From the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | |
| Lotus root | 300 g |
| Kudzu starch (or potato starch) | 1 teaspoon |
| White fish (or chicken) | 100 g |
| Shrimp | 4 |
| Mushrooms | as needed |
| Ginkgo nuts | 4 |
| Lily bulb scales | 8 |
| Egg white | 1 |
| Potato starch or kudzu starch (to thicken) | as needed |
| Seasonings and liquids | |
| Salt | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Mirin | 2 teaspoons |
| Sauce: dashi stock | 1.5 cups |
| Sauce: mirin | 1 tablespoon |
| Sauce: salt | 2/3 teaspoon |
| Sauce: light soy sauce | 2 teaspoons |
Kanazawa City certifies “Kaga vegetables” as brand vegetables. The name began to be used in earnest in the Heisei period, from around 1990. To be certified, a vegetable must be mainly grown in Kanazawa and have been grown since before 1945. There are 15 certified vegetables, such as sweet potato, Kaga thick cucumber, Gensuke daikon, bamboo shoots and Kaga lotus root.
Of these, Kaga lotus root has been grown since the time of the domain, and has a long history. The Kahoku Lagoon reclaimed land, across two cities and two towns including Kanazawa, Kahoku and Tsubata, is the main growing area. Its joints are short, and the two joints at the tip are said to taste best. The flesh is thick and has a pleasant bite. Because it has so much starch, it is also called “mochi lotus root.”
When grated, it is very sticky, and the local dish hasu-mushi, which uses that stickiness, has been eaten since long ago. From the late Meiji period to the Taisho period, Kaga lotus root farming boomed, and some growers even built grand “lotus-root mansions.” It is said that the fifth lord of the Kaga domain, Maeda Tsunanori, planted lotus seeds he brought from Mino Province in the moat of Kanazawa Castle, to enjoy the flowers.
Kaga lotus root is harvested from summer to the following spring. A lotus root has holes all the way through, so it is a lucky food meaning “you can see ahead,” and is a must for New Year dishes. Besides hasu-mushi, there are sashimi, dumpling soup and kanten jelly (hasune-kan).
Grated lotus root is steamed with white fish or shrimp. Because Kaga lotus root has so much starch, it needs no binder. A thick sauce on top gives a soft, chewy texture. Depending on the harvest time or place, egg white or potato starch is added as a binder. Wasabi can be added as a garnish. Some people use eel or chicken instead of white fish and shrimp.
Today, few families make it, but local restaurants serve it. It is used in school lunches and promoted in cooking contests, and Ishikawa Prefecture presents it outside the prefecture as a healthy local dish and a tourist attraction.
There is no single right answer. Talking it over with someone at home is a good way to learn.