Processed fish paste product. すり身。
"Surimi" literally means "ground flesh." Surimi was developed in Japan many centuries ago (first documented in 1115; tsumire is even older) when it was discovered that washing minced fish meat, and then heating it, resulted in a natural gelling. Such "fish gel products" can then be mixed with other ingredients as starch or egg.
[Kanikama]
Neriseihin or nerimono is the general name for such "kneaded seafood." It has a smooth, somewhat resilient texture. Usually white fleshed fish such as cod or pollock is used of a type that easily gels. The minced fish is then mixed with starch, sugar, salt and egg white. In the 1960s frozen surimi was developed.
Products made from surimi are popular in the Japanese kitchen and take many forms.
[Tub of surimi]
Types:
- Kamaboko, fish cake formed into distinctive loaves. First produced in Kanagawa prefecture.
- Kanikama, imitation crabmeat sticks, also popular outside Japan. Wide variety of use, from futomaki sushi to salads.
- Chikuwa, tube shaped, broiled fish cake
- Satsuma-age, deep-fried fish cake from Kagoshima (in the past called Satsuma), small, flat disks with a distinctive, rich flavor
- Tsumire, fish balls
- Gobo-maki, surimi rolled around a piece of burdock and fried
- Hanpen, soft and fluffy white fishcake, made by mixing pureed fish with grated yam. The mixture is whipped to create air bubbles and then placed in a mold and simmered.
- Jako-ten. Tempura made with surimi and shaped as flat rectangles.
- Ebi-dango, surimi from shrimp made into balls
- Ika-dango, surimi from squid made into balls
- Fish sausage or gyoniku sausage. Sausage made from surimi - tastes unexpectedly fishy!