More than 20 kinds of fu gluten items in the Nishiki Food Market

Fuka is an old shop started in the mid-Edo period (1600-1868) specializing in Kyoto-style fu (wheat gluten cake).  Fu has long been an essential ingredient for traditional Kyoto cuisine and Shojin Zen vegetarian cuisine.  Fu’s characteristics are a firm yet smooth texture and slightly sticky, like rice cakes, and it can be prepared in many ways such as simmered, fried and grilled.  In addition to typical fu varieties such as that made with yomogi green herb and millet, other unique flavors using seasonal ingredients are also available in the shop.  The necessary seasonings for fu dishes, such as miso (soy bean paste), are also stocked.  Sweet fu dumpling with a sweet red bean paste filling is another popular item.