Yunomine Village, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan — The sun had not yet risen, but the kitchen staff of this traditional Japanese Inn, called Ryokan Adumaya, is already busy preparing their local specialty for their guests.
In one corner of the brightly lit kitchen, Jitsuo Shinka was stirring a large pot of rice porridge, nimbly scooping it in his ladle and gently letting it spill back into the mixture. As the porridge came to a boil, a thick, slightly yellowish foam built up that threatened to spill over the rim of the metal pot.
We all know that porridge is a common dish in many places, so what makes this porridge stand out from the others? The answer is found in the water used.
… it is made with water from Yunomine’s ancient onsen (natural hot spring).
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According to local residents, cooking with onsen water does not radically alter the taste of food, but it does make it milder in flavour. Unlike regular tap water, it also has the benefit of keeping meat tender, even if you cook it for a long time.
Know more about this Japanese village, as well as the properties of the hot spring water, over at BBC.
(Image Credit: Michiyo Nakamoto/ BBC)