Akita Kamabuku
Quick answer
- Total time
- 180 min
- Level
- Hard
- Servings
- 50 servings
- Ingredients
- 11
About this dish
Kamabuku is an Akita ceremonial sweet made by layering a white potato-and-rice-flour dough with a red-bean potato dough, rolling them into a spiral, shaping the roll like kamaboko, and steaming it for about ninety minutes.
Read more
It developed in inland mountain communities where fish was difficult to obtain, so familiar potatoes, sugar, and rice flour were transformed into a decorative kuchitori sweet that resembled fish cake. In Kamiiwakawa it is called kamabuku, a local rendering of kamaboko; in parts of Odate it is known as agemono because families made it during the quiet winter farming season and gave it to relatives. Thick slices reveal a festive white-and-red spiral served at New Year, ceremonies, festivals, and sports days.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Divide 6000ml boiling water between 2 large pots.
Boil 1500g white-dough potatoes and 250g red-bean-dough potatoes separately for 25 to 35 minutes. When a skewer enters the centers easily, drain and peel while hot.
- 2Season
Rice the white-dough potatoes until smooth and mix with 1000g white-dough sugar and 2 teaspoons salt for 3 minutes.
Add 800g glutinous rice flour and 600g non-glutinous rice flour and knead for 10 minutes until no dry flour remains.
- 3Season
Mash the red-bean-dough potatoes smooth and mix with 1000g sugar and 0.25 teaspoon salt for 3 minutes.
Work in 500g smooth red bean paste, then add 500g glutinous rice flour and knead for 8 minutes until cohesive with no dry flour.
- 4Step
Divide each dough into 4 portions.
Roll one white portion to 35 by 22cm and 1cm thick; roll one red-bean portion thinly to the same length and width and layer it on top. Roll tightly from a long edge. Repeat to make 4 spiral logs.
- 5Heat
Wrap each log loosely in steam-permeable cloth and space them in a steamer.
Steam for 90 minutes with a steady strong flow of steam, topping up the steamer with boiling water if its level drops.
- 6Prep
Remove when the centers are firm and translucent with no visible dry rice flour.
Unwrap, cool completely at room temperature for 2 hours, and cut 1.5cm thick with a damp knife, displaying the spiral cross sections.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Mountain ceremonial sweet shaped like fish cake without fish
- Finish cue
- Remove when the centers are firm and translucent with no visible dry rice flour.
- Storage and reheating
- Unwrap, cool completely at room temperature for 2 hours, and cut 1.5cm thick with a damp knife, displaying the spiral cross sections.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
180min, 11 ingredients
Category median
45min, 6 ingredients
Based on 144 recipes
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