November Seasonal Japanese Seafood

Salmon roe, pulled out of its sac and simply marinated in the sweet soy sauce of Kyushu, is irresistible this time of year. We love it so much it is on the table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Crabs are also coming to market. Another highlight this time of year is fresh scallops and oysters, both best when raw.

Kawahagi may not be the most beautiful fish to look at, but when cut of its leathery skin, and served as sushi with its liver, it is heavenly.

Shirako, or milt, is often from cod fish, but Japanese chefs I speak with say that the best milt comes from fugu. Many people who try this love its creaminess and velvety texture. But, once you tell them what it is they sometimes change their mind. Here it is steamed and then served with a tart ponzu and grated daikon with chili.

Amadai  赤甘鯛  tilefish (Branchiostegus japonicas)                                       

Ankō 鮟鱇 monkfish (Lophiomus setigerus)　　　    　　　         　　

Asaba karei 浅羽鰈  rock sole (Pleuronectes mochigarei)                                 

Chidai   血鯛  crimson sea bream (Evynnis japonica)　　　 　              　　

 Hata はた grouper  (Epinephelus septemfasciatus)                                    

Hata hata 鰰 sailfin sandfish (Arctoscopus japonicus)　　        　　　　　

Higedara ひげたらsnubnose brotula (Hoplobrotuda armata)　 　

Hi ika ひいか winter dwarf squid  (Nipponololig (Loliolus) japonica)     

Hirame 鮃 olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)　　           　　　　

Hotate 帆立貝 scallops (Patinopecten yessoensis)　　    　    　　　　　　　

Hon kamasu 本カマス barracuda　(Sphyraena pinguis)        　  　　

Hon kawahagi 本皮剥 thread-sail filefish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer)  　

Ibodai　疣鯛  Japanese butterfish (Psenopsis anomala)　             　　　　

Ise ebi 伊勢海老  Japanese spiny lobster (Panulirus japonicas)  　                

Ishi karei いしかれい Stone flounder (kareius bicoloratus)                                

Itoyori　イトヨリGolden threadfin bream (Nemipterus virgatus)         

Kanpachi  間八 amberjack (Seriola dumerili)              　　　      

Kou ika こういか cuttlefish (Sepia (Platysepia) esculenta)                      　

Kuro karei くろかれい black plaice (Pleuronectes obscurus)              

Kurumaebi 車海老   Japanese tiger prawn (Marsupenaeus japonicas)

Kaki 牡蠣 oyster (Crassostrea gigas)                                                         

Matara 真鱈 codfish (Gadus macrocephalus)　       　　            　　　　　

Masaba  真鯖   Pacific mackerel (Scomber japonicus)             　　 　

Matsuba gani  松葉蟹 spiny crab (Hypothalassia armata)　         　

Mebachi maguro  目鉢鮪 bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus)         

Medai  目鯛  butterfish (Hyperoglyphe japonica)                                       

Meita karei  めいたかれいfine spotted flounder (Pleuronichthys cornutus)  

Mekajiki  めかじき swordfish (Xiphias gladius)                      

Mongouika  もんごういか  cuttlefish (Sepia lycidas)　                        　　　　　　

Mutsu  むつgnomefish  (Scombrops boops)　　　　　      　　　　　

Nametagarei  婆鰈  slime flounder (Microstomus achne)　　 　　　　

Sawara  さわら Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius)

Sanma　秋刀魚  Pacific saury (Cololabis saira)     　　　　　　　　

Shiba ebi  芝海老  Shiba shrimp (Metapenaeus joyneri）  　　　　             

Shiro ika  白烏賊swordtip squid (Loligo (Photololigo) edulis) or kensaki ika　　　

Shirosake  白鮭   chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)　　            　　

Souda katsuo  宗田鰹bullet mackerel (Auxis rochei)                                  

Sujiko  筋子  chum salmon roe　　　　　　　　　　　　             　　　 　

Sukesou tara  助宗たら pollock（Theragra chalcogramma)　　　　     　　

Suma katsuo  すまかつお  black skipjack (Euthynnus affinis)        　

Surume ika  スルメイカ　Japanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus)   

Tairagai  平貝 penshell (Atrina (Servatrina) pectinata)            　　　　　

Wakasagi  若細魚 Japanese smelt (Hypomesus nipponensis)                        

 Warasa  ワラサ  yellowtail  (Seriola quinqueradiata)　　　　　 　   　　

Yoshikiri same  よしきりさめ blue shark (Prionace glauca)              

Watarigani  渡蟹   swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus)                     

Zuwaigani  頭矮蟹  snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio)