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Anago (Conger Eel) Sushi

Conger Eel (Anago)

White Fish & Salmon

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アナゴ寿司

Order Anguilliformes, Family Congridae

There are over 30 genera and 150 species of conger eel, but when people say "anago," they generally mean the whitespotted conger (ma-anago). It is distributed along the coasts of Japan from Hokkaido southward to the East China Sea coast. Although it closely resembles the freshwater eel (unagi) in shape, it is a saltwater fish.

While all fish in the family Congridae are edible conger eels, anago generally refers to the whitespotted conger (ma-anago). Ma-anago inhabits the inner bays from Hokkaido to Kyushu, spending the day burrowed in the sand with only its face exposed, and coming out of its hole at night to feed. It prefers tight spaces and has a habit of burrowing into holes, which is said to be the origin of its name "anago" (ana meaning "hole" and go/ko meaning "fish").

Males grow to about 40 cm and females to about 90 cm, with a long cylindrical body similar to an eel. Major production areas include the Seto Inland Sea, Ariake Sea, and Tokyo Bay, but due to declining catches, imports from China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia have been increasing in recent years. Its blood and mucus contain toxins, so caution is required when eating it raw.

Anago has two peak seasons: summer from June to August, and autumn to winter from October to December. Summer anago has less fat and a lighter flavor, while winter anago is fattier with a rich, deep taste. Although it tends to be expensive, imports have been increasing, and it is served widely from high-end sushi restaurants to conveyor belt sushi.

How to Eat Anago Sushi

Anago sushi is predominantly served as simmered conger eel in Kanto (eastern Japan) and grilled conger eel in Kansai (western Japan), prepared as nigiri sushi or thick rolls (futomaki). Unlike other nigiri sushi, it is typically not eaten with soy sauce but instead brushed with "tsume," a sweet glaze made by simmering the cooking liquid from the conger eel with sugar, soy sauce, mirin, and sake.

Beyond nigiri sushi, anago is used in various regional dishes, including Osaka's "hako-zushi" (box sushi) made using wooden molds with conger eel as an ingredient, the Seto Inland Sea's "anago pressed sushi" made with grilled conger eel, and Hiroshima Prefecture's "anago-don" (conger eel rice bowl) which does not use vinegared rice.
Anago pressed sushi Anago pressed sushi

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