Chankonabe facts for kids
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| Type | Stew |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Main ingredients | Dashi or chicken broth, sake or mirin, chicken or fish, tofu, vegetables (daikon, bok choy, and others) |
Chankonabe is a special Japanese stew. It's a type of nabemono, which means a one-pot dish. Sumo wrestlers eat huge amounts of chankonabe. It helps them gain weight and stay strong for their sport.
Contents
What is Chankonabe?
This hearty stew is a big part of a sumo wrestler's diet. It's packed with nutrients and calories. While it's healthy on its own, sumo wrestlers eat it with lots of rice and sometimes beer to get even more energy.
What's in Chankonabe?
Chankonabe usually starts with a tasty soup base. This base is often made from dashi (a Japanese soup stock) or chicken broth. Sake or mirin (a sweet cooking wine) are added for extra flavor.
The great thing about chankonabe is that there's no fixed recipe! Cooks often use whatever ingredients they have on hand. It always has lots of protein to help wrestlers build muscle. Common protein sources include:
Many vegetables are also added, like daikon (a type of radish) and bok choy.
How Sumo Wrestlers Eat It
After a sumo training session, wrestlers gather to eat chankonabe. It's a very important meal for them. The leftover broth from the stew can even be used later to cook sōmen or udon noodles.
There's a special tradition when eating chankonabe in a sumo stable (where wrestlers live and train). The most experienced wrestlers and any guests get to choose their food first. The younger, less experienced wrestlers eat whatever is left over.
Chankonabe's History and Traditions
Chankonabe is not just for sumo wrestlers. It's also a very popular dish in restaurants. Many of these restaurants are run by retired sumo wrestlers. They know exactly how to make the best chankonabe!
The first chankonabe restaurant, Kawasaki Chanko, opened in 1937. It was in the Ryōgoku area of Tokyo. This area is famous for its many sumo stables.
During official sumo tournaments, chankonabe is made only with chicken. This is a special tradition. The idea is that a wrestler should always stand strong on two legs, like a chicken, and never fall onto all fours.
See also
In Spanish: Chanko para niños
