Dear Potato God! A Study on Substituting Wheat and Sugar

February 8, 2023

(1) Multi-talented

Ever since he discovered that rice could be used as a substitute for wheat, he has been busy processing and tasting rice with his ovens running at full capacity.

Rice is

1. Machining shape
2. A "binder" for mixing with water and kneading
3. Additives like baking powder

Depending on how it's used, it can be more than just a substitute for refined wheat .

In Southeast Asia, rice noodles made with potato flour, such as rice vermicelli, ho fun, and kway teow, which are also popular at Seongju food stalls, are also popular.

This is chewy and quite delicious.

However, I find it strange that in Japan, when we say "noodles," the only ingredients used are white wheat or buckwheat .

Although there are differences between Japonica rice and Indica rice, Japonica rice is still able to withstand processing well.

Despite being cultivated in Japan for 3,000 years, the ways in which it is eaten are limited, which is a pity for rice.

With her many talents, she should have more opportunities to shine than Komugi.

She can sing, dance and act, and should become a beautiful national idol!

(2) Sugar Reduction Strategy

The easiest way to process rice is to ① make it into a dough, ② knead it, and ③ bake it.

You can also try mixing in some other nutritious ingredients like whole wheat flour, soy flour, or almond flour.

The key is to avoid using sugar, and to use oil ( please do not use salad oil or duck oil) as baked goods and bread will become dry without it .

However, homemade sweets and bread do not require sugar.

Look around you.

There are plenty of ingredients that are sweet in themselves, and there are substitutes available, such as using rice instead of wheat.

1. Banana

It has a high sugar content and is a staple food among tribes in tropical regions, so it is also high in energy value.

It also contains a sufficient amount of potassium, so it was once popular among middle-aged women as it was said to reduce swelling.

Because it's so sticky, it's easy to process. When you mix it in a mixer, it blends with the eggs and easily mixes into the batter.

②Sweet potato

Since its creation in 2010, Beni Haruka has quickly risen to stardom with its overwhelming sweetness .

With a planting area of ​​22% (second place is Beniazuma at 15%, the main crop in Ibaraki), it reigns as the Koshihikari of the sweet potato world.

The name comes from its deep crimson appearance and the hope that it would "far surpass other sweet potatoes."

A familiar sight at Seongju supermarkets, Beni Haruka has a sugar content of 20-30 degrees, making it even sweeter than the fruit, compared to bananas, which have a sugar content of 21 degrees.

Last October, at Yokohama Sogo, there was an event called "Imo-haku" where sweet potato confectioneries were all gathered together.

Heart-pounding! An all-female sweets competition

Inazo , being a man himself, bravely joins the battle.

Like Dassai, which was popular in izakayas at one time, many establishments used Beni Haruka .

Speaking of sweet potato digging field trips, it's clear that Beniazuma is no longer a popular choice in the sweets industry.

The slender, red-hued Beni Haruka is incredibly sweet even when simply steamed.

When you break it open, the flesh is a rich color that looks like it's filled with an overflowing amount of golden nectar.

The pheromones are overwhelming, and the appearance and sweetness are both beautiful and satisfying.

Even an unimpressive old man like me is drawn to the sweet nectar that has been released lol

The sugar content of sweet potatoes increases when heated, so it would be best to steam them first and then mix them into the batter using a mixer.

Sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber.

Ordinary vegetables are either soluble or insoluble, but per 100g, they contain a good balance of 1g soluble and 2.8g insoluble. Brown rice contains only 3g insoluble.

Furthermore, Aoki Konyo encouraged and popularized the cultivation of sweet potatoes during the Kyoho famine in the mid-Edo period .

Feeling grateful, Tamakusa had Konyo ascend to heaven like a dragon as the "Potato God" in Makuhari, Chiba, and apparently he is still worshipped by him lol

3. Raisins (and other dried fruits)

Raisins.

With a moisture content of 15% and a sugar content of around 20%, the plump, moist grapes before drying show how easily fermented they are and how well suited they are to making wine.

Raisins are often used in cookies and bread, but considering their sugar content, there's no need for sugar.

Made from pressed grapes, it is rich in nutrients, including potassium and iron.

This is an ingredient you might want to mix into the dough when making your own baked goods or bread . Cold Storage sells it by weight.

④ Amazake

Amazake is easy to make if you have rice koji.

Rice koji is made by infusing koji mold into steamed rice.

Add water, heat to 65°C, and let it ferment for 8 hours...

Amazingly, rice starch (a string of 10 glucose molecules) is glycolyzed into the monosaccharide glucose.

Mixing in rice or brown rice will reduce the sweetness, but amazake made only with rice koji is probably about twice as sweet as bananas.

In the days before sugar was available, the sweetness of amazake must have been irreplaceable ( though there was starch syrup made from fermented barley) .

Therefore, amazake can be used as a substitute for sugar.

In addition, kojic acid, which is produced during the fermentation process, is said to even have the effect of suppressing the production of melanin pigment.

⑤Sweet corn

It has a pinpoint sweetness, like a raisin.

I thought I was being fooled, but when I tried adding it to typical stews such as hijiki seaweed, dried daikon radish, and udon noodles, I was able to experience its sweetness.

Speaking of sweetness, the mellow sweetness of Japanese cuisine depends on the mirin. If you care about satisfaction, please use the real thing , not a mirin-like seasoning .

In Seongju, French Daucy sweet corn is the most satisfying and of the highest quality for the price.

...

...I tried a few different things, but the sugar is only sucrose (glucose and fructose), so although it's good for easily adding sweetness, the balance is poor.

It also puts a strain on the body because it requires various nutrients to metabolize .

Also,

"Sweetness containing multiple nutrients"

Adding these ingredients makes a dish far more nutritious and healthy than one that's simply loaded with sugar and oil , and it also adds complexity and depth to the dish.

In short, if you want to achieve the "need for self-actualization" at the top of Maslow's pyramid , you need to stimulate your taste buds in every direction.

Using rice as a substitute for white wheat and various other ingredients as a substitute for sugar, I was able to ease the boredom of my life away from home every night.