Aomori Prefecture is famous for its abundant seafood, including tuna from Oma and scallops from Mutsu Bay, as well as squid, flatfish, and whitebait. Many ekiben featuring such abundant seafood are sold at Shin-Aomori Station. This time, I chose the “Sanpachi bento” from among them, which has a slightly unusual name. The name didn’t give me a clear idea of the contents of this ekiben, and I wondered what a “sanpachi bento” was.
According to the description, the name comes from the use of “Misawa Lunch Squid Akatombo,” a brand of Japanese common squid that operates off Misawa Port around noon during the day and is landed at Misawa Port by evening, and “Hachinohe-maeoki Mackerel,” caught from operations off Hachinohe Port.
When you take off the lid, you will see the mackerel and squid laid out in a tight row. The mackerel is served with shime saba and deep-fried tatsuta, while the squid is served with dried squid meat and geso (fish paste) simmered in a sweet and spicy sauce.
The first thing I did was to try the shime saba (mackerel) as it was. The mackerel had a very rich and fatty flavor. The mackerel has a very rich, fatty mackerel flavor, with a mild greenish smell that is uniquely mackerel. The mackerel from Hachinohe is said to be the “fattest mackerel in Japan,” and it is indeed true to its reputation.
On the other hand, the mackerel fried in soy sauce has a slightly darker flavor. Deep frying softens the fish’s foul smell and adds a savory flavor that is quite different from that of the shime saba (mackerel).
Next is the squid, which I first tasted as is. The squid was processed in a dried overnight style, which gave the impression that the flavor of the squid was more concentrated. The texture is not as crispy as that of raw surume-ika, but the texture is firm and the more you chew, the more the flavor spreads.
Also, the geso (squid gizzards) are stewed in a sweet and spicy sauce with a very strong flavor. It is a bit salty, but the more you chew it, the more it mixes with the squid flavor and the more delicious it becomes.
By the way, while the shime saba and squid in this Sanpachi bento are delicious enough to eat as is, there is a recommended way to eat them. The best way to eat them is to pour the “squid sauce,” which is served separately in a small container, over them. This sauce is based on squid guts, and is served over shime saba and squid to enhance the taste.
At first, I thought that the strong flavor of the squid’s guts might overpower the original taste of each fish, but when I tried it, I was pleasantly surprised. The strong flavor of the shime saba (mackerel) and squid did not interfere with the original taste of the meat, but added more umami and richness, which amplified the flavor at once. I was surprised at this, and the deliciousness of the dish made me forget about myself and kept my chopsticks going.
In addition, the mackerel and squid are served with a bed of vinegared rice underneath, and this squid fu sauce goes very well with the vinegared rice. When I actually tried it, I strongly felt that it is an ekiben that is completed with squid fu sauce.
That said, the mackerel and squid are also outstanding in their own right, so it is best to taste them without the sauce at first, and then add the sauce to enjoy the change in flavor.
The mackerel and squid may not be as glamorous as other seafood, but the taste more than makes up for it. If you like seafood, you will definitely be satisfied with this ekiben.
© Source travel watch