Kirishima Yusui Unagi Kabayaki (Frozen Broiled Eel)

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

This Kirishima Yusui Unagi Kabayaki is from the Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan. Unagi is freshwater eel (not to be confused with “anago,” which is saltwater eel). Kabayaki is a way of preparing fish, especially unagi, in which the eel is drenched in a thick and sweet soy sauce, then grilled.

An iconic part of Japanese cuisine, it has a firm meat, and a nicely sweet flavor. This Unagi Kabayaki is already grilled, making it ready to eat!

PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS

The Kirishima Yusui Unagi Kabayaki has already been grilled, then frozen. All you need to do is heat it up, and serve! The best way to enjoy it is as Unadon, which is just to serve it in a bowl, on top of steaming hot rice. You can also serve it on top of udon noodles, as well. Pair with sake, or a Riesling.

SUMMER RELIEF

Unagi is such an intrinsic part of Japanese cuisine that they celebrate “Unagi Day.” Eating unagi has been a thing since the Edo era, and this day is also known as Doyo no Ushi no Hi. It’s a summer tradition in Japan, where they eat unagi to keep up their stamina. It is believed that eating foods beginning in “u” on this day would bring relief from the intense summer heat and humidity.

For a more modern piece of trivia, fans of the show Friends will remember when Ross Gellar kept uttering the word “unagi.” He had confused the word unagi with the karate concept of “zanshin,” which is the state of total awareness of one’s surroundings.

Storage Instructions

Arrives frozen. Once thawed, it must be consumed within 48 hours.