Hina arare

Hina arare is a traditional sweet for Japanese Girl's day (March 3rd).
On that day, families who have girl set dolls in their house and prepare special food to celebrate in hope of growth of girl in healthy.

Hina arare is popped rice coated with sugar.
Those colours, pink, white, and green are compared to peach blossom, remaining snow, and young grass ( fresh leaf) each.

Nabeyaki Udon

Udon is a Japanese noodle made from wheat flour.
Nabeyaki udon is a hot type udon dish made by simmering udon noodles with other ingredients in soy sauce taste broth.
Usually those are simmered in an earthen pot, and served.
Popular ingredients are shrimp tempura, kamaboko, egg, spinach, shiitake-mushroom, carrot, green onion(Japanese leek), etc.
Nabeyaki udon is popular in cold winter.

Horenso no Gomaae

Horenso means spinach.
I have already introduced you "Horenso no shiraae" as a dressed food.

In this time, I introduce you other dressed dish of spinach.
This is boiled spinach dressed with sesame sauce.

We usually boil spinach in hot water.
Put it cold water.
Squeeze it, and mix it with sesame sauce which is made by mixing grounded sesame seeds, soy sauce, and sugar.

Hiyamugi

Hiyamugi is a Japanese thin noodle made of wheat flour.
Hiyamugi noodle is similar to "Somen noodle".
But hiyamugi noodle is slightly thicker than somen noodle in size.

HIyamugi is usually served in cold water with ice and some vegetables.
We take a bite full of noodles and dip in the dipping sauce, and eat.
Hiyamugi is nice in summer.

Yomogi Mochi

Yomogi mochi is a traditional Japanese sweet which is also called "Kusa Mochi".

It is a mochi (glutinous rice cake) flavored with Japanese mugwort.

Usually it is stuffed with sweet red bean paste.

Yomogi is a Japanese herb.

It has a nice fresh fragrance.

Sekihan

Sekihan (赤飯) literally means red rice.
Sekihan is steamed mochi rice (glutinous rice) mixed with red beans.
Usually it is sprinkled with sesame seeds and salt after it is steamed.

Originally it is made by steaming with bamboo basket.
But, if we cook it at home, we usually cook it with rice cooker.

Sekihan is usually served on celebratory and congratulatory occasions.

Takenoko no tosa-ni

This is a simmered bamboo shoot with dried shaved bonito.
Takenoko means bamboo shoot.
Spring is nice season to have takenoko in Japan.
Tosa-ni is a type of simmered dish which has rich flavor of dried bonito.
Takenoko has nice texture and plain taste.
Dried bonito has rich taste.
This combination makes wonderful taste.