Tsukudani

Tsukudani (佃煮) is small seafood, meat or seaweed that has been simmered in soy sauce and mirin.[1] High osmotic pressure preserves the ingredients. Its name originates from Tsukudajima, the island (in present-day Chūō, Tokyo) where it was first made in the Edo period. Many kinds of tsukudani are sold. Traditionally made tsukudani is preservable and has been favored as a storable side dish in Japanese kitchens since the Edo period.

A dish of tsukudani made from kombu

Tsukudani can be made with kombu or wakame seaweeds. It is usually eaten with steamed rice as a flavoring agent since the flavor is very intense (approximately 1 tbsp for one bowl of rice). Finished tsukudani is served chilled from the refrigerator where it takes on a gelatinous texture.

Local variations

• Asari no tsukudani, made with little neck clam - Chiba Prefecture
• Ikanago no kukini (いかなごのくぎ煮), made with sand lance - Hyōgo Prefecture
• Inago no tsukudani, made with locusts - Fukushima Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture
• Zazamushi tsukudani (ざざむしの佃煮), made with stonefly and caddisfly larvae - Ina, Nagano

References

1. "How to: Homemade shio kombu or kombu no tsukudani". justbento.com.