Seguro Iwashi no Gomazuke is a preserved food made from anchovies (called 'seguro' locally) caught along Chiba Prefecture's Pacific coast, including Kujukuri Beach. The anchovies are cleaned of their heads and innards, salted, and then pickled for two to three days with vinegar, sesame seeds, ginger, yuzu, and red chili pepper. Kujukuri Beach, which boasts one of Japan's largest catches, has a long tradition of beach seine fishing for anchovies dating back to the Edo period. While anchovies were caught in huge quantities, they also spoiled easily, so the technique of pickling them in vinegar and sesame to extend their shelf life was passed down as a piece of local wisdom. Because the pickling process softens even the bones, the fish can be eaten whole, and the dish is enjoyed as an everyday side or an accompaniment to sake, especially in winter. It was selected as one of the '100 Local Dishes of Japan's Farming, Mountain, and Fishing Villages' by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and stands as a symbol of Chiba's fishing culture.
Origin
Kujukuri Beach has long been known for beach seine fishing of anchovies dating back to the Edo period, and it is said that the fishing method spread partly through fishermen who migrated from the Wakayama region. Gomazuke (sesame pickling) was devised as a way to preserve the large catches of anchovies, which spoiled easily.
History
In an era without refrigeration, salting and vinegar-pickling techniques developed as a way to avoid wasting anchovies caught in bulk. Gomazuke, made by pickling the fish with sesame and ginger, was passed down through generations of households in the Kujukuri region and became established as a local preserved-food tradition.
Features
Anchovies with their heads and innards removed are first salted, then pickled for two to three days with vinegar, sesame seeds, ginger, and red chili pepper. The vinegar softens even the bones, allowing the fish to be eaten whole, and the dish is characterized by a flavor that combines the aroma of toasted sesame with the umami of the anchovies.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
This preserved food is closely tied to the fishing culture of Kujukuri Beach, one of Japan's leading fishing grounds, and developed as a way to make full use of large anchovy catches without waste. It is still served today as an everyday side dish and an accompaniment to sake, and is also offered on festive occasions.
Famous Shops
有限会社長谷屋商店
千葉県鴨川市浜荻1391
Seguro Iwashi Gomazuke, 180g pack, 464 yen (tax included). A dried-seafood specialty shop dealing in Boso-area marine products.
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