WEIRDNESS

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Shiokara (salted fish guts) (塩辛)

Shiokara is a preserved food made from flesh of seafood, salted mostly with the guts in order to prevent rot, fermented and matured with the aid of enzymes (an autolyzed enzyme and ones possessed by the internal microorganisms). For the purpose of facilitating fermentation, koji (malted rice) is sometimes added, besides enzymes included in the guts.

History

The oldest reference to shiokara is seen in "Konjaku Monogatari " (The Tale of Times Now Past), but it cannot be confirmed that it is the same as the shiokara which was eaten during and after the Edo period and the age of konjaku Monogatari was historically isolated from other ages, so it would be appropriate to determine that shiokara appeared in "Nippo jisho" (a Japanese-Portuguese dictionary) for the first time. Salted fish guts are shown in documents to have been also called "nashi-mono" for a long time since the 16th century, and the name "shiokara" became popular in the latter half of the mid Edo period. Local accents "shookara" (Tottori City) and "shokara" (Shima City) can be seen in documents.

The common recipe was to add salt weighing from about ten percent to the saturation level of the flesh and guts of fish and shellfish; however, reflecting heath concerns since the end of the 20th century, shiokara with less salt has been produced and sold as well.

Shiokara of Salted Squid

made by shredding the flesh of squid and dressing with the guts and salt. Octopuses can be made into shiokara in the same manner. 

Salted Octopus Spawn

Shiokara of takomanma (spawn of Paroctopus dofleini and Octopus conispadiceus). Mostly made in Shiranuka-cho, Hokkaido.

Salted Shrimp

Salted shripms are made by salting down middle-size shrimps such as Pandalus eous (a deep-water shrimp) while the shrimps keeping the original shape.

Shiokara of mysid shrimp: made by salting down mysid shrimps such as Actes japonicus, Neomysis intermedia and Euphausia pacifica while the shrimps keeping the original shape. Details will be described later.

Salted Crushed Crab

Made by crushing and salting down the small-size crabs caught in mudflats such as Uca arcuata, Marcophthalmus japonicus and Cleistostoma dilatatum. They are made in the region on the Sea of Ariake.

Salted Bonito

shuto (salted and fermented bonito intestines) in Kochi Prefecture and others. However, shuto differs greatly from the salted bonito in flavor.