Katemeshi facts for kids

Katemeshi, sometimes spelled katé-meshi, was a simple but important meal in Japan long ago. It was a common "peasant food" during the Meiji period and Taishō period (from 1867 to 1924). Many workers and farmers ate this dish to survive. Richer people ate more rice, which was expensive back then. Katemeshi usually had rice, barley, millet, and chopped daikon (a type of radish). People made different versions depending on what foods were available where they lived.

History of Katemeshi

Katemeshi was a basic rice dish in Japanese cuisine. It was a main food for many people during Japan's Meiji period and Taishō period. During these times, rice was costly for everyday workers. Some bosses would give their workers katemeshi. But these bosses would eat much more rice themselves, along with other dishes. Farmers in the countryside also relied on katemeshi. Meanwhile, city dwellers, like merchants and former samurai, ate larger amounts of rice.

How Katemeshi Was Made

Katemeshi was made with simple ingredients. These often included rice, barley, millet, and chopped daikon radish. Both the root and leaves of the daikon were used. Other green vegetables were also added. Daikon was a very common ingredient in this dish.

People in different parts of Japan added other foods to katemeshi. This depended on what was available in their area. For example, in the Mie Prefecture of Japan, potato leaves were sometimes used with daikon. In Eastern Japan, white potatoes were added. In Western Japan, sweet potatoes were used instead. Along the coast, people added edible seaweed like hijiki and wakame.

Sometimes, tofu and okara were also put into katemeshi. Okara is a leftover pulp from making tofu. Other ingredients that people used when they could find them included wheat, carrots, turnips, burdock, taro, pumpkin, soybeans, mushrooms, kidney beans, and adzuki beans.