Kamaboko Guide: 11 Types of Japanese Fish Cakes

Kamaboko is a type of Japanese fish cake made from pureed white fish, called surimi (ground meat). The fish cake includes binding agents, such as egg whites, and natural flavoring, like sake. Kamaboko is made by steaming, frying, poaching, or grilling the fish cake until it is firm. It’s a popular Japanese food on its own, as a topper for noodles and soups, or as imitation crab meat for sushi rolls.

Kamaboko was developed to preserve fish for long periods of time. A variation of kamaboko may have been served first during the Heian period in the eighth century to a nobleman at a celebratory dinner. In fourteenth-century Japan, different types of white fish were combined into a gelatinous paste to make kamaboko. The food is so prevalent in Japan that in 1983, November 15 was designated Kamaboko Day.

Kamaboko comes in various flavors and has many different uses in Japanese cooking:

1. 1. Red kamaboko: This is one of the most common types of kamaboko fish cake. This steamed fish cake has a pink exterior and white interior and is a popular topper for noodle soups such as ramen, soba, and udon.
2. 2. White kamaboko: White kamaboko is a popular type of steamed Japanese fish cake with a white exterior. White kamaboko is sometimes grilled until the outside is golden. Both the red and white kamaboko are eaten during Japanese New Year since red and white colors signify good luck.
3. 3. Narutomaki: This kamaboko has a ridged exterior with a pink-and-white interior spiral when sliced. Narutomaki is a typical garnish for soups or sushi.
4. 4. Kani kamaboko: This kamaboko, also known as kanikama (imitation crab sticks), is made by seasoning fish paste with crab liquid. It’s popular for sushi rolls.
5. 5. Chikuwa: This fish cake is tubular and hollow on the inside, and the exterior is grilled. It is eaten in oden (Japanese fish cake stew), fried as tempura, stir-fried in sauce, or eaten alone as a snack.
6. 6. Chīkama: This kamaboko is made with cheese and sold as a snack in Japanese convenience stores.
7. 7. Jakoten: This kamaboko is fried and served with soy sauce or as a garnish for soups.
8. 8. Sasa kamaboko: Sasa kamaboko is a lightly grilled fish cake shaped like a bamboo leaf.
9. 9. Specialty kamaboko: These steamed fish cakes are colorful and feature interior designs such as flowers, trees, or animals. Specialty kamaboko are part of osechi ry, special bento boxes served during Japanese New Year.
10. 10. Hanpen: This triangular fish cake is created by mixing white fish paste with Japanese mountain yam. Herbs, ginger, or shiso can add flavor to the boiled fish cake. Oden and datemaki, a type of egg dish eaten during Japanese New Year, feature hanpen.
11. 11. Satsuma age: This fish cake, a specialty in the Satsuma region of Japan, is made by frying a mixture of surimi and flour.

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