【Reading】なんかんあげ

【English Name】Nankan Age

Nankan-age is a specialty deep-fried tofu (abura-age) long made in Nankan Town, Tamana District, Kumamoto Prefecture. It measures about 20 cm square, and a distinctive feature is that, unlike ordinary abura-age, it is distributed in a dried state.

The production method is as follows: tofu is sliced into pieces about 5–6 mm thick, pressed with a weight of about one ton to remove moisture, and then fried twice. Through this process, a distinctive texture with very little moisture is created. It can be stored at room temperature, with a shelf life of about two to three months.

Because it contains almost no moisture, it excels at absorbing dashi and simmering liquids, and is used in a wide range of dishes such as miso soup ingredients and nishime (simmered dishes). In relation to sushi, Nankan-age maki-zushi, in which Nankan-age is used in place of nori for rolling, is known as a local dish. Noting that a full sheet of nori (about 21 × 19 cm) and the size of Nankan-age almost match, a local research group is said to have devised it in the Showa 40s (latter 1960s–1970s). After blanching to remove the oil, it is simmered in dashi to absorb flavor, and then vinegared rice is rolled in it.

Within Nankan Town, Shioyama Foods holds almost the entire market share, producing about 16,000 sheets per day and about 20,000 sheets in winter.