Sushi Dishes Can Be Preserved For 100 Years In Japan

Thousands of years ago, the fish, salted and rice for many months, preserved for many years, became the oldest and smelly sushi.
Sushi dishes can be preserved for 100 years in Japan
“I don't think I should open it yet. This dish is like green cheese, some people will like the taste, but it is really smelly, ”head chef Kazuyuki Ohashi at the Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel warns diners.
Ohashi is referring to a type of sushi that not everyone knows. Narezushi, one of the earliest created sushi in the world

. Since the 10th century in Japan, this fermented fish has been preserved with salt and rice, then improved to the nigiri (rice ball style sushi and sliced fish on top) that we know today.
During a trip to Shiga Prefecture, where narezushi is still very popular, a CNN Travel reporter learned more about this "ancient" dish.
Origin of sushi
Narezushi is a salted fish dish with rice - a popular way of preserving food in Southeast Asia since the 2nd century This method was introduced to Japan in the 8th century, but the documents that record narezushi must to appear in the 10th century.




Chef Ohashi said: “There is no exact information about when narezushi was in Japan, but many people think it is a family-style fish shop. Families often have their own recipe, passed down through generations ”.
Around Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake and north of Kyoto, although narezushi existed thousands of years ago, it is still an important protein food.
In the days without refrigeration, families used rice and salt to ferment and preserve fish. Usually fish will be stacked in round wooden barrels to preserve as long as possible.
Japanese orange fish, mackerel or aromatic fish can be used to make narezushi, but the most popular fish in the Lake Biwa area is the circus fish and called funazushi. Most families use their own recipe but have in common in the method of making this type of sushi
First, the fish is scaled, gutted, and salted for several months.



The fish is then combined with rice and further stored until fermentation. The storage room should be kept dark, and the fish can be stored for months, years or even decades. For centuries, people have only eaten fish and discarded fermented rice. However, by the 1500s, people began to eat both fermented fish and rice at the same time, thus affecting the way sushi is made today.
The taste of "ancient" sushi and how to enjoy it
At first, narezushi did not look like modern sushi at all. It is usually sold as a whole fish wrapped in a round bag. To prepare to enjoy, the chef will have to cut the fish into pieces and arrange them on top of a beautiful layer of rice.
Sometimes chefs prepare narezushi as a kind of porridge with hot tea, or fry it like a tempura.



However, narezushi is one of the dishes that can spoil or enhance your meal no matter how it is served because it is very smelly and has a sour taste. Of course for gourmets, the more horror the smell, the better the taste.
The chef, after taking the fish out of the rice and salt, slices it thinly and evenly. Photo: Biwako Visitors Bureau.
“People who like funazushi, they really love it. I first ate this when I was in high school, around 16 or 17 years old. I think it's awful. But my father, who is also a chef, loves this dish.



He put it in a bowl of soup and gave it to me, when I ate it much better, ”Ohashi said.
Although he did not like it at first, Ohashi later gradually fell in love with this type of sushi over time. “Now I really love this dish. Over the long term, the lactic acid and bacteria in the rice break down the fish, and when it's done, even the first part can be eaten. It's a sign of a circus fish that makes funazushi delicious, ”said Ohashi.
“Technology is something to be proud of, we are proud of creating this sushi over 1,000 years ago. When you eat funazushi, you will partly feel its historical value. If preserved for 100 years, the fish will ferment but still do not rot ", Ohashi shared.



Narezushi as long as rare, and cost hundreds of dollars. Currently, the most popular type of narezushi sold is usually kept for one year.
Sushi "ancient" in modern times
Initially, the rice marinated with fish will be removed and the Japanese only eat the fish portion. Photo: Biwako Visitors Bureau.
If you are in Japan, narezushi is easy to find and can even be found on the internet. However, for better quality, visitors should look for traditional vendors along the shores of Lake Biwa.
Kimura in Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture is a prestigious address that has been selling this dish for over 50 years. Akiko Higashimomo, a shopkeeper at Kimura said: “As fish is less and less, it becomes more difficult for people to catch enough for processing so we also consider this a special dish… it will soon become a rare item.



. Narezushi will only be for family gatherings, relatives and special occasions. Because of its unique taste and smell, this dish cannot be eaten every day..

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