Narezushi

[TrolleyCrash]

Howdy,

I've been thinking of trying to make my own narezushi. There's almost no English-language material on the subject, and I can't for the life of me figure out where I can even find the product in Canada. Further, I understand the art is being lost in Japan. The slow food foundation claims it's on the verge of extinction: http://www.slowfoodfoundation.org/eng/leggi.lasso?cod=3E6E345B1dcfa1B5A8MGr1D23698&ln=en

I'm eager to try it out and document it here. I figure there are enough similar foods out there, like the Korean sikhae, or even the Scandinavian rakfisk that I can cross breed some technique into what I do. Particularly safety tips, so as not producing something toxic. I suspect that it's probably going to take a certain amount of trial-and-error. But that's half the fun, isn't it?

So the question is this: has anyone here ever made narezushi or anything similar by traditional methods? Does anyone have any wisdom they can contribute to my little experiment? Or perhaps a source of wisdom that I may have overlooked?

Here's to fermented fish!

t

[Blether]

You're very brave ! I don't know narezushi, but 'kusaya' rotted fish remains popular enough. Do you know Kusaya ? I'm interested to see your progress, and glad that you recognise the poisoning potential, in particular in mackerel.

[TrolleyCrash]

I should be able to keep off the scombroid by keeping the temperature low. In rakfisk fermentation the temperature is kept between 4 and 8 degrees Celcius, so I thought I would take a cue from that. In fact, it's starting to sound a little bit like I'm making kimchi with fish instead of cabbage.

You allude to an excellent point about the variety of fish to use. I have not decided yet. I was thinking maybe carp would be good, although I understand carp can be quite toxic out of North American waterways. Rainbow trout would probably be my second choice, since I can catch it locally in the spring.

I did not know about Kusaya. Thanks for the tip!

[Hiroyuki]

According to this,

Pickle fatty spring mackerel in salt and then in rice bran to mature them for one year to make "heshiko". You then remove salt from them overnight, skin them, put rice and koji in their bellies, and put them in an oke for 10-14 days.

脂ののった春鯖を一旦塩漬けしてから糠漬けし、約1年間熟成させてできた「へしこ」をさらに一晩塩抜きして皮を剥ぎ、腹の中にご飯と糀を詰めて、10～14日樽に漬け込み完成する。

[TrolleyCrash]

Thanks Hiroyuki, I very much appreciate the translation. As I mentioned, the English language material is fairly limited

The info you provided is corroborated in this article that I found while trying to figure out what and oke was

Do you know if heshiko is always the foundation of narezushi? Or is this just one way to produce it? Also, is heshiko always mackerel?

Thanks,

t

[helenjp]

Fermented fish preserves seem to be something that Japan has in commeon with southeast Asia and southern China...a very old layer in Japan's history, and one that just seems to disappear a little more every century. It's not only the fermented fish, but other things that go along with that culture that are almost invisible now - Japan still has it's own type of "nam pla" (related to the kusaya mentioned upthread) seasoning, and narezushi is often wrapped in leaves to further discourage toxic microbial growth...sushi of any kind wrapped in leaves is just a rural tradition now.

In Kansai "narezushi" is often used to refer to a non-fermented pressed sushi...e.g. a mold is lined with sasa bamboo leaves or persimmon leaves, packed with sushi rice, and topped with mackerel marinated in vinegar and salt. The leaves are folded over the top, the loose lid of the mold is placed on top, and the whole thing goes under weights for a while. Slice and serve!

I used to make that quite often, and it's an easy introduction to the narezushi concept.

I have actually contemplated making narezushi but one thing that really gives me pause is the fact that Tokyo temperatures are never really low, even at night, and the feeling I get that fish caught in less than pristine water goes off way too fast. I suspect the way to go is to get a "beer fridge" used only for making miso, kimchi,narezushi etc.!

[Hiroyuki]

Thanks Hiroyuki, I very much appreciate the translation. As I mentioned, the English language material is fairly limited

The info you provided is corroborated in this article that I found while trying to figure out what and oke was

Do you know if heshiko is always the foundation of narezushi? Or is this just one way to produce it? Also, is heshiko always mackerel?

Thanks,

t

Not always, I suppose.

