Niigata Shrimp Nikuman

 

Niigata Shrimp Nikuman, was something unusual that was not well known if known at all. It would be popular for people to eat shrimp alongside a meat bun, but not so much as a dish itself. As the origin goes many of the early meat buns are made from Japanese-Chinese cuisine and fall under the regional Niigata-Chinese cuisine due to its particular flavors. Regular shrimp pork buns tend to be seasoned similarly to Chinese buns, or a combination of mustard greens and shrimp paste. These were the average shrimp pork buns that were eaten for many years on the go as one of the go to dishes, but this would later change with Nikuman Darake no Mise "I <3 Nikuman". These assortment of buns would be associated with: White, Yellow, and Pink.

Nikuman Daraka no Mise was known for its many specialty buns and this variation made in Niigata was known as the "Premium Shrimp Pork Bun". Inside it has lots of peeled shrimp in a Japanese-style paste. During the prototype stage, they thought, "Let's put in even more shrimp. More, more," and they packed it with shrimp to the limit of what they could fit in the dough. With the developments they have made there was a new standard in Niigata for what people would think about when they consumed a shrimp meatbun. Many home cooks say this is the reason in the Chuo ward there were variations people had of the shrimp pork bun that were most likely based on the original from the store.

Variations:

1. Premium Shrimp Nikuman
2. Dried Tomato Mozzarella Chizuman
3. Mayo Cheese Shrimp Pizzaman
4. Snow Jellyfish Pork
5. Grilled Eggplant Nikuman
6. Standard Shrimp Nikuman
7. Pork Shrimp Dopiaza Curry Nikuman
8. Goong Pad Nam Creamy Egg Nikuman
9. Three Cheese Macaroni Ham Chizuman
10. Prosciutto Potato Chicken Chizuman
11. Tenshinhan Grilled Kaniman (crab stick)
12. Shiro Italia Yakisoba Nikuman
13. Tongue Stew with Red Wine Gyuman
14. Kanzuri Shrimp Nikuman