Yaki Ago: Dried Grilled Tobiuo Flying Fish
As I mentioned in the previous post, Yakiago (焼きあご) or Yaki Ago is a dried grilled flying fish that has become a popular ingredient for ramen broth in recent years in Japan.
Tobiuo & Ago
In Japanese, Tobiuo (トビウオ/飛魚) is the word for flying fish, but in the area spanning from the northern region of the Kyushu island to the Japan Sea side, Tobiuo is sometimes called Ago (あご).
Specifically, according to this site, about 20 to 30 species of Tobiuo flying fish inhabit the oceans near Japan, among which only two species can be called Ago.
Although I live in a coastal area on the Japan Sea side of Niigata Prefecture, I hadn’t heard of the flying fish called Ago until recently when Ago dashi ramen became nationally known.
Yaki Ago Snacks
Nowadays, in Japan, Yaki Ago is available even in the form of snacks, as shown in the picture of what I bought this time.
These are simple treats made of Yaki Ago flying fish sweetened with sugar. The snack is tough, but the more you chew, the more the natural umami of the fish comes out, and the better it tastes.
If you toast the fish in the toaster oven for some minutes, it becomes tender and easy to eat. But comparing the before and after, I found I prefer the former.
Ingredients
Lastly, let’s see the ingredients. Based on the label on the back of the package, the Japanese Yakiago snack consists of Ago flying fish, sugar, salt, sorbitol, and seasoning (amino acid).
