# Osaka zushi (Osaka Sushi) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Osaka zushi (Osaka Sushi)

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Osaka City, All of Osaka Prefecture

## Main Ingredients Used
Rice, eggs, sea bream, shrimp, conger eel

## History, Origin, and Related Events
A collective term for sushi made in Osaka, which includes pressed sushi, rolled sushi, and steamed sushi. While in Tokyo, "sushi" typically refers to hand-pressed nigiri sushi, the representative form of sushi in Osaka is oshizushi, where rice and ingredients are layered and firmly pressed.Among oshizushi, a particularly notable variety is the "nisun rokubu no kaiseki," also known as boxed sushi. Originally, pressed sushi featuring common fish like mackerel and horse mackerel was popular among the general public. However, during the Meiji era, the sushi restaurant "Yoshino Sushi" in Semba, Osaka, devised boxed sushi using premium ingredients such as sea bream, shrimp, and conger eel. This compact box, filled with bite-sized, colorful sushi, gained immense popularity among the local patrons as a convenient bento for intermission during theater performances and as a gift. Eventually, it became a well-known and beloved hospitality dish throughout Osaka.Boxed sushi is sometimes referred to as Osaka sushi. Furthermore, there are occasions where a combination of Osaka's unique sushi styles, such as oshizushi, thick rolled sushi, and Datemaki (sweet rolled omelet), are served together as Osaka sushi.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
Even today, it is cherished by the people of Osaka as a companion for traditional performances such as Kabuki and Rakugo, as well as a special treat for festive occasions.

## How to Eat
To make sushi, the sushi rice is prepared. Each ingredient is seasoned with dashi or simmered broth, and sometimes marinated in vinegar. The sushi rice is packed into a wooden frame, layered with ingredients like rolled omelet and pre-prepared items, and then firmly pressed with a lid. The resulting block is cut into bite-sized pieces and arranged in a box.Because it is made by pressing out air, it has excellent shelf life. The flavor remains intact over time, and often, the sushi rice and ingredients develop a richer taste if left for a while after preparation.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)Due to the time and effort involved in preparing ingredients, such as marinating fish in vinegar or slowly simmering shiitake mushrooms, the number of establishments offering this traditional style of sushi is decreasing. However, the efforts of existing sushi shops in the city center to pass down traditional techniques and flavors are helping to preserve this culinary art.

## Ingredients
- [Sushi Rice] Rice: 3 cups
- [Sushi Rice] Soup kombu(=kelp): 10 cm square
- [Awase-zu(sweet and sour dressing) A] Vinegar: 4 tbsp.
- [Awase-zu(sweet and sour dressing) A] Sugar: 1.5 tbsp.
- [Awase-zu(sweet and sour dressing) A] Salt: 1 tsp.
- Shrimp: 2
- [Seasoned Vinegar B] Vinegar: 2 tbsp.
- [Seasoned Vinegar B] Sugar: 0.5 tbsp.
- [Seasoned Vinegar B] Salt: 0.5 tsp.
- [Seasoned Vinegar B] Egg: 1.5
- [Seasoned Liquid C] Dashi (=Japanese soup stock): 0.5 tbsp.
- [Seasoned Liquid C] Mirin(=sweet rice wine): 0.5 tbsp.
- [Seasoned Liquid C] Sugar: 1 tbsp.
- [Seasoned Liquid C] Salt: A little
- Grilled conger eel (store-bought): 2
- [Seasoned Liquid D] Dashi (=Japanese soup stock): 70 cc
- [Seasoned Liquid D] Dark soy sauce: 2 tbsp.
- [Seasoned Liquid D] Mirin(=sweet rice wine): 2 tbsp.
- [Seasoned Liquid D] Sugar: 1 tbsp.
- Dried shiitake mushrooms: 3
- [Dipping Sauce E] Dipping sauce: 100 cc
- [Dipping Sauce E] Sugar: 1.5 tbsp.
- [Dipping Sauce E] Dark soy sauce: 1 tbsp.
- Small pickled sea bream (store-bought): 3
- Grilled seaweed: 1／3 sheet
- Ingredients for thick rolls and Datemaki are excluded.: 

## Recipe
1. 1. Remove the back vein from the shrimp, wash with water, skewer a bamboo stick along the back from tail to belly, and boil in salted water.
2. 2. Once cooled, remove the skewer, peel the shells, and soak in the combined vinegar mixture [B] for 5-6 minutes before cutting into two pieces.
3. 3. Season the eggs with [C] and cook them to a thickness of about 2 cm.
4. 4. Boil the grilled conger eel in [D] for about 10 minutes, let it cool while soaking in the cooking liquid.
5. 5. Rehydrate the shiitake mushrooms in water, simmer in [E] to absorb the flavor, then finely chop.
6. 6. Adjust the size of items 2, 3, and 4 to fit the sushi mold, cut them into rectangles, and press them into the mold.
7. 7. Wet the sushi mold, place wet leaf wraps cut to the size of the mold, evenly pack sushi rice, place the omelet on top, arrange the shrimp attractively, add another layer of leaf wraps, cover with a pressing lid, and evenly apply pressure with a wooden mold.
8. 8. Using the same method, fill half the sushi rice, sprinkle with item 5, add the remaining sushi rice on top, layer with conger eel and leaf wraps, then press.
9. 9. Similarly, fill half the sushi rice, lay out grilled seaweed, place the remaining sushi rice on top, layer with small pickled sea bream and leaf wraps, then press.
10. 10. Cut 7, 8, and 9 into six equal portions each, and arrange one type on each serving dish.

## Provider Information
provider : "Osaka's Collection of Local Cuisine - Traditional Foods and the Inheritance of Food Culture" (Foundation Osaka school lunch association of public interests)

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