From the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | |
| Yellowtail (head, collar, slices) | 8 pieces |
| Daikon, 3 cm thick | 8 pieces |
| Kombu, 10 cm square | 1 piece |
| Ginger | a little |
| Seasonings and liquids | |
| Salt water | as needed |
| Water | 3 to 4 cups |
| Red chili pepper | a little |
| Sugar | 1 tablespoon |
| Sake | 1/3 cup |
| Dark soy sauce | 1/4 to 1/3 cup |
| Mirin | 1/4 cup |
In early winter, thunder called “buri-okoshi” rumbles, and the full-scale fixed-net fishing for yellowtail begins in the Uchiura area of Noto. Farmed yellowtail is common now, but natural yellowtail is said to be far better in fat, taste and firmness.
Winter yellowtail in the coldest season is especially fatty, and when eaten as sashimi it is said to repel the soy sauce. It is treasured for year-end celebrations and gifts.
It is a “shusse-uo,” a fish whose name changes as it grows: “kozokura,” “fukuragi” and “gando,” so it is welcomed as a lucky food.
In the Edo period, freshly caught yellowtail was first presented to the lord before it went on sale in the castle town. It was a luxury, as in the saying “one yellowtail, one bale of rice,” and ordinary people seldom ate it.
The season is from November to the following February, when yellowtail of all sizes line up in local markets. It is a must at year-end events and for gifts, and the custom remains of the bride’s family sending it to the groom’s family. Buri-daikon is still made at home.
Today there is also buri-daikon on restaurant menus and at taverns.
The collar or slices are dipped briefly in hot water, then put in ice water and washed to remove the scales. Then yellowtail, daikon and kombu are simmered in a pot, seasoned with sake, ginger and sugar, and cooked under a drop lid.
Shredded ginger on top gives a fresh flavor and color. The key is to let the umami of the yellowtail pass into the daikon. Cutting the daikon skin thick and scoring the flesh helps the flavor soak in.
In 2006, the Ishikawa fishing cooperative registered “natural Noto winter yellowtail” as a trademark. Only yellowtail caught off Ishikawa from November to the following February, and weighing 7 kg or more, can be given the brand.
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