Neri Ame (Mizu Ame): Let’s Knead the Honey-like Candy

Several simple, good-old candies have long been favorites in Japan, and representatives include Shio Ame (塩飴), Kuro Ame (黒飴), and Hakka Ame (ハッカ飴).

What I introduce here today is also a classic Japanese candy of that kind, which is called Neri Ame (練り飴/ねりあめ). 

Neri-Ame (ねりあめ) or Mizu-Ame (水飴)

Unlike Shio Ame, Kuro Ame, or Hakka Ame, NeriAme (ねりあめ) is a candy marketed mainly towards kids, for it is a kind of DIY candy.

Neri Ame is also called Mizuame (水飴), in which Mizu (水) means water in Japanese. 

I think the reason why Neri Ame has another name, Mizu Ame, is because the base candy has a water-like, clear, transparent color.

Neri Ame or Mizu Ame is a casual, cheap sugar candy classified as Dagashi (駄菓子), and this one from Yaokin only costs 50 yen.

Contents

The package contains a small cup of base candy of Neri Ame with a consistency like honey and accompanies a pair of short wooden chopsticks.

Neri Ame comes in various flavors, and this one has a lemon flavor. Because of that, its color is yellow.

Texture-wise, compared to ordinary honey, the Japanese treat is thick, sticky, and stretchy. 

How to Enjoy

As I mentioned above, Neri Ame is a DIY candy. So, as preparation, first scoop up the base candy with the chopsticks and put it on them.

As the word Neri (ねり) means kneading in Japanese, to complete the making, next, you need to knead the honey-like candy sufficiently.

The candy paste mixes with air while kneading for a few minutes and becomes soft enough.

In addition, its color also changes from transparent to translucent, which means it is ready to eat.

Conclusion

The preparation process is fun, making kids excited.

It had been a long time since I last ate Neri Ame. But I found I even now can enjoy the making and taste!

Ingredients

Lastly, let’s see the ingredients. Based on the label on the back of the package, the Neri Ame from Yaokin mainly consists of starch syrup, flavoring, acidifier, and colors.