The Yellowfin Goby (Mahaze) is a benthic species that is usually found on muddy seabeds in estuarine and inshore areas.
What is Yellowfin goby (Mahaze)?
Yellowfin goby (Mahaze) inhabits sandy muddy bottoms of inner bays from southern Hokkaido to Kyushu, southern Korean Peninsula, and China. In recent years, it has become established in Sidney and California.
Yellowfin goby is spindle-shaped with a slightly flattened head and a long fan-shaped tail fin. It is a demersal fish that lives on the seafloor with its belly attached to the bottom of the sea. Its body color is light yellowish brown on the back side and white on the belly side, with irregular dark spots along the side of the body. Its scientific name is Acanthogobius flavimanus (Temminck and Schlegel, 1845).
What does Yellowfin goby (Mahaze) sushi taste like?
The refined white meat is covered with a batter and heated to enhance its flavor and add a fluffy texture that can be eaten as much as you like.
Freshly caught yellowfin goby is made into sashimi, but the most common ways to eat it are tempura and deep-fried. Nigiri sushi made with lightly salted meat has a deep and ecstatic flavor.
Yellowfin goby’s liver, which is the size of a small pea, has a flavor that can sublimate the spirit, and some restaurants serve it on top of the topping. There are many kinds of delicious fish roe, but yellowfin goby roe is definitely one of the best. Its roe shiokara can also be used for sushi.
Sazae is found in waters near Japan and Korea, with ornately beautiful shells distinguished by jagged little horns dotting their perimeter.
What is Turban shell (Sazae)?
Turban shell (Sazae) is found on reefs from theintertidal zone to a depth of about 10 m throughout Japan, with the exception of northern Hokkaido and Okinawa.
The maximum shell height reaches 10 cm. The shell is conical and thick, with spines on the periphery. The number and length of the spines vary greatly depending on the habitat and the individual. Male gonads are yellowish-white and female ones are green.
The summer sazae become skinny due to spawning, so winter and spring are the best seasons for them. The scientific name is Turbo sazae Fukuda, 2017.
In the past, Sazae that grew on rough shores developed magnificent spines, and it was said that they may have developed because the spines caught on rocks like a kind of spike and prevented them from being washed away. Individuals that do not develop spines at all are called Marugoshi or Tsunonashi. Young, small, and thornless specimens are called hime-sazae in the market. However, those without spines and generally rounded may be imported.
Sazae is rarely seen alive, but those that make no sound when lightly shaken or quickly close their lids when touched are fresh. In the summer, even if they are alive, the water inside may be murky, so they judge the freshness by smelling. Sazae weighing 300 g or more are tasty.
The staple food of Sazae is seaweed, and the taste and color of their shells change depending on the quality of the seaweed they eat. It is said that eating arame seaweed turns the shell whitish while eating tengusa seaweed turns it blackish brown.
What does Turban shell (Sazae) nigiri sushi taste like?
Since turban shells do not fit well with shari, they should be rolled into gunkan-maki.
Sazae flesh is firm and is not easy to make nigiri. It also looks unattractive. In addition, the strong aroma of the sea and the thick umami make the nigiri sushi lose its sense of unity. However, some love the wild flavor and umami of Sazae.
When making nigiri sushi, it is best to put a fine Kakushi boucho on the inside to make it easier to eat. Fresh entrails can be boiled quickly and topped with a pleasantly bitter taste and rich flavor.
For grilling Tsuboyaki, the entire shell can be placed directly onto hot charcoal, eventually coaxing juices to boil from the shell’s interior, at which point soy sauce and sake are poured directly into the shell.
Japanese people may prefer Sazae-no-tsuboyaki, which has the aroma of burnt soy sauce and the scent of the sea from the turban shells.
Baigai is often used for Tsumami and sushi topping in sushi restaurants.
What is Baigai?
There are several species of shells called Baigai. Among them, the whitish Baigai such as Kagabai (Buccinum bayani Jousseaume,1883), Echubai (Buccinum striatissimum Sowerby,1899), Ooechubai (Buccinum tenuissimum Kuroda in Teramachi,1933), and other whitish Baigai, collectively called Shirobai.
