Takomeshi (takikomi gohan)
Takomeshi (たこめし), literally “octopus rice.”) is a variety of Takikomi gohan, a dish that has been eaten as a part of a meal with different ways to taste the sea with a chewy treat. Its all about how a simple fisherman's meal became part of Hyogo's regional food identity as a side dish, humble, concealed, and ready to connect to other flavors in the mouth. One example is takomeshiAt first glance, it is a humble dish: rice cooked with octopus, Japanese stock, and seasonings. Yet its simplicity conceals a connection to the fishing communities of Japan's Seto Inland Sea, where the daily catch could become the centrepiece of a practical, satisfying meal. Its flavour becomes part of the meal, carried through the grains and the cooking stock. In Hyogo Prefecture, takomeshi is particularly associated with Akashi where Akashiyaki is found as a common meal. Then Awaji Island and Higashi Harima. The precise date when takomeshi first appeared is not established in the available hist...