Since long ago people in Sanuki have stomped on flour dough trying their best to achieve the perfect texture. In those days working in the noodle shop was exhausting as employees were expected to continuously stomp the dough, which was spread over the thin tatami mats like layers of cushions.
Why have people in Sanuki been committed to the foot stomping process for so long? When it started, the wheat produced in Kagawa contained only a small amount of protein and combined with the poor gluten quality, it had very little elasticity. It was discovered that only by stomping the dough would the noodles achieve the desired texture.
However, now that Western Australian wheat, which contains a moderate amount of protein and gluten, is used, it has become easier to achieve the desired elasticity of the dough without having to do the foot stomping process. Despite this, even with the Western Australian wheat being used in Kagawa prefecture, there are many udon stores combining machine manufacturing techniques with their own foot stomping processes to create their own textures.
讃岐うどんと西豪州産小麦
昔から讃岐では、とにかく小麦粉生地を踏みに踏む、これでもか！というほど踏んで生地を鍛えていました。当時の製麺所では、一面に何枚も重ねて敷き詰められた座布団のようなうどん生地をゴザの上から踏み続けるという大変な重労働をしていました。
なぜ讃岐では、昔からこれほど「足踏み」にこだわってきのか？当時の香川県産小麦は、たんぱく量が少なく、またグルテン質も伸展性や弾力が少なく、踏みしめる工程を入れないと、満足のいく「うどんの噛みごたえ、弾力」が出てこなかったのです。
ところが、たん白量・グルテン質が適度にある西豪州産小麦を使うようになり、昔のように固練りや踏みしめたりしなくても、弾力のあるうどんが比較的容易にできるようになりました。しかし、香川県では西豪州産小麦を使うようになった今でも、製麺機械を取り入れながらも、足踏み工程を加えて自分なりの食感を作り出すうどん店も多いそうです。
THE MEANING AND PURPOSE OF FOOT STOMPING
The Foot Stomping process is similar to kneading bread dough with your hands. By continually stamping the dough with the force of your weight and moving your feet in different directions, the dough will gradually gain a better texture and stronger structure.
This forceful stamping creates the delicious texture of Sanuki Udon that we enjoy so much. In fact, the more stomping of the dough, the better the texture becomes! This type of udon noodle that has been created with the stomping process will retain elasticity and beautiful texture even several hours after boiling. There is truly a huge difference between these delicious noodles created with the human touch and those that are machine manufactured.
足踏み工程の意味とポイント
「足踏み工程」とは、うどん生地に対して、「適度な力」を「いろいろな方向」から加えることによって鍛えるということです。
この適度の圧力によって鍛えられたグルテンは、さぬきうどんの「噛みごたえのある食感」を作ります。足踏み工程の「鍛え」の有無の差が出るのは、茹後 時間が経ったうどんの食感の差です。よく鍛えた生地のうどんは、茹後数時間たっても弾力がある程度残ります。機械式の簡単な圧延のみですぐ切り落としたうどんは、15分も経つと歯ごたえのない、ふやけたような柔らかさになり大きな差がでます。