Ika no Shiokara: All About the Japanese Food Delicacy
As in other countries, Japan has various food delicacies or Chinmi (珍味), some of which take on a bizarre appearance and an unpleasant smell (yet have a good taste).
Examples of such Chinmi include the five stinky Japanese foods I talked about before, and what I introduce here, Ika no Shiokara (イカの塩辛), is also among them.
Ika no Shiokara (イカの塩辛: Squid Shiokara)
Ika no Shiokara (イカの塩辛) is one of the Chinmi food delicacies representing Japan. In its name, Ika (いか/イカ) means squid in Japanese,
while Shiokara (塩辛) stands for traditional Japanese food made by salting and fermenting seafood such as raw fish slices, fish guts, or squid bits.
So Ika no Shiokara is the Shiokara made of squid. It consists of small pieces of salted fermented squid, which usually comes in a glass jar.
The Chinmi has such a bizarre appearance, like mud, that if you first see it, you might wonder if it is edible.
If someone serves you this gross-looking stuff with a thick viscous liquid, could you eat it, keeping up appearances?
In addition to the first impression, its peculiar smell may also disgust you.
How to Enjoy
Nonetheless, Ika no Shiokara is packed with distinctive umami and is tasty, though it is pretty salty with a strong flavor.
Therefore, we Japanese like to eat it with a warm bowl of white rice. The Chinmi also sometimes comes in pasta dishes, vegetable salads, or Ochazuke.
Ochazuke (お茶漬け) is a Japanese rice bowl dish consisting of a bowl of white rice garnished with some toppings and soaked in hot green tea. In the video, the topping is squid Shiokara.
Ingredients/Nutrition Facts
Next, let’s see the nutrition facts and the specific ingredients used in the Momoya Ika no Shiokara.
| Squid, Salt, Mirin, Fermented seasoning, Seasoning (including Amino acid), Glycerol, Sorbitol, Alcohol, Sweetener (Licorice), Stabilizer (Xanthan), Antioxidant (Vitamin E) |
Nutritional Values
| Calories | 105 kcal |
| Protein | 13.9 g |
| Fat | 1.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9.3 g |
| Salt Equivalents | 17.3 g |
Where to Buy
Ika no Shiokara is a casual Japanese delicacy that’s long been around for centuries, available at most supermarkets in Japan.
(Reference Page: Momoya Ika Shiokara )
