Hi guys it is already March!! March! There is famous squid for shochu and sake lovers in Japan!
We call it ‘Hotaru-Ika’! This time I’ll introduce special tasty seasonal squid for shochu!
Hotaru = firefly
Ika = squid
Contents
What is ‘Hotaru-Ika’.
Firefly squid is a small squid that lives in the deep sea.
The size is 4 ~ 5 cm for males and 5 ~ 7 cm for females, and the weight is small, 5.4 to 8.5 g.
Centered on the Sea of Japan, they live at a depth of 200 ～ 600 m offshore during the day and at a shallow depth of 30 ～ 100 m at night, and their life span is as short as 1 year.
※picture from this web site
https://www.info-toyama.com/events/50004
The biggest feature is that there are several light emitters on the body such as arm light emitters, skin light emitters and eye light emitters.
It is known as a mysterious creature that is beautiful and glows pale in the dark sea.
The main production areas of firefly squid are Hyogo and Toyama Prefectures in Japan. However, the fishing method is different even in the same firefly squid fishing.
In Hyogo Prefecture, many firefly squid are caught at one time by bottom trawling without opening the season, so you can enjoy firefly squid all year round, though it has its season.
On the other hand, in Toyama Prefecture, it is difficult to hurt firefly squid because they are caught by fixed shore net fishing. In addition, in order to open the fishing season to coincide with the spawning season, a large number of round and fat firefly squid are caught, storing nutrients that have come close to Toyama Bay for spawning.
Firefly squids are in season from March to June. In Toyama Prefecture, the ban on firefly squid fishing is lifted on March 1, and large quantities of firefly squids are caught.
The firefly squid that came into Toyama Bay for spawning is caught with a fixed net, so it is big and thick, and it is very fresh because the fishing ground is close.
Most firefly squid in Toyama Prefecture are females because it is the time of spawning.
The firefly squid boiled in a fresh state is characterized by its round body and luster.
Firefly squid in season is more firm and delicious.
Firefly squid is small, but it contains a lot of nutrients, and especially the following nutrients are a must-see for alcohol lovers.
Firefly squid contains more taurine than other squid, and it has good effects such as activating the liver, recovering from fatigue and normalizing blood sugar level.
Firefly squid is rich in vitamin E, a rejuvenating vitamin with strong antioxidative effect. Vitamin E removes active oxygen and is effective for skin beautification and prevention of lifestyle-related diseases caused by rejuvenation of blood vessels and internal organs.
So you could know about firefly squid!
Here are some meals of firefly which is so good with shochu!
Boiled firefly squid dressed with vinegared miso.
Vinegared miso is made by mixing miso, vinegar and sugar.
The flavor of firefly squid goes well with the sourness of vinegared miso.
Firefly squid sushi.
This is an exquisite dish of tender squid meat and sweetness.
Fried firefly squid.
You can enjoy the tenderness of firefly squid meat and the juiciness of fried fish.
Vibes point
This is my favorite firefly meas calls ‘Hotaru-ika-no-suboshi’
We dry firefly squid as it is.
The bittersweet taste from the stomach is very compatible with alcohol and addictive.
The more you chew, the more delicious the firefly squid becomes. Above all, it has the saltiness and taste that is perfect as a snack with sake and shochu.
There’s an even more interesting way to eat it: if you broil the belly with a lighter, you’ll get a thick, bitter and fragrant pulp from the inside, and the flavor will multiply.
The combination of gut and Shochu is excellent, and it is very delicious if you mix dry-type Shochu with hot water.
In addition, it is also a tip to drink the dried firefly squid in a glass mixed with hot water, which is like a pufferfish fillet-sake bellow.
| Writer |
Glocal BAR Vibes / Nori |
