うざく（uzaku)
What kind of dish is Uzaku??
glaze-grilled eel = unagi kabayaki kyuri = cucumber
This dish consists of cucumbers marinated in a sauce made with sugar and vinegar and topped with Unagi Kabayaki (glaze-grilled eel).
Kabayaki is a dish made by smearing fish with a rich sauce made from dark soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake, then grilling it until it is fragrant.
Unagi (eels) look like snakes, but they are actually fish.
Eels grow in rivers and lakes and spawn in the sea. There are many fish that spawn in rivers and grow in the sea, such as salmon and sweetfish, but fish with the reverse ecology are very rare.
Eels are expensive, so they are not a common food. However, eels have become easier to obtain in recent years due to advances in farming techniques.
In most supermarkets, eel is sold processed into kabayaki.
Kabayaki eels are very fatty and go perfectly with the rich, fragrant sauce. It’s definitely worth trying.
The most popular way to eat eels is as eel rice balls, called unajyu.
Other typical ways to eat eels are umaki, which is an egg roll with unagi kabayaki inside, and uzaku.
The rich flavor of unagi kabayaki and the refreshing taste of vinegared cucumber surprisingly go well together.
Doyo no ushi no hi（土用の丑の日）
In July, when the heat is in full swing, many people get exhausted and get sick in this season.
Each of the 18 days before Ritsuka is called ‘Doyo‘.
On the calendar, dates are assigned to the twelve signs of the zodiac, and the ox day comes around in a 12-day cycle.
In other words, during the period of doyo” before the beginning of summer, the day that overlaps withday of the ox” is ”midnight day of the ox”.
In Japan, there is a custom to eat eel on this “Midsummer Day of the Ox”.
Eels are difficult to handle, so most people buy already cooked eel kabayaki.
In the Kansai region, the eel is cut open on the belly side, and in the Kanto region, it is cut on the back. In the Kanto region, the key is to steam the eel once before grilling it.
The reason why people started eating eel on this day is unknown, but it was probably thought that the high calorie and high protein content would help build physical strength.
Eel is also very high in retinol, a type of vitamin A. This is also a nutrient that tends to be deficient, so it is a food that you want to ingest from time to time.
NUTRITION FACTS of Uzaku (Glaze-grilled eel with pickled cucumber)
- 228 kcal
- Protein 15.0 g
- Fat 13.0 g
- Carb 13.0 g
- Salt Equivalent 2.6 g
INGREDIENT for Uzaku (Glaze-grilled eel with pickled cucumber) (2SERVINGS)
- Cucumber 100g
- Salt 2g
- ☆Vinegar 18g
- ☆Sugar 7g
- ☆Light soy sauce 4g
- Glaze-grilled eel 60g
- Ginger 4g
Uzaku (Glaze-grilled eel with pickled cucumber) COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Slice the cucumbers to a thickness of 2 mm
- Rub salt into the cucumbers and wait 10 minutes
- Squeeze the water out of the cucumbers
- Mix vinegar, sugar, and light soy sauce and microwave for 20 seconds
- Soak the cucumbers in the marinade
- Cut the glaze-grilled eel into 1 cm pieces
- Slice the ginger into thin strips
- Place the cucumbers on a plate and top with the eel
- Garnish with ginger
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