So instead, I experimented by boiling young soybeans a bit hard, rolling them up thinly with wonton wrappers, and frying to a crisp. This culinary concoction, with a dash of salt, turned out to be a perfect snack to have with beer.

For children, I rolled some cheese up together with the beans. They were just as great! From my husband's simple impression "Well, these are witty!" I decided to name them "Otsu na mame (witty beans)."

As I tried making it
The name seems to suggest a variety of meanings such as "witty taste," "great with drinks" and "beans," and they really do have those qualities.

Place four or five boiled beans diagonally on a square wonton wrapper, roll them up from four corners, and fry it after gluing the end part with a bit of flour with water.

I had expected it to be crispy, but as I tried it, I found it quite different.

The wonton wrapper felt rather plump as I chewed, and moreover, the beans inside felt soft and warm as if they were sweet potatoes or something. The combination is really unique, and produces the "witty" taste.

If you add salt, they'd be great snacks to eat with your drink, but if you sprinkle granulated sugar instead, I guess, they'd make wonderful sweets as well.

Plate: Takayuki Fujii
From Shiki no Aji (July 1994)

Translated by Maiko Noda