Fu - Fu

Japanese: 麩 - ふ

It is a processed food that uses wheat flour protein. When wheat flour is added to water and kneaded, viscoelastic gluten is formed. This gluten is a protein, and it is extracted and processed to produce namafu (raw gluten) and yakifu (fried gluten). Wheat gluten was found in books from the Song Dynasty in China, and it is said that this was introduced to Japan. It has been made in Japan since the Kamakura period, and is considered an important source of protein in shojin ryori (vegetarian cuisine) along with tofu.

[Tomomi Kono]

Manufacturing method

Water (80% of the flour) is added to the wheat flour and kneaded thoroughly. Once it becomes sticky and gluten has formed, it is washed in water to wash away the starch and water-soluble substances. If glutinous rice flour and other ingredients are added to the remaining gluten and steamed, it becomes nama-fu, and if wheat flour and a leavening agent are added to the gluten, it is shaped and baked, making baked fu. The starch that washes out after the washing is called shofu, and is used as a glue for crafts such as dyeing.

[Tomomi Kono]

kinds

Namafu is a Kyoto specialty, and in addition to mochifu, which is simply made into a rod-shaped product, there is maple leaf fugu, plum fugu, and sakura fugu, which are shaped and colored into flowers or leaves, as well as products with added ingredients such as nori fugu, millet fugu, mugwort fugu, and ogura fugu (with adzuki beans). All of the above are made into rod-shaped products and cut into pieces. There are also crafted fugu such as temari fugu and fugu shaped into the shapes of vegetables and fruits, which are used in kaiseki and shojin ryori cuisine throughout the year. There are also fugu unique to each store and temple, such as simmered fugu made with beans, ginkgo nuts, and other vegetables, and Daitokuji's Rikyu-age fugu. In Kyoto, gluten is so essential to life that there is still a street called Fuyacho-dori (Nakagyo-Shimogyo Ward) where gluten makers gather. Another Kyoto specialty is gluten manju, a sweet made from raw gluten wrapped in bean paste and wrapped in bamboo leaves.

Yakifu is made all over Japan. In terms of shape, there are various types, such as stick-shaped baked bofu, slab-shaped itafu (also called Shonaifu), kurumafu (donut-shaped) wrapped around a stick and baked, small spherical tamafuku, matsutakefu, and hanafu. In terms of use, there are many types, such as small soup fu, sukiyaki fu made from cut rod-shaped fu, and Kanze fu (spiral-shaped mixed with nori and green nori).

[Tomomi Kono]

nutrition

Fu is mainly composed of wheat protein, and is an important protein source for shojin ryori, which restricts animal protein. Wheat protein has a particularly low protein content, among the essential amino acids, lysine. This increases its nutritional value when combined with fish, soybeans, meat, etc. It is a good source of protein and can be used in a wide range of dishes, including simmered dishes, soups, and fried dishes. It is particularly easy to digest and has little fat, making it ideal for feeding infants and sick people.

[Tomomi Kono]

cooking

Namafu has a high moisture content and does not keep well. It is best to cool it even for short-term storage. It is used in stews, hotpot dishes, and soups with a light flavor of dashi. Yakifu is soaked in water once to rehydrate, and then lightly squeezed to remove the water before using. It can be used in the same ways as namafu.

[Tomomi Kono]

[Reference] | Fumanju

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

小麦粉のタンパク質を利用した加工食品。小麦粉に水を加えてこねると粘弾性のあるグルテンが形成される。このグルテンはタンパク質で、これを取り出して加工したのが生麩(なまふ)や焼麩(やきふ)である。麩は中国の宋(そう)代の書物にみられ、これが日本に伝わったといわれている。日本では鎌倉時代からつくられ、豆腐などとともに精進料理の重要なタンパク源とされている。

［河野友美］

製法

小麦粉に水（小麦粉の80％）を加えてよくこねる。粘りが出てグルテンが形成したら水中でもみ洗いして、デンプンと水溶性の物質を流し出す。残ったグルテンに、糯米(もちごめ)粉などを加えて蒸したのが生麩で、グルテンに小麦粉と膨剤を加えて整形して焼いたものが焼麩である。もみ洗いして流れ出たデンプンは正麩(しょうふ)とよばれ、染物などの工芸用糊(のり)に用いられる。

［河野友美］

種類

生麩は京都の名産で、そのまま棹(さお)状にした餅麩(もちふ)以外に、花や葉に整形して着色した、紅葉(もみじ)麩、梅麩、桜麩、また、副材料を加えた海苔(のり)麩、粟(あわ)麩、よもぎ麩、小倉(おぐら)麩（アズキ入り）などがある。以上のものは棹状につくられ、切って用いる。また四季折々の懐石料理や精進料理に用いる細工麩として、手毬(てまり)麩や、野菜や果物の形にしたものがある。さらに、豆やぎんなん、野菜などを加えた煮物麩や大徳寺の利久揚げ麩など、各店や寺に特有のものがある。京都ではこのように麩が生活に欠かせないものなので、麩作り業者が集まった麩屋町通(ふやちょうどおり)（中京(なかぎょう)～下京(しもぎょう)区）が現存している。菓子では、生麩を生地(きじ)にして餡(あん)を包み、笹(ささ)の葉でくるんだ麩まんじゅうも京都の名物である。

　焼麩は全国的につくられている。形から、棒状に焼いた棒麩、板状の板麩（庄内(しょうない)麩ともいう）、棒に巻き付けて焼いた車(くるま)麩（ドーナツ状）、小さい球状の玉麩、まつたけ麩、花麩などがある。また、用途から、小型の吸い物麩、棹状の麩を切ったすき焼き麩、そのほか、観世(かんぜ)麩（渦巻状で海苔や青海苔を混ぜたもの）など、多くの種類がある。

［河野友美］

栄養

麩はコムギのタンパク質がおもな成分で、動物性タンパク質を制限する精進料理にとって重要なタンパク源となっている。小麦タンパクは必須(ひっす)アミノ酸のうちリジンがとくに少ないのでタンパク価が低い。この点は魚、大豆、肉などとあわせると栄養価が高まる。煮物、汁物、揚げ物と用途が広く、タンパク質のよい給源である。とくに消化がよく、脂肪が少ないので乳幼児食や病人食にも好適である。

［河野友美］