Kagabai lives in depths of 200 to 500 m from the Noto Peninsula to Hokkaido, with shells reaching 15 cm in height, while Echubai (Finely-striated buccinum) is caught in the Sea of Japan west of the Noto Peninsula, at depths of 200 to 500 m, with shells reaching 15 cm in height. Ooechubai (Finely-striated buccinum) is endemic to the Sea of Japan north of Shimane, living at depths of 400 to 1,000 meters, and reaching a shell height of 25 cm. Ooechubai is considered the most delicious of the Shirobai, and the larger the size, the more expensive.
What does Baigai nigiri sushi taste like?
It is not familiar as sushi topping in the Kanto region, but is often found at sushi restaurants in Kanazawa.
As the name “Shirobai” (Shiro means white) shows, the meat is pure white and shiny like white porcelain. After the characteristic crunchy texture of the shellfish, sweetness and bitterness spread softly in the mouth.
If you are worried about the hardness of the meat in Nigiri sushi, it might be better to taste it as sakamushi (sake steamed). It becomes moderately tender and easy to make nigiri. To enhance the light flavor, you can also boil it quickly in kombu dashi (kelp stock) during preparation.
It is not familiar as sushi topping in the Kanto region, but is often found at sushi restaurants in Kanazawa and other areas. As a side note, from the sound “bai (bai means double)” in Baigai, it is considered a fortunate food, as it doubles the amount of good fortune.
What is Aka (aka means red)-nishi-gai (gai means shell)?
There are three typical types of shellfish called Aka-nishi-gai: Naganishi, Ko-naganishi, and Aka-nishi. Yonaki-gai (夜泣貝), enthusiastically favored in Hiroshima and Yamaguchi prefectures, is the Naganishi (Fusinus perplexus (A.Adams,1864)) caught in the Seto Inland Sea. It is no longer caught in large quantities, and Ko-naganishi (Fusinus ferrugineus Kuroda & Habe,1961) from the Sea of Japan is used as a substitute. This shellfish is a smaller version of the Naganishi, and has a unique astringent taste in its entrails.
Aka-nishi (Top shell) is a carnivorous shell commonly found in tidal flats of inner bays in Japan, and in the Kanto region, it is a natural enemy of oysters and clams rather than a target for fishing. Its flesh is softer than that of the turban shell (Sazae), and some say it is tastier. In recent years, large quantities of frozen top shell has been imported cheaply from Turkey and Bulgaria, which face the Black Sea, so when you hear “Aka-nishi-gai” at conveyor belt sushi restaurants, you are probably talking about this. Aka-nishi-gai is considered an invasive alien species in the local market.
What does Aka-nishi-gai (Ko-naganishi) sushi taste like?
Ko-naganishi is a member of the family Fasciolariidae that inhabits the Sea of Japan from Mutsu Bay to Kyushu, where it grows to a shell length of about 8 cm. In Ishikawa Prefecture, it is caught in Nanao Bay (七尾湾) and is often used in sushi toppings. Its season is from September to November. The color of this shellfish is bright red, which is derived from its name. The texture is chewy and the aroma of the sea fills the mouth, and at Nigiri sushi, it is served in Gunkan maki, which some tourists come for. In Nanao, Ko-naganishi is called Aka-nishi-gai (赤西貝) instead of the standard Japanese name Aka-nishi (Rapana venosa (Valenciennes,1846)), which is a little confusing at times.
Sushi aficionados will appreciate it as a truly extravagant sushi nigiri.
What is Stone flounder (Ishigarei)?
Stone flounder (Ishigarei) is distributed along the coasts of Japan, the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and Taiwan. It lives in sandy mud at depths of 30 to 100 meters, and its total length reaches 50 cm. The body surface is smooth with no scales, but there are large longitudinal bony plates on the dorsal surface of the body on the eye side and other small bony plates. In Japan, depending upon the region it will be called other names, such as Ishimochi, Ishimochigarei, or Shirogarei.
