【Reading】もろこずし

【English Name】Moroko-zushi (Freshwater Fish Pressed Sushi)

Moroko-zushi is a regional sushi handed down in the Owari area of Aichi Prefecture and the Seino area of Gifu Prefecture. A type of hako-zushi (box sushi) made primarily from moroko, freshwater fish of the carp family (such as demē-moroko, tamoroko, and korai-moroko), it is said to have developed on the foundation of the river-delta culture of the Kiso, Nagara and Ibi River basins.

Moroko reach about 10 cm in length as adults, but the fish chosen for moroko-zushi are small ones of about 5 cm. Moroko simmered sweet-and-savory with soy sauce and mirin are layered with vinegared rice into a square wooden frame lined at the bottom with haran (aspidistra) leaves, then pressed and shaped. The haran is said to work both to prevent the vinegared rice from sticking to the frame and to have a sterilizing effect. In the Owari method, neatly arranging the moroko diagonally is a distinctive style.

It is often served on celebratory occasions such as festivals and auspicious events, and has also been prized as a return gift at memorial services. Around the time of the Owari Tsushima Tenno Festival, orders are said to concentrate. In recent years, moroko catches have declined and prices have risen due to factors such as water pollution, and cases of using hae (minnow) as a substitute are also seen.