There are many ekiben on sale at Shin-Osaka Station, and I always have a hard time deciding which one to pick up. Since it was just late autumn, I was attracted by the words “matsutake mushrooms” and “gohan with chestnuts” on the package.
As you can see from the “ah-chi-chi” (heated) label, this ekiben is a heated ekiben. Pull out the string extending from the side of the package and wait for about 5 minutes, and the contents will be heated to the point of being freshly prepared. Ekiben are often stored in refrigerated showcases, so it is nice to be able to enjoy them warm inside the train, especially now that the weather is getting colder.
When the lid is removed, the appetizing aroma of sukiyaki wafts in with the steam. The chestnuts in the chestnut rice, the carrots cut out in the shape of autumn leaves, and the matsutake mushrooms in the sukiyaki give the dish a distinctly autumnal atmosphere.
First, I started with the chestnut rice, which has a very strong dashi and soy sauce flavor. And contrary to its appearance, it also has a strong sweetness. When this strongly seasoned takikomi gohan and chestnuts are served together, the sweetness of the chestnuts mixes with the strongly seasoned takikomi gohan in just the right balance to bring out the best of both tastes.
The addition of sansho (Japanese pepper) from the hiratake mushrooms stewed in sansho (a type of Japanese pepper) served with the rice gives the dish a tangy and enjoyable change to a more mature taste.
Then there is the main course, sukiyaki, which is already as delicious as one would expect sukiyaki to be. The meat, shiitake mushrooms, green onions, onions, deep-fried tofu, and shirataki mushrooms all soak up the flavor, and the fact that it is warmed up makes it feel exceptionally delicious.
The box is only available until the end of November, so if you are interested, be sure to pick one up as soon as possible.
© Source travel watch