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Kagawa Prefecture

Oshinuki zushi

Oshinuki zushi
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  • Image Source : Agricultural Management Division, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Kagawa Prefecture

Main lore areas

All over the prefecture

Main ingredients used

rice, Spanish mackerel, fava beans, eggs, shiitake mushrooms

History/origin/related events

From spring to early summer, as the mung beans begin to bear fruit and the wheat begins to ripen, Spanish mackerel, loaded with fat, enter the Seto Inland Sea from the open sea, and the season for Spanish mackerel begins. During the off-season before wheat harvesting and rice planting, Sanuki farmers have a custom called "harui-oi," in which they buy a Spanish mackerel and prepare various Spanish mackerel dishes, inviting their relatives to join in the festivities. The main dish of this "Haru-i-o" is "oshi-nuki zushi" (pressed sushi without the fish), which is made of Spanish mackerel. In families with young brides, the mother-in-law buys Spanish mackerel and sends the daughter-in-law back to her hometown with a fish box covered with nanten (a kind of bamboo shoot). The bride would then take the "oshinuki zushi" made at her parents' home back home as a souvenir to her wedding home, thus bringing the two families closer together. The custom of "oshinuki zushi" of Spanish mackerel "spring celebration fish" is still practiced in some areas under the names of "mugi-urashi" and "hatsuho (first ears of Spanish mackerel)".

Opportunities and times of eating habits

It is made from late April to June, when the Spanish mackerel fishing season is active.

How to eat

Sushi rice is placed in a mold and small slices of boiled vegetables are placed between the rice. On top, ingredients such as Spanish mackerel, sansho (Japanese pepper), fava beans, shrimp for color, egg omelet, kinugaya (soybean flour), and red ginger are arranged in the mold and pressed out. The molds can be square, fan, pine, or plum. This colorful dish incorporates seasonal ingredients.

Efforts for Preservation and Succession

Even today, mainly farmers eat "oshi-nuki zushi" at home when Spanish mackerel and fava beans are in season. Although the number of households that buy whole Spanish mackerel is decreasing, they still make Spanish mackerel dishes from fillets. In season, pressed Spanish mackerel sushi is also sold at supermarkets and served at restaurants in the prefecture.

RECIPE

Ingredients (For 12 pieces)

  • Rice 5 cups
  • Eggs] Eggs 1
  • Eggs] Salt 1/4 tsp.
  • Fuki] Fuki 2 pcs.
  • Fuki] Dashi broth 3 tbsp.
  • Fuki] Sake 2 tbsp.
  • Fuki] sugar 1 tbsp.
  • Fuki] salt 1/2 tsp.
  • shiitake] shiitake mushrooms 4
  • shiitake] shiitake mushrooms dashi stock 1/2 cup
  • shiitake] Sugar 1 tbsp.
  • shiitake] soy sauce 1 tbsp.
  • shiitake] Mirin 1 tbsp.
  • Frozen tofu] Frozen tofu 1 piece
  • Frozen tofu] Dashi broth 1 cup soup stock
  • Frozen tofu] Sugar 2 tbsp.
  • Frozen tofu] Salt 1/2 tsp.
  • Frozen tofu] sake 1 and 1/2 tsp.
  • Frozen tofu] soy sauce 1/2 tsp.
  • Spanish Mackerel] Spanish Mackerel 300g
  • Spanish Mackerel] Salt 1 tbsp.
  • Spanish Mackerel] Vinegar 1/2 cup vinegar
  • Soybean] Soybean 12 grains
  • Soybean] Salt A pinch
  • Soybean] Sugar 1 tsp.
  • Vinegar 1/2 cup
  • Sugar 130g
  • Vinegar salt 15g
  • Sansho (Japanese pepper) leaves

How to cook

  • 1. Cook rice and add vinegar to make sushi rice.

  • 2. Boil pterocarp with 1 tsp salt, remove skin, cut into small pieces, and cook in seasoning until all liquid is absorbed.

  • 3. Thaw shiitake mushrooms, cut into small pieces, and simmer in the mushroom stock and seasonings.

  • 4. Thinly fry the eggs and cut into desired size.

  • 5. Salt the Spanish mackerel fillets for about 30 minutes, then soak them in vinegar for about 1 hour.

  • 6. Boil the soft beans in salted water and season with sweet and spicy seasoning.Boil the soft beans in salted water and season with sweet and spicy seasoning.

  • 7. Soak the frozen tofu in lukewarm water, drain, cut into small pieces, and cook in the seasoning liquid until all the liquid is absorbed.

  • 8. Place half of the sushi rice on a sheet of leaf lined paper under the mold, place a moderate amount of ingredients 2, 3, 6, and 7, place the sushi rice on top, arrange the eggs, Spanish mackerel, and fava beans, and press the rice from the top. Tap the leaves of sansho (Japanese pepper) to decorate the top.

provider : Agricultural Management Division, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Kagawa Prefecture

* Recipes vary depending on the region and home.