Suruga Bay is one of Shizuoka Prefecture's richest fishing grounds and is known for its large catch of high quality baby sardines.
Suruga Bay faces the Pacific Ocean and is therefore fed by fresh seawater and nutrient-rich ocean currents.
For this reason, shirasu is considered fresh and tasty.
In addition, the shirasu landed in Suruga Bay is characterized by its relatively uniform size.
This is believed to be because Suruga Bay has stable water temperatures and ocean currents, making it a suitable environment for growing baby sardines.
When Shirasu is in season
In Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture, fishing is prohibited from mid-January to mid-March.
Therefore, the season is from April to September, when the ban is lifted, and the plankton that feeds on whitebait can increase from summer to fall when the sea water temperature rises,
Very tasty and popular.
Shirasu Price
Shirasu (whitebait), which is landed in Suruga Bay, is available in large quantities and at relatively reasonable prices.
For this reason, Suruga Bay Shirasu, which is popular among many people, is a popular gift and souvenir.
Dried baby sardines are a good quality protein
Dried baby sardines are one of the healthiest foods rich in protein.
Protein is necessary for the formation of muscles, bones, and internal organs, and is also an essential nutrient for the repair of body cells and tissues.
The protein in dried baby sardines is important as a nutrient necessary for the formation of muscle, bone, and skin.
Protein also boosts the immune system and helps in the recovery from illness and injury.
Furthermore, the protein in dried baby sardines is believed to slow the rise in blood glucose levels with meals.
This is due to its ability to stimulate insulin secretion during protein digestion and absorption.
When blood glucose levels rise rapidly, insulin is excessively secreted, which increases the metabolism of carbohydrates and facilitates fat accumulation in the body, though,
Protein intake can reduce this risk.
Low Calorie Dried baby sardines are rich in protein and nutrients, yet low in calories, making them safe to eat on a diet.
As described above, dried baby sardines have many advantages over other protein sources, including a good balance of amino acids, good digestibility, high absorption efficiency when consumed with fat, and low calorie content.
Delicious way to eat dried baby sardines
Shizuoka residents love dried baby sardines, which are not only eaten as a snack on their own, but are also used in various dishes.
Delicious recipes using dried baby sardines landed in Suruga Bay
Ponzu (grated whitebait and ponzu citrus juice)
Material
- 1 piece dried baby sardines
- 1 piece grated ginger
- Ponzu vinegar ... to taste
How to make:.
- Cut dried baby sardines into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.
- Top with grated ginger.
- Finish by pouring ponzu (Japanese sauce made from soy sauce and citrus juice) over the top.
Shirasu no Nimono
Material
- 2 pieces dried baby sardines
- Dashi stock ... 400ml
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin (sweet cooking sake)
- Sugar ... 1/2 teaspoon
- 1/2 tsp. light soy sauce
- 1/2 konnyaku (konjac) ... 1/2 sheet
- 1/2 carrot ... 1/2 carrot
- 1/2 burdock root
How to make:.
- Cut dried baby sardines into 3 cm pieces.
- Cut konnyaku, carrot and burdock root into bite-size pieces.
- Put broth, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and light soy sauce in a pot and bring to a boil.
- Add konnyaku, carrot, and burdock root and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Add dried baby sardines and cook for 5 minutes.
Shirasu ahijo.
Material
- 2 pieces dried baby sardines
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ... 3 tablespoons
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 red pepper ... 1
- Salt ... to taste
- Parsley ... to taste
How to make:.
- Cut dried baby sardines into bite-sized pieces.
- Slice garlic and red pepper.
- In a frying pan, saute garlic and red pepper in olive oil.
- Add dried baby sardines and season with salt.
- Sprinkle with parsley to complete the dish.
Stir-fried dried baby sardines and greens.
Ingredients] (Serves 2) - Dried baby sardines ... 30g - Greens (komatsuna, rape blossoms, etc.) ... to taste - Garlic ... 1 clove - Olive oil ... 1 tablespoon - Sake ... 1 tablespoon - Soy sauce ... 1 teaspoon ・Soy sauce ... 1 teaspoon ・Peppercorns ... a little
How to make...
- Cut the greens into appropriate sizes and boil them.
- Lightly rinse dried baby sardines in cold water and drain.
- Mince the garlic.
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan and add garlic to release its aroma.
- Add dried baby sardines and stir-fry, then add sake and skim off the alcohol.
- Add greens and season with soy sauce and pepper.
- When the stir-fry is complete, place in a bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
Dried baby sardines and egg omelette.
Ingredients] (Serves 2) - Dried baby sardines ... 30g - Eggs ... 4 - Salt ... 1/4 teaspoon - Pepper ... a little - Water ... 1 tablespoon - Salad oil ... to taste
How to make...
- Lightly rinse dried baby sardines in cold water and drain.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and add salt, pepper, and water.
- Place a frying pan over heat and heat the salad oil.
- Pour in the egg mixture and sprinkle with dried baby sardines.
- Cook slowly over medium heat, and when semi-cooked, fold the top and bottom of the omelette over.
- Remove the omelette and top with ketchup or mayonnaise, if desired.
Be sure to bring home a souvenir of dried baby sardines, a specialty of Suruga Bay!
Shirasu caught in Suruga Bay is dried fresh to bring out the best of the ingredients.
The drying process is also ingenious: drying them in direct sunlight brings out their flavor and aroma, making them even more delicious.
Dried Shirasu (dried baby sardines) from Suruga Bay is one of the region's most popular and highly recommended specialty products.
