【Reading】にこごり

【English Name】Congealed food

Nikogori is collagen-derived simmering liquid produced when fish or meat is simmered, which gelatinizes and solidifies as the temperature drops. The dish prepared by making use of this phenomenon is sometimes called by the same name. Different regional designations remain, such as "kogori," "kogori," and "kongori."

Made mainly from white-fleshed fish such as pufferfish (fugu), flounder, and filefish, it is positioned at sushi restaurants as a sake accompaniment or palate cleanser. The basic procedure is to simmer the flesh and skin with soy sauce, sake, and ginger, then transfer it along with the liquid into a container to cool and solidify.

Its appeal lies in the way the gelatin dissolved into the simmering liquid locks in the flavor of the seasoning broth, producing a deep umami. Because of its property of melting when heated, the method of placing it on freshly cooked rice and breaking it apart as you eat is also favored.

In cold climates the simmering liquid solidifies naturally just by being left out, so it is deeply connected with winter food culture. In the Edo period, the gelatin layer's effect of blocking outside air and slowing the progress of spoilage was valued, and it was widely used as a long-keeping food. In Hokkaido, a nikogori made from skate (ray) is handed down as a local specialty.