What is shottsuru? One of Japan's three great fish sauces, kept in Akita for 300 years

A seasoning made by fermenting fish is the kind of thing that makes people brace themselves. In Akita, though, it has sat in kitchens as a matter of course for more than 300 years.

Shottsuru. The local seasoning of Akita Prefecture, and one of Japan's three great fish sauces.

Shottsuru, one of Japan's three great fish sauces

Fish sauce (gyosho) is the general name for a liquid seasoning made by fermenting and aging seafood with salt. Nam pla and nuoc mam from Southeast Asia are the famous ones, but Japan has its own fish sauces in various regions.

Among them, Akita's "shottsuru," "ishiru" from the Noto area of Ishikawa Prefecture, and "ikanago shoyu" from Kagawa Prefecture are called "Japan's three great fish sauces." Shottsuru is built mainly on hatahata, the prefectural fish of Akita, and is said to have come out of a preserving culture built for getting through winter on the cold Sea of Japan coast.

Hatahata and salt, and nothing else

The making of shottsuru is about as plain as it gets. Hatahata and salt go into a barrel, ferment for a long stretch, and the clear liquid that rises is pressed off. No additives; the fish, the salt and the time make the taste.

Moroi Jozo in Oga City, Akita Prefecture has been making this shottsuru since its founding in 1930. The ingredients are hatahata and sun-evaporated salt only, and fermentation and aging take a full 3 years. Compared with fish sauces built mainly on sardines, it is said to be gentler in scent, with the savory depth coming through more deeply. This bottle has taken the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award at the national judging of processed seafood products, and is listed in the Slow Food movement's Ark of Taste. It is the straight, unbent version of the method.

Putting it to work in home cooking

Mention shottsuru and people think of "shottsuru nabe," the hot pot of hatahata simmered with vegetables, which is how it is eaten where it comes from. Its uses do not stop at the hot pot.

• Shottsuru nabe: with hatahata or white fish and vegetables. A few drops in place of dashi settle the seasoning
• Yakisoba and fried rice: a few drops at the finish shift the depth of the savor a step
• Pasta: in place of nam pla, for either a Japanese or a Southeast Asian direction
• Egg over rice: a few drops instead of shoyu, and the deep savor only fish sauce gives spreads out

There is no need to brace yourself at the words fish sauce. Start with a few drops in something you already cook. The fermentation Akita has kept for 300 years is testable at tonight's table.

Frequently asked questions

What is shottsuru?

A fish sauce (a liquid seasoning made by fermenting fish) handed down in Akita Prefecture for more than 300 years. It is made from nothing but hatahata, the prefectural fish, and salt, and it is counted as one of "Japan's three great fish sauces" alongside "ishiru" from Noto and "ikanago shoyu" from Kagawa.

Does shottsuru have the strong smell fish sauce is known for?

It varies with the ingredients and the years of aging, but a full shottsuru fermented for a whole 3 years is said to be gentler in scent than fish sauces built mainly on sardines, with the savory depth further forward. A few drops used quietly in a dish already sharpen its outline.

Where can I buy shottsuru?

"Akita Shottsuru, 100% Hatahata," made by Moroi Jozo in Oga City, Akita Prefecture (founded in 1930), can be bought from the brewery's own online shop (130g, 2,160 yen including tax). It has taken the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award at the national judging of processed seafood products, and is listed in the Slow Food movement's Ark of Taste.