【Reading】あじのまるずし

【English Name】Whole jack mackerel sushi

Aji no maru-zushi is a form of "sugata-zushi" (whole-fish sushi) in which a whole Japanese horse mackerel (ma-aji) is used to enclose vinegared rice inside, and is a regional cuisine rooted in the Pacific coastal region centered on Kochi Prefecture.

The framework of the preparation is to dehydrate a back-split horse mackerel with salt, then soak it in vinegar to firm up the flesh, and stuff vinegared rice into it to restore the fish's original outline. Completing it with the head and tail still attached is the origin of the name "maru-zushi" (whole sushi), and it has a history of being prized as an indispensable dish at festivals and celebratory occasions.

In Kochi Prefecture, the culture of "sugata-zushi," which makes use of the whole fish, is widely alive, and the same technique has been handed down for mackerel (saba) and sweetfish (ayu) as well. Among these, the reason horse mackerel has been used especially often is its gentle flavor, which makes it easy for a wide range of generations to accept. Also, because vinegar-curing improves preservability, it has long been used as an offering to mountain areas and as a portable food for travel.

Those from early summer to summer, when the catch of horse mackerel increases and good fat content and firm flesh are both achieved, are most prized as material for maru-zushi.