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【English Name】Monkfish / Anglerfish

A bottom-dwelling fish of the family Lophiidae that lives on seabeds where sandy mud spreads at depths of 30 to 500 m. In Japan, the two species mainly used for food are kiankou (yellow goosefish / Lophius litulon) and kutsuankou (blackmouth goosefish), and their extremely flattened bodies and disproportionately large heads catch the eye. They manipulate an illicium (lure) growing on the top of the head to attract small fish, and swallow prey that comes within range whole in a single gulp with their enormous mouth—predators that carry out the hunt while lying still in the sandy mud.

A major feature as an ingredient is that all seven parts—liver, flesh, skin, gills, stomach, ovaries, and fins—can be savored. Among these, the liver (ankimo) is packed with high concentrations of vitamins A, B12, and D, as well as DHA and EPA, and its rich umami is worthy of the nickname "foie gras of the sea." The flesh is a low-calorie white meat with little fat, but because the whole body is extremely soft, it is difficult to process on a cutting board. This is the background behind the unique technique that was devised of dismantling it while hooking the lower jaw and hanging the body up.

It is well known as a winter hot pot dish, commonly served in miso-based or soy-sauce-based broth. The main landing areas are Ibaraki, Aomori, and Shimonoseki City in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and its season is around November to February, when the umami of the liver is at its peak.