It was caught in large quantities by bottom trawling fishing and was synonymous with cheap flounder. However, since the Edo period (1603-1867), it has been treated as a luxury fish in Tokyo. This is because white fish are scarce in summer, and even now, as summer approaches, the price rises along with Japanese sea bass (Suzuki) in the market. However, there was a time when it became a phantom fish that could not be caught at all due to the reclamation and development of Tokyo Bay that began after World War II.
What does Stone flounder (Ishigarei) sushi taste like?
Stone flounder is made by quickly removing the bony plates during the preparation process to avoid the characteristic muddy smell of flounder. It has clear, elegant flesh with a moderate aroma of the sea and a rich flavor with just the right amount of crunchiness. It caught in Tokyo Bay is highly prized and is served as sashimi and sushi, but it is also delicious simmered, or grilled.
As a rule, only live fish can be used for nigiri sushi. Nojime and Ikejime are also not highly valued because the umami component of flounder rapidly decreases after death. Stone flounder, which can be found in abundance in supermarkets at reasonable prices, cannot be used for nigiri sushi or sashimi. It also has a distinctive odor when it is no longer fresh, so it is best to remove it quickly and remove the skin. Skinless fillets can be enjoyed even after maturing for a while.
Dogtooth tuna (Iso maguro) is a different type of fish, although it is named tuna.
Dogtooth tuna (Iso maguro) is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Middle and Western Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In Japan, it is distributed mainly in southern Japan and is abundant in the Ogasawara and Nansei Islands. They migrate to rocky reefs and coral reefs, either alone or in groups of several dozen. The total length is around 1.5 meters. Its scientific name is Gymnosarda unicolor (Rüppell, 1838). It belongs to a different group from bluefin, yellowfin, and relatives are not hard to imagine.
It resembles tuna and bonito but is easily distinguished by its wavy lateral line behind the body. It is characterized by the presence of scales only on the pectoral fins and the pectoral carapace around the corselet, and by its large mouth with harp piranha-like teeth.
Its light flesh is slightly softer and less fatty than that of tuna and has almost no acidity. It is easily damaged, has a slight odor, is not very tasty, and is not marketable. It is known more as a fishing target than as a food source. It is known more for its speed and pulling power than the Caranx family. Large Dogtooth Tuna can cause ciguatera poisoning, so be careful. This fish is often sold canned or frozen.
The words medai is written in kanji characters as 目鯛, with “me” (目) meaning “eye” and “dai” (鯛) being the term in Japanese for snappers and porgies.
What is Pacific barrelfish (Medai)?
Pacific barrelfish is distributed throughout Japan south of Hokkaido, adult fish lives near the bottom at depths of 150 to 400 meters, and its Japanese name is Medai (Me means eye). It is a large fish, reaching 90 cm in length, with large eyes, hence its Japanese name. If the body color is red, it looks somewhat like Splendid alfonsino (Kinmedai). Its scientific name is Hyperoglyphe japonica (Döderlein, 1884).
The coloration of the body surface is generally blackish when young, but as adults, the overall coloration becomes lighter, with the back turning reddish grayish brown.
It is a member of the Japanese butterfish (Ebodai) family, which is different from the red seabream (Tai), and its body surface is slimy. The season is from fall to winter when the fish is fatty. Typical production areas are Shimane, Yamaguchi, Nagasaki, Kochi, and the inner bays of Tokyo.
What does Pacific barrelfish (Medai) sushi taste like?
Pacific barrelfish (Medai) is delicious even when it is konbujime (marinated in kelp), which increases its umami.
There was a time when many market participants had a negative image of Pacific barrelfish, as many of the frozen products were not as fresh as they should have been, and the taste was not good enough. Around 2022, the impression of Pacific barrelfish changed due to its good fat content and texture, and it became a popular fish purchased by famous sushi restaurants.
