Fried gluten rice bowl is a local B-class gourmet dish from Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture.

Aburafu is a traditional food ingredient in the Tome region. Healthy and nutritious aburafu rice bowls are popular among locals.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of fried gluten rice bowls.

Characteristics of Aburafu Donburi

The fried tofu rice bowl is made by quickly simmering sliced fried tofu and spring onions in dashi, then topping it with egg.

When you bite into the fried gluten that has absorbed a lot of broth, the delicious flavor oozes out. It has a light taste and is comfortingly delicious.

Mixing the fluffy, runny egg with rice creates a rich flavor. Even though it doesn't contain meat, it's a rich, satisfying dish.

What is "Aburafu", a traditional food ingredient of the Tome region?

The fried gluten used in fried gluten rice bowls is said to have been invented by a tofu store in Tome around the end of the Meiji period. It is said that they invented fried gluten because they had no refrigeration technology and found it difficult to preserve tofu and fried tofu.

Aburafu is healthy because it is made by forming gluten, a protein component of wheat flour, into rod-shaped pieces and frying it in vegetable oils such as soybean oil or rapeseed oil.

Although manufacturing methods vary depending on the manufacturer, a typical fried gluten is about 25 cm long, 5 cm in diameter, and shaped like a French loaf of bread. It has a long shelf life of 3 to 4 months and can be stored at room temperature.

Aburafu is a familiar ingredient in many households and can be easily used in miso soup, simmered dishes, udon toppings, etc. It is crispy both inside and out, but when simmered it softens and takes on a chewy texture.

The history of fried gluten rice bowl

The aburafu donburi was invented by Ebina Takako, the proprietress of the Ebimon inn, which has over 100 years of history. It started when she "made an oyakodon (chicken and egg donburi) by replacing the meat with aburafu for people who don't like meat."

Flavorless fried tofu has the advantage of being easy to season, but if there is too much soup or if it is overcooked, it becomes soggy, so it took a lot of trial and error.

The fried gluten rice bowl was so popular with guests that it was added to the inn's menu as "Toyoma-don." It then spread to neighboring areas and became known as "Fried gluten rice bowl."

Ebimon opened a restaurant called "Ajidokoro Mon" in 1995, where they serve the "Original Aburafu Donburi." In addition to this restaurant, you can eat Aburafu Donburi at various other restaurants. Each restaurant offers its own unique Aburafu Donburi, which is appealing.

In November 2008, the "Aburafu Donburi Association" was formed to promote the aburafu donburi, which has become a Tome City specialty. The "Aburafu Donburi Association" provides information on restaurants where you can eat the dish and how to make it on their official website.

The popularity of Aburafu Donburi further increased when it received a special award at the B-1 Grand Prix held in Yokote City, Akita Prefecture in 2009.

Tourism information for Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture

Tome City in Miyagi Prefecture, where you can eat fried gluten rice bowls, has a variety of tourist spots. This time, we will introduce three popular tourist spots in Tome City.

Shotaro Ishinomori Memorial Museum

Tome City is the hometown of manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. The Shotaro Ishinomori Hometown Memorial Museum, which commemorates his achievements, displays his works and favorite items, and also has a replica of his room at Tokiwa-so. The house where he was born and spent his childhood is located right next to the museum, so it is popular with fans.

Chacha World Ishikoshi

Chacha World Ishikoshi is an amusement park where you can enjoy the nature of the four seasons. In addition to various attractions, there are also walking courses, picnic areas, restaurants and goods shops. The goods shops sell not only Toei Animation goods and interesting toys, but also sweets and pickles. It is a popular tourist spot where families can spend a relaxing time.

Naganuma Futopia Park

Naganuma Futopia Park is a park located on the shores of Lake Naganuma, and its symbol is a Dutch windmill called "Swan." The park has flower gardens such as a tulip garden, a roller slide, a campsite, and a hometown museum, so the whole family can have fun. There are auto sites with power outlets, lawn sites, and general free sites, and day use is also available.

How to get to Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture

Miyagi, an attractive place for both gourmet food and sightseeing, has a variety of ways to get there. It is also conveniently located near Japan's three largest cities: Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.

Sendai City, located in the center of Miyagi Prefecture, can be reached in as little as one hour and a half from Tokyo on the Tohoku Shinkansen. From Nagoya or Osaka, it takes about three to four hours by Shinkansen. You can also fly from Nagoya or Osaka, arriving in about one hour and a half. It takes about one hour and a half by car from Sendai City to Tome City.

We also recommend taking a leisurely drive to Sendai. Find the best way to get there.

Location of Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture

summary

"Aburafu donburi" uses aburafu instead of the meat in oyakodon.

Recently, a new type of fried gluten rice bowl has been created, topped with a thick sauce made from beaten eggs.
The ingredients and seasonings of aburafu donburi vary depending on the restaurant, so you can enjoy comparing different ones.

If you visit Miyagi Prefecture, be sure to try the fried gluten rice bowl.

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