From Kyushu to Okinawa, head south to enjoy the amazing food

When it comes to Kyushu cuisine, people are full of praise. Kyushu Island is surrounded by the sea, and it produces countless fish, shellfish, shrimps and crabs, all of which are super fresh. The developed animal husbandry is no less impressive, and the various local "meat" dishes derived from it will surely satisfy those who love meat. Taste the local cuisine and understand the local climate and soil. One step south of Kyushu is Okinawa. This is the home of the unique soba noodles, where various flavors compete fiercely. In short, the charm of food is irresistible, this is Kyushu and Okinawa.

【Fukuoka Prefecture】Yaki curry originated in Mojiko



The fragrant, rich and tender soft-boiled eggs and cheese mixed with curry are appetizing!

When you come to Mojiko, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, you must eat grilled curry. This local specialty food was born in Japan in the 1955-1964 period and is similar to gratin. Pour curry and cheese on the rice, put eggs on it, and then put it in the oven to bake until it is slightly burnt. When you take it out, the aroma is fragrant. Scoop a spoonful and put it in your mouth. You can clearly feel that the roasted curry has a stronger aroma, and the cheese becomes soft and sticky, and the taste is mellow. One bowl is not enough. Each restaurant that sells grilled curry has its own unique secret ingredients and unique flavors. Try a few more and you will find different surprises.

CHECK POINT: grilled curry with pufferfish is also a must-try!

Eating puffer fish is a popular activity in the Moji area and Shimonoseki, which is across the Kanmon Strait. In Moji Port, there is a custom of vendors "selling bananas at a lower price on the street" handed down from the early years, so locals also use bananas and puffer fish to make grilled curry. As for what does grilled curry with bananas or puffer fish taste like? You have to taste it yourself!

【Saga Prefecture】Sicilian Rice Bowl



Full of vegetables, tender beef, nutritious and delicious!

The origin of this Sicilian rice bowl is very interesting. It was originally a work meal provided to employees in a restaurant in Saga City around 1975. Because it was delicious and nutritious, it quickly spread in the local area and became a local specialty. Sprinkle the stir-fried beef slices and chopped onions on the hot rice, top with fresh vegetables such as lettuce or cucumber, and finally pour mayonnaise on it, and a delicious rice bowl is ready. The sweet and slightly spicy onion cubes and fresh and refreshing vegetable leaves are so refreshing to eat. In order to attract customers, the store owners are also innovating in various ways. Some restaurants use Saga beef to make a luxurious version of Sicilian rice bowl, and some stores use chicken or pork instead of beef. There are many varieties, providing customers with more choices.

CHECK POINT: How to eat it most deliciously? Just scoop a spoonful and eat it in big mouthfuls!

Currently, Sicilian rice bowls are available on the menus of about 30 restaurants centered in Saga City. The rice bowls in each restaurant look very tempting, making it difficult to choose. But don't bother, just find a restaurant that feels right, and eat it without thinking, letting the flavors of vegetables, meat slices, and onions spread out in your mouth one by one, and enjoy this superb taste.

[Nagasaki Prefecture] Nagasaki Assorted Noodles



Different ingredients, different tastes, each bowl has an unexpected surprise for you!

When talking about Nagasaki cuisine, Nagasaki nabe noodles will come to mind, and there is actually a touching story behind it. During the Meiji era in Japan (1868-1912), the number of people studying in Japan from China increased day by day. Mr. Chen Pingshun, the Chinese owner of the Chinese restaurant "Si Hai Lou" in Nagasaki Prefecture, invented this affordable and nutritious noodle dish for the sake of the economy and health of international students. As a result, it was well received and became a famous product of Nagasaki. The characteristic of this noodle is that the rich milky white and delicious soup is boiled with pork bones or chicken bones, and a large amount of vegetables, pork, seafood and other side dishes are added to the cooked noodles. A full bowl is enough to fill your internal organs. In some stores, you can even eat nabe noodles with more than 10 kinds of toppings. The thickness of the soup in each store is also different, and each bowl is unique. Another way to cook it is to pour various side dishes on fried dry noodles, with almost no soup. This noodle called "Sara Udon" is also a special delicacy in Nagasaki.

CHECK POINT: There is a secret to the noodles of sashimi

The taste of Nagasaki sashimi noodles is very different from ordinary Chinese noodles. The secret lies in the addition of ash juice (an alkaline liquid) when kneading the noodles. Its main ingredients are sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate, which can give the noodles a special fragrance. Even after long-term boiling, it can maintain elasticity, and it also promotes digestion, increases appetite, and has the effects of sterilization and preservation. So, you know why Nagasaki sashimi noodles are so delicious!

[Kumamoto Prefecture] Horse meat sashimi



Horse meat sashimi, which is known as "Sakura meat", has a dazzling gem-like luster

When it comes to Kumamoto cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind must be horse meat dishes. The tradition of eating horse meat in Kumamoto has a long history. Since ancient times, horse meat sashimi has been regarded as a delicacy for its ultimate taste that melts in the mouth. Even the fat part has no greasy taste. In local restaurants, ginger and garlic are usually placed next to horse meat sashimi, which can better taste the deliciousness of the meat. In addition, it is a perfect match with the sweet soy sauce unique to Kyushu. It is a must-eat local flavor dish.

