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Wakayama Prefecture

Sanma zushi

Sanma zushi
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Main lore areas

Southern region

Main ingredients used

Pacific saury, rice

History/origin/related events

From late October to March, Pacific saury migrate south to the Kumano-nada Sea on the cold current from the Sanriku coast to spawn. Pacific saury can be caught all along the coast of Wakayama Prefecture, but the saury caught in the Kumano-nada Sea in the south is especially suitable for sushi because it has been caught in the tides for a long time and its meat is firm, small, and has a good amount of fat.
Sanma-zushi was originally made to preserve rice and fish, and was a feast served at autumn festivals, New Year's, and other gatherings. Especially in mountainous areas where rice cannot be grown, it was a valuable source of nutrition.
In some areas, saury is called "saera" or "saira. Sansuma-zushi," or "saira sushi," is also called "saera no teppo" (saera gun) because of its resemblance to the barrel of a gun.
Haruo Sato, a writer born in Shingu City, also loved sansma-zushi, and is said to have said, "The best food in my hometown is mehari (mackerel) first and saury second.

Opportunities and times of eating habits

It was always prepared at home for autumn festivals, New Year's, ship launching celebrations, and other events. Even today, it is a New Year's tradition. During celebratory occasions, the head is left on and the fish is pressed into a zushi. The way the fish is handled differs between Nishimuro-gun and Higashimuro-gun, with Nishimuro-gun having the belly open and Higashimuro-gun having the back open. There is also "Yaki-Sanma-zushi," which is made on New Year's Eve and grilled at the beginning of the year.

How to eat

The saury is opened, gutted, and rinsed with salt, then moistened with vinegar, and placed on top of sushi rice and pressed to form the right shape. The fish is carefully removed down to the small bones, and is served as is without dipping in soy sauce. It can be served with a refreshing taste by using yuzu or dai-dai-dai no shibori-vinegar as a secret ingredient. Some households and restaurants ferment the fish for several months to make nare-zushi.

Efforts for Preservation and Succession

It is still popular among people of all ages in the southern part of the prefecture, and there are still many long-established shops that make narezushi using the traditional method.

source : Local cuisine and Japanese-style eating habits (Wakayama Prefectural Consumers' Co-operative Union)

RECIPE

Ingredients (For 3-4 persons)

  • saury 2 pcs.
  • rice 2 cups
  • Vinegar 36ml
  • Sushi Vinegar] Sugar 26g
  • Sushi Vinegar] Salt 9g
  • Vinegar for vinegared saury 3 parts vinegar to 1 part sugar (enough to soak the saury)
  • Vinegar for vinegared saury Squeeze to taste

How to cook

  • 1. Open the saury belly open so as not to lose the head, remove the entrails and wash the meat under running water.
    (If it is difficult to do this at home, tell the fishmonger that you want it for Sanma-zushi.)

  • 2. Wipe off the water, sprinkle salt on the fish, and let sit for about 20 minutes.

  • 3. Rinse off the salt and soak the fish in vinegar for about 20 minutes. After lifting from the vinegar, debone the fish and gently peel off the thin skin.

  • 4. Make sushi rice by combining about 10% of sushi vinegar for every gram of cooked rice. Allow to cool to a certain degree.

  • 5. Place a piece of plastic wrap on a maki-noren (bamboo mat) and place the saury skin side down. Grip the rice into a stick shape, place it on top of the saury, and finish by shaping it on the maki-noren.

provider : Wakayama Chefs Association

* Recipes vary depending on the region and home.