Image: Wikimedia Commons
Jajamen is a local dish of Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, made from flat noodles that are steamed and then boiled, topped with a savory meat miso, grated cucumber, and green onion, and eaten after being thoroughly mixed together. It is said to have originated after the war, in 1953, when Takashina Kansho, who had repatriated from former Manchuria, set out to recreate the taste of the 'zhajiangmian' (fried sauce noodles) he had grown fond of there, and opened a shop in Morioka offering his own meat miso based on Japanese-style miso. He adapted the authentic flavor, which traditionally used fermented black beans, into a distinctive meat miso made by stir-frying miso, ground meat, and a dozen or so other ingredients, creating a dish suited to the tastes of Morioka locals. Another distinctive feature is that after finishing the noodles, diners can crack a raw egg into the bowl and order 'chii-tan-tan' from the staff to enjoy an egg soup made with the leftover meat miso. Jajamen is counted, alongside wanko soba and Morioka reimen, as one of the 'Three Great Noodles of Morioka.'
Origin
Jajamen was created by Takashina Kansho, founder of 'Pairon' (Hakuryu), which opened in Morioka City in 1953. Before the war, he had been moved by the taste of 'zhajiangmian' he ate in former Manchuria, in which meat miso stir-fried with fermented black beans is placed on noodles, and after repatriating he set out to recreate that flavor in Morioka. The dish was originally sold from a food stall.
History
Takashina adapted the authentic zhajiangmian into a distinctive meat miso made by stir-frying and maturing a dozen or so ingredients, including Japanese miso, ground meat, and sesame, and combined it with chewy flat noodles to create the dish's current form. This basic style was passed down to later jajamen restaurants in Morioka, and the dish became established as a signature noodle dish of Morioka, eventually being counted as one of the 'Three Great Noodles of Morioka.'
Features
The dish features thick flat noodles that are steamed and then boiled, topped with miso-based meat miso, grated cucumber, green onion, ginger, garlic, and chili oil, which diners mix together thoroughly before eating. The standard way to finish the meal is to order 'chii-tan-tan,' in which a raw egg and the noodle-boiling water are added to the leftover meat miso in the bowl.
Main Ingredients
How It Differs from Home Cooking
While the 'zhajiangmian' served at home or at typical Chinese restaurants is usually eaten with a saucier meat miso ladled over the noodles, Morioka's jajamen has its own distinctive style: a drier meat miso that is thoroughly mixed with the noodles, finished off by enjoying 'chii-tan-tan.'
Famous Shops
白龍 本店
岩手県盛岡市内丸5-15
The restaurant where jajamen originated. A medium serving costs 550 yen, with chii-tan-tan for an extra 50 yen.
View details →盛岡じゃじゃ麺 あきを
岩手県盛岡市大通2丁目3-7 CT33 1F
A popular restaurant located in the Odori district. A regular serving costs 750 yen, a large serving 900 yen.
FAQ
Q. What is 'chii-tan-tan'?
A. It is an egg soup made by adding a raw egg and the noodle-boiling water to the meat miso left in the bowl after finishing the jajamen noodles. The name is said to derive from the Chinese term 'jidan tang' (egg soup), and it is considered the standard way to finish a bowl of jajamen.