[Unbleached Cotton Cloth]

My sons, who used to be bread eaters for breakfast, have recently become rice eaters, and I have been making more and more onigiri in the morning. Freshly cooked rice set on a timer, rice that has been defrosted in the microwave and overheated... There are many days when my hands get hot. At such times, I about using “sarashi” to make onigiri.

When I think of sarashi, the first thing that comes to mind is the cloth that was wrapped around the belly when praying for safe delivery. I also remembered wrapping it around my body during festivals, so I had the image of wearing it to protect my body like a bandage, but upon closer examination, I found that “sarashi” refers to the process of removing impurities from fabrics and threads to remove pigment from the fibers and whiten them, as well as the fabric made from the threads produced by this process.

Until a decade ago, “mizarashi” (unbleached) was also mainstream, and was indispensable in the kitchen in a role similar to that of Saran Wrap or kitchen paper. Unbleached is safe from residual bleach even if it comes in contact with food, and its excellent air permeability and water absorbency make it ideal for filtering, wringing, and wiping applications. It is also thin, dries quickly, and can be washed and used many times instead of being disposable, so we feel that it is both small and environmentally friendly.

Kiya's Unbleached Cotton Cloth, with its cute red lines, can be used in long lengths to wrap lunch boxes, cover bowls of bread dough during fermentation, or simply hang over the kitchen to dry, creating a soft atmosphere. It also protects my hands well for onigiri (rice balls) every morning. The first thing to do is to thoroughly wet the unbleached cotton. It will not become sticky, and you will be able to make a fluffy grip.

There are still many unknown uses for Unbleached Cotton Cloth. It seems that new ideas will come to mind when you have it in your kitchen.

Kiya's Unbleached Cotton Cloth *Due to specification changes, this product is only available while supplies last, so we recommend ordering as soon as possible.
https://www.shokunin.com/en/kiya/mizarashi.html

Reference
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/晒