Li Miao @ column "Daily Fun"
Japan In-Depth Traveler
Li Miao, a Japanese in-depth tour traveler, presented the third wave of the most comprehensive sushi treasure book in history, with ingredients, methods, and flavors in a net, which must be seen before going to a Japanese food store. Click on the top right corner to forward the collection, take it away without thanks.
D. Carapace (shrimp and crab) class your sushi encyclopedia
Crustacean seafood can be roughly divided into "crabs" and "shrimps", of course, this division is not scientific, but according to custom.
In the Japanese market, there are no less than a dozen kinds of crabs for food, and shrimp are even more dazzling. But in the final analysis, because the difference in the appearance of shrimp and crab ingredients is not very obvious, this part of the sushi, although it sells quite similarly, actually has a big difference from the price to the taste.
D1. Crabs (Kani)
In China's seafood market, the most common is probably the river crab (rice field crab, hairy crab), pike crab (flower crab, green crab, meat crab) these two categories. However, in the Japanese market, river crabs and pike crabs are definitely "unpopular varieties".
In Japan's crab market, there are three major crabs: Taraba Gani, Matsuba Gani and Ke Gani. Although these three are not the "highest-grade" edible crabs, they already represent the mainstream consumption in the market. Naturally, in sushi restaurants, these three types of crabs and their processed products are also quite common.
The three crabs we mentioned above, they look like this:
D1.1 Taraba Gani crab
Cod crabs are also known as king crabs because of their generally larger size. The carapace of the cod crab can reach a width of 25 cm, the length of the foot is more than 1 meter, and the whole body carapace is hard, full of small raised spines, which is quite powerful.
The biggest feature of the cod crab's appearance is that it has only 4 pairs of feet and eight feet in total. Other common crabs are generally ten-legged.
Raw cod crabs have a purple carapace, while the mature carapace becomes large red. The most common in the market is the cod crab that is cooked and frozen. The most famous source of cod crab in Japan is Hokkaido, and cod crabs from the Sea of Okhotsk and alaska coasts are often sold in China under the title "Alaskan King Crab".
The main edible part of the cod crab is the legs. Fresh cod crab legs are firm and elastic, and have a certain sweet taste. The meat inside the crab shell is almost not used for consumption because it is mostly cut open and cooked during processing. Similarly, the crab yellow part of the cod crab is salty and has a poor taste, so it is almost impossible to see the crab yellow of the cod crab in the market.
D1.1.1 Cod Crab Leg Sashimi: The crab legs of the cod crab are thick and thick, and they are a veritable "crab meat stick". In addition to sashimi, it can also be grilled or eaten in a shabu-shabu.
D1.1.2 Cod Crab Grip Sushi: Because the crab legs are thick and fleshy, cod crab can also be used as an ingredient for grip sushi. In crab sushi, cod crab legs are considered to be a middle-to-high-grade valuable ingredient.
Common: Grilled crab legs, crab leg sashimi, crab legs holding sushi
Price: ★★★★ ☆;Taste:★★★☆☆;Commonness:★★★☆☆.☆.☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
D1.2 Pine leaf crab (Zuwai Gani)
Roughly speaking, the pine leaf crab is quite similar in appearance to the cod field crab: it resembles a round carapace and long legs. But the pine leaf crab itself is characterized by:
1. Have ten feet;
2. Fewer spines on the carapace;
3. The legs are slender and the carapace is smooth and free of spines.
Pine leaf crabs are smaller than cod crabs. Generally speaking, the carapace of male crabs can reach more than 10 cm, and the maximum length of the feet can reach 70 cm. Female crabs are slightly smaller than male crabs. Common in the market is also the processed pine leaf crab, which is divided into two major categories: whole crab and crab legs.
The most natural way to eat whole crab is to directly pry open the shell and eat it like a hairy crab. Many izakayas also offer roasted pine leaf crab: the crab meat and crab yellow are picked up, then served in crab shells and grilled over a charcoal fire.