The local producers have begun to improve the quality of Pacific barrelfish, and Shizuoka Prefecture’s suppliers have begun to treat it with the same care as their famous Splendid alfonsino. It may become a star like Splendid alfonsino (Kinmedai) and Blackthroat seaperch (Nodoguro) in the future.
It is really a beautiful fillet.
Pacific barrelfish has a beautiful reddish-red color of chiai (dark-colored flesh) on its white flesh when cut into pieces, making it a good-looking sushi fish. It has a sweet taste and is cheaper than other shiromi such as Red seabream (Tai), Bastard halibut (Hirame), and Greater amberjack (Kanpachi). When making nigiri sushi, it should be made into shiojime and refrigerated overnight to increase the umami.
Sakhalin taimen (Itou) is known as the fish that anglers dream of encountering only once in their lives.
What is Sakhalin taimen (Itou)?
Sakhalin taimen is distributed only in the southern Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Primorsky Territory, and Hokkaido. It used to be distributed in Lake Ogawara, Aomori Prefecture, but has already become extinct. In Hokkaido, it inhabits gently meandering rivers in the Konsen Plain, Sarufutsu Plain, and Sarobetsu Plain.
Reaching a maximum height of 2 m, it is the largest freshwater fish distributed in Japan. Its Japanese name is Itou and its scientific name is Parahucho perryi (Brevoort, 1856).
The body color is light purple or light green on the back side and silvery white on the belly side. Unlike other salmonids, Sakhalin taimen lay their eggs in the spring and do not die, but instead lay them over and over again for many years. Females are usually larger than males, sometimes twice as large as males. The “魚鬼” Chinese character combines “魚” (fish) and “鬼” (devil). As the Chinese characters suggest, it is known for its ferocious nature.
It is also farmed in Aomori and Niigata, but because it takes 5~6 years to grow to 50 cm in length, it is not commercially available and is used at hotels and other places as a regional specialty.
What does Sakhalin taimen (Itou) sushi taste like?
If you find Itou nigiri sushi, you should definitely eat it because you may never get a second chance.
Its flesh is not peculiar and is a slightly pale orange color. The texture is tender but strangely does not feel tender and melting. It is rarely served at sushi restaurants in Tokyo, but it is probably farm-raised Sakhalin taimen. Whether or not it is a natural product, it is a very rare topping, so if you find it, you should definitely try it.
It is called different names depending on regions: “Berada” in Okayama Pref., “Tachikurage” in Misaki, “
What is Noresore?
Noresore is believed to be a juvenile of the Anago, but the species’ name is not really known. The larvae of Unagi (Japanese eel), Anago (Japanese conger), and Hamo (Daggertooth pike conger) are called Leptocephalus and are elongated and flattened, leaf-like in shape. They are transparent to the muscles and spine and are 5~6 cm in size. This is called Noresore in Kochi Prefecture. It arrives at the market from February to May, but the quantity is small and the freshness fades quickly, so the price is always high.
Many people look forward to it as a delicacy in early spring. Indeed, the smooth slurping and subtle sweetness are something special that cannot be tasted anywhere else. When eaten raw, it goes well with ginger soy sauce, wasabi soy sauce, or ponzu (Japanese citrus juice).
Noresore is served in a Gunkan maki. However, it is rare for it to be served as sushi.
What does Noresore sushi taste like?
When made into sushi, it is served with green onions and ginger as condiments, and in a Gunkan maki. The atmosphere is similar to that of Shirauo (Japanese icefish), but it is much more slippery to the palate, much like the high-end Gelidium jelly. In Tokyo sushi restaurants, it is sometimes served as Tsumami, but almost never as Nigiri sushi.
Sea squirt (Hoya) is said to be unique in that it has all five tastes humans are able to detect – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.
What is Sea squirt (Hoya)?
Sea squirt (Its Japanese name is Hoya) is thought to be a specialty of the Tohoku region, but it is distributed from Hokkaido to Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, as well as from the Korean Peninsula to the Shandong Peninsula of mainland China.
It has red, hard skin and protruding warts, the tops of which have entry and exit holes, and lives attached to rocks and other objects on the seafloor.