CHECK POINT: The unique and delicious "horse neck meat", come and try it!

There are also some particularities in eating horse meat. The most flavorful part is "horse neck meat", which is the meat of the horse neck mane. This meat is white and gelatinous, and looks like fat, but it tastes very tender, not greasy, and has a hint of sweetness. It is more delicious when eaten with red lean meat.

【Oita Prefecture】Bird Sky



Coated with egg batter, the wonderful texture of fluffy and crispy after deep-frying will double your happiness

When it comes to the local delicacies of Oita Prefecture, it must be "Toriten", which is fried chicken tempura. This snack first appeared in the early Showa period (1926~). In order to make it easier to eat large fried chicken with bones, Chinese restaurants in Beppu City cut the chicken into pieces, coated it with batter like making tempura, and deep-fried it at high temperature. The chicken fried in this way has a fluffy and delicious skin, and the meat is tender and juicy. Eating a few pieces is not enough. According to the way of eating in Oita Prefecture, citrus vinegar and yellow mustard are also added to make it taste good.

CHECK POINT: Chicken breast or chicken leg? Which one is better?

In Oita City, whether it is a Chinese restaurant, izakaya, cafe or bento shop, you can see "Toriten" on the menu. Torii made with chicken breast has a refreshing taste, while chicken leg is plump and full, and the taste varies depending on the part. Each store has its own unique flavor, so don't think too much about it, just buy one and eat while walking.

[Miyazaki Prefecture] Nanban Chicken



After pouring tartar sauce, the color, aroma and taste are delicious!

Miyazaki Prefecture is famous for its "Miyazaki local chicken". You can taste many chicken dishes here, and it is also the birthplace of the famous Nanban chicken in Japan. Coat the chicken with batter and deep-fry it until the surface is golden brown, then pour sweet vinegar sauce on it and pour a lot of tartar sauce (a condiment made from eggs, salad and other ingredients) on it. Take a bite, the sweetness of the tartar sauce and the sizzling taste of the sweet vinegar sauce are clearly layered, and the juiciness of the chicken is just right. It is worthy of being a popular national delicacy.

CHECK POINT: The Nanban chicken of the popular restaurant "Original" is delicious even without tartar sauce

Initially, people only poured sweet vinegar sauce on the fried chicken nuggets when eating Nanban chicken. Later, it developed into adding tartar sauce and salad, which gradually became a fixed way of eating. However, in Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture, the birthplace of Nanban chicken, the popular restaurant "Genso" still retains the traditional method of making Nanban chicken without tartar sauce, and it is equally delicious.

[Kagoshima Prefecture] Satsuma Fried Fish Cake



This snack can be bought in supermarkets in Kagoshima

Satsuma fried fish cake is a local snack that is loved by Kagoshima people. It was introduced to Kagoshima from Ryukyu during the Edo period (1603-1868) and has been passed down to this day. It is made by mincing fresh fish meat, adding starch, sugar, salt and local wine from Kagoshima, kneading it into pieces and frying it in oil. Since small fish bones are not used in the minced meat, Satsuma fried fish cake has a softer texture than small fish cakes from Ehime Prefecture. The fried fish cake is bright in color when it is just out of the pan, and you can still feel the delicious taste of fish meat when you eat it, and it is mixed with the right amount of wine, which has a unique flavor. Because it is marinated, it is very delicious even when it is cold. Therefore, it is very suitable as a side dish or a snack after tea.

CHECK POINT: Satsuma fish cakes with corn or cheese are also worth tasting

There is a saying in Kagoshima that Satsuma fish cakes evolved from the Ryukyu cuisine, "Okinawa fish cakes" with burdock and carrots. So in some stores you can eat fish cakes with these two vegetables, and even improved versions with corn or cheese. Of course, there are also pure fish meat versions without anything added. It is also a pleasure to taste them one by one.

[Okinawa Prefecture] Okinawa Soba



Carefully prepared delicious soup, drink it up!

There is no wife in wife cake, just like there is no buckwheat in Okinawa soba? This soul food of Okinawans, although the name is very confusing, does not contain any buckwheat flour, but is made of 100% wheat flour. The secret to its deliciousness is that alkali water or ash juice (the juice obtained by soaking and filtering plant ash, which is alkaline) is added when kneading the dough to increase the elasticity of the noodles, so that the noodles are more chewy and chewy. The soup base is also very particular, made with pork bones and bonito flakes (dried bonito), with a rich aroma and a refreshing taste, which makes the noodles more delicious. The standard configuration also includes "three meats" made of slow-cooked pork belly with soy sauce and brown sugar, Japanese fish cakes, chopped green onions and red ginger. If you break it down, there are also Soki soba noodles with pork cartilage ribs as toppings, or pork knuckle noodles with pork knuckles, which are also worth tasting.

CHECK POINT: The shapes of noodles are also different

Although they are all called Okinawa soba, the shapes of noodles in different regions are also different. The northern part of the main island uses wide flat noodles, which look like the specialty of Nagoya, kishimen. The Miyako and Yaeyama areas of the Sakishima region use round noodles, which are called Yaeyama soba. The noodles in Miyako Island are straight and thin, and are also called Miyako soba. Of course, no matter what the shape, they have a smooth texture and full elasticity, and they are so delicious that you won't leave any noodles!

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