Image: Wikimedia Commons
Miso potato is a local specialty of the Chichibu region in which boiled potatoes are coated in batter, deep-fried, and topped generously with a sweet-and-savory miso sauce. With little flat land and farming centered on dry fields, Chichibu is said to have originated the dish when small potatoes from the harvest were roasted over an irori hearth and spread with miso sauce, and it was long enjoyed as 'kojuhan,' a light meal eaten between farm chores. For a long time it was known only as a local home-style dish, but after winning the '5th Saitama B-Kyu Local Gourmet Championship in Chichibu' in 2009, its fame spread nationwide. The simple flavor of fluffy potatoes coated in sweet-and-savory miso is enjoyed as a snack, a side dish for drinks, or a regular side dish, and it can now be found at various places around Chichibu City, including eateries, souvenir shops, and shops at tourist spots.
Origin
In the Chichibu region, with little flat land and unsuited to rice farming, dry-field farming has long been widely practiced. Miso potato is said to have originated when small potatoes from the harvest were roasted over an irori hearth and spread with miso sauce. Its exact origin is uncertain, with some accounts placing it before the war and others testifying it began in the late 1940s to early 1950s, and it was enjoyed by farming families as 'kojuhan,' a light meal eaten between farm chores.
History
Long known only locally as a home-style dish, it was commercialized and put on sale by 'Miso Poteto Honpo,' founded in 1977, and it also came to be sold as a souvenir. Winning the '5th Saitama B-Kyu Local Gourmet Championship in Chichibu' in 2009 brought a sudden rise in fame, and in 2015 Chichibu City established an official mascot character, 'Poteguma-kun,' portrayed as a miso-potato lover, continuing efforts to promote the local food culture citywide.
Features
Potatoes are steamed or boiled, coated in a wheat-flour batter, and deep-fried like tempura, then generously topped with a sweet-and-savory miso sauce made by simmering down miso, sugar, and mirin. The contrast between the crisp exterior and the fluffy interior is its charm, and the flavor varies with the type of miso used: rice miso gives a lighter taste, while soybean miso gives a richer one. It pairs well as a snack, a side dish for drinks, or a regular side dish.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
Having been eaten as 'kojuhan' between farm chores, miso potato has become established in Chichibu as an everyday snack or side dish, and since its win at the B-kyu gourmet competition it has also taken on a stronger role as a tourist attraction.
Famous Shops
A local-cuisine specialty restaurant on Bamba-dori, the street leading to Chichibu Shrine. Miso potato is about 400 yen.
Founded in 1977. A specialty maker that sells its products at places such as the Shibazakura Hill in Hitsujiyama Park.