【Reading】ばってら

【English Name】Battera

Battera is a pressed sushi (oshizushi) that originated in Osaka, made by layering vinegar-cured mackerel (shime-saba) and white shaved kelp (shiraita-konbu) over vinegared rice and pressing them firmly in a wooden mold.

It is said to have been devised in 1891 (Meiji 24) by Naka Tsunekichi, the founder of "Sushi-tsune" in Minamisemba, Osaka. The original topping was konoshiro (gizzard shad), which was abundantly landed in Osaka Bay; because a single fillet resembled a small boat, the dish was named after "bateira," the Portuguese word for a small boat. When the price of konoshiro later rose, the leading role shifted to the more affordable mackerel, settling into its present form.

Whereas hand-formed nigiri sushi developed in Edo, the Kansai region cultivated a culture of pressed sushi made with wooden molds, and battera can be regarded as a representative example. The umami of the white shaved kelp enhances the flavor of the mackerel, and because the flavor melds further over time, it is also prized for takeout and as a souvenir.