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Hotategai (Scallop) Sushi

Hotategai/Scallop

Shellfish

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Order Pectinida, Family Pectinidae

Scallops are large cold-water bivalves that inhabit the sandy seabed of the shallow waters north of the Tohoku region and in the Sea of Okhotsk. They live on the surface of the sand rather than burrowing into it, and can swim through the water by rapidly opening and closing their shells to create jet propulsion. They are low in calories yet rich in nutrients and umami.

Scallops are fan-shaped bivalves that primarily inhabit sandy areas 10 to 30 meters deep in cold waters north of the Tohoku region. The two shells differ in color and shape. According to "Wakan Sansai Zue," an encyclopedia from the mid-Edo period, the name "hotategai" (sail-standing clam) comes from the appearance of one shell resembling a boat and the other a sail. They are commonly referred to simply as "hotate," and sometimes called "kaibashira" (adductor muscle).

Truly wild scallops are extremely rare and were once expensive, but thanks to active aquaculture and juvenile release programs, they are now relatively affordable. Wild scallops (including those from juvenile release, which are also classified as wild) are predominantly from Hokkaido, accounting for about 80% of production, while farmed scallops are mainly from Aomori and other Tohoku regions. The peak season is said to be around February to April, just before spawning when the flesh is at its largest, and again from May to July after spawning, when the sweetness of the adductor muscle is at its maximum.

Scallops are low in fat and calories while being rich in umami components such as amino acids, glutamic acid, and taurine, as well as nutrients like vitamin B1, zinc, and iron. Recently, glycogen found in scallops has been discovered to have cancer-suppressing effects, making them a true oceanic superfood.

A Popular Favorite from Conveyor Belt to High-End Sushi

The adductor muscle commonly used in scallop sushi is thick and tender, with intense sweetness and a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Freshly shucked scallops are especially sweet. Additionally, searing brings out even more sweetness and flavor, making torched scallop sushi very popular as well. Serving with salt is another way to enhance the natural sweetness.

Despite being relatively affordable, scallops are delicious enough to be enjoyed at both high-end sushi restaurants and conveyor belt sushi chains, making them a widely popular topping.
Torched Scallop Sushi Torched Scallop Sushi

Pearls from Scallops?!

Pearls are famous gems produced inside certain shellfish, with Akoya oysters being the most well-known source. However, any organism capable of producing a shell can create a pearl, and scallops can produce what is known as a "Scallop Pearl." Small scallop pearls found by chance tend to have little value, but large, high-quality specimens can fetch high prices.
Remarkably, there have even been cases of pearls found in convenience store packages of dried scallop strips! Finding a pearl in a scallop you were casually eating would certainly feel like an incredibly lucky moment.

Pearls are famous gems produced inside certain shellfish, with Akoya oysters being the most well-known source. However, any organism capable of producing a shell can create a pearl, and scallops can produce what is known as a "Scallop Pearl." Small scallop pearls found by chance tend to have little value, but large, high-quality specimens can fetch high prices.
Remarkably, there have even been cases of pearls found in convenience store packages of dried scallop strips! Finding a pearl in a scallop you were casually eating would certainly feel like an incredibly lucky moment.

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