Image: Wikimedia Commons
Sanzoku-yaki is a chicken dish enjoyed mainly in Matsumoto City and Shiojiri City in the Chushin region of Nagano Prefecture. Chicken thigh or other cuts are marinated whole in a soy sauce marinade seasoned with garlic and onion, coated with katakuriko (potato starch), and deep-fried. The boldness of frying the meat without cutting it up is the major difference from ordinary karaage (Japanese fried chicken). Although the name includes 'yaki' (grilled), it is actually a fried dish. It is said to have originated at the izakaya 'Sanzoku' (山賊) in Shiojiri City, and there are several theories about the name, such as that the owner looked like a sanzoku (mountain bandit), or that it is a pun on 'toriageru' (to rob), read as 'tori ageru' (to fry chicken). From around 2009, a local restaurant cooperative and citizens' groups worked to promote it as a local specialty, and it has now become one of the representative local dishes of Nagano Prefecture. As a set meal at restaurants or a dish at izakaya, it is a familiar taste for local people from childhood.
Origin
Sanzoku-yaki is said to have originated at the izakaya 'Sanzoku' in Shiojiri City. The restaurant's roots lie in 'Matsumoto Shokudo,' which was founded before World War II. The first owner and spouse are said to have devised the dish in the years before and after World War II, and after the war ended it became the restaurant's specialty. It is said that the restaurant's name was later changed to 'Sanzoku' to match the dish. At first it was served with bone-in chicken, and one theory holds that the name came from the owner's resemblance to a mountain bandit.
History
There are other theories about the origin of the name. One is that because bandits 'toriageru' (take away) other people's belongings, the name is a pun on 'tori ageru' (to fry chicken). This theory is sometimes linked to the restaurant 河昌 in Asama Onsen, Matsumoto City. It is also said that in times when oil was precious, the chicken was shallow-fried with a thin layer of oil in the pan, which is why the name 'yaki' remained. In 2009, the youth division of the Matsumoto restaurant business cooperative put up banners and began promoting it as a local specialty.
Features
Whole chicken thighs are used and marinated in soy sauce with grated garlic and onion added. Because it is coated with katakuriko before frying, the coating is crisp and light, and the inside turns out moist. The originating restaurant in Shiojiri uses bone-in thighs. In Matsumoto and elsewhere, some restaurants use lean chicken breast as well as thigh. Biting straight into a large whole piece of meat is the way of enjoying it that is unique to sanzoku-yaki.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
Sanzoku-yaki has long been loved by local people as a staple dish at restaurants and izakaya in Matsumoto and Shiojiri. In 2012, the 'Matsumoto Sanzoku-yaki Support Group' (松本山賊焼応援団) was formed in Matsumoto and the 'Shiojiri Sanzoku-yaki Association' (しおじり山賊焼の会) in Shiojiri. March 8 is Shiojiri City's and March 9 is Matsumoto City's 'Sanzoku-yaki Day,' and both cities work to promote their specialty.
How It Differs from Home Cooking
At home it is sometimes cut into easy-to-eat pieces before frying, but at specialty shops and restaurants the basic practice is to fry it as a whole piece. The marinade recipe is each restaurant's secret, and the strength of the garlic, the cut of meat, and the thickness of the coating also differ. The bone-in meat at the originating restaurant and the large breast meat eaten at the station building in Matsumoto leave very different impressions despite sharing the same name.
Famous Shops
山賊
長野県塩尻市大門七番町10-1
An izakaya said to be the originator of sanzoku-yaki, about a five-minute walk from JR Shiojiri Station. Its specialty is bone-in thigh marinated in a secret sauce combining more than ten ingredients. The sanzoku-yaki set meal starts at about 1,950 yen. It is closed on Wednesdays.
正和食堂
長野県塩尻市大門七番町13-28
A restaurant in Daimon Nanabancho, Shiojiri City, the same area as the originating restaurant. You can try two kinds of sanzoku-yaki: bone-in thigh and tender, juicy breast. The budget is about 1,000 to 2,000 yen, and it is also good for comparing versions in Shiojiri.
松本からあげセンター MIDORI松本店
長野県松本市深志1-1-1 MIDORI松本4F
A karaage and sanzoku-yaki specialty shop in the station building of JR Matsumoto Station. Its sanzoku-yaki, made with large, thick chicken breast, is characterized by its moist texture. The budget is about 1,000 to 2,000 yen, and you can stop by on the way to or from your trip.
居酒屋 一歩
長野県松本市大手4-10-17
An izakaya in the Ote area of central Matsumoto City, proud of its sanzoku-yaki made with large, thick thigh meat. The manager introduces the theory that the name is a pun on 'toriageru' (to rob) and 'tori ageru' (to fry chicken). It is also open for lunch, and you can enjoy it for about 1,000 to 2,000 yen.
FAQ
Q. Why is it called 'yaki' (grilled) even though it is fried?
A. The exact reason is not known, but there are several theories. A well-known theory is that in times when oil was precious, it was shallow-fried with a thin layer of oil in the pan, so the name 'yaki' remained.
Q. What is the difference between sanzoku-yaki and karaage?
A. Ordinary karaage is made by cutting chicken into bite-sized pieces and frying them, whereas sanzoku-yaki is fried as a whole piece of meat. Another feature is that it is thoroughly marinated in a garlic-seasoned soy sauce marinade and fried with a katakuriko coating. Some restaurants cut it up before serving.
Q. Is it the same dish as the sanzoku-yaki of Yamaguchi Prefecture?
A. It is a different dish. Iwakuni City in Yamaguchi Prefecture also has a specialty called 'sanzoku-yaki,' but it is known as a dish in which chicken is finished by grilling. The sanzoku-yaki of Nagano Prefecture is a fried chicken dish, so even though the names are the same, the cooking methods differ.