Ika no Sugata Fry : A Classic Japanese Squid Cracker
Summer is nearly upon us. It’s the perfect season for icy chilled beer. When drinking beer, we Japanese usually prepare “Otsumami (おつまみ)”
Otsumami is a Japanese word for finger foods and nibbles that are eaten with alcoholic drinks like beer.
If I give examples of unique Japanese Otsumami snacks, what come to mind right away are the 3 representative types of Japanese dried squid snacks, “Surume (するめ)”, “Noshi-ika (のしイカ)”, and “Saki-ika (さきイカ)”.
In addition to these, actually there is one more Japanese squid snack that shouldn’t be forgotten when we talk about Otsumami.
Ika no Sugata Fry (いかの姿フライ)
It is “Ika no Sugata Fry (いかの姿フライ)” that we Japanese often have as a food accompaniment for beer and other alcoholic beverages, together with Surume, Noshi-ika, and Saki-ika.
The Japanese Otsumami snack, Ika no Sugata Fry is a classic deep-fried squid cracker that has long been loved in Japan. What I picked up this time contained a bunch of Ika Sugata Fry crackers in the package, so it was a kind of value pack.
As you can see from the shape, the name of the Japanese snack, “Ika no Sugata Fry (いかの姿フライ)” literally means “fries with the appearance of whole shape” in Japanese.
Ingredients
According to the ingredient list on the back of the package, this Japanese “Ika Fry (イカフライ)” snack mainly consists of wheat flour, squid, bread crumbs, starch, fish paste, vegetable protein (including soybeans), and eggs, and is seasoned with salt, sugar, sweeteners, and spices.
Taste
Thus, this Japanese squid cracker has a little salty, gentle sweet taste as a whole. It has a nice crunch and is not oily at all. Ika no Sugata Fry is similar in flavor and texture to the Ikaten snack that is known as a specialty of Hiroshima Prefecture.
Where to Buy
The Ika no Sugata Fry cracker is one of the most beloved Otsumami snacks in Japan, so it is available in most supermarkets and many convenience stores around the country.
