Tag Archives: 蛸

Beche de Mer, 美食, 観光, 魚海の幸, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Namako, sashimi, seafood, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Tourism, 海鼠

Japanese Seafood Species 4: Beche de Mer-Sea Cucumber-Namako-海鼠

2 Comments

NAMAKO-RED

Red Sea Cucumber

Beche de Mer in French, Sea Cucumber in English, Sea Rat (海鼠) in Japanese, this marine creature has been called all kinds of names in many different countries over the ages.
French sailors were catching them and trading them with the Chinese as far back as the XVIIIth Century.
They are presently the most poached single creature in the Japanese seas by illegal fishermen from China, North Korea and Russia to the tunes of thousands of tons every year.

NAMAKO-GREEN

Green Sea Cucumber

NAMAKO-BLACK

Black Sea Cucumber

Quite a few varieties are found in Japanese markets, but the highest quality specimen are the red sea cucumbers.

The best season is Winter, although they are sold over the counter well beyond Spring in Japan.
They ave many names in Japanese: Namako, Manamako, Akako, Aoko, Kaiso and are caught almost all around the Japanese islands.
They lay eggs from late Spring to early Summer, hence their best taste in Winter when the Japanese find them almost sweet.
Choose red ones as they are softer and tastier. Choose specimens with firm flesh and healthy skin.

NAMAKO-BACHIKO

Namako Bachiko

The Japanese eat them in many ways. Like the Chinese they eat them in their dried form, or “Bachiko”.

NAMAKO-GREEN-TEA

They are popular boiled in green tea!

NAMAKO-SASHIMI

Of course you will find them as sashimi!

NAMAKO-NIGIRI

Or as sushi nigiri!

NAMAKO-KONOWATA

Their innards, called “konowata”, are considered a delicacy!

NAMAKO-KONOWATA-GUNKAN

Most popular as gunkan sushi!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 蛸, 観光, 魚海の幸, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Octopus, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tako, Tourism

Japanese Seafood Species 3: Octopus Varieties

6 Comments

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-SALAD

Mizudako Octopus Sashimi Salad

Octopuses are common on the markets along the Mediteranean Sea, especially Greece, italy and Spain.
Tey are also very common in Asia, especially Korea and Japan.

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-TSUKIJI

For people living in Tokyo, you will find plenty inside the Tsukiji Market.

OCTOPUS-NUMAZU-HARBOUR

As for people living in Shizuoka Prefecture, go and visit the Harbour in Numazu City!

There many kinds of octopus, some edible, some definitely not!
I will talk here about the main varieties found, sold and eaten in Japan!

MADAKO

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-1

Madako or “True Octopus” will be sold from late Autumn till early Spring.
50,000 tonnes are caught in Japan while 100,000 tonnes are imported, 60% fromm Morocco, 20% from Mauritania and some more from South Africa.

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-2

Boiled Madako from Japan

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-3

Boiled Madako from South Africa

It is very often found boiled in the supermarkets and are appreciated in salads, chyawanmushi, takoyaki and so on.

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-4

But lightly as sushi nigiri is probably the best!

MIZUDAKO

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-1

Mizudako, also called Shiodako and Oodako is a large variety reaching up to 3 metres. It is caught in Autumn and Winter at depths bewteen 100and 1,000 metres in the Northern half of Japan.
It is usually sold frozen. It is then cut when half thawn for:

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-3

Mizudako sashimi

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-SALAD

Mizudako Salad

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-2

It is also very common boiled and pickled in rice vinegar.

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-EGGS
Its eggs are a rare morsel eaten as sushi on a gunkan!

IIDAKO

OCTOPUS-IIDAGO-1

Iidako, also known as Komochidako or Ishidako are caught south of Hokkaido Island. They are comparatively small and do not measure more than 20 cm. A lot are caugt along the Korean Peninsula and China at depths down to 20 metres. They tend to lay their a bit everywhere, even inside empty cans at the bottom of the sea!
Imports have been increasing of late.

OCTOPUS-IIDAGO-2

Iidago are much appreciated cooked whole with their eggs or

OCTOPUS-IIDAGO-3

whole again, boiled or raw, as sushi on nigiri!

