Image: Wikimedia Commons
Mimigaa is an Okinawan regional dish made from pig ears, a delicacy prized for its distinctively crunchy, cartilage-like texture. The name is thought to combine "mimi," meaning ear, with "gaa," the Okinawan dialect word for skin. Since the ear consists almost entirely of cartilage and skin with very little muscle, it is low in fat and known as a source of high-quality collagen. The standard preparation is to singe off the hair over an open flame, boil or steam the ear, then slice it thinly and dress it with peanut sauce, ponzu, or vinegared miso. In Okinawa, there is a long-standing food culture of using every part of the pig, said to leave nothing to waste "except the squeal," and mimigaa is emblematic of that tradition, widely enjoyed as an izakaya menu item, a home side dish, and a drinking snack. Using a cut rarely found outside the prefecture, it is a uniquely Okinawan dish.
Origin
Pork has long been central to Okinawan food culture, with a saying that the pig is used entirely "except for the squeal" - from the organs to the face, ears, and feet. Mimigaa is one expression of this, an Okinawan dialect name referring to the pig's ear. The name is thought to combine "mimi," meaning ear, with "gaa," the Okinawan dialect word for skin.
History
In Okinawa, where pig farming has long thrived, the knowledge developed alongside pork-cooking techniques to make full use of a wide range of cuts, including organs, ears, and feet, without waste. While loved as a home-cooked dish, mimigaa also became a standard izakaya menu item, and despite being an ingredient rarely distributed outside the prefecture, it came to be recognized as a regional dish symbolizing Okinawa's distinctive food culture. It is now registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Our Regional Cuisines" project as "mimigaa sashimi."
Features
Because the ear consists almost entirely of cartilage and skin with very little muscle, it is rich in collagen while being low in fat. The ear is singed with an open flame to remove the hair, then boiled or steamed and cut into fine strips, offering a crunchy texture reminiscent of firm jellyfish. Though sometimes called "mimigaa sashimi," it is not actually eaten raw; the term refers to a dressed dish made by tossing the boiled, shredded ear with peanut vinegar or vinegared miso.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
As an ingredient emblematic of Okinawa's distinctive food culture of using every part of the pig, it is a beloved standard izakaya snack. Because this cut is rarely distributed outside the prefecture, processed versions are also popular as Okinawan souvenirs.
Famous Shops
うりずん
沖縄県那覇市安里388-5
A long-established Ryukyu cuisine restaurant founded in 1972. In addition to mimigaa sashimi, it offers regional dishes made with pork and a wide selection of aged awamori.
FAQ
Q. Is "mimigaa sashimi" actually raw sashimi?
A. It is not raw sashimi; it refers to a dressed dish of boiled pig ear, shredded and tossed with peanut vinegar and other seasonings. In Okinawa, dressed dishes are sometimes also called "sashimi."