Seasonal Delicacy


It was caught off the coast of Aomori Prefecture.

Have you ever done haiku ? We should use Kigo when doing haiku. Kigo is a seasonal word. Monkfish or Ankou in Japanese is a winter season word in haiku. For example, a great writer, Natsume Soseki(1867-1916） composed a haiku using Ankou as a Kigo. That one composed by him is written "Ankou is being cut hanging as if it were a pregnant woman." The body of Ankou is squishy so the hanging method is used when cutting instead of using a cutting board.  

An old-established restaurant
Since I was a company's employee, I have visited the restaurant.
The building was selected as a historical one by Tokyo government.
Inside the restaurant
All seats are Japanese style with low dinning tables and cushions on tatami flooring. We are ordering Ankou hot pot dish, raw Ankou liver and alcoholic drink like beer and sake.
Raw Ankou Liver !
It is eaten after being dipped in vinegared soy sauce with grated red radish and chopped green onions. Some say that is equal to the world's three greatest delicacies like foie gras, truffle and caviar. 
Main Dish
A pot of all ingredients including various kinds of vegetables and Ankou meat has been served. The restaurant waitress is going to light a gas stove.
Finale of Dinner
After eating all ingredients in the pot, she put a bowl of rice into the pot and bound egg with it. After a minute...
Yummy !
Let's share Ojiya in Japanese in each rice bowl. Ojiya is a rice soup made by putting rice in the leftover soup after eating hot pot dish. Sometimes, instead of rice some kinds of noodles like udon is put into the leftover soup.

In Japan, there are various kinds of hot pot dishes. Ankou hot pot dish is popular especially in the eastern part of Japan. Speaking of another one, Tecchiri in Japanese or blowfish hot pot dish is popular as well. Tecchiri originated in the western part of Japan so it is said that Ankou nabe(hot pot dish) is the Eastern Grand Champion and Tecchiri is the Western Grand Champion. Finally, he or she will be introduced. 

I am a blow fish. Carefully cook me.