Simmered igami (Japanese parrotfish) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Wakayama Prefecture

Simmered igami (Japanese parrotfish)

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Main lore areas

Around Tanabe City
Main ingredients used

Igami

History/origin/related events

Commonly known as “budai”, igami (Japanese parrotfish) is a typical inshore fish that can be found in the southern regions of Wakayama Prefecture. Igami has a distinctive fishy smell in summer, but from fall through winter, the smell disappears due to the fish’s staple food of seaweed found on rocky shores, and its thick white flesh is plump and succulent. In Tonda in Shirahama Town and around Tanabe City, it is customary to eat boiled whole igami instead of sea bream during the New Year. Igami is also a key part of fish dishes served during festivals. It is said that the name “budai” originated from a saying that “lords would eat tai (sea bream), and the common people would make do with fish that had “tai” in its name”. Igami was not a particularly popular fish for eating, but it is thought that it gained popularity because of its delicious taste.
Opportunities and times of eating habits

Igami is caught by gill-net fishing from November to January. In winter, the taste of igami is best when the temperature of the tide is below 20 degrees Celsius, but the taste changes when the temperature of the water rises, and because of this, the igami caught north of Tanabe City is more valuable. In Tonda in Shirahama Town and Tanabe City, igami is boiled and eaten during the New Year instead of sea bream.
How to eat

Igami is simmered whole with sugar, soy sauce, and sake before being served. Because its entrails are removed before cooking, daikon slices are stuffed into the belly of igami to maintain its shape when it is served during festivals and celebrations. When simmered, the flesh of the igami is succulent, delicious, falls away from the bones easily. The broth from simmering igami is rich in gelatin and becomes cloudy when cool. It can be eaten together with the flesh to create an aroma and unique flavor reminiscent of the ocean. Igami is a versatile fish that can be used not only for simmering, but also for making miso soup, fried fish, stews, and dried fish.
Efforts for Preservation and Succession

Simmered igami is a fish dish that has been passed down from generation to generation in the southern part of the prefecture. It is a typical inshore fish that is an indispensable part of fish dishes served during local festivals and the New Year.

RECIPE

Ingredients (2 servings)

Igami 2
Daikon 1
Bamboo sheath 1 pc
Sake 200ml
[Seasoning A] Soy sauce 200ml
[Seasoning A] Water 200ml
[Seasoning A] Mirin 200ml
[Seasoning A] Sugar 70-100g

How to cook

1. Remove the scales and innards of the igami and cut slits in the fish.
2. Cut the daikon into 2cm slices.
3. In a saucepan, bring the sake to a boil, then add seasoning A and simmer.
4. Place the daikon slices on top of the bamboo sheath and place the igami on top of the daikon slices. Lift carefully using the bamboo sheath and transfer to a pot.
（Stuff the daikon slices into the belly of the igami.)
5. Cook over high heat, occasionally basting with the broth.

provider : "Let's tell and make the most of Wakayama's food ingredients and food culture" (Wakayama Prefecture Lifestyle Research Group Liaison Council, Wakayama Prefecture)

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

Simmered igami (Japanese parrotfish) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Wakayama Prefecture