Hatahata are consumed daily in the coastal areas of Akita. Using creativity, the local people have invented a variety of dishes so that they can consume hatahata often without becoming tired of the repetition (since hatahata are gregarious fish, they tend to be fished in large quantities). Some dishes include Shottsuru-nabe (a hot pot with fermented hatahata soup), Kai-yaki (hatahata grilled on a shell), boiled hatahata, salt-grilled hatahata, dengaku (grilled hatahata with a sweet soy bean paste), dried hatahata, and hatahata sushi. Due to the large catches, techniques for preserving hatahata have developed as an alternative to serving it raw, as it would expire relatively quickly. Hatahata cuisine is also essential for Namahage plates, which are served during the end-of-year rituals of Namahage. Due to this strong association with the culture and society of Akita, hatahata was registered as the official fish of Akita Prefecture on December 6th, 2002, and as the official fish of Oga City on April 1st, 2005.
The origins of hatahata cuisines are thought to be strongly related to the fishermen’s cuisines. It is said that the fishermen who worked day and night used to cook hatahata by placing them on the grill in a pan or basket, which was large enough to serve the whole family. The pleasure of consuming the food together increased the level of enjoyment of the hatahata cuisines.
Shottsuru: Shottsuru is believed to have been first made by Oto Sukeemon (a man from the current Araya District, Akita City) during the early Edo era for personal use. It was originally called “Shio-Jiru” due to the liquid (jiru) that is squeezed from the salt-pickled (shio) hatahata; its name was influenced by the local dialect and was changed to “Shottsuru.”
Oga Shottsuru Yakisoba: The commercial and industrial association of Oga City has established the Council for the Promotion of the Use of Shottsuru in January 2010. In hopes of presenting the new usage of Shottsuru and to activate the town’s economy, the council invented the “Oga Shottsuru Yakisoba” (fried noodles of Oga with Shottsuru) as a new local dish.
How to make Shottsuru: 1) Hatahata is pickled with salt, 2) The mixture is stirred periodically, 3) The mixture is left still for 2 to 3 years, 4) The mixture is tasted for finishing touches, and 5) The mixture is strained to extract the liquid, which is the Shottsuru!
Presented in cooperation with the Moroi Jozo Company (in Oga City).
