【Reading】きびなごのほおかぶり

【English Name】Kibinagono hokaburi sushi

"Kibinago no hokakaburi" is a type of regional sushi handed down in Kochi Prefecture, characterized by the use of okara (tofu lees) instead of vinegared rice. A small fish about 10 cm long, the silver-stripe round herring (kibinago), is carefully back-split and marinated in vinegar, then finished by wrapping a seasoned ball of okara. It is said to have gotten this name because the completed appearance resembles the head of a person wearing a headscarf (hokkaburi) with a tenugui cloth.

In Kochi Prefecture, okara is called "otama," and sushi shaped with okara has been collectively called "tama-zushi." It is said to have begun in an era when rice was precious, when okara, a byproduct of tofu making, was used as a substitute. A "tama-zushi" using sardine (iwashi) existed first, and this dish is a form of applying that to kibinago.

Sukumo City in particular actively promotes it as a specialty product, and around 1985 (Showa 60) the catch of kibinago in Sukumo Bay exceeded 3,000 tons. A similar okara sushi called "rokuyata" also exists around Shimanto City. It has a distinctive texture that crumbles softly in the mouth, and is characterized by a faintly sweet flavor. In the past, it was even adopted as an in-flight meal for JAL First Class. It is still sold at supermarkets and prepared-foods shops within Kochi Prefecture.