🍚 Konoshiro sugata sushi

"Konoshiro no sugata sushi" is an essential dish for New Year's, festivals, celebrations, and other family gatherings in the Yatsushiro area. The region faces three seas - the Yatsushiro Sea, the Amakusa Sea, and the Ariake Sea. This dish has been passed down since the Edo period and is considered a symbol of good luck. "Konoshiro fish" is a member of the herring family that lives in brackish water. Small fish that are as young as 5 cm in length are referred to as "shinko" and are a delicacy at sushi restaurants, commanding high prices. Interestingly, the smaller the fish, the higher the price. The Chinese character for "winter" is used to represent this fish, which is caught during the fall and winter seasons when it is at its fattiest. However, in the Yatsushiro Sea, where the Kuma River meets the sea, this fish can be caught all year round. Its limited shelf life and quick loss of freshness make it difficult to find far from the city. This fish is best served with vinegar, which enhances its flavor and shelf life. "Konoshiro sugata sushi" is made by cutting open the fish either from the back or the belly. The entrails and inside bones are removed, and the fish is then salted and dipped in sweet vinegar. After that, it is filled with rice sticks and shaped into sushi. Finally, the head and tail are placed upright on a plate. The moderate saltiness and sweetness of the vinegar, along with the spices such as green onion, ginger, and sesame seeds in the sushi rice, make it delicious even without soy sauce. Along the Yatsushiro Sea coast, there is a type of sushi called "konoshiro-zushi", also known as yoshino sushi or unohana-zushi, which is made from okara (soy pulp) that is produced during the process of making tofu. To prepare "konoshiro-zushi", the okara is saut ed with chopped carrots and green onions and then seasoned with vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar. There are two types of "konoshiro-zushi": the first type, called "katazushi," is stuffed into the belly, and the second type is wrapped around the okara, which is then cut into three pieces, seasoned with vinegar, and rolled in konoshiro.