The sea squirt is nicknamed the pineapple of the sea because of its resemblance to a pineapple, which is not clear whether it is an animal or a plant. It is a close relative of vertebrates, although it is not at all imaginable. Its size is about 20 cm.
The two main species of Hoya (海鞘、老海鼠) consumed in Japan are Ma-hoya (Halocynthia roretzi (Drasche, 1884)) and Aka-hoya (Halocynthia aurantium aurantium (Pallas, 1787)). Miyagi Prefecture accounts for about 80% of the nation’s production, while Aka-hoya is mostly produced in Hokkaido.
What does Sea squirt (Hoya) nigiri sushi taste like?
Sea squirt (Hoya) has a complex taste with a mixture of bitterness and sweetness.
Its edible parts are the muscles and internal organs, which are removed by peeling the skin. Hoya’s gonads get fatter in the fall and its muscles become leaner. Then, after May, the meat gets fatter and has eight times more glycogen than in winter, making it tastier and sweeter. If the body color of Ma-hoya is pineapple color, Aka-hoya is the color of a persimmon seed that has fully ripened to bright red.
Sea squirt takes in a lot of seawater, so it has a strong smell of the sea anyway. It also has a unique umami and bitter taste because it is rich in amino acids such as glycine, alanine, Taurine, proline, and glutamic acid.
Ma-hoya is generally considered to have a stronger flavor, while Aka-hoya is relatively mild. After a few hours of fishing, a kind of gasoline smell is produced, giving the sea squirt its distinctive aroma. For this reason, it tends to be avoided by first-timers, but many people become addicted to it once they have tasted it. It is also a dish that makes sake go down a treat.
The fresh sea squirt meat is so elastic that it bounces back. The fish is then cut into small pieces with a decorative knife so that it is soft but still crisp. For condiments, we recommend using asatsuki chives, grated daikon and chili, and ponzu (Japanese citrus juice) soy sauce. Ma-hoya is not for everyone, but it can be enjoyed as an unusual sushi topping.
To enjoy the aroma of the sea, eat it raw with wasabi soy sauce or vinegared food. It goes well with cucumber as an accompaniment. Besides, it can be simmered, grilled with miso, deep-fried, or salted.
Japanese spiny lobster is found along the Pacific coast south of Ibaraki Prefecture and is distributed as far as Taiwan. Its length reaches up to 40 cm. Its well-known production areas include Chiba, Wakayama, Shizuoka, and Mie prefectures. Its Japanese name is Ise ebi.
It is very special to the Japanese. With its stately beard, armored appearance, and bright red color when boiled, it has long been regarded as a symbol of good luck, an indispensable part of celebratory occasions. It is also a symbol of longevity.
What does Japanese spiny lobster (Ise ebi) nigiri sushi taste like?
To be honest, it seems a waste for Nigiri sushi, as it is often used in cooking due to its good appearance. However, its flesh is resilient, and in particular, it contains glutamic acid, which is an umami component, as well as glycine and arginine, which give it a sweet taste, on a level with Kuruma prawn. It can be served raw or as Yushimo-zukuri, which brings out its sweetness and is delicious as nigiri. Some sushi chefs also use Kobujime, so adjusting the moisture content is a key point in preparation.
The name “Ise ebi” comes from the Ise Peninsula, which includes the Ise region, where it is often caught. The taste of fish caught in this region is good, and Chiba Prefecture currently boasts the largest catch of Ise ebi.
However, imported products such as Australian spiny lobster (Jasus novaebolandiae Holthuis) and Rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii (Hutton,1875)) from Australia and New Zealand are much more widely distributed. Rock lobster is distributed only in the southern hemisphere and looks different from Spiny lobster. The Rock lobster is different from the Spiny lobster in appearance, and the Spiny lobster has a transmitter that produces a sound, while the Rock lobster does not.
The upper one is Aka-namako and the lower one is Ao-namako.
What is Namako (Sea cucumber)?
