Katsuobushi

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Dried bonito pieces (katsuobushi)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation



. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Katsuobushi (鰹節 or かつおぶし) is the Japanese name for a preparation of dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis, sometimes referred to as bonito). Katsuobushi and kombu (a type of kelp) are the main ingredients of dashi, a broth that forms the basis of many soups (such as miso soup) and sauces (e.g., soba no tsukejiru) in Japanese cuisine. It is today typically found in bags of small pink-brown shavings.
Larger, thicker shavings, called kezurikatsuo (削り鰹; けずりかつお), are used to make the ubiquitous dashi stock. Smaller, thinner shavings, called hanakatsuo (花鰹; はなかつお), are used as a flavoring and topping for many Japanese dishes, such as okonomiyaki.

Traditionally, large chunks of katsuobushi were kept at hand and shaved when needed with an instrument called a katsuobushi kezuriki, similar to a wood plane, but in the desire for convenience this form of preparation has nearly disappeared. Katsuobushi, however, retains its status as one of the primary ingredients in Japanese cooking today.

Katsuobushi's umami flavor comes from its high inosinic acid content. Traditionally made katsuobushi, known as karebushi, is deliberately planted with fungus (Aspergillus glaucus) in order to reduce moisture.

When hanakatsuo is added as a topping to a hot dish, the heat has the effect of making the flakes move as if dancing; because of this, katsuobushi topping is also known as dancing fish flakes.

Other than the main ingredient of dashi stock, other popular uses of katsuobushi include:

As a stuffing for rice balls (onigiri).
As a seasoning for cold tofu (hiyayakko, 冷奴) along with grated ginger and Welsh onion (a type of spring onion.)
As a topping for rice (called furikake).
Sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped nori atop cold soba noodles (zarusoba).
As a topping on takoyaki and okonomiyaki.
As a seasoning on century egg along with sesame oil and soy sauce.
As a high-protein treat for cats sold at pet stores.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


hartgetrockneter Bonito,
Späne von gehobeltem Bonito



Cats walking on Katsuobushi
Three cats perform, with great skill, a traditional Edo period acrobatic act called rangui watari 乱杭渡り.
The cats have replaced the usual poles with katsuobushi (dried bonito fish).
Utagawa Hiroshige : Cats Crossing to Eat, 1830-1844


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kigo for all summer

shinbushi 新節 (しんぶし)
new dried bonito shavings
new katsuobushi 鰹節 of the season

namabushi 生節 (なまぶし) raw katsuobushi
namari なまり, namaribushiなまり節（なまりぶし）


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Butterbur and sweet potato mixed with bonito flakes

Historical records describe soldiers taking bonito flakes to the battlefield in the Sengoku Period (middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century). Bonito flakes were eaten as rations as can be seen in this description:
"Eating this invigorates oneself, lightens the mood and alleviates hunger."
The Japanese word for bonito flakes, "katsuo bushi", is pronounced the same as "winning samurai". Hence, bonito flakes were eaten to wish for good fortune for the samurai.

- source : facebook.com/thesamuraigourmet.jp

勝侍

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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


katsuobushi kezuriki
かつおぶし削り器 cutter box for katsuobushi
with Daruma pattern 三つだるま印

The box is about 11 cm high and 11 cm wide and 25 cm long.




Photos from my friend Ishino

Hobel für Bonitospäne

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HAIKU



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Related words

***** Katsuo and Maguro dishes Tuna and Bonito


***** WASHOKU : INGREDIENTS

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