Short form of nitsume. Soy sauce, mirin and sake are added to the broth of the conger eel, etc., and then boiled down to make a sweet sauce. Every restaurant has its own “secret recipe” for tsume to bring out the maximum umami in conger eel, etc.
Traditionally, tsume made from boiling down common orient clam is used for common orient clam nigiri sushi. Squilla tsume is for Squilla nigiri. Squid tsume is used for squid, but lately conger eel tsume is used for various dishes. Read more