【Reading】Engawa

【English Name】Engawa / fluke fin

The muscle that works when hirame (flounder) or karei (righteye flounder) control their dorsal and ventral fins—that is engawa. Prized as a topping for sushi and sashimi, its springy, bouncy texture that one feels the more one chews has long attracted gourmets.

The name is said to have arisen because the appearance of the cut-out flesh resembles the engawa (veranda) of a Japanese house. Anatomically, the tankikotsu (pterygiophore/fin-supporting bone) is included in this part, and there are cases where it is treated as engawa together with the bone.

What is served at high-end sushi restaurants is mainly that from hirame, whose appeal is a delicate, refined flavor. In contrast, at conveyor-belt sushi chains, engawa derived from salmon has spread at affordable prices, and there is a clear difference between the two in terms of fat content and texture.

The yield per single hirame is extremely small, and wild hirame engawa is positioned as a rare, high-grade topping.