【Reading】なるとだい

【English Name】Naruto Sea Bream

Naruto-dai is a brand name for wild red sea bream (madai) landed in the Naruto Strait around Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture. The Naruto Strait is counted among the world's three great tidal currents, with such fast flows that red sea bream raised in this environment develop firm, well-toned muscle and carry a moderate amount of fat.

It has two seasons a year: those caught in spring before spawning (mainly March-May) are called sakura-dai (cherry-blossom sea bream), and those of autumn (mainly November-December), when they store nutrients for winter, are called momiji-dai (autumn-leaf sea bream). Spring is characterized by a clean taste, autumn by an increased sweetness of fat.

What can be called the proof of a Naruto-dai is the naruto-bone, a phenomenon in which knob-like swellings form at the joints of the bones from being tossed about in the swift current. It is recorded in the Edo-period food treatise Honcho Shokkan and has been known since old times. The exact mechanism of its formation is said to be unsolved.

Branding by landing area has also advanced, including Naruto-cho's sakura-tai, Kitanada's beppin-dai, and Dou-no-ura's uzuhana-dai. As a sushi topping it is enjoyed in many ways besides nigiri, such as sashimi, ushiojiru (clear broth), shioyaki (salt-grilled), and tai-meshi (sea bream rice).