DP136939

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[The Mid-Autumn Moon and Taiwan's Sweet Potato Balls]

The Mid-Autumn Moon will soon fall on September 17, 2024, with the full moon on the following day, the 18th. The night before the Mid-Autumn Moon is called "待宵 (matsuyoi)," and the moon on that day is called "待宵の月 (matsuyoi no tsuki)" or "幾望 (kibo)." "幾" means "almost" and "望" means "full moon." The name "幾望" seems to convey the joy and expectation that grows with the waxing moon, as well as a prayer for the future.

Now, since this is the best moon of the year, why don't you enjoy some auspicious food while looking up at the beautiful moon? The Mid-Autumn Moon is also known as the "Imo Meigetsu," or "sweet potato moon," so how about a sweet made from sweet potatoes?

The "地瓜球 (sweet potato balls)," a staple of Taiwanese night markets, is simply made by making a paste from steamed sweet potatoes or purple sweet potatoes, mixing it with sweet potato starch and sugar, and deep frying it in oil. The flour can be substituted for shiratama flour, katakuriko (potato starch), or other flours available in Japanese supermarkets. Ji Uri Balls are deep-fried to a nice color and look like a full moon. The outside is crispy and the inside is chewy. The trick to frying them is to lightly crush them with tongs while frying to release the air, so they do not shrink when they cool down. This will keep the beautiful full moon until the night.

Yamaichi's Chinese Seiro was used to steam the sweet potatoes, and Rikucho Ogasawara's Frying Pan was used for frying. Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin C, which is not destroyed when cooked. It is also a familiar yet reliable vegetable that is rich in a variety of nutrients: it contains about seven times more calcium than white rice, which is essential for the formation of bones and teeth; about seven times more vitamin C than apples, which aids the function of skin and mucous membranes; and about twice as much potassium as tomatoes, which acts to eliminate sodium and prevent high blood pressure.

Autumn, with its pleasant night breezes, is the perfect season for calming and regulating the mind and body. The arrangement of the stars in the night sky has changed from summer to autumn. The autumn constellations are aptly described as "modest." Why not look up at the bright moon in the sky and taste a sweet potato full moon or two tonight?

Wadasuke Seisakusho's Cooking & Serving Spoon S
https://www.shokunin.com/en/wadasuke/spoon.html
Rikucho Ogasawara's Frying Pan
https://www.shokunin.com/en/rikucho/fryingpan.html
Shirokiya Shikkiten's Teshiozara
https://www.shokunin.com/en/shirokiya/teshio.html

References
https://www.start-line.co.jp/magazine/homerecipes/1370/ (Recipe)
https://cookpad.com/jp/recipes/20938330 (Recipe)
https://www.nao.ac.jp/astro/sky/2024/09-topics02.html
https://satsukoi.com/learn/1032.html
https://ja.ukiyo-e.org/image/met/DP136939