Daily Nihongo (2005 - )

[torakris]

2/17:

穴子丼

anago-don

Anago served donburi style (in a large bowl on top of rice) is quite popular especially in the Kansai (Osaka) area.

anagodon

[Pan]

That looks tasty! But I'm curious to know the name of the green leaf in the bowl.

[gus_tatory]

That looks tasty! But I'm curious to know the name of the green leaf in the bowl.

←

Pan--

it's a shiso (or perilla) leaf, usually described as tasting halfway between basil and mint...

edit to add: if you want to try growing it in your home garden, it is hardy, and you can get seeds here.... click main catalogue and search.

Edited February 17, 2005 by gus_tatory (log)

[torakris]

2/18:

anago can also be used as a topping for noodle dishes

anago nyuumen

anago ramen

anago soba

even anago pasta

[torakris]

2/19:

We already looked at the anago-don, but there are a couple other rice dishes using anago as well.

anago meshi this is a popular dish for bentos, though it can be made at home and found in restaurants as well

anago no chirashizushi this "scattered" rice dish is wonderful when made with anago

anago chaahan

anago fried rice

[torakris]

2/20:

Anago can be eaten in many of the same ways as unagi, here are some examples of Japanese style dishes.

I was watching a show last night about various sushi restaurants and they showed one place that was serving raw anago nigiri, it looked great but a search on the internet seems to show that it isn't very popular. I will have to keep my eye out for it.

[torakris]

2/21:

Anago, much more than unagi , finds its way in western style dishes in Japan as well. Here are some examples, these are not necessarily common dishes and may be pictures/recipes of one of a kind creations.

Anago grilled with a mustard sauce on a bed of seaweed risotto

Anago and bitter gourd with a mushroom and red wine sauce

Deep fried anago with a pesto sauce

[torakris]

2/22:

ドジョウ　鰌

dojou (doe-joe)

loach, weather loach, dojo loach

they look like tiny eels, but with whiskers, and are a delicacy in Japan

dojou picture

[torakris]

2/24:

You will often see dojo referred to as dozeu どぜう, especially when talking about particular dishes.

for example the dozeu nabe (hot pot), this consits of large amounts of both dojo and negi (Japanese scallions).

dozeu nabe

you may not want to look if you are sqeamish.... it isn't pretty..

[torakris]

2/25:

Some places will even offer the dozeu nabe with the bones from the dojo already removed for you. This is often referred to as 骨ぬきどぜうなべ (hone nuki dozeu nabe).

Hone 骨 are bones and nuki means removed, you may be familiar with this term nuki as it is also the way you can ask for the sushi chef to not put wasabi on your sushi. You just ask "wasabi nuki kudasai", wasabi (Japanese horseradish) nuki (remove/don't put on) kudasai (please).

hone nuki dozeu nabe

[Hiroyuki]

Dojo jiru (soup) is something I feel obliged to have when I stay at my wife's parental house in the Obon period in mid-August. It seems to be a specialty here in Niigata. Well, I'm not much of an adventurous eater. I wish I could avoid it.

[torakris]

Dojo jiru (soup) is something I feel obliged to have when I stay at my wife's parental house in the Obon period in mid-August.  It seems to be a specialty here in Niigata.  Well, I'm not much of an adventurous eater.  I wish I could avoid it.

←

I am a pretty adventurous eater, but I am with you on this one! I think I would have no problem with the hone nuki version but otherwise it is too worm like for me to get excited about.....

Luckily it has never been served to me.

[torakris]

Since Hiroyuki mentioned it

2/26:

どじょう汁

dojou jiru

dojou soup

This has many variation depending on what part of Japan you are in.

This version is very simple, seasoned only with dashi, soy and a splash of sake.

This version includes udon noodles and miso.

[torakris]

2/28:

舞子丼

maikodon (my-koe-dohn)

This is a donburi (rice topped dish) that consists of a yanagawa nabe placed on top of rice.

I tried and tried to find a picture but came up empty....

[torakris]

3/1:

蒲焼

kabayaki

We discussed this a page back when talking about unagi, dojo is quite delicious when prepared in the style as well.

dojou no kabayaki

[torakris]

in continuing with the snake like creatures.....

3/2:

ハモ

hamo (hah-moe)

pike conger

hamo

[torakris]

3/3:

骨きり

hone kiri (hoe-nay key-rhee)

This literally means "cutting of the bones".

The problem with cooking hamo is the process of honekiri (bone cutting). This is all but impossible for amateurs. Hamo contain many fine bones, some of which are very close to the skin, making them impossible to remove completely. The fine bones therefore have to be cut into tiny pieces.

Master chefs are said to make up to 25 cuts in a width of only 3 cm. Of course this is an exaggeration, but the more cuts there are, the better the taste.

from here

After the bonesa re cut and the hamo is cooked it takes on a beautiful sort of frilly appearance, like this.

[torakris]

3/4:

湯引きハモ　　　ハモ湯引き

yubiki hamo hamo yubiki

Yubiki is the process of either emersing cut fish into hot water or pouring hot water over the cut fish in order to tenderize it. This is a common way of preparing hamo and it is often served with sumiso (a vinegar-miso sauce)

yubiki hamo

[torakris]

word for 3/5:

ハモの落とし

hamo no otoshi

This is pretty much the same as a yubiki (the hamo is cut, dropped into hot water and then into an ice bath), yubiki being the term more popular in Kyoto.

Hamo no otoshi is often served with a umeboshi sauce.

hamo no otoshi

[Kiem Hwa]

Are yubiki and otoshi the same thing, just different terms used in different regions, or are they slightly different preparations?

[torakris]

Are yubiki and otoshi the same thing, just different terms used in different regions, or are they slightly different preparations?

←

the preparation is the same, it is mostly a regional name difference

[torakris]

3/8:

ハモちり hamo chiri

ハモちり鍋 hamo chiri nabe

ハモ鍋 hamo nabe

This is similar to yubiki/otoshi, though it is usually cooked in a dashi broth rather than water, though I have seen a couple recipes for hamo chiri that are cooke with just water and served very similar to yubiki/otoshi. When the word nabe is tacked onto it you can be pretty sure it will be a a full out nabe complete with a variety of vegetables. These words can mean different things to different people and sometimes mean nothing to those who live outside Kansai (Osaka area) as hamo is hard to come by in other areas, I almost never see it in supermarkets in my area.

hamo nabe

EDIT:

hamo nabe is most likely served with a ponzu sauce

Edited March 8, 2005 by torakris (log)

[torakris]

3/9:

My next door neighbor, recently transplanted from Osaka, says her favorite way to eat hamo is as tempura...

ハモ天ぷら

hamo tempura

[torakris]

3/10:

焼きはも

yaki hamo

grilled hamo, similar to unagi kabayaki

yaki hamo

[torakris]

3/11:

ハモ丼

hamodon

the don is from donburi, the dish of rice with something on top

in this case hamo...

this a great use for the yaki hamo discussed above

hamodon