# Iriko gohan (rice with dried sardines) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Iriko gohan (rice with dried sardines)

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Seisan region

## Main Ingredients Used
Rice, dried sardines, carrots, daikon radish, taro root, Konjac

## History, Origin, and Related Events
“Iriko gohan” is a rice dish made with small, crunchy dried sardines known as iriko. The Japanese anchovies that become iriko are caught in the Seto Inland Sea. In particular, the area around Ibuki Island, located in the Seisan region of western Kagawa prefecture, is one of the most prominent areas for catching iriko.Freshness is vital when producing dried sardines. The anchovy catch is hauled to Ibuki Island in a mere 30 minutes before being boiled up. The production of high quality sardines depends on the same suppliers consistently handling everything from catching the fish to processing them. It takes between one and three days for the catch to end up on store counters. The fishermen may prioritize speed, but they also pay meticulous care to their catch. It requires great skill to adjust the amount of fish that enter their nets, so as to avoid damaging the bodies of the fish.The sardines hatched in the peaceful Seto Inland Sea make a rich dashi stock, with a strong umami flavor. Dashi stock made from these sardines is an indispensable part of Kagawa cuisine. It is used in various staples of home cooking, not least in Sanuki udon noodles, a local specialty. The sardine flesh is also often eaten in stewed dishes or tempura, making it one of the foremost ingredients that underpins local cuisine.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
They are eaten all year round, regardless of the season, as an everyday staple.

## How to Eat
Remove the heads and abdomens of the sardines, and cut up the flesh. Soak the heads in water to make dashi stock. Mix the sardine flesh with chopped vegetables, rice, the dashi stock and seasoning in a large pot, and cook. Burdock root and different varieties of mushrooms are also often added, but the exact ingredients will differ depending on your preference, and the seasonal vegetables available.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)It is still made at home, mainly in the Nishisan region, where iriko fishing is flourishing. It is also included in school lunches because of its high nutritional value, including calcium.

## Ingredients
- rice: 1.8 liters
- soy sauce: 6 tablespoons
- dried sardines: 80g
- abura-age (thinly sliced deep-fried tofu): 1 slice
- carrots: 140g
- daikon radish: 400g
- taro root: 400g
- Konjac: 1 slice

## Recipe
1. 1. Rinse the rice 30 minutes ahead of time.
2. 2. Remove the heads and abdomens of the sardines, and cut up the flesh. Soak the heads in water to make dashi stock.
3. 3. Peel the vegetables. Cut the abura-age, carrots, daikon and Konjac into 2 cm rectangular strips, and the taro root into 5 mm wide half moons.
4. 4. Add the rice and sardine dashi stock to a large pot, and fill with water. Add the dried sardines, vegetables, and soy sauce, and cook the rice.
5. 5. Because rice tastes best when cooked all at once in a large batch, it has been measured in sho (a unit of approximately 1.8 liters) since ancient times. However, you can adjust the amount of rice depending on the number of people.

## Provider Information
provider : Recipe source: Kagawa Prefecture Agricultural Administration, Fisheries Department

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