🍱 Bai no Nimono

“Bai-gai” (=Japanese ivory shell) is a type of mollusk that lives in the deep waters of Toyama Bay and is eaten by the local people. Bai-gai are caught by caging them in fishing nets. There are four types of bai-gai (oecchubai, neptunea constricta, kagabai and tsubai) caught in the areas Shinminato, Namekawa, Uozu, Kurobe and Asahi. It is rare for so many types to be caught in one region. In Japanese, “bai” means twice and so bai-gai is considered extra lucky, which is why it is a popular ingredient used in meals served at celebrations and festivals. “Bai no nimono” is a traditional dish that has been served on special occasions for a long time. When making this dish, the bai-gai is cooked with their shells which makes the flesh inside even more tasty. Small bai-gai called “tsubai” (said to come from the local dialect, tsunkoi bai, meaning small bai-gai) are used for this dish as they are caught in large quantities. Recently, rice cooked with “tsubai” and its broth, called “bai-meshi” is also popular. The other three types of bai-gai are larger in size which make them suitable for sashimi and their crunchy texture is favored by many.