Squid fermented in its own salted viscera, eaten in tiny spoonfuls as a chaser to sake. It is an Edo-period preservation method from the fishing ports, and the salted innards are what cure the flesh.
It is a salt-and-enzyme ferment of raw seafood held at ambient temperature for weeks, where the salt ratio against the weight of squid is the only safeguard — and squid viscera additionally carry Anisakis, which the cure does not reliably kill.
What goes into it
- squid, with its liver and viscera
- salt, at around a tenth of the weight
- sometimes sake or mirin
How it is made
The squid is cleaned, the flesh cut into strips and the liver reserved. Flesh and mashed liver are mixed with a heavy dose of salt and packed into a sealed jar, then left at cool room temperature for one to four weeks. The enzymes in the viscera break the flesh down while the salt holds everything else back, and the jar is stirred daily.
How long it takes: one to four weeks
How it is eaten
A teaspoon at a time with cold sake or shōchū, or over hot rice.
History
An Edo-period preservation method for fishing ports; the salted innards cure the flesh, producing a pungent paste eaten in tiny spoonfuls.
Frequently asked questions
What is Shiokara?
Shiokara is a fermented & pickled from Japan: squid fermented in its own salted viscera, intense brine chaser for sake. An Edo-period preservation method for fishing ports; the salted innards cure the flesh, producing a pungent paste eaten in tiny spoonfuls.
How is Shiokara made?
The squid is cleaned, the flesh cut into strips and the liver reserved. Flesh and mashed liver are mixed with a heavy dose of salt and packed into a sealed jar, then left at cool room temperature for one to four weeks. The enzymes in the viscera break the flesh down while the salt holds everything else back, and the jar is stirred daily. It takes one to four weeks.
Can I make Shiokara at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. It is a salt-and-enzyme ferment of raw seafood held at ambient temperature for weeks, where the salt ratio against the weight of squid is the only safeguard — and squid viscera additionally carry Anisakis, which the cure does not reliably kill.
What goes into Shiokara?
Squid, with its liver and viscera, salt, at around a tenth of the weight, sometimes sake or mirin.
How is Shiokara eaten?
A teaspoon at a time with cold sake or shōchū, or over hot rice.
