Ika Chip: A Squid Jerky Snack sold in Convenience Stores
You may think it looks strange, but here in Japan, you can see Ika Chip (いかチップ) or squid chips lined up with gummy candies in convenience stores.
The product I got at a nearby 7-Eleven for 170 yen, Kami Kami Ika Chip (かみかみいかチップ: literally, chewing-chewing squid chips), has a familiar taste to us and is like an easy-to-eat version of Surume (スルメ).
Kami Kami Ika Chip (かみかみいかチップ)
Dried squid snacks, such as Surume and Saki Ika (さきイカ), are long-time favorites of Japanese people, and we love to eat them as Otsumami (おつまみ) with alcoholic beverages, like beer or sake.
Those are traditional Japanese treats, and their packages are typically big-sized and look a bit old-fashioned to young generations.
Possibly that is why these Ika (いか: squid) chips come in this bag with an adorable cat mascot, and associated with gummy packages, it appears more approachable to the youth.
These are chips, but unlike potato crisps, they are tough and chewy, like jerky. So the more you chew, the more umami comes out, and the snack is gradually getting tastier.
Although the maker ジョッキ/Jokki seasons the squid jerky just with sugar and salt, that is good enough to bring out the best flavor, and its taste is just like Surume and is very familiar to us Japanese.
Ingredients/Nutrition Facts
| Squid, Sugar, Salt, Sorbitol, Seasoning (including Amino acid) |
Nutritional Values
| Calories | 74 kcal |
| Protein | 12.0 g |
| Fat | 0.8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4.8 g |
| – Sugar | 4.7 g |
| – Dietary fiber | 0.1 g |
| Salt equivalents | 1.5 g |
(Reference Page: 7-Eleven かみかみいかチップ )
