Japanese Food Tips

Japanese people often eat fresh fish grilled, boiled, deep-fried, or as sashimi. They also often eat himono, which is dried fish such as horse mackerel, saury, mackerel, and sardines. Himono is grilled, smells savory, and the meat is juicy and plump. Himono is said to have existed as far back as the Jomon period, about 4,000 years ago, and its production has been greatly developed in various regions since the Edo period (1603-1868). Sun-drying used to be the most common method of making himono, but nowadays machine drying, which is not affected by weather conditions, is the most common method. The horse mackerel, saury, and mackerel are cut open, laid out flat, and immersed for several hours in salty water, and then dried. With smaller fish, such as sardines, the scales and entrails are simply removed before being immersed for several hours in salty water, and then dried. When salt is added to the fish meat, the protein becomes sticky, and drying changes the structure of the protein and the elasticity of the flesh. Drying reduces the water content of the seafood, which makes the taste more intense. Inosinic acid is produced in large amounts, further increasing the flavor. Himono can be purchased at dried fish specialty stores, supermarkets, and department stores, so if you are interested, please try grilling himono.