【Reading】かま

【English Name】Fish Collar

Kama refers to the part of a fish extending from the gill cover to the pectoral fin. It is classified as part of the "ara" (scraps/trimmings) that come out when a fish is butchered.

Because this part is close to the head and concentrated with well-exercised muscle, it is characterized by being rich in fat and having strong umami. Especially in large fish such as tuna, yellowtail, and sea bream, the kama portion is large and satisfying to eat.

At sushi restaurants and fish shops, because the kama is a part not included in the fillet (the block-cut flesh), it is often offered at a relatively affordable price. "Kamatoro" is known as the part around the tuna's kama that has fat rivaling that of otoro (premium fatty tuna), and is popular as a topping for nigiri sushi as well.

As for cooking methods, salt-grilling is representative, and "buri kama yaki" (grilled yellowtail collar) and "maguro no kama yaki" (grilled tuna collar) are standard menu items at izakaya and Japanese restaurants. It is also used as an ingredient in simmered dishes and ara-jiru (fish-scrap soup). The pleasure of kama is said to lie in eating it while picking apart the flesh attached around the bones, and it is cherished as a connoisseur's part among the various parts of a fish.