said that "it starts and ends with pork." Not only pork meat and organs, but also ears, feet, face, bones, and blood are eaten without waste, and in Okinawa, "You can eat everything about a pig except its squealIn addition to pork, goat and horse meat also became widely eaten after the war due to food shortages and as a way to recover from fatigue.

Furthermore, the reason why there are so many soups, such as miso soup with lots of ingredients, bone soup, and nakami soup, is that Okinawa's climate is hot and humid, so people often sweat and lose fluids, and so they began to eat a lot of soups to replenish salt and fluids.

If you want to "eat every part of an animal without throwing it away," then of course the best way to cook it is by stewing! Okinawa Prefecture is a treasure trove of stewed dishes! Let's take a look at some recommended restaurants!

①Nakami soup

Pig's large and small intestines, stomachs and other internal organs are thoroughly simmered and boiled over again to remove the odor, and then finished with dried shiitake mushrooms and bonito stock for a refreshing taste.Inside soup" is a soup dish, but it is also a stew that represents Okinawa!

Milk Restaurant

A long-established restaurant near Makishi Public Market that offers a wide variety of Okinawa soba and set meal menus.Milk Restaurant" Nakami-jiru is a hearty soup made with large and small intestine tripe and konjac. It's light but goes well with rice. The store's appearance is also impressive.

"Milk Restaurant"
2-10-20 Matsuo, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, 900-0014

② Tebichi

"Tebichi" is a stewed dish made with pig's trotters, which was brought over from China during the Ryukyu Dynasty. In addition to being used in stews, it is also used in dishes like tebichi soba and oden, which are also representative stews of Okinawa. Originally, "tebichi" did not mean pig's trotters, but rather "stewed dish"!

Urizun

A long-established izakaya restaurant in Sakaemachi that was founded in 1972 (Showa 47).Urizun" The awamori served in a Ryukyu glass and the melt-in-your-mouth ashi-bichi (foot tebichi) served in a Yachimun pottery are the best.

"Swirling"
388-5 Asato, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, 902-0067

[Hometown Tax Donation] 10,000 servings sold annually: Boiled pig's trotters, a specialty of Kakai Shokudo Price: 12,000 yen （tax included, free shipping) (as of 1/14/2024)

Oden Matsuyama

The taste has been passed down for over 40 years. The owner of this oden restaurant in Matsuyama, Naha City, is run by herself and has dedicated half her life to oden.Oden Matsuyama" I definitely recommend ordering the Tebichi, which is simmered until it almost loses its shape!

"Oden Matsuyama"
2-6-1 Matsuyama, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, 900-0032

③Cartilage pork ribs

It is a famous ingredient in Okinawa soba noodles.Cartilage pork ribs" is a dish made by simmering pork belly cartilage, which is a type of meat found near the rib. The cartilage is surrounded by meat, and when simmered for a long time, you can enjoy both the chewy texture and the delicious flavor of the meat.

Hamaya

Hamaya, a restaurant specializing in Okinawa soba, is located near Kadena Air Base. The delicious soup, packed with the flavors of pork, chicken, and bonito, is mixed with melt-in-your-mouth pork ribs and curly noodles to create the ultimate Okinawa soba.

"Hamaya"
2-99 Miyagi, Chatan-cho, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture, 904-0113

We also do mail order↓

[Hometown Tax Donation] Speaking of Okinawa, Hamaya Soba! Two-meal set of melt-in-your-mouth soki | Okinawa soba, local gourmet, cartilage, soki, noodles, processed food, popular, recommended, free shipping Price: 12,000 yen （tax included, free shipping) (as of 1/14/2024)

④Goat soup

Goat dishes are one of Okinawa's traditional foods. It is said that goats for meat were introduced from China or Korea after the 15th century. Goat soup is made by simmering the meat, bones, and innards, seasoning them with salt, and adding mugwort and ginger to remove the odor.

Goat Cuisine Sakae

Sakae, located on Ryugu Street, was founded in 1971 (Showa 46). In addition to goat meat, the soup also contains tripe, heart, liver, and intestines, giving it a light, goat-flavored flavor. It pairs perfectly with a glass of aged awamori!

"Goat Cuisine Sakae"
3-12-20 Makishi, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, 900-0013

bonus

There are also soups made with a variety of ingredients, such as "horse soup" made from simmered lean horse meat, "bone soup" made from simmered pork bones, "duck soup," and "beef soup."

Pig's feet and pork belly cartilage are eaten in Honshu, but there aren't many places where you can eat goat innards. If you go to Okinawa, be sure to give it a try!

[Awamori] Zuisen Aged Awamori, 43% ABV, 1.8L Bottle, 1800ml, Zuisen Shuzo Price: 2,900 yen (tax included, shipping not included) (as of 1/14/2024)