After entering the winter, the taste of pine leaf crab becomes deeper and deeper, and its sweet crab meat taste and quality far exceed that of cod crab, but the price is often only about half that of cod crab. Of course, in addition to leg meat, matsuba crab body meat and crab yolk are also important sushi ingredients.
In sushi restaurants, matsuba crabs generally have the following options:
D1.2.1 Zuwai Gani Nigiri: If I remember correctly, several sushi restaurants in Tsukiji Market have this type. The pine leaf crab legs that can be used to make sushi must be large enough, so they are relatively rare.
Price: ★★ ☆☆☆☆;Taste: ★★★ ☆☆;Commonness: ★★ ☆☆☆.☆
D1.2.2 Kani Miso Gunkan: Crab Yellow warships are not necessarily made of Pine Leaf Crab Yellow, and some places also use Hairy Crab Yellow, and hairy crab yellow is larger. Unlike the bright yellow or orange crab yellow of the hairy crab in our impression, the crab yellow of the pine leaf crab is more similar to that of the pike crab, the overall tan or gray-green color, but the taste is quite delicious.
Price: ★★ ☆☆☆;Taste: ★★★★ ☆;Commonness: ★★★★ ☆
D1.2.3 Zuwai Gani no Kabuto Yaki / Zuwai Gani Sashimi: Crab yellow is one of the essences of pine leaf crab, so whether it is grilled or sashimi, it is an unforgettable delicacy to eat with crab yellow dipped in the crab meat of pine leaf crab. Even if you don't have one at a sushi restaurant, you can find it at an izakaya or a seafood barbecue stall.
Price: ★★★★ ☆;Taste:★★★★☆;Commonness:★★☆☆☆.☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
D1.2.4 Oya Gani Don: Parent-child rice bowl means "cruel rice bowl" that is included from the elders (crab meat) to the younger generations (crab yellow crab seeds).
There are only a few shops that offer it, so be sure to eat it in winter, a rare delicacy in life.
Price: ★★★★ ☆;Taste:★★★★★;Commonness:★☆☆☆☆.☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
D1.2.5 Matsuba Crab + Salmon Caviar Roll (Zuwai Gani to Ikura Gunkan): Needless to say, it's delicious... If you don't have it in the store, if you ask the owner, you should be able to add some money.
Of course, if you want to add sea urchin (Uni), you can also.
Price: ★★★ ☆☆;Taste:★★★★☆;Commonness:★★☆☆☆.☆.☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
D1.3 Hairy crab
As one of the three major crabs, the hairy crab is the most flavorful crab species. But at the same time, because it doesn't have long legs like cod crabs and pine leaf crabs, it is difficult to pick out whole pieces of crab meat, and it is not very suitable for eating as a sushi ingredient.
Hairy crabs were eaten in Japan for a short time: until the 1930s, hairy crabs were used to crush them as fertilizer. Nowadays, except for some of the better hairy crabs sold in the market, most of the canned crab meat is also made of hairy crabs.
D1.3.1 Crab Salad (Kani Salada Gunkan): Crab salads generally use the body meat of pine leaf crabs or hairy crabs, but hairy crabs are more common. A crab salad made with mayonnaise and vegetables, crab meat and crab seeds for a refreshing taste. It's common in rotary sushi, but it may not be found in premium sushi restaurants.
Price: ★ ☆☆☆☆☆;Taste: ★★ ☆☆☆;Commonness: ★★★★ ☆.☆
D1.3.2 Kani Gunkan: Crab meat is generally used in crab warships, although not as thick as the cod crab, but the hairy crab has a richer taste, similar to the delicacy of river crab meat and the sweetness of sea crab meat.
Price: ★★ ☆☆☆☆; Taste: ★★★ ☆☆;Commonness: ★★★ ☆☆.☆
D1.4 Taka Ashi Gani
Tall-footed crabs are the largest species of crab in the world, with the largest individuals reaching a foot width of up to 3 meters.
