Akadatsu no Subute

Quick answer

Total time: 33 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 5

About this dish

Akadatsu no subute is a northern Yamagata City dish from Gifu made with the red-purple leaf stalks of Yatsugashira taro.

The tough fibers are peeled away, the stalks are rubbed with salt to reduce harshness, then boiled and dressed in a cooled mixture of vinegar and mirin. Datsu means zuiki, the edible taro stalk, while akadatsu identifies the red form. In this mountainous area, limited flat land and lean limestone soil suited tuber cultivation, so the valuable stalks were eaten during their June-to-September harvest and also dried for winter. Vinegar brightens the red color, and cooked-off mirin softens the acidity without leaving a strong alcoholic edge.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
red taro stalks	3	piece
salt	0.5	tsp
water for rinsing and boiling	2000	ml
vinegar	133	ml
mirin	67	ml

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

4 steps

1

Season

Peel the outer skin and tough fibers from 3 red taro stalks.

Cut into 8cm lengths, sprinkle with 0.5 teaspoon salt, massage for 3 minutes, and rest for 10 minutes.
2

Season

Use 500ml of the water to rinse the stalks twice, discarding salt and extracted liquid.

Boil the remaining 1500ml, cook the stalks for 3 minutes, and drain when they bend but retain a light crispness at the center.
3

Season

Combine 133ml vinegar and 67ml mirin in a small saucepan.

Once boiling, cook for 2 more minutes to remove the raw alcohol aroma, transfer to a wide bowl, and cool completely for 20 minutes.
4

Finish

Cut the boiled stalks into short 1cm-wide batons, add to the cooled vinegar mixture, and toss for 1 minute.

Chill for 30 minutes, turning once halfway, and serve when the red color is evenly bright.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Red-purple taro stalk harvested from June through September
Finish cue: Cut the boiled stalks into short 1cm-wide batons, add to the cooled vinegar mixture, and toss for 1 minute.
Avoid this: Remove every tough outer fiber and salt-massage thoroughly so the stalks are neither stringy nor harsh.
Storage and reheating: Once boiling, cook for 2 more minutes to remove the raw alcohol aroma, transfer to a wide bowl, and cool completely for 20 minutes.