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Unagi

So what's with unagi?

I must be honest, before I came to Japan it never occurred to me that I'd one day end up eating an eel. In Tokyo and across Japan however, this is a revered dish. Listen to Tokyoites talk about the powers of eel and you might think this is some kind of miracle food.

Ushi No Hi

Eel is thought to be a stamina giving food by the Japanese and in summer it is eagerly consumed in the belief that it will help boost energy and stem the lethargy that comes with the Tokyo weather during the heat of July and August.

How true this is I have no idea, but "ushi no hi" is definite proof that the Japanese are convinced of the power of eating eel.

"Ushi no hi" is the day of the year, usually in July, that is marked as the hottest day of summer. Food stalls across Tokyo will frantically cook all manner of eel dishes to satisfy the demand on this special day.

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Eel Variations

If you want to try this one there are a number of types you can choose from:

• Kabayaki - eel on skewers
• Unagi-don - grilled eel on rice
• Kimosui - soup made from eel livers
• Shirayaki - plain grilled eel with no sauce for flavouring
• Unagi-zushi - finger pieces of eel on rice sushi style

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Acquiring a Taste for Eel

I've got to be honest, unagi is not my favourite Japanese food - actually that's an understatement.

Sorry but I really don't like it. Why? Well eel is served with bone and pieces of cartilege along with the flesh of the fish. It's just about impossible to seperate the two from each other so if you want to eat eel be prepared for some crunchy moments.

I did try it though and would never tell anyone not to. I still think it looks delicious, especially when it's covered in the brown sauce that it's often served with. It's purely a matter of taste.

The one note of caution I would make is be careful of those bones. It can be very unpleasant if you happen to get one stuck in your throat.