Uni Meshi is a local dish of Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in which raw sea urchin (uni) is cooked together with rice. The Hagi coast, facing the Sea of Japan, is rich in the seaweed that sea urchins feed on, and purple sea urchins (murasaki uni) and bafun sea urchins are landed there, as well as red sea urchins (aka uni) from early spring through summer. Because sea urchin is expensive, it rarely appeared on everyday tables and has been served when entertaining important guests. Unlike 'uni-don,' in which raw sea urchin is placed on top of rice, cooking the sea urchin with the rice spreads the aroma of the sea through all of the rice. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' 'Uchi no Kyodo Ryori' (Our Local Cuisine) introduces it as a dish of the Hagi area, centered on Mishima Island off the coast of Hagi. On Mishima Island, it is made at home and also served at inns on the island. In addition, Shimonoseki City in the west of the prefecture is said to be the birthplace of bottled sea urchin, in which alcohol-cured sea urchin (tsubu-uni) is packed in jars, and processed sea urchin products are also known as specialties of Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Origin
The Hagi coast is a treasure trove of seafood, and sea urchins with strong sweetness and a rich flavor are also caught in abundance. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, sea urchins from the Hagi coast boast the seventh-largest production in Japan (2016 statistics). Because sea urchin was an expensive ingredient, it was not eaten every day, and it is said to have been served as 'uni meshi' when entertaining important guests. Mishima Island, a remote island in the Sea of Japan about 45 km from Hagi Port, is cited as the main place where the dish has been handed down.
History
Yamaguchi Prefecture's ties with sea urchins go back a long way: fossils of sea urchins from the Jomon period, about 5,000 years ago, have been found at the Shiomachi Shell Mound (潮待貝塚) in Shimonoseki City. In the early Meiji era, 蓬山, the priest of Saikyo-ji Temple (西教寺) on Mutsurejima Island (六連島) in Shimonoseki, is said to have accidentally spilled gin into a small bowl of sea urchin while chatting with a British harbor pilot. Tradition has it that his amazement at the delicious result led to the birth of alcohol-cured sea urchin. A monument commemorating the island as the birthplace of bottled sea urchin stands on Mutsurejima.
Features
The rice is washed and soaked for 30 minutes to 1 hour; then water, salt or soy sauce, and sake are added, the sea urchin is placed on top, and the rice is cooked. In some versions the sea urchin is added just before the water comes to a boil, and sometimes kombu is laid in the pot or rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms are added. When the rice is done, it is mixed thoroughly, chopped mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley) is added, and shredded nori is placed on top. To stretch the ingredients, finely chopped sazae (turban shell) meat is sometimes mixed in as well.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
Handed down as a dish for entertaining guests, it is still made at home in the Hagi area centered on Mishima Island. In central Hagi too, there are restaurants serving dishes made with 'Kitaura uni' caught off Hagi, introduced on Hagi City's dining information website 'Hagigochi' (萩ごち).
Famous Shops
赤崎旅館
山口県萩市見島304-2
An inn about a 5-minute walk from the ferry landing in Honmura on Mishima Island, which introduces 'uni meshi,' a Mishima specialty, as one of its dishes. Hagi City's dining information website mentions uni meshi at breakfast, and meals are said to be for overnight guests. Rates are about 9,000 to 16,000 yen (tax included) per night with two meals. Mishima Island is about 70 minutes from Hagi Port by high-speed boat.
View details →| Akama Uni (うに甚本舗) | A product of a specialist in alcohol-cured tsubu-uni with a shop in Saiwaicho, Shimonoseki City, said to have been founded in 1914 (Taisho 3). It blends purple and bafun sea urchins and is said to have a mellow flavor with reduced salt. It is introduced at about 2,700 yen for 55 g, and it keeps for a long time at room temperature.Where to buy →PR |
|---|
FAQ
Q. Are uni meshi and uni-don the same dish?
A. They are different dishes. Uni-don has raw sea urchin placed on top of rice, whereas uni meshi is made by cooking sea urchin and rice together. Cooking spreads the aroma of the sea throughout the rice, and it is said to bring out a rich depth of flavor and sweetness. In Hagi, it has been handed down as a takikomi gohan (rice cooked with ingredients) served on occasions of hospitality.