Because it is native to the coast of Japan, it is sold as a specialty dish in places such as Izu. Although it is very large, there is actually not much meat, and the meat quality is relatively close to that of cod crabs, and the taste is dull but succulent.
Price: ★★★★★ ;Taste: ★★★ ☆☆;Commonness: ★ ☆☆☆☆.☆
D1.5 Pike crab (Gazami/Watari Gani)
Pike crabs are almost exclusively produced in The Kansai region in Japan, so they are rare in Tokyo. Like hairy crabs, sushi is rarely made because of the difficulty of picking meat. In the sushi restaurants in Kansai, whole crabs are cooked for sale.
More common is the barracuda crab miso soup (Kani Misoshiru), which is served at many sushi restaurants.
Price: ★★★ ☆☆;Taste: ★★★ ☆☆;Commonness: ★★★★ ☆
D2. Shrimp (Ebi)
In Japanese, the word "Ebi" can be written as "Kailao", or "蝦". Although it is called shrimp in Chinese, in fact, there is a difference between the original use of these two Chinese characters.
"Hai Lao" generally refers to crawling shrimp, that is, lobsters:
The "shrimp" refers to the shrimp swimming in the water, such as shrimp, green shrimp and so on.
Of course, mixing is also very common now. The reason why I want to mention this is because these two kinds of "shrimp" are very different in making sushi.
D2.1 Lobster (Ise Ebi)
Because it is native to the Ise Peninsula, lobster is known in Japan as "Ise Ebi", and has been one of the symbols of high-end ingredients since ancient times. In sushi restaurants, it is more common to have lobster grip sushi, lobster sashimi, and of course lobster soup.
Unlike the lobster killing method of "protecting animals" in the United States and other places, the lobster in Japan is basically cut directly from the middle of the body. Lobster sashimi has a unique elastic tooth and sweet taste, the flesh is crystal clear, and it is also a good product to make sushi.
Price:★★★★★;Taste:★★★★☆;Commonness:★★☆☆☆.☆.☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
D2.2 Peony shrimp grip sushi/sashimi (Botan Ebi Nigiri/Sashimi)
Peony shrimp is one of the most famous high-grade shrimp in Japan because of its bright color and thick flesh, and it is commonly used in sushi restaurants as an ingredient for holding sushi and sashimi.
Peony shrimp and sweet shrimp are near-source species, the same belongs to the cod shrimp, so its flesh sweetness is quite obvious. The catch period is from late autumn to early summer, but the peony shrimp are of the best quality in winter.
Price: ★★★ ☆☆;Taste:★★★★☆;Commonness:★★★★☆.☆.☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
D2.3 Shrimp Grip Sushi/Sashimi (Kuruma Ebi Nigiri/Sashimi)
The car shrimp has a striped pattern on the body, which is also known as bamboo shrimp and shrimp in some parts of China. The seasons of car shrimp and peony shrimp are almost opposite, and the catch period is from early summer to mid-autumn. Raw food is not as sweet as cod shrimp, and the elasticity of meat quality is significantly improved after heating, so most of the shrimp are made in sushi after heating.
Raw shrimp grip sushi is also uncommon, but the taste is slightly inferior.
D2.4 Ghost Shrimp/May Shrimp (Oni Ebi / Satsuki Ebi / Ibara Moebi)
Of the shrimp sushi I've ever eaten, the ghost shrimp is arguably the most amazing.
Native to the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of North Japan, the ghost shrimp is a shrimp that grows in cold, deep water, with an individual size of only about 10 cm and an exaggerated appearance:
The shell of this shrimp is covered with sharp spines, and the carapace is much harder than that of ordinary shrimp. Ghost shrimp is the most recommended sashimi to eat raw, because its sweetness is far better than sweet shrimp, and the elasticity and texture of the meat are the best.
If you have a chance, don't miss it.
