![Kouhaku-namasu 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Kouhaku-namasu_001.jpg)
is a
Japanese dish
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 ...
consisting of thinly sliced uncooked (''nama'')
vegetables
Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, ...
and
seafood
Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters and mussels, and cephalopods such as octopus an ...
,
marinated
Marinating is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. The origin of the word alludes to the use of brine (''aqua marina'' or sea water) in the pickling process, which led to the technique of adding flavor b ...
in
rice vinegar
Rice vinegar is a vinegar made from fermented rice in East Asia (China, Japan and Korea), as well as in Vietnam in Southeast Asia. It is used as a seasoning, dressing, and dipping in many dishes, including sushi, jiaozi, and banchans. Some of its ...
(''su'') for several hours,
pickling
Pickling is the process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The pickling procedure typically affects the food's texture and flavor. The resulting food is called a ...
them slightly. ''Namasu'' was brought to Japan from
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
during the
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from CE 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the cap ...
(710-794).
''Namasu'' may also be called ''namasu-kiri'' (''kiri'' means "sliced").
''Sunomono'' and other vinegared salads are related to ''namasu''. Sunomono dishes are closely related to namasu, which is a Japanese dish consisting of uncooked vegetables or seafood that has been thinly sliced and marinated in su, or vinegar. Marinating the foods in vinegar often leaves them with an acidic, pickled taste. Sunomono refers to food that has been dressed with vinegar, whereas namasu refers to food that has been marinated in vinegar.
See also
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Hoe
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Yusheng
''Yusheng'', yee sang or yuu sahng (), or Prosperity Toss, also known as lo sahng (Cantonese for 撈生 or 捞生) is a Cantonese-style raw fish salad. It usually consists of strips of raw fish (sometimes salmon), mixed with shredded vegetable ...
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Ceviche
Ceviche () is a Peruvian dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices, most commonly lime or lemon. It is also spiced with '' ají'', chili peppers or other seasonings, and julienned red onions, salt, and cilantro are al ...
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Sashimi
is a Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce.
Origin
The word ''sashimi'' means "pierced body", i.e. "刺身" = ''sashimi'', where 刺 し = ''sashi'' (pierced, stuck) ...
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Kuai (dish)
''Kuai'' was a Chinese dish consisting of finely cut strips of raw fish or meat, which was popular and commonly eaten in the early Chinese dynasties. According to the ''Book of Rites'' compiled between 202 BCE and 220 CE, ''kuai'' consists of sm ...
References
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Japanese cuisine
Seafood dishes
Raw foods
{{Japan-cuisine-stub