Rice paddle
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A rice paddle (Template:Lang-zh, Japanese: Script error: No such module "Nihongo"., Korean: Script error: No such module "Lang".; RR: Template:TransliterationTemplate:Category handler) is a large flat spoon used in East Asian cuisine. It is used to stir and to serve rice, to dip gochujang, and to mix vinegar into the rice for sushi.
Rice paddles are traditionally made from bamboo, wood, or lacquer, and nowadays often from plastic.
History
The specific origin of the rice paddle is unknown, but it has been spotted in artifacts dating back to the 4th or 5th century. One such artifact originating from the Silla dynasty in Korea was excavated from the Gold Crown Tomb in Gyeongju along with a pot.[1]
The Japanese version of the rice paddle, the 'shamoji', is said to have been first devised by a monk on Itsukushima, Hiroshima Prefecture.[2] The word is an example of nyōbō kotoba, being derived from the first part of Script error: No such module "Nihongo"., plus the Script error: No such module "Nihongo". suffix.[3]
Modern rice cookers may include a rice paddle in the box, usually made of white plastic.
Materials and uses
In Korea, rice paddles, or 'jugeok' (Korean: Script error: No such module "Lang".Template:Category handler) were originally made out of wood in the 4th century, but began to be made out of brass during the Goryeo dynasty. Throughout the Joseon dynasty, they also began to be made from bamboo.[4]
Modern rice paddles are typically made from plastic. When in use, they are dipped in water frequently during use to prevent rice from sticking to it. Some expensive plastic rice paddles have non-stick surfaces.
Rice paddles are also used to crush vegetables, such as garlic and cucumbers, as cleavers are used in Western cuisine.
Culture
When scooping rice with a rice paddle in Korea, the rice is traditionally scooped towards the center of the bowl, as to prevent fortune from escaping the household.[5]
In Japan, the rice paddle (shamoji) has also been a symbol of unity between the mother and wife in Japanese society. In one tradition, it was passed down from one generation to the next to symbolize the family duties that were handed down.[6]
In Japan, the Template:Transliteration is also a good luck charm dedicated to Shinto shrines and decorated with the word Template:Nihongo3 written on the part that scoops up rice when praying for victory. This is because the Japanese word Template:Nihongo3, which means to scoop up rice, is pronounced the same as Template:Nihongo3, which means to capture the enemy. The custom became even more famous during the Russo-Japanese War, when soldiers dedicated many Template:Transliteration to Itsukushima Shrine to pray for Japan's victory in the war.[7] In March 2023, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Ukraine and presented President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a Template:Transliteration with the word Template:Nihongo3 written on it to pray for Ukraine's victory over Russia in the Russo-Ukrainian War.[8]
See also
References
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- ↑ 杓文字（しゃもじ） - 語源由来辞典
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