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Tai (Sea Bream) Sushi I- Red Sea Bream (Madai)

Red Sea Bream (Madai)

White Fish & Salmon

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Order Perciformes, Family Sparidae, Genus Pagrus

A predatory saltwater fish that inhabits a wide range from Hokkaido to Kyushu, as well as the Pacific Ocean, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea. Juveniles are found in relatively shallow waters, while adults inhabit sandy bottoms and rocky reefs at depths of 30 to 200 meters. In Japan, "tai" (sea bream) generally refers to this species.

Madai (red sea bream) inhabits the entire Japanese archipelago except subtropical zones, and is also widely distributed around the world including China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Australia. With its auspicious name and vivid red color, sea bream is considered the "King of a Hundred Fish" in Japan, though it is not necessarily regarded as special elsewhere in the world, being consumed as an ordinary fish in China, Taiwan, South Korea, and other countries.

Since ancient times, madai has been a luxury fish used at the celebratory banquets of shoguns, but due to advances in farming, prices have dropped in recent years, and it can now be found at conveyor belt sushi restaurants. Farmed fish tend to have more fat, while wild fish are not always fatty. However, wild madai is still valued as a premium fish for its more vivid appearance and less pronounced flavor compared to farmed varieties.

Madai is a large fish that can occasionally reach 120 cm, but those in the 30 to 70 cm range are commercially distributed, with fish up to about 50 cm commanding the highest prices and those that are too large actually becoming cheaper. Fish around 20 cm have their own distinct value - palm-sized specimens are served as "kasugoko," a vinegar-cured sushi topping that is an indispensable part of Edomae sushi.

The peak season is said to be autumn through spring, but since farming is also thriving, madai can be enjoyed as a sushi topping year-round. Spring madai just before spawning is called "sakura-dai" (cherry blossom sea bream) and is highly prized, while autumn sea bream, represented by "Akashi-dai," is also known as "momiji-dai" (autumn leaf sea bream) and is synonymous with exquisite flavor.

Madai: A Favorite of the Japanese Palate

Madai's white flesh is high in protein and low in fat. While delicate, it has a pleasant sweetness and firm texture, without strong odor or greasy character, making it an easy-to-eat fish for Japanese palates, which tend to prefer less fat than Western ones. As a sushi topping, it is most commonly served raw as nigiri, but some preparations involve pouring hot water over the skin side to create "kawashimo" (skin-blanched), or brushing with tsume glaze to further enhance the flavor. As with many fish, the finest sushi-grade madai is kept swimming in a tank before being dispatched using the ikejime technique, though the price for such specimens is in a class of its own.
Madai sushi with skin-blanched finish Madai sushi with skin-blanched finish

Why Is Taiyaki Shaped Like a Sea Bream?

Taiyaki is a snack derived from imagawayaki (a round, filled waffle), but it is said that the brothers who founded "Naniwaya," a taiyaki specialty shop established in 1909, arrived at the sea bream shape through trial and error. They tried other auspicious shapes like turtles and rabbits, but none sold well - only the sea bream shape finally caught on. While you cannot eat a real turtle or rabbit, the idea that you could eat something shaped like the luxurious sea bream for a cheap price captured the hearts of ordinary people. Its surreal, endearing appearance is also unforgettable once you see it for the first time. As an aside, in taiyaki lingo, individually baked taiyaki are called "wild-caught" and those baked multiple at once are called "farmed." The protagonist of the famous song "Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun" (Swim! Taiyaki Boy) was actually a "wild-caught" one, and knowing this makes his wish to become a real sea bream all the more poignant!

Taiyaki is a snack derived from imagawayaki (a round, filled waffle), but it is said that the brothers who founded "Naniwaya," a taiyaki specialty shop established in 1909, arrived at the sea bream shape through trial and error. They tried other auspicious shapes like turtles and rabbits, but none sold well - only the sea bream shape finally caught on. While you cannot eat a real turtle or rabbit, the idea that you could eat something shaped like the luxurious sea bream for a cheap price captured the hearts of ordinary people. Its surreal, endearing appearance is also unforgettable once you see it for the first time. As an aside, in taiyaki lingo, individually baked taiyaki are called "wild-caught" and those baked multiple at once are called "farmed." The protagonist of the famous song "Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun" (Swim! Taiyaki Boy) was actually a "wild-caught" one, and knowing this makes his wish to become a real sea bream all the more poignant!

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