Do you know? Okinawa Tips [Zenzai Edition]

After being exposed to the intense direct sunlight of Okinawa or swimming in the sea, you want sweet and cold food. I wonder what kind of food is like that…Isn't ice cream the first thing that comes to mind? 
Moreover, in Okinawa, a brand called Blue Seal, which can be said to be a single ice cream culture, has a strong presence. People outside Okinawa may think that people from southern Okinawa will eat a lot of ice cream, but that's not the case. 
According to a survey by manufacturers and industry groups, the amount of ice cream per Okinawan citizen is the lowest among 47 prefectures nationwide. By the way, Ishikawa Prefecture in Hokuriku is ranked first. This is because it is customary to eat ice even in winter. 

So why don't Okinawan people eat much ice cream? It is said that one of the major reasons is that it eats "Zenzai". 

Zenzai is a warm food that is commonly used in Japan to boil beans such as red beans sweetly and often eats with rice cakes and shiratama dumplings. 

However, in Okinawa, it is "cold sweets". Beans may be made with kinto beans and boiled with brown sugar to add flat barley or white balls called pressed barley. And the biggest feature is to put shaved ice on this. And when eating, bring it to your mouth with juice and beans while breaking the fluffy ice with a spoon.
As soon as you put it on your tongue, the sweetness and coolness that you can't say will spread throughout your mouth, and you will be wrapped in the sense of soaking the whole body. If your body is hot due to the heat, or if you sweat and your throat is crisp, the taste will be good. It is more suitable for those who say "happiness" rather than "delicious".
It can be eaten in Okinawa Zenzai, traditional cafeterias, etc., but it is also evolving. For example, there is a shop where shaved ice on top is made with beans broth. Therefore, even if it melts, the juice does not diminish, and the ice itself can be delicious. 

In addition, there is also a takeout, and if you specify eating time such as "15 minutes later", "30 minutes later", "1 hour later", the ice will melt moderately at that time. Therefore, it can be used for small souvenirs, and even home delivery. The fact that delicious zenzai can be eaten at home or at work is, in a sense, groundbreaking, and is very grateful and pleased for Okinawans. 

Recently, there has been a wide variety of variations from simple ones to arrangement ones, and it is also offered at Zenzai specialty stores and cafeterias.
While evolving while preserving tradition, Zenzai will continue to be loved for a long time as the "Seoul Sweets" of Okinawan citizens. 

Everyone, please look for the zenzai you like.