【Reading】ゆに

【English Name】Yuni (Poached Fish)

Yuni is an extremely simple cooking method of merely boiling fish in hot water, and is also affectionately known by the name "oyuni." It is a strongly regional way of eating long handed down in the coastal areas of eastern Hokkaido.

A representative ingredient is kichiji (kinki, broadbanded thornyhead). Kichiji caught during the peak landing season is very rich in fat, and although the flavor of its flesh is mild, fine oil and dashi melt out of the fish body during boiling. For this reason, even without making it into a simmered dish seasoned with soy sauce or sugar, the ingredient's own umami alone is enough to fill the table.

As for how to eat it, the standard style is to drizzle Worcestershire sauce, chuno sauce, or soy sauce over the freshly boiled fish. Enjoying the sweetness of the fat and the dashi that has seeped out without heavy seasoning is a piece of rational wisdom unique to fishing towns.

In the world of sushi, kinki is also counted among the premium white-fleshed toppings, and yuni is a cooking method that draws out the ingredient's power to the fullest. The sensibility nurtured by Hokkaido's fishery culture is concentrated in the way it delivers fatty kinki to the table with minimal effort.