Namerō (Japanese: なめろう, derived from 舐める nameru, "to lick") is a type of tataki, a manner of preparing fish or meat finely minced and mixed with some spices and seasonings, not unlike a tartare.[1][2][3]

Namerō made from Japanese amberjack served in a sushi restaurant in Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture.

This recipe has been passed down among Bōsō Peninsula fishermen.

Variations

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Sangayaki

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A dish of grilled namerō is called sangayaki (さんが焼き)[4] or simply sanga. Namerō is grilled directly on an iron griddle,[4] stuffed into scallop or abalone shells[5] or wrapped in sarutoriibara or camellia leaves. Like namerō, it is said to have originated in the Bōsō Peninsula, and there are places specializing in sangayaki.[4][5][6]

There are three theories about the original kanji spelling and origin story of the name, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has adopted the first one (山家焼き) shown here:[4][5]

  1. 山家焼き spelling: Namerō was grilled or steamed by fishermen in the mountain huts and was eaten, so it was called 'mountain' (山) and 'house' (家) 'fry' (焼き).
  2. 山河焼き spelling: The spelling of "Sangayaki" derived from using both ingredients from the mountains (山) and rivers (河).
  3. 三辛焼き spelling: The spelling derived from the use of three (三) spicy (辛) foods: ginger, green onion, and perilla.

Others

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  • A cold dish made by putting namerō in ice water is called mizunamasu (水なます).
  • Namerō placed on top of rice, with green tea is poured over it to make chazuke, is called magocha (孫茶). Magocha is a local dish of the coastal area of the Izu Peninsula, where it is not seared but is served with dashi stock on the sashimi. In addition to horse mackerel, sashimi can be made from tuna, bonito, and alfonsino, depending on the location and restaurant.
  • Around Isumi District, Chiba Prefecture, namerō is placed on a slightly deep plate, flattened, sanbaizu (vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar in 1:1:1 proportions) is added, and chilled in a refrigerator. This is aimed at the effect of preserving namerō, which is easily spoiled in the summer and cannot be stored in advance, and stimulating appetite decreased in the summer with acid. Depending on the family, this is eaten with soy sauce or another dipping sauce.
  • In Shimanoura, a remote island off the coast of Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefecture, there is a dish called tatakko (たたっこ), which is similar to namerō, and the grilled dish corresponding to sanga in the Boso Peninsula is also called 'tatakko'.

References

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  1. ^ "vol.15 美味しすぎる!『パクチーなめろうとエスニックスープ』 #ヘルシー残業ご飯 - エキサイトニュース" [vol.15 Too Tasty! "Cilantro namero and ethnic soup" #Healthy meals after doing overtime - Excite News] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2017-08-03. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
  2. ^ "調査結果のニュース - 千葉県民が本当に好きな「おすすめグルメ」、やっぱり落花生率が異常に高い - 最新ライフスタイルニュース一覧" [News from poll result - The "trending fine food" everyone loves in Chiba has unusually high peanut contents after all - Recent lifestyle news at a glance]. 楽天WOMAN (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2017-08-03. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
  3. ^ "【料理と酒】アジのなめろう 朴葉味噌焼き 酒がすすみます" [Food and drink - Mackerel namero, hobamisoyaki, best for sake]. 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Sankei Digital. 2017-06-28. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
  4. ^ a b c d "ぐるっと東日本・食べる・つながる:千葉県南部 さんが焼き 美味なフードロス対策 魚、野菜、みそで香ばしい /東京". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  5. ^ a b c "さんが焼き 千葉県 | うちの郷土料理:農林水産省". www.maff.go.jp. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  6. ^ "県の郷土料理「さんが焼き」風味再現のポテチ開発" [New chips recreate the flavor of "sangayaki", the prefecture's local dish]. 日本経済新聞 (in Japanese). 2017-10-11. Retrieved 2023-06-04.