Namako (Sea cucumber) is a slender invertebrate measuring 20~30 cm in length. It has numerous protrusions on its body surface. The spawning season is from late spring to early summer, and the season is winter. Its scientific name is Apostichopus armata (Selenka, 1867).
There are three types of Namako (海鼠): Aka-namako (brownish-brown), Ao-manako (bluish), and Kuro-namako (blackish). Aka-namako has an elegant aroma and a strong, crunchy texture when eaten raw, while Ao-manako has a stronger scent of the sea, is moderately soft, and is less expensive than Aka-namako. Kuro-namako, on the other hand, is mainly used as a high-end ingredient in Chinese cuisine. The difference in color is due to the difference in habitat, which is the same namako.
What does Namako (Sea cucumber) sushi taste like?
To prepare Namako, it is first gutted and washed with salt. Afterward, the sea cucumber may be quickly passed through Bancha to remove its distinctive odor and soften its meat. It is then sliced into 2-3 mm thick slices and soaked in vinegar quickly. This is then served in a Gunkan maki. However, it is rare for it to be served as sushi, and is often served as a vinegared dish.
Slender tuna may be a salmon that lives in the southern hemisphere. (Image credit: Redmap Australia)
Salmon is endemic to the North Atlantic Ocean, where it is dominant in the subarctic surface zone, but is not distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. Since the same or closely related species of Bonito, Albacore, and other surface fishes and squids are distributed in the North and South Pacific, one wonders why salmon is not distributed there.
Although still in the research stage, Slender tuna (Allothunnus fallai Serventy, 1948), which has a similar diet to Pink salmon, Chum salmon, and Sockeye salmon in the North Atlantic and is analogous to the huge stocks of these species, seems to occupy the same ecological role as the plankton-eating salmon.
Slender tuna is a species of tuna, the only species in the genus Allothunnus, found around the world in the southern oceans between latitudes 20°and 50° South. It is a close relative of genus Sarda, whose Japanese names are Arotsunasu and Hoso-gatsuo.
It has small second dorsal and anal fins resembling a small albacore, but the slender tuna lacks the long sweeping pectoral fins characteristic of albacores. As the name implies, it’s more slender and elongated than other tuna types. It has a blue-black back and silver-to-gray sides. The pectoral and pelvic fins are purple on their distal portions and black near their bases. Its length is up to 1 meter and it can weigh up to 12 kilograms.
It is a species of minor commercial importance, taken mainly as a bycatch by fisheries for other tuna species. It is richer in fat than bonito, and its dark flesh is not suitable for sashimi. It tastes better when cooked, but is rarely used as fresh fish, and is instead used for canning.
It can pack 3700 milligrams of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids per 100 grams. Next highest in omega-3s are the more readily available farmed fish, such as the striped perch, and Atlantic salmon.
Apart from Australia and New Zealand, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, and the United States have seen a marked decrease in the catch of abalone, as in Japan.
California Abalone
About seven species of large abalone live off the coasts of California and Mexico, and are consumed locally as abalone steaks. Some of these are distributed to the seafood-loving Japanese market.
Red abalone (Haliotis (Nordotis) rufescens Swainson, 1822) has a reddish surface and a greenish-blue interior. It is as large as Japan’s largest species, the Giant abalone (Haliotis madaka (Habe 1977)), but has a much thicker and heavier shell. For a while, attempts were made to cultivate this species in Japan, but without success.
Pink abalone (Haliotis (Nordotis) corrugata) has a shell about the size of Disk abalone (Haliotis gigantea Gmelin 1791), but much thicker, more circular in shape, and characterized by strong corrugations. The surface of the shell is green and the radial ribs are separated by growth lines. The flesh is tough and is more valuable as a beautiful ornament than as a foodstuff. It is found in shallow waters along with the Green abalone (Haliotis (Nordotis) fulgens).
Green abalone range from point conception, California, to Bahia de Magdalena, Mexico. The oval-shaped shell protects the abalone from predators. The shell is usually brown and marked with many low, flat-topped ribs which run parallel to the 5 to 7 open respiratory pores that are elevated above the shell’s surface. The inside of the shell is an iridescent blue and green.
