# Aji no maruzushi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Aji no maruzushi

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Yonemizu, Saiki City

## Main Ingredients Used
horse mackerel, shiso

## History, Origin, and Related Events
Saiki City, located in southeastern Oita Prefecture, is the largest city in Kyushu. It covers an area of 903.12 km2 and has a coastline extending about 270 km. The topography of the city consists of mountainous areas stretching from the Kyushu Mountains, plains spreading downstream from the Banjo River, a first-class river, and coastal areas with a rias coastline. The bounty of the sea brought by the Bungo Channel supports the region's fishery industry. A wide variety of fish and shellfish are caught in the area, and it is said that more than 350 species of fish are landed.The horse mackerel has long been a popular seafood in the area. The clean water of the Bungo Channel, where the warm current of the Kuroshio Current flowing from south to north meets the cold current from the Seto Inland Sea, provides abundant food for fish. Horse mackerel grown in the Bungo Channel have a reputation for being fatty and tasty. In 2007, horse mackerel was recognized as a "city fish.One of the local dishes using horse mackerel is "horse mackerel maruzushi. The horse mackerel is marinated in ume (plum) vinegar and wrapped in red shiso (perilla frutescens). It is characterized by the use of the whole horse mackerel. Because it is made with shiso, it can be preserved well.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
Horse mackerel is readily available throughout the year. Horse mackerel maruzushi" was eaten at festive occasions and festivals. It was customary a long time ago to make a lot of "horse mackerel maru-zushi" before a festive occasion. The family members meticulously prepare the dish one by one, removing the inside bones, guts, and eyeballs, and wrapping it in shiso (a type of perilla).Because of the time and effort required, the number of households making this dish is decreasing. However, some local restaurants still serve the dish, so it has not completely declined.

## How to Eat
Fresh horse mackerel is cut open and seasoned with salt and vinegar. Then, the horse mackerel is filled with vinegared rice, and finally wrapped with red shiso. The entire fish is eaten from head to tail. The amount of vinegar used for the horse mackerel and sushi rice varies from household to household. It tastes better if it is left to sit rather than eaten right away so that the flavors blend. Sometimes the horse mackerel is placed in a box, covered with a lid, and weighed down on top for about half a day.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the people who have passed down the tradition, preservation groups, use of SNS, modern efforts such as commercialization, etc.)Since it is very time-consuming to make, there are fewer opportunities to make it at home. The taste and culture are being passed on by serving it at restaurants and guest houses.

## Ingredients
- horse mackerel: 30 pcs.
- Vinegar: 1000cc
- Sugar: 1kg
- Sake: As needed
- Sushi rice: 30 pieces
- red shiso: 30 pieces of red shiso

## Recipe
1. 1. Cut horse mackerels open on their backs, leaving the heads intact.
2. 2. Remove the inside bone.
3. 3. Remove guts and wash well.
4. 4. Season with plenty of salt.
5. 5. Leave overnight.
6. 6. Rinse off the salt.
7. 7. Remove small bones while washing.
8. 8. Soak the horse mackerel overnight in sweet vinegar made from vinegar, sugar and sake.
9. 9. Red perilla leaves are pickled in ume (plum) vinegar for marubeni-zushi.
10. 10. Wash the horse mackerel in water and shake it a little in the sweet vinegar in which the horse mackerel was pickled.
11. 11. Make the vinegared rice. The seasoning of the vinegared rice differs from household to household.
12. 12. Shake the vinegared rice according to the size of horse mackerel.
13. 13. Put the vinegared rice inside the horse mackerel to make it look good.
14. 14. Gently press down with palm of hand to shape.
15. 15. Roll up the red shiso. (The shiso must be picked between July and Obon, or it will be too thin and tear when rolled.)
16. 16. When the sushi has been successfully rolled, gently press down again.

## Provider Information
provider : Oita's Local Cuisine for the Next Generation.

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