Common name: Black halibut, Greenland Halibut, Greenland turbot, Lesser halibut, Blue halibut, Little halibut, Mockhalibut, Newfoundland turbot, Pacific black halibut

Japanese name: Karasugarei (烏鰈)

Scientific name: Reinhardtius hippoglossoides (Walbaum, 1792)

Nigiri sushi detail: Black halibut (Karasugarei) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

Black halibut (Karasugarei) is distributed north of Sagami Bay, in the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, the northern Atlantic Ocean, the North Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean. It inhabits the seafloor at depths of 50~2000m. The body length is about 1m. Its body shape is an elongated oval. The eyed side of the body is blackish brown or blackish gray. It is not often caught in Japan and is imported in frozen fillets from Canada, the United States, Portugal, Russia, and Iceland.

China imports Karasugarei either as whole fish or as an ingredient in soups. One of the main markets for fillets is France. In Scandinavia and Benelux countries, they are consumed as smoked fish. In Belgium, in particular, it is a popular local dish.

Fresh ones are used as sashimi or sushi toppings. After World War II, it was called Gingarei or Fuyugarei. Unfortunately, it is not a good sushi topping because it lacks depth of flavor, has a poor texture, and is too fatty. It is also delicious simmered, fried, or smoked. Some of the popular engawa at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants are from Karasugarei.

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