Black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814) grows to about 12 cm in length and has a black shell. The blackish-blue shell has five to nine holes (respiratory pores) used to breathe, remove waste, and reproduce. They once numbered in the millions along the California coast, but are now endangered. Threaded abalone (Haliotis assimilis Dall, 1878.) from California is close to Japanese abalone in flavor and firmness.
Australian Abalone
Roe’s abalone (Haliotis roei Gray 1826) was the most common abalone on the market from early on. The shell is more rounded than that of Tokobushi (Haliotis supertexta Lischke 1870), and the spiral expansion is not as rapid as in Tokobushi. The shell is also characterized by the presence of numerous deep spiral grooves on the surface. Greenlip abalone (Schismotis pulcherrima, Gmelin, 1791) is rarely used as boiled shellfish or steamed in sake.
Atlantic Ocean Abalone
Although large abalone is not distributed in the Atlantic Ocean as they are in Japan and California, the Mediterranean Sea is home to the Ear shell (Haliotis tuberculata Linnaeus 1758), which is a slightly larger version of Tokobushi. It is rarely imported from France and other countries.
Asian Abalone
Large species of abalone are distributed in waters where large brown algae grow. Therefore, only small species live in the tropical areas of Asia, where coral reefs are well developed. Even so, small species are used as substitutes for Tokobushi in canned foods and bento dishes, such as Glistening abalone (Haliotis glabra Gmelin 1791) from the Philippines, Sheep’s ear abalone (Haliotis ovina Gmelin 1791) from Taiwan, and Ass’s ear abalone (Haliotis asinina Linnaeus 1758) from Hong Kong.
Chilean Abalone
Chilean abalone(Concholepas concholepas (Bruguie, 1789) ) is listed as Loco-gai in the Japanese product label and as Awabi-modoki in the illustrated book. The name of this species suggests an intention to associate it with abalone, but it belongs to the family Muricidae, which is not related to abalone.
It is native to the coasts of Chile and Peru. The shell is about 8 cm long and plate-shaped. It has a lid of keratin that is not found on real abalones. In rare cases, you can see that it is dyed in a light purple color, etc., because it is a unique characteristic of the family Muricidae, which becomes purple when the secreted mucus comes into contact with air.
When it was first imported to Japan, it was labeled as “awabi” in supermarkets and restaurants, and there was some fuss about the mislabeling, but even when sliced, there is no epipodial tentacle characteristic of awabi, and the difference can be seen.
The trading price of Chilean abalone is about one-fifth that of abalone. It is a popular ingredient in conveyor-belt sushi, Chinese cuisine, etc. under the name Chile-awabi, but actually that name cannot be used.
Rainbow trout can also be yellow using a feed that does not contain astaxanthin.
Shinanoyuki-masu (信濃雪鱒) is a cold-water fish classified in the genus Coregonus, which is related to salmon, and was not originally from Japan.
In 1975, eggs were introduced to Nagano Prefecture from former Czechoslovakia, and after 10 years of testing and research at the Nagano Prefectural Fisheries Experiment Station, the prefecture succeeded in establishing the world’s first aquaculture technology.
In 1983, full-scale production began on a private-sector basis, and the fish was named Shinanoyuki-masu (shinano means ‘Nagano prefecture’, yuki means ‘snow’, and masu means ‘trout’), an appropriate nickname for its silvery-white appearance reminiscent of snow.
The neighboring Saku Aquaculture and Fisheries Cooperative Association also sell sturgeon roe under the name Golden caviar after separating the muscle-like roe into pieces and marinating them in salt. However, this is not a Golden caviar, but rather a Yellow caviar.
Generally, River trout, Char, Yamame, and Amago, which grow only in rivers and lakes, do not take red pigments, so their eggs themselves remain yellow. Yellow is also associated with roes but can also come from an albino fish. Rainbow trout is almost always orange, but can also be yellow using a feed that does not contain astaxanthin.
