The summer heat persists, yet the sun begins to set faster each day without us realizing it. You can hear the echo of chirping insects at dawn and dusk. It’s the time of year welcoming Autumn.

Many foods are in season in Autumn. In Japan, Autumn is also referred to the season of our appetites. Of all the foods savored in Japan in Autumn, one stands forth as the representative of them all: Sanma. Wouldn’t you agree?

Sanma hatch in the ocean south to Japan, migrating to the north near Hokkaido during summer where they feed and grow. And in Autumn, the migratory fish travel from Tohoku to Kanto to lay eggs. Until recently, one Samna filet would cost only about 100 yen, but global warming has altered their migratory route, making them a luxury fish.

There are many ways to prepare Sanma: such as sashimi, boiled, and cooked with rice. But the most representative way is salt-grilled. This preparation grills the fish to a near-char, then tops it with juice of the sudachi fruit and grated daikon radish to give it an aromatic flavor of Autumn that spreads in your mouth. You’ll feel grateful for enjoying this salt-grilled Sanma along with other Japanese seafood delicacies and miso soup, with freshly cooked rice. We also can’t forget to acknowledge Sanma nigiri-sushi at this time of year.

You’ll be seeing a lot of Sanma in stores this time of year, so let’s learn the ways to choose quality fish:

①When picking it up by the tail, it should fall straight down;

②It shouldn’t have cloudy eyes;

③The tip of its beak should be slightly yellow;

④The head should appear slightly small.

These days, a lot of fish are sold in supermarkets already packaged, so you can’t hold them in your hands to do all of the above tests, but it is important to pay attention to make sure the eyes are cloudy, and to check the floor of the beak. You can check these even with packaged fish, so please give these important factors a thorough examination!

Source: Tokyo College of Sushi and Washoku: The College Headmaster’s One-Dish Course Series.

http:///www.sushi-tokyo.jp/blog-headmaster

Photo source: Tokyo College of Sushi and Washoku: The College Headmaster’s One-Dish Course Series.

http:///www.sushi-tokyo.jp/blog-headmaster