【Reading】のれそれ

【English Name】Noresore (Conger Eel Larva)

Noresore is the ingredient name given to the leptocephalus larva of the maanago (conger eel). Its whole body is transparent, shaped like a flat leaf, and its body length is about several centimeters. It is often landed by getting mixed into shirasu (whitebait) fishing nets during the spring fishing season, and has long been prized centered on the Tosa region of Kochi Prefecture.

The common way of eating is to combine it raw with tosa-su or ponzu, which is the standard. Its appeal lies in a distinctive smooth mouthfeel and faint sweetness, and a subtle scent of the sea gently rises in the mouth. Because it is an ingredient where freshness is the top priority, it is hard to obtain in places far from the production area and is positioned as a luxury ingredient.

At restaurants in the Kansai area as well, there are cases where it is served under the name "noresore" as a spring-limited offering, and it has become established as a dish announcing the arrival of the season. In Okayama Prefecture it is known as the local food "betara," combined with sudachi or ponzu, and it is an ingredient that has been loved by people under different names depending on the region.