Hiyajiru

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Hiyajiru is a cold soup from Miyazaki Prefecture, made with grilled fish, miso, toasted sesame, dashi, tofu, cucumber, and fresh herbs. It is served over rice, traditionally barley rice, and is especially associated with the hot and humid summer months. Cold soup poured over rice has a long history in Japan. References to hiyajiru appear as early as the Kamakura period, and similar preparations were once found in different parts of the country. Miyazaki is the region where the custom became particularly firmly established. In rural communities, an older, simpler form consisted of barley rice topped with raw miso diluted with water, giving farmers a quick meal during summer agricultural work. Over time, this basic preparation evolved into a more elaborate combination of fish, sesame, vegetables, and tofu. The traditional version begins with fish that is grilled until cooked and lightly browned. Horse mackerel is one of the most familiar choices, while flying fish, sardines, barracuda, and sea bream are also used in Miyazaki. The bones and skin are removed, and the flesh is finely flaked or ground. Toasted sesame seeds are ground in a suribachi, a grooved Japanese mortar, together with the fish. Miso, traditionally barley miso in many Miyazaki households, is then worked into the mixture until it becomes a thick paste. One characteristic step is roasting the miso mixture. It is spread thinly and exposed to direct heat until the surface browns and becomes fragrant. Older methods may use a mortar, bowl, or spatula held close to a flame, but the key is to scorch the miso rather than simply dissolve it raw lightly. This gives the soup a pronounced roasted aroma without making it taste burnt. The roasted mixture is gradually loosened with cold dashi or water until it forms a thin but flavorful soup. The broth is then thoroughly chilled. Unlike ordinary miso soup, hiyajiru is never reheated after this stage. Thinly sliced cucumber, crumbled firm tofu, shiso leaves, and myoga are added to the cold soup. These fresh ingredients define its summer character: cucumber provides crunch, tofu adds substance, and shiso and myoga give the broth a fresh herbal aroma. The finished hiyajiru is spooned generously over a bowl of rice. Barley rice, or mugi gohan, is particularly traditional in Miyazaki, reflecting a period when polished white rice was too valuable to be an everyday food in many farming households. The rice may be cooled or served slightly warm, creating a contrast with the thoroughly chilled soup. Hiyajiru should be light and refreshing, not thick. The miso and fish provide savory depth, roasted sesame adds nuttiness, and the cucumber and herbs keep the dish fresh despite the richness of the fish and tofu. Ice can occasionally be used to cool the soup quickly, but floating ice cubes are not an essential part of the traditional presentation.