Seto Inland Sea coast

Mamakari

Vinegared mamakari is widely known as a local dish of Okayama Prefecture. Mamakari" is the name of a small fish called "mamakari" in the Okayama region, and "sappa" in the Kanto region. It is mainly caught in the Seto Inland Sea, and its season is around October, when it is at its most delicious with a lot of fat. It is said that the name "mamakari" comes from the fact that "mamakari (rice) is so tasty that you have to go and borrow it." In Okayama, it is prepared in various ways, including pickled in vinegar, sashimi, and grilled with salt. When first pickled, the bones are hard, but the more they are soaked in vinegar, the softer they become, and the more tender they become, allowing the entire fish to be eaten, bones and all, down to the tail fin. Mamakari-zushi is vinegared mamakari made into nigirizushi (hand-formed sushi) or oshizushi (pressed sushi).

Along with mamakarizushi, mamakari is a typical dish for festivals and family celebrations in Okayama.

Remove the head and guts of the mamakari, open the belly, and remove the backbone. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 1 hour. Combine vinegar, salt, dashi kelp, ginger and sugar to make ama-zu (sweet vinegar). Garnish with garlic or white onion if desired.

Until a decade ago, mamakari was made at home, but now people buy it cooked. 2008, the "Mamakari Promotion Committee" was established with the aim of promoting mamakari, a specialty of Okayama, and has been disseminating information on mamakari cuisine and other topics.