【Reading】しろみるがい

【English Name】White geoduck

The bivalve that most restaurants serve when you order "clam" at the sushi counter—that is the shiro-mirugai. Its formal Japanese name is namigai, classified in the family Hiatellidae. It once spread in distribution as a substitute for the premium hon-miru (mirukui), but its inherent sweetness and pleasant bite captivated eaters, and it built an independent standing beyond the realm of a mere substitute.

Major domestic production areas are distributed in various places, such as Tokyo Bay (Chiba), Harima Nada (Hyogo), Suo Nada (Yamaguchi), and Mikawa Bay (Aichi). It is generally distributed to the seafood market still alive in the shell. In conveyor-belt sushi chains and operations premised on bulk purchasing, the Canadian American geoduck has become established as the main ingredient.

The edible part is the long, protruding siphon; the basic preparation is to remove the skin, blanch it, and then make it into sashimi or nigiri. The white, translucent flesh is visually appealing, and the crunchy texture leaves an impression in the mouth. Though somewhat more subdued in flavor than hon-miru, its lack of off-flavor has widened the doorway to acceptance by customers of a broad range of ages and tastes. Since the end of the 20th century it has greatly surpassed hon-miru in shipment volume, and if you order clam at a sushi restaurant today, this shiro-miru is almost certainly the one made into nigiri and brought to your table.