Nure Senbei: A Type of Wet Rice Cracker
As with Okaki and Arare, Senbei is one of the traditional rice crackers most familiar to us Japanese.
The rice snack comes in four major types, one of which is called Nure Senbei (ぬれせんべい).
Nure Senbei (ぬれせんべい)
In its name, Nure (ぬれ) means wet, and Nure Senbei is a type of rice cracker whose entire dough is moist and limp.
As with the regular baked variety Yaki Senbei, we Japanese like to eat it as an afternoon snack with green tea.
Like Nure Okaki, the non-glutinous rice dough for Nure Senbei is dunked in soy sauce right after baking.
Hence, the resulting cracker has a strong soy sauce flavor and a soft texture compared to Yaki Senbei.
Birthplace
Image: Fc2blog-imgs-13
Nure Senbei originated at a confectionery shop in Choshi City, Chiba Prefecture, named Kashiwaya (柏屋).
And the shop Kashiwaya began to sell wet rice crackers as a product for the first time in 1963.
Shop Information: Kashiwaya (柏屋)
Address: 1758 Minato-machi, Choshi, Chiba (MAP)
Open: 9:00 to 18:00
Closed: Irregular holidays
How to Enjoy
You can enjoy Nure Senbei as it is, but I recommend trying the methods below, for they make the wet rice cracker more delicious.
Microwave it
The first method is to microwave it for several dozen seconds, which makes the wet cracker a nicely savory snack, like a freshly baked Senbei.
With Torokeru Cheese
Image: hiragima blogspot
The second one is to put some Torokeru Cheese and microwave the Senbei until the cheese melts. The combination is quite addictive.
With Mayonnaise
Image: cookpad.com
The last is to dress the snack with mayonnaise, which gives the cracker extra umami and enriches its taste.
Where to Buy
Nure Senbei is a commonly eaten casual snack in Japan, and it is available at supermarkets and convenience stores around the country.
