LOVE Sanuki's report

72nd Manba

One of the major projects of Yoshimoto, "A project to live in your town", to make Japan feel good from the area. Entertainer "Kaji Tsuyoshi" who lives in Kagawa reports on local products.

"Mamba" is a vegetable known for "Mamba no Ken-chan", a local dish of Kagawa prefecture.It is also called "Hyakka" in western Kagawa prefecture.The colder it gets, the more delicious it becomes.Kaji visited the field of manba during the harvest season.

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  Peel the leaves one by one and harvest

  In December, the manba field on the outskirts of Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, had widespread deep green leaves.
  "Mamba is harvested from around the end of October, but when it gets cold due to frost, the leaves turn green to purple and the taste increases," says Mr. Futagawa of the producer azemichi. I did.

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  For manba, the roots of the enlarged outer leaves are snapped and the leaves are harvested one by one by hand.Kaji also tried to harvest by imitating Mr. Futagawa.
  “I was wondering if I would pick it all at once like lettuce, but I pick it one by one by hand,” says Kaji.

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  When the outer leaves are taken, new leaves come out and grow one after another from the inner side.
  Since leaves come out regardless of whether they are picked or picked, the Chinese character for "manba" is written as "leaf" in the number "XNUMX".
  In the western part of Kagawa prefecture, it is called "Hyakka". "Hyakka" is written in Chinese characters and is the number "hundred" and "flower".The name comes from the large number of leaves, just like the manba.
  It can be harvested from the end of October to the end of February.

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  A solid axis is proof that you have grown up well

  The characteristic of a delicious manba is that the leaves have a thickness of about 1 cm and a width of about 5 cm.
  “A manba with a solid axis is a sign that it is growing without stress. The darker the purple color, the sweeter it is,” says Futagawa.In order to grow delicious manba, Mr. Futagawa devises a cultivation method.
  One is "making soil".Alkaline materials are added to prevent the soil from becoming acidic, and the pH is adjusted to remain neutral.
  The other is "countermeasures against the cold".A black vinyl mulch film is laid on the soil to keep the soil temperature and moisturize it.By keeping the roots warm, it grows steadily even in the cold winter.
  "I thought black vinyl was a measure to prevent weeds, but it was for keeping warm and moisturizing."
  Kaji was impressed that delicious manba was grown with great effort.

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  I want to protect Kagawa's local vegetable "Mamba"

  Mr. Futagawa started cultivating manba in 2019.Many of the senior farmers who grow manba are in their 70s, and their child generation did not inherit agriculture.Therefore, there was a risk that no one would produce manba 10 years from now.In Kagawa prefecture, local dishes of Manba are served for school lunch, but at that time, it seems that the production volume was so low that the school lunch was not enough.
  There was a consultation, "I will teach you cultivation techniques, so why not make a manba?", And Mr. Futagawa and his young farmers tried to grow while learning the tips from senior farmers.The harvested manba is shipped to supermarkets and school lunches in Kagawa prefecture.
  Indeed, Manba is a vegetable of Kagawa that is "local production for local consumption".

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  Recommended for stir fry and hot pot dishes

  "Please try the manba that we picked up," said Mr. Futagawa, who prepared "Ken-chan of Manba."
  "Mamba no Ken-chan" is a local dish of Kagawa prefecture where tofu and fried tofu are added to the manba and boiled in soy sauce, and each family has its own taste.
  "It's a relieving taste. With a gentle seasoning, you can feel the taste of manba firmly. The crispy texture remains," says Kaji.The characteristic of Manba is that it remains chewy even after a long time has passed since it was made.

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  "If you try to cook by yourself, you will find it troublesome to remove the lye," Kaji said. You can also cook. "
  Kaji also tried to make "Mamba stir-fried bacon" recommended by Mr. Futagawa.

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  "Stir-fried manba bacon" that is easy for children to eat

  Boil the manba for about 2 minutes.When boiled down, the excess purple pigment will flow and the color of the dish will be beautifully finished.
  ・ Fry the bacon in a frying pan.
  ・ Add sesame oil to make the scent stand out.
  ・ Boil down, put the chopped manba in a frying pan, and fry until the oil is familiar.
  ・ If you like, add chirimen to accentuate the crispy texture.
  ・ Finally, add salt and pepper to taste.

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  Kaji tastes the freshly made food.
  "It's insanely good. It's like a kakiko with rice. It's a taste that children love," he said with great satisfaction.
  If the taste is strong, it goes well with sake and beer.
  “Shimo-boiled manba can be eaten deliciously by putting it in a hot pot instead of Chinese cabbage. I definitely want you to try various ways of eating it,” says Futagawa.

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  Manba is certified as "Sanuki Sanuki Vegetable" (*) as a traditional vegetable in Kagawa Prefecture.
  Mr. Futagawa talked about his desire to continue making manba so that the locals can continue to eat it.
  It was Kaji who discovered the new charm of local vegetables.
  
  * "Sanuki Sanuki Vegetable"
  Kagawa Prefecture and the Kagawa Agricultural Products Distribution and Consumption Promotion Council are working on integrated PR of vegetables made with particular attention to season and quality as "Sanuki Sanuki Vegetables".
  
  How to boil the bottom of the manba / hyaka
  ("Kagawa no Shoku" Happy Project Site)

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Past reports

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  The 42nd oyster

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  The 53rd Dekopon (Shiranui)

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  29th Lettuce (Lettuce)

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  34th pear