is a type of cured , a processed seafood product common in

Japanese cuisine Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese language, Japanese: ) is based on rice with m ...

. It was initially made in the year 1115.

Production and uses

is made by forming various pureed deboned white fish with either natural or man-made additives and flavorings into distinctive loaves, which are then steamed until fully cooked and firm. These are sliced and either served unheated (or chilled) with various dipping sauces, or added to various hot soups, rice, or noodle dishes. is often sold in semicylindrical loaves, some featuring artistic patterns, such as the pink spiral on each slice of , named after the well-known tidal whirlpool near the Japanese city of

Naruto ''Naruto'' is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. It tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who seeks recognition from his peers and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. T ...

There is no precise English translation for . Rough equivalents are ''

fish paste Fish paste is fish which has been chemically broken down by a fermentation process until it reaches the consistency of a soft creamy purée or Paste (food), paste. Alternatively it refers to cooked fish that has been physically broken down by pou ...

'', ''

fish loaf is a type of Curing (chemistry), cured , a processed seafood product common in Japanese cuisine. It was initially made in the year 1115. Production and uses is made by forming various Purée, pureed deboned whitefish (fisheries term), whit ...

'', ''

fish cake A fishcake (sometimes written as fish cake) is a culinary dish consisting of filleted fish or other seafood minced or ground, mixed with a starchy ingredient, and fried until golden. Asian-style fishcakes usually contain fish with salt, water, ...

'', and '' fish sausage''. , chef and author, recommends using the Japanese name in English, similar to English usage of the word ''

sushi is a traditional Japanese dish made with , typically seasoned with sugar and salt, and combined with a variety of , such as seafood, vegetables, or meat: raw seafood is the most common, although some may be cooked. While sushi comes in n ...

''. has been made in Japan since the 14th century and is now available nearly worldwide. The simulated crab meat product (short for ) is the best-known form of in the West. Red-skinned and white are typically served at celebratory and holiday meals, as red and white are considered to bring good luck. In Japan, the prepackaged snack (cheese plus ) is commonly sold in convenience stores. In the city of Uwajima, a type of fried called is popular. In

Miyagi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,265,724 (1 August 2023) and has a geographic area of . Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akit ...

, is a regional variation, pale white in colour, formed in the shape of bamboo leaves and often lightly grilled immediately prior to serving.

Composition

Choice of fish

Early was made with

minced Mincing is a food preparation technique in which ingredients are finely divided into uniform pieces. Originally carried out with a knife or , mincing became widely done with machines developed in the nineteenth century. History To mince in the ...

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order (biology), order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Catfish are common name, named for their prominent barbel (anatomy), barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, though not ...

('' Silurus asotus''). The whitefish used to make include: * Chicken grunt ('' Parapristipoma trilineatum'') * Golden threadfin bream ('' Nemipterus virgatus'') * Lizardfish (''

Synodontidae The Synodontidae or lizardfishes(or typical lizardfish to distinguish them from the Bathysauridae and Pseudotrichonotidae) are benthic (bottom-dwelling) marine and estuarine bony fishes that belong to the aulopiform fish order, a diverse grou ...

'') * Japanese gissu ('' Pterothrissus gissu'') * Various

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...

species ('' Selachimorpha'') * Alaska pollock (''

Theragra chalcogramma The Alaska pollock or walleye pollock (''Gadus chalcogrammus'') is a marine fish species of the cod genus ''Gadus'' and family Gadidae. It is a semi-pelagic schooling fish widely distributed in the North Pacific, with largest concentrations foun ...

'') * White croaker ('' Pennahia argentata'') * Nibe croaker ('' Nibea mitsukurii'') * Daggertooth pike conger ('' Muraenesox cinereus'') * Gnomefish ('' Scombrops boops'') *

Black bass Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''Psy ...

** Smallmouth bass ('' Micropterus dolomieu'') ** Largemouth bass ('' Micropterus salmoides'') ** Florida black bass ('' Micropterus floridanus'')

Day

The organization of Japan specified November 15 for Day, established in 1983.

Outside Japan

Hawaii

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

, pink or red-skinned is readily available in grocery stores. It is a staple of ''

saimin Saimin is a noodle soup dish common in the contemporary cuisine of Hawaii. Traditionally consisting of soft wheat egg noodles served in a hot garnished with diced Scallion, green onions and a thin slice of , modern versions of saimin include ad ...

'', a popular noodle soup created in Hawaii from the blending of Chinese and Japanese ingredients. is sometimes referred to as ''fish cake'' in English. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, surplus

Quonset hut A Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanized steel with a semi-circular cross-section. The design was developed in the United States based on the Nissen hut introduced by the British during World War I. Hund ...

s became popular as housing in Hawaii. They became known as " houses" due to the Quonset hut's half-cylindrical shape, similar to .

References

External links

Suzuhiro Kamaboko - How to make ''Kamaboko''
{{Authority control Japanese cuisine Surimi Japanese cuisine terms Food paste Japanese New Year foods