Tecchiri is a hot pot dish in which the flesh and bony trimmings (ara) of fugu (pufferfish), mainly tiger puffer (torafugu), are simmered in kombu dashi with vegetables and tofu and then eaten with ponzu. It is known as the name for fugu hot pot in Kansai, and especially in Osaka. Poisonous fugu was likened to a gun, since 'if it hits you, you die,' and was called 'teppo' (gun); the name 'tecchiri' is said to be a shortened form of teppo no chirinabe (fugu chiri hot pot). In the same way, fugu sashimi is called tessa (teppo sashimi). Osaka is said to account for about 60 percent of Japan's fugu consumption and is known as the country's largest consumer of fugu. Fugu grew in popularity in Osaka in the early Showa era, and after the war the number of specialty restaurants increased, establishing it as a winter delicacy. The standard way to finish the meal is zosui (rice porridge) made with the dashi into which the umami of the fugu has dissolved. Preparing fugu requires specialized knowledge and skill. In Osaka Prefecture, under a prefectural ordinance, only people who have received registration as registered fugu processors may process fugu as a business.
Origin
Fugu has long been eaten in many parts of Japan, but cases of poisoning never stopped, and it was banned many times. In the Edo period, some domains are said to have strictly prohibited samurai from eating fugu. In Osaka, on the other hand, there is a story that fugu restaurants openly put up signs. 北濱喜一, the second-generation owner of the Kishiwada fugu restaurant 喜太八, has said that enforcement was probably lax in Osaka, a city of commerce. The name 'tecchiri' is said to combine 'teppo,' another name for fugu, with 'chirinabe,' a hot pot whose name comes from the way the fish shrinks and curls (chiri-chiri) in the hot pot.
History
From the Meiji era onward, there is said to have been a period when serving fugu dishes at restaurants was banned in Osaka. As railways developed in the Taisho era, more people traveled to places where fugu had been permitted, such as Kyushu, the Chugoku region, and Kobe. In the early Showa era, a fugu boom also took place in Osaka, and the 'chirinabe' way of eating fugu from Kyushu and the Chugoku region is said to have helped its popularity. The Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau explains that in 1947 (Showa 22), eating fugu was legalized by an Osaka City ordinance, and the number of restaurants serving fugu increased rapidly. Until around the Showa 30s, fugu was often caught in Osaka Bay as well, and it is said to have been a taste for ordinary people.
Features
The star of the dish is tiger puffer, and along with the flesh, the bony trimmings and the skin also go into the pot. Napa cabbage, green onions, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and other ingredients are added to dashi made from kombu and simmered, then dipped in ponzu to eat. Fugu flesh is mild in flavor, but it becomes firmer and more springy when cooked, and umami and gelatin dissolve into the dashi from the bones and skin. Zosui, made by adding rice and egg to the pot after the meal, is an essential finish to tecchiri. In courses at specialty restaurants, it is often served together with tessa and blanched fugu skin.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
The Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau introduces tessa and tecchiri as fugu dishes that represent Osaka. They are still enjoyed today as a winter delicacy. To ensure safety, Osaka Prefecture promulgated the 'Ordinance on the Regulation of Registered Fugu Processors' (ふぐ処理登録者の規制に関する条例) in 1984 (Showa 59). Since fiscal 2022, passing an examination that follows national standards has been a condition for registration.
How It Differs from Home Cooking
At specialty restaurants, registered fugu processors remove toxic parts such as the liver and ovaries and prepare the flesh and trimmings before serving them in the pot. When making it at home, people do not fillet fugu themselves; instead, they buy processed fugu with the toxic parts removed, or tecchiri sets, from specialty shops and similar stores.
Famous Shops
玄品 法善寺 総本店
大阪府大阪市中央区難波1-1-13
The flagship store of 玄品, which traces its origins to a fugu restaurant opened in Fujiidera City, Osaka Prefecture, in 1980. Its predecessor was a large-scale restaurant opened in 1993, and it is located near Hozenji Yokocho. It offers courses combining tessa, tecchiri, and zosui, and you can enjoy fugu dishes at relatively reasonable prices.
喜太八
大阪府岸和田市五軒屋町24-14
A fugu restaurant in Kishiwada founded in 1913 (Taisho 2). The second-generation owner, 北濱喜一, is also known as a researcher who founded the Japan Fugu Research Society (日本ふぐ研究会) in 1954. It was awarded two stars in the MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka Kobe Nara 2013. Its hallmark is an original menu based on cooking methods handed down from the founder.
FAQ
Q. What does the 'te' in 'tecchiri' and 'tessa' mean?
A. It refers to 'teppo' (gun), another name for fugu. Poisonous fugu is said to have been likened to a gun because 'if it hits you, you die.' Fugu chirinabe is shortened to 'tecchiri,' and fugu sashimi is called 'tessa.' 'Chiri' is said to come from the way the flesh shrinks and curls (chiri-chiri) when placed in the hot pot.
Q. Can I cook fugu that I caught myself at home?
A. Please do not. The liver, ovaries, and other parts of fugu contain a deadly poison, and specialized knowledge and skill are needed to remove them safely. Osaka Prefecture urges people not to take home and cook fugu they have caught. In the prefecture, under an ordinance, only registered fugu processors who have been registered by the governor may process fugu as a business.