【Reading】ままかりずし

【English Name】Mamakari-zushi

Mamakari-zushi is a local dish long beloved along the Seto Inland Sea coast of Okayama Prefecture. "Mamakari" is the Okayama name for the sappa (Japanese sardinella), a small fish belonging to the order Clupeiformes, family Clupeidae; the etymology of the name is said to be the anecdote that it was so delicious that one ran out of rice ("mama") and had to borrow some from the neighboring house.

To make it, the scales, head, and innards of a sappa about 12 cm in body length are removed and the fish is split open, salted and left for about an hour, then washed with vinegar and marinated in a sweet vinegar combining sugar, salt, and konbu. This is placed atop hand-formed vinegared rice and finished with wasabi or ginger to taste.

While it also appears on the everyday table, it has been valued as an indispensable dish for special days such as festivals and celebrations. It is also included in the "100 Selections of Rural Local Cuisine" chosen by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It was once handmade in each household, but in recent years opportunities to make it at home have decreased, and it is now more often savored at restaurants.

Around October, when it is fattiest, is said to be the best time to eat it, and besides vinegar-marinating it is enjoyed in diverse cooking methods such as sashimi and salt-grilling. In 2008 the "Mamakari Promotion Committee" was launched, and the region as a whole is working to spread this food culture.