According to this webpage, which explains how to make narezushi with funa,

funa called "nigoro buna" with roe in them, which can be caught in the spring, are used. They are pickled in salt for 2-3 months (but not in rice bran). After salt is removed, cooked rice is put in them, and they are placed in the oke for half a year to one year.

According to this webpage, heshiko is any fish pickled in salt first and then in rice bran. It says that even today, in households in Wakasa, mackerel, sardine, squid, hatahata, fugu, and other fish are used to make heshiko.

[Hiroyuki]

I found this site, which is pretty interesting. Luckily(?), my prefecture, Niigata, is not listed here.

Producers of fermented sushi

- Funa zushi: Shiga pref. Called one of the Three Big Chinmi of Japan (really?).

- Hatahata zushi: Akita pref.

- Ayu (sweetfish) no kusare (rotten) zushi: Tochigi pref.

- Kabura zushi: Ishikawa pref. Turnip and yellowtail used.

- Narezushi: Fukui pref. Mackerel "heshiko" used.

- Narezushi: Wakayama pref. Fermented sushi made from salted mackerel

発酵寿司の産地

●鮒ずし 滋賀県 日本三大珍味のひとつと言われています。

●ハタハタずし 秋田県 秋田特産の魚・ハタハタを使います。

●鮎のくされずし 栃木県

●かぶら寿し 石川県 青カブにブリを挟んで米麹で発酵させたもの。前田藩の時代からつづく郷土料理で正月にはかかせないもの。

●なれずし 福井県 鯖の糠漬け（へしこ）を水洗いし、腹の中に米と麹を入れて発酵させます。

●なれずし 和歌山県 塩鯖の発酵寿司。

[TrolleyCrash]

Wow!

Looking into funazushi has provided a wealth of English language material. For example, this basic funazushi info page, and this page on trying funazushi all over Japan. I even found a recipe, although not a very specific one.

It's a lot of information to compile, but I really feel like I'm getting somewhere now.

Thanks a lot, Hiroyuki.

t

[Hiroyuki]

Good job!

If you are serious about making some kind of narezushi, and actually decide on the species of fish to use, maybe I can provide some more detailed information.

But I really don't think people who make narezushi are generous in offering detailed information.

For example, this site provides some detailed information on making funazushi, with lots of photos, but it doesn't say how many fish to use, how much salt to use, or the proper fish-to-salt ratio.

[TrolleyCrash]

Thanks Hiroyuki,

I am indeed serious, and I recognize the need to choose a variety fish. In response to the availability of detailed information: part of the reason I want to do this is to create a semi-technical document with detailed information on how it's to be done here on eGullet. I fully expect to have to give it a few tries before I get it right. I guess that's half the fun for me. I truly appreciate your help in translation. It's more than I could have asked for.

I'm going to start by investigating the availability of carp in my city to make funazushi. If I can't, then I'll have to reconsider. Do you know of other fresh-water fish that are commonly treated this way?

Thanks again,

t

[Hiroyuki]

Thanks Hiroyuki,

I am indeed serious, and I recognize the need to choose a variety fish. In response to the availability of detailed information: part of the reason I want to do this is to create a semi-technical document with detailed information on how it's to be done here on eGullet. I fully expect to have to give it a few tries before I get it right. I guess that's half the fun for me. I truly appreciate your help in translation. It's more than I could have asked for.

I'm going to start by investigating the availability of carp in my city to make funazushi. If I can't, then I'll have to reconsider. Do you know of other fresh-water fish that are commonly treated this way?

Thanks again,

t

Besides the fish that have already been mentioned here on this thread,

Oikawa (Zacco platypus)

Hasu (Opsariichthys uncirostris)

Hatahata (Arctoscopus japonicus) (already mentioned upthread)

Koi (Cyprinus carpio) or common carp in English

According to

this page

attempts are being made to use Black Bass and Bluegills to create narezushi with the same techniques as those for funazushi.

また、ブラックバスやブルーギルを使用し、鮒寿司と同じ技法で熟れ寿司を作る試みもなされている。

because of the soaring price of nigoro buna (fish used to make funazushi).

So, I think that your best bet is to use fish that are readily available in your area.