【Reading】まつかさ

【English Name】Matsukasa (Pine Cone Cut)

Matsukasa (pinecone cut) is a decorative knife technique in sushi and Japanese cuisine, and at the same time a name that refers to dishes in general that make use of this technique. Fine lattice-pattern cuts are made on the surface of ingredients such as squid (ika) or shrimp (ebi), and when heated, the surface curls up, producing a three-dimensional pattern reminiscent of the scales on a pine cone (matsubokkuri).

The name derives from the cone of the genus Pinus in the family Pinaceae. The structure of a pine cone consists of scales—combinations of bract scales and seed scales—arranged in a spiral around a central axis; when moisture is lost, each scale opens out, forming the distinctive uneven appearance. The finished dish resembling this shape is said to be the reason it is called matsukasa.

Representative dishes include matsukasa-age (pinecone-style deep-frying) and matsukasa-yaki (pinecone-style grilling). In sushi, matsukasa-zukuri of squid is widely known: lattice cuts are made and then the squid is lightly blanched, achieving both visual splendor and a pleasant texture simultaneously. The knife cuts also provide a practical advantage in that soy sauce and other seasonings cling more easily.

Note that matsukasa also has the alternate written forms matsugasa and matsumari, and it has long been widely familiar under the common name matsubokkuri.