Kirazu (Soybean Pulp) Cracker

Highlights Crunchy, gluten-free crackers made from soybean pulp Homemade using 100% domestic soybeans Gently fried in non-GMO rapeseed oil Created in a tofu shop in 1995, it took trial and error to create a manufacturing method that would harden soft soybean pulp (known as okara) into a crunchy cracker. These crackers are homemade using 100% domestic soybeans (90% of soybeans in Japan are currently imported) and local flour from Aichi Prefecture. The crackers have a slight sweetness from the raw sugar from Kagoshima Prefecture, which is balanced with salt from Nagasaki Prefecture. They are gently fried in non-GMO rapeseed oil creating a crispy cracker with a fragrant flavor. Kirazu, an olden dialect name for okara, is made from soaked and ground soybeans that have been strained in a cloth bag to make soy milk and tofu. The leftover pulp is beige in color and has almost no taste so it can easily absorb the flavors of the other ingredients it’s mixed with. In a country where little goes to waste, okara is often used in Japan as a popular gluten-free substitute for wheat flour with less sugar and high amounts of fiber, protein, and other nutrients.