# Sanmazushi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Sanmazushi

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Eastern Kishu Food Culture Area

## Main Ingredients Used
Ingredients: Sanma (Pacific Saury), rice

## History, Origin, and Related Events
At the Ubuta Shrine, located in the town of Arima, in Kumano City, the priests and priestesses perform a ritual called “Houhan,” during which children are served foods such as “Sanmazushi (a sushi made from Pacific Saury),” a dish which is served, in this case, with the backbone intact. Although “Sanmazushi” is usually served with the backbones removed, in the version prepared for this ritual, the bones are left intact, as it is endowed with the hopes that the children will grow up strong in body and mind, and perhaps to supplement their calcium intake as well. At the front of the torii gate at Ubuta Shrine is a sign written on a log, indicating that this is the birthplace of “Sanmazushi.”This is a local dish traditionally served at celebratory and festive occasions, and was first promoted by restaurants in Owase in 1975 in a bid to establish it as a famous specialty of the area. Ever since, it has now become one of the most popular culinary highlights in the Eastern Kishu region. Moreover, in this area, it is common to prepare and serve “sugatazushi (a type of sushi in which the entire body of the fish, from head to toe, is used)” during many celebratory events. And so, when sanma (Pacific Saury) is not in season, other fish, such as sardine, horse mackerel, and barracuda, are also used.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
The Pacific Saury is a migratory fish which can be caught off the Hokkaido coast around September, and will migrate southward toward Mie Prefecture around late November. By the time they are caught in Kumano, the sanma have burned off their fat reserves, and end up with a slender and light appearance. Because they are less fatty, they become resistant to oxidization during the drying process, and will also taste delicious when vinegared or served as sashimi. Sanma is often served in households during festivals and holidays such as New Year’s, and may also be presented as a ceremonial gift during celebratory occasions.

## How to Eat
Lean sanma caught in the Kumano area are prepared by splitting them open along the back, while in the Owase region, they are split open from the belly. The fish is then salted and washed with water, and afterward soaked in citrus vinegar (known as “sankin” or “sanzu” for its strong acidity). Finally, the entire fish is served on top of sushi rice with the head and tail intact. It may be served with seasonings such as mustard, ginger, and sesame. There is a reason for the difference in methods of splitting the sanma according to region. The city of Kumano once held a magistrate’s office, where executions were carried out, and the act of splitting open fish from their bellies conjured up negative associations with seppuku (the ritualistic form of suicide by disembowelment). Therefore, it was decided upon to open up fish from the back instead. In the modern era, sanma are often served with the heads removed during the preparation process.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)Sanma has come to be available in various stores, and can also be found at supermarkets, marinated in vinegar and sold as “sushina.” In addition, local volunteers have created simple wooden molds for making sushi in order to further dietary education efforts.

## Ingredients
- Rice: 600 g
- Water: 1,000 ml
- Sanma (Pacific Saury): 8 fish
- Salt (for salting the fish): 40 g
- Citrus fruit juice (for pre-marinating): An appropriate amount (the amount squeezed from a sour orange or lemon)
- Vinegar (for marinating): 30% of the weight of the fish
- Sugar (for marinating): Equivalent to the amount of vinegar
- Vinegar (for awase-zu = a mixture to season the rice): 180 ml
- Sugar (for awase-zu = a mixture to season the rice): 70 - 100 g
- Salt (for awase-zu = a mixture to season the rice): 15 - 25 g

## Recipe
1. 1. Split open the sanma from the back or from the belly. You may leave the head intact, or cut it off. Remove the internal organs, gills, and eyeballs, rinse briefly in water, and pat dry with a cloth.
2. 2. Sprinkle salt (an amount equal to 5 - 7% of the fish’s weight) evenly over the surface of the fish’s body.
3. 3. After the fish have been salted, lift the backbone by hand, and carefully remove the bones along the belly and sides. Use your fingernails to scrub off the scales, from tail to head, wash thoroughly, and pat dry. Check to see that the salt has been cleanly washed off.
4. 4. Begin the marinating process. After pre-marinating the fish for about 20 minutes, marinate further for 30 minutes to a full day. Add an acetic acid vinegar for the final marination process.
5. 5. Pour the awase-zu mixture over freshly cooked rice while it is still hot, and mix together in a cutting motion. Once the vinegar has mixed well with the rice, let it cool.
6. 6. Lightly squeeze the moisture from the fish, and place on to a sushi mat. Apply mustard to taste along the center of the flesh. Take 240 g of sushi rice, and mold it in your hands to create a slightly firm cylindrical shape, about the length of the sanma piece. Place this cylinder of rice on top of the fish, and use the bamboo sushi mat to roll into shape.
7. 7. Cut the finished sushi into 2 cm-long pieces and arrange onto a plate.

## Provider Information
provider : Recipe provided by: “Mie no Aji Senmaisansai Mansai” (Mie Food Culture Research Society)

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