Menmi" is a major seasoning that no one in Hokkaido has ever heard of. As a native of Hokkaido, I, too, have always chosen "men-tsuyu" when it comes to men-tsuyu, and have been familiar with it as a seasoning for dishes on the dining table since I was a child. It is no exaggeration to say that it is not only the soul food of the people of Hokkaido, but also their soul sauce.

Did you know that such an all-purpose seasoning "Menmi" is actually "limited to Hokkaido"?

When I started living alone in Honshu as a new working adult, I was shocked to find no "Menmi" in any supermarket. It was only when I looked it up on the Internet that I learned that it was a Hokkaido-only product, and I remember asking my mother to send it to me as soon as possible.

"Menmi" is a product of Kikkoman, famous for its soy sauce

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Characteristics of "Menmi." The key to its gentle mouthfeel was 00!

Let's look at the ingredients label first

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Menmi is a 5X concentrated men-tsuyu (Japanese noodle soup) that combines the umami of dashi broth made from five kinds of fish: bonito, niboshi, kombu, mackerel, and scallop, with soy sauce and hon mirin (Japanese sweet cooking rice wine). The inclusion of scallops in the ingredients gives Menmi a mellow, sweet taste that is different from other mentsuyu, and is uniquely Hokkaido.

With "Men-mi", easy cooking is made easy!

Here is an example of how we made it at home

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With the Corona disaster, more and more people are using their home time to cook for themselves. Sometimes you have a limited lunch break when you work from home, or you have hungry children... and you want to cook a meal as quickly as possible. Here are some examples of simple dishes using menmi, which are useful in such situations.

Boiled spinach

Boiled spinach is a basic example of using menmi as a substitute for soy sauce. First, boil your favorite leafy greens (or heat them in the microwave). Finally, pour a little bit of menmi over the vegetables. Incidentally, another dish that can be completed with a dash of menmi is tamagokake gohan (rice topped with an egg)!

Simple but elegant

Boiled quail egg

This is also super easy! Add menmi to the quail eggs you bought boiled in water and add water to taste.

Make the water so thick that it covers the eggs

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Then, just wait until the flavor is in!

Looks so good after just an hour in the fridge

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It is a perfect accompaniment to alcoholic beverages when eaten with mustard to your liking. It's also great for drinking at home.

Nabeyaki Udon Noodle

Add menmi to boiling water, add udon noodles, vegetables, and other toppings, and cook down to a simmer! Thank you Menmi...

Add your favorite ingredients and simmer gently

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This dish is good for digestion and warms you up during cold winters or when you are not feeling well. It is a three birds with one stone menu that you can also take in nutrients with your favorite ingredients.

Tenkasu Onigiri

Add tenkasu and aonori to rice and mix together.

Since all you have to do is mix, you can make it with your children

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Then, what a surprise! It's like the devil's ____ style that is popular at certain convenience stores! You can add a dash of spice to make it spicy to your liking. This is addictive!

Oyako-don

Put water and "menmi" in a frying pan and cook until onion and chicken are cooked. Next, add half of the beaten eggs, mix with chopsticks, cover and wait for 30 seconds. Finally, add the remaining egg and cook until half-cooked!

You can also add red ginger on top if you like

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Not only for oyakodon, menmi can also be used for other rice dishes such as katsudon (pork cutlet served on top of a bowl of rice)!

Tsuki konnyaku with kojiki

Wash and blanch raw cod roe in cold water, and blanch tsukikonnyaku. While the tsukikonnyaku and cod roe are stir-frying, add the menmi and simmer to taste! This is a local winter dish of Hokkaido, where cod is delicious.

I personally love this dish...I have a craving for it.

You can also add it to dashimaki tamago (rolled egg), simmered dishes, meat and potatoes, beef stew, yaki udon noodles (I recommend sprinkling katsuobushi on top), and Japanese fried rice.

Try this quick and easy dish with "menmi" and see for yourself!