Kanpyō

Kanpyo has remained an important ingredient of the famous Japanese staple maki sushi and futomaki, a thick sushi roll from the Edo era.

Kanpyo or kampyo are long, thick, dried, Calabash shavings. Calabash, Langeraria sicearia var hispida, is a variety of bottle gourd native to tropical Africa but has gained immense popularity in Japanese cuisine probably because of its health benefits and unique taste.

Since futomaki is a thick, elongated sushi roll, we grate calabash gourd in wide and long shavings. These shavings are then dried to lock the nutrients and later used to make sushi rolls.

But the whole of this debate does not mean that kanpyo is only an ingredient of futokami; in fact, kanpyo graces the table in many other dishes as an esteemed ingredient, like Aemono, which are marinated foods, and Nimono, the simmered foods. So kanpyo can be considered a valued ingredient in Japanese cuisine throughout its history.