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: ) is based on rice with miso soup and other ...

. 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. Alternatively it refers to cooked fish which has been physically broken down by pounding, grin ...

'', ''

fish loaf Fish are Aquatic animal, aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack Limb (anatomy), limbs with Digit (anatomy), digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous and bony fish as we ...

'', ''

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 A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

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

sushi is a Japanese cuisine, Japanese dish of prepared , usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of , such as seafood, often raw, and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is " ...

''. The

Ashkenazi Jewish Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...

dish

gefilte fish Gefilte fish (; from yi, געפֿילטע פֿיש, lit. "stuffed fish") is a dish made from a poached mixture of ground deboned fish, such as carp, whitefish, or pike. It is traditionally served as an appetizer by Ashkenazi Jewish household ...

has some similarity.Mouritsen, Ole (2017). ''Mouthfeel: How Texture Makes Taste''. Columbia University Press, New York. 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 270px, Uwajma City Hall 270px, Aerial view of Uwajma city center 270px, Japan National Route 320 in Uwajma city center is a city located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 70,440 in 35429 households and a ...

, a type of fried called is popular. In

Miyagi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,305,596 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akita Prefecture to the nort ...

, 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 food ingredients are finely divided into uniform pieces. Minced food is in smaller pieces than diced or chopped foods, and is often prepared with a chef's knife or food processor, or in the case ...

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...

(

Silurus asotus The Amur catfish, or Japanese common catfish, ''Silurus asotus'', is a species of catfish (sheatfish), family Siluridae. It is a large freshwater fish found in continental East Asia and in Japan. It prefers slow-flowing rivers, lakes, and irrigati ...

). The white fish used to make include: * Chicken grunt (''

Parapristipoma trilineatum ''Parapristipoma'' is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, Sweetlips (fish), sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae of the Family (biology), family Haemulidae. The species within the genus are native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and ...

'') * Golden threadfin bream ('' Nemipterus virgatus'') * Lizardfish ('' Synodontidae'') * Japanese gissu (''

Pterothrissus gissu ''Pterothrissus gissu'', also known as the Japanese gissu, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Albulidae. The Japanese gissu is a rare fish that is distributed in deep water off northwest Pacific Ocean. This fish is known to pass throug ...

'') * Various

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimo ...

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 fo ...

'') * White croaker ('' Pennahia argentata'') * Nibe croaker ('' Nibea mitsukurii'') * Daggertooth pike conger (''

Muraenesox cinereus The daggertooth pike conger (''Muraenesox cinereus'') also known as the darkfin pike eel in Ozzyland, to distinguish it from the related pike-eel (''Muraenesox bagio''), is a species of eel in the pike conger family, Muraenesocidae. They prim ...

'') * Gnomefish ('' Scombrops boops'') *

Black bass Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

** Smallmouth bass ('' Micropterus dolomieu'') ** Largemouth bass (''

Micropterus salmoides The largemouth bass (''Micropterus salmoides'') is a carnivorous freshwater gamefish in the Centrarchidae ( sunfish) family, a species of black bass native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico, but ...

'') ** Florida black bass ('' Micropterus floridanus'')

Day

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

Outside Japan

Hawaii

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

, 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 green onions and a thin slice of , modern versions of saimin include additional t ...

'', 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, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, surplus Quonset huts 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