Dried squid

Japanese: するめ

Dried squid. Swordtip squid, spear squid, Bigfin reef squid, Mongo squid, and Japanese flying squid are used, but the majority of production is made up of Japanese flying squid. Depending on the type of squid used, they are divided into Ichiban Surume, Niban Surume, Koutsuki Surume, and Fukuro Surume, but they also have various other names depending on the manufacturing method and region. Ichiban Surume is made using Swordtip squid, and the highest quality ones are called Ichiban Migaki Surume, and those from Goto, Nagasaki Prefecture are famous. These names were given to indicate the grade of dried squid when it was exported to China during the Edo period, and at the time the best ones were called Migaki Jojoban. The old names are still used today.

[Kaneda Hisashi]

Manufacturing method

First-grade dried squid is made by splitting the abdomen of a large, fresh swordtip squid, removing the innards, eyes, and fins, washing the squid with water, then peeling off about 80% of the skin and drying it in the sun. The semi-dried squid is then placed in a drying room until it is 80% dry, rolled over a roller to stretch it, shape it, and then dry it in the sun again. Small swordtip squid are dried in the sun without removing the fins or skin. Second-grade dried squid is made by splitting the body of the Japanese flying squid, removing the innards and eyes, washing the squid with water, and hanging it on a rope or bamboo pole with the beak still attached to dry in the sun. After drying, it is covered with straw and becomes covered with a white powder. Second-grade dried squid is of inferior quality to first-grade dried squid. It is produced in large quantities in Hokkaido, Sanriku, Shimane, and other areas. Shell-finned dried squid is made from cuttlefish with shells. It is produced in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions. For dried squid, only the body parts of bigfin reef squid and Mizuika are used, and the body is left uncut and turned inside out before drying. It is made in Kyushu.

[Kaneda Hisashi]

Ingredients and Uses

The white powder on the surface is mainly the precipitate of taurine, a sulfur-containing amino acid. Dried squid has good quality protein, but because it is hard, it is harder to digest than raw squid. It can be grilled as is, soaked in water and marinated in soy sauce with herring roe, deep-fried, or made into shredded squid, shredded squid, or cut into squid bottles.

[Kaneda Hisashi]

The best dried squid
Dried squid is called "Ichiban Dried Surume" ©Shogakukan

The best dried squid

Second dried squid
The squid used in the making of this is called "Niban Surume" (second-stage squid ).

Second dried squid

Squid Sake Bottle
Pour in hot sake and enjoy the aroma of the squid transferring to the sake. After using it as a sake bottle, grill it and eat it. You can enjoy the umami of the squid and the flavor of the sake that has soaked into it. ©Shogakukan ">

Squid Sake Bottle

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

イカの素干し。ケンサキイカ、ヤリイカ、アオリイカ、モンゴウイカ、スルメイカなどを用いるが、生産量の大部分はスルメイカで占められる。原料イカの種類により一番するめ、二番するめ、甲付(こうつき)するめ、袋するめなどに分けられるが、このほかそれぞれの製法や土地によりいろいろの名がつけられている。一番するめはケンサキイカを用いてつくるが、とくに上等のものは一番磨(みがき)するめとよび、長崎県五島産のものが名高い。こうした名称は江戸時代、するめを中国へ輸出する際に等級を示すためにつけたもので、当時、最高のものは磨(みが)き上々番(じょうじょうばん)といわれた。現在も昔の呼び名がそのまま使われている。

［金田尚志］

製法

一番磨するめは、新鮮で大形のケンサキイカの腹を裂き、内臓、眼球、ひれをとり、水洗(すいせん)後、外皮を八分どおり剥(は)ぎ、日干しする。半乾きとなったものを乾燥室に入れて八分乾きとし、ローラーを転がして伸ばし、形を整えたのち、さらに日干しする。小形のケンサキイカはひれや皮を除かずそのまま日干しする。二番するめはスルメイカの胴を裂き、内臓、眼球を除き水洗後、くちばしはつけたままで縄や竹竿(たけざお)などにかけて日干しする。乾燥後、藁(わら)で覆うと白い粉がふく。二番するめは一番するめに比べて品質が劣る。北海道、三陸、島根などで多くつくられる。甲付するめは甲をもったコウイカ類からつくる。中国、四国地方が産地。袋するめはアオリイカ、ミズイカの胴部のみを用い、胴は切らずに裏返して乾燥する。九州でつくられる。

［金田尚志］