CHIHIRODAKO

OCTOPUS-CHIHIRODAKO-1

Chihirodako is local Shizuoka variety found at Numazu Harbour.
It is appreciated boiled or in Tenpura

OCTOPUS-CHIHIRODAKO-2

Its tentacles, boiled, are popular as sushi nigiri!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Uncategorized

Japanese Appetizer: Octopus & Okra Salad in Ginger Marinade

2 Comments

Spring and warmer days have finally come to Japan!
It is time to enjoy lighter and fresher food!
Here is a simple idea for a sanck/appetizer which can be easily prepared anywhere:

Octopus & Okra In Ginger Marinade!

INGREDIENTS: For 2~ people

-Boiled octopus: 2 tentacles (they say “foot” in Japanese!)
-Okra: 10
-Salt: as appropriate

Marinade/sauce:
-Rice vinegar: 2 tablespoons
-Light soy sauce: 2 teaspoons
-Dashi/Soup stock: 3 tablespoons
-Fresh ginger juice: 1~teaspoon(s)

RECIPE:

-Cut the octopus in thin slices and cut again across into 2~3 pieces.

-Cut the stem end off the okura. Get rid of their “hairs” by rolling them around inside a Japanese-style mortar.

-Drop the okra in warm salted water and leave them ther for a while. Scoop them out and drain well. Cut them into small squares, then chop them with a sharp knife.

-Chill the octopus and okra well before preparing them before the meal. Take them out of the refrigerator. Mount the octopus slices on a plate as shown on the picture above and top with okura. Pour the marinade over the top.

-You may mix the whole as you are eating it!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Bento Boutique, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, While My Sautoir Gently Sweats

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Octopus Species

13 Comments

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-SALAD
Mizudako Octopus Sashimi Salad

Octopuses are common on the markets along the Mediteranean Sea, especially Greece, italy and Spain.
Tey are also very common in Asia, especially Korea and Japan.

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-TSUKIJI
For people living in Tokyo, you will find plenty inside the Tsukiji Market.

OCTOPUS-NUMAZU-HARBOUR
As for people living in Shizuoka Prefecture, go and visit the Harbour in Numazu City!

There many kinds of octopus, some edible, some definitely not!
I will talk here about the main varieties found, sold and eaten in Japan!

MADAKO
OCTOPUS-MADAGO-1

Madako or “True Octopus” will be sold from late Autumn till early Spring.
50,000 tonnes are caught in Japan while 100,000 tonnes are imported, 60% fromm Morocco, 20% from Mauritania and some more from South Africa.

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-2
Boiled Madako from Japan

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-3
Boiled Madako from South Africa

It is very often found boiled in the supermarkets and are appreciated in salads, chyawanmushi, takoyaki and so on.

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-4

But lightly as sushi nigiri is probably the best!

MIZUDAKO
OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-1

Mizudako, also called Shiodako and Oodako is a large variety reaching up to 3 metres. It is caught in Autumn and Winter at depths bewteen 100and 1,000 metres in the Northern half of Japan.
It is usually sold frozen. It is then cut when half thawn for:

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-3
Mizudako sashimi

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-SALAD
Mizudako Salad

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-2
It is also very common boiled and pickled in rice vinegar.

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-EGGS
Its eggs are a rare morsel eaten as sushi on a gunkan!

IIDAKO
OCTOPUS-IIDAGO-1

Iidako, also known as Komochidako or Ishidako are caught south of Hokkaido Island. They are comparatively small and do not measure more than 20 cm. A lot are caugt along the Korean Peninsula and China at depths down to 20 metres. They tend to lay their a bit everywhere, even inside empty cans at the bottom of the sea!
Imports have been increasing of late.

OCTOPUS-IIDAGO-2

Iidago are much appreciated cooked whole with their eggs or

OCTOPUS-IIDAGO-3

whole again, boiled or raw, as sushi on nigiri!

CHIHIRODAKO
OCTOPUS-CHIHIRODAKO-1

Chihirodako is local Shizuoka variety found at Numazu Harbour.
It is appreciated boiled or in Tenpura

OCTOPUS-CHIHIRODAKO-2
Its tentacles, boiled, are popular as sushi nigiri!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-