Price:★★★★★;Taste:★★★★★;Commonness:★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
D2.5 Sweet shrimp (Ama Ebi)
Sweet shrimp is one of the cheaper shrimp species in the Japanese market, and in addition to local catch, a large part comes from frozen imported fish. What is less well known is that fresh sweet shrimp actually has no sweetness, but will not produce sweetness until it is placed for a period of time, and the protein in the sweet shrimp is decomposed into amino acids.
Sweet shrimp is quite common in all kinds of sushi restaurants. Because sweet shrimp are "egg-hugging" shrimp, the eggs are attached to the female shrimp's abdomen before hatching, so some shops also sell "Komochi Ama Ebi", which has a different flavor.
Price: ★ ☆☆☆☆☆;Taste: ★★ ☆☆☆;Commonness: ★★★★★
D2.6 Sakura Ebi
Sakura shrimp is a small shrimp that gets its name from the color that is close to the pink color of cherry blossoms, and is a specialty of the Kanto region. The catch period begins during the cherry blossom season (April) and ends in early summer, and in addition to being mostly made into dried shrimp, some fresh cherry shrimp are also used to make sushi.
Price: ★★ ☆☆☆☆; Taste: ★★ ☆☆☆;Commonness: ★★★ ☆☆
D2.7 Shrimp tortula, shrimp rake, Pippi shrimp (Shako)
Shrimp rake is a "small seafood bully" in North China, and is also quite popular in sushi restaurants in Japan because of its unique light taste. The Japanese method is to cook it, peel off the meat with scissors, brush it with sweet sauce, and make sushi.
Shrimp rakes are spawning in early summer, and females have shrimp yellow in their bodies, while shrimp rakes in autumn are the fattest.
Price: ★★ ☆☆☆☆;Taste:★★★☆☆;Commonness:★★★★☆.☆.☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
D2.8 Ordinary "shrimp" Ebi
With the exception of high-end sushi restaurants, most low-end and rotary sushi restaurants do not use peony shrimp or car shrimp to make sushi. In more cases, the store will choose a medium quality but inexpensive "South American white shrimp".
South American white shrimp belong to the car shrimp, but they are not covered with patterns like the Japanese-derived car shrimp, but the whole body is greenish white. In sushi restaurants, it is generally used as steamed shrimp and shrimp salad.
D2.8.1 Steamed shrimp grip sushi: (Ebi Nigiri): After steaming the raw shrimp, the head and carapace are removed, leaving only the shell of the tail. It looks good and is one of the most common varieties of sushi. The price is cheap, but the taste is also relatively dull.
D2.8.2 Mayo/Ebi Salada with Mayonnaise: Both of these things are actually mixed with shrimp pieces/whole shrimp with mayonnaise. The taste of mayonnaise can increase the sweetness and lubrication of the shrimp meat, although it is not very healthy, but it is indeed a delicacy for the common people.
Price: ★ ☆☆☆☆☆;Taste: ★★★ ☆☆;Commonness: ★★★★★
D3. Crab Rice (Kani Meshi)
I take the crab rice list out because although it is not a category of traditional sushi, it has a lot of similarities with loose sushi. What's more, crab rice is one of Hokkaido's local specialties, so if you have the opportunity to go on a trip to Hokkaido, crab rice is one of the must-try delicacies.
Crab rice is made with cooked crab meat, most commonly a "bento" that is filled with a layer of "bento" on top of the sushi rice after the crab meat is removed. Hokkaido's Osha Manbe is the birthplace of crab rice, which is made into a train bento for travelers on Hokkaido train journeys.
Nagamasa is located between Hakodate and Sapporo, and is not far from Lake Toya.
The shrimp and crab section is a simple summary of this, but don't forget, we still have a large part that we haven't written about: other ingredients.
Other ingredients don't seem as strong as sea urchins, abalone, crabs, tuna, etc., but without seaweed and wasabi, avocados, and egg roast, the sushi world would have been much less interesting.
So again, stay tuned for the next "Your Sushi Encyclopedia"!
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