Shirasu (whitebait) - Shirasu

Japanese: しらす(白子) - しらす

A general term for the colorless and transparent bodies of many kinds of young fish, including anchovies, Japanese sardines, round herring, sand lance, and others. Shirasu-boshi is when they are eaten raw or boiled in salt water and then dried. Shirasu-boshi is what you see in the "Ryori Ami-me Chomi-sho" (1730) as "chirimen" and in the "Shinsen Kenratsu Burui-shu" (1776) as "chirimen-zako," and in the Kansai region they are still called "chirimen-jako" today. They can be served with grated daikon or in vinegared dishes, or simmered with Japanese peppercorns in a tsukudani style.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

カタクチイワシ，マイワシ，ウルメイワシ，イカナゴその他多くの種類の稚魚で，体が無色透明なものの総称。それらをそのまま，あるいは塩水で煮て干したものをしらす干しという。《料理網目調味抄》(1730)に〈ちりめん〉，《新撰献立部類集》(1776)に〈縮緬（ちりめん）ざこ〉と見えるのがそれで，関西では現在も〈ちりめんじゃこ〉などと呼ぶ。おろしあえ，酢の物などにするほか，サンショウの実とつくだ煮ふうに煮込むのもよい。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Shirasu - Whitebait

>>: Shirasu