Yamagata Imoni

Yamagata Prefecture’s recipe for imoni centres on taro, beef and konnyaku cooked together in a seasoned pot. MAFF describes the dish as part of autumn and winter gatherings as well as home meals.

Taro is peeled and cut into large bite-sized pieces, while the beef is cut into short pieces. The selected method hand-tears a slab of ita-konnyaku; its refined-flour version does not require the separate pre-boil described for another product.

Water, taro and konnyaku first come to a gentle boil with part of the measured soy sauce. Once the taro is tender, beef, the remaining soy sauce, sugar and sake are added, with scum skimmed away.

The method’s diagonally sliced green onion is added last and cooked so the flavours soak in. Shichimi seven-spice is the selected optional topping suggested by the source.

The entry distinguishes this beef-and-soy arrangement from Shonai’s pork-and-miso version and other regional additions. It describes outdoor community cooking and seasonal gatherings, alongside restaurant and school-lunch preparations.