Namataki Zeiho
- “Raw Cooking Method”
: Freshness, tradition, and technique.
Namataki Zeiho - Raw Cooking Method：
As the name implies, this is a technique of
preparing raw ingredients in their raw state.
However, we do not just cook any raw ingredients in tsukudani.
Fresh ingredients are delivered in the early hours of the morning and cooked with our secret sauce.
The focus of this method is the “raw” state of the ingredients.
When raw ingredients are placed in the sauce, the flavor is released into the sauce.
However, by the time the rice is finished cooking, the flavor that once melded into the sauce returns to the ingredients.
The returned flavor is condensed in the sauce, and the deliciousness of the sauce is packed inside.
Yamashita’s representative product is “Nama-Taki Shirasu Tsukudani.”(Raw cooking sand lance tsukudani)
Among all the fresh tsukudani products, Yamashita’s attention to detail is top-notch.
First, of which is the freshness of the ingredients. The young sardines sourced from Maehama and other
beaches are brought directly to the factory and checked for their freshness and quality.
They are then weighed and cooked immediately.
Fishing boats return to the harbor at midnight, long before dawn breaks.
Even though it is early in the morning, there are many people in the factory.
The incoming product is weighed manually and transferred to colanders.
The cooking process of the young sardines is a delicate one. Little by little in an
iron pot that might seem small for a factory is poured over by careful artisans.
They judge the best timing with their own eyes, hands, and experience to make
the fish firm yet soft tsukudani.
We call this “cooking hard and soft”, a paradox at first glance. Yet to anyone who’s
ever experienced this culinary delight firsthand knows it’s no contradiction.
Indeed, the texture is firm and crunchy, yet soft enough to quickly melt into the mouth.
The “hatsugama” in May and June is even more special.
The texture of tsukudani can only be experienced during this time of year.
With such delicate ingredients, the expert knowledge and experience of the artisans is required
to prepare them.
With a combination of natural freshness and the skill of the artisan, the fish stays firm and yields
a hardand soft tsukudani.
With a combination of natural freshness and the skill of the artisan, the fish stays firm and yields
a hard and soft tsukudani.
Furthermore, the “secret cooking broth” gives the tsukudani its gentle yet vibrant taste. The
sweetness and saltiness are distinct, making it a delicious dish to be eaten over and over again.”
In addition to sand lance tsukudani, there are also prawns, oysters, and scallops.
All of these products are made with the freshest ingredients and by our expertly skilled artisans.
As is the case with all of our products, the work at the factory is done almost entirely by hand.
This extends not just to the cooking process, but also bagging and boxing as well.
We may have a limit on production capacity, but our products have a gentle, nostalgic taste that
only handmade products can have.
Izushi is a winter-only product.
