Nihon Chomiryo Tabi
What ishiri is
- A fish sauce made at the tip of the Noto Peninsula, and one of Japan's three great fish sauces. In some areas it is called ishiru.
- The main ingredient is squid innards. That is where it parts from Akita's shottsuru, which uses fish such as sailfin sandfish.
- It is a form of fish sauce particular to Noto, a squid town, and it has taken deep root in life in Okunoto.
- The three great fish sauces: ishiri from Noto, shottsuru from Akita, and ikanago shoyu (いかなご醤油) from Kagawa.
Nam pla from Thailand, nuoc mam from Vietnam. Fish sauce, made by fermenting fish with salt, strikes many people as a Southeast Asian seasoning.
Japan has its own fish sauces carried down from long ago, though. One of them is ishiri, made at the tip of the Noto Peninsula.
One of Japan's three great fish sauces
Ishiri is counted, along with shottsuru from Akita and ikanago shoyu from Kagawa, among Japan's three great fish sauces.
In some areas it is called ishiru, and it is a fermented seasoning that has taken deep root in life in Okunoto. Even among fish sauces the making differs from place to place: where shottsuru mainly uses fish such as sailfin sandfish, ishiri takes squid innards as its main ingredient. It is the form fish sauce takes in Noto, a squid town.
Behind a quiet scent sits a surprisingly deep savor. That is what ishiri has to offer.
Squid and salt only, 2 years of fermentation
The ingredients of ishiri are squid innards and salt. Nothing else.
Brewing starts in the cold of midwinter, and the mixture ferments and ages slowly for over 2 years through the seasons of Noto. The makers stir it again and again, waiting for the raw material to turn into liquid. You could call it a seasoning that only time can make.
The liquid that emerges from that long fermentation is thick and syrupy, loaded with savory compounds. A few drops in a dish and the outline of the taste stands up sharply.
Kaneishi Noto no Ishiri: from Ogi, a squid-fishing town
The maker still turning out this ishiri is Kaneishi, in Ogi (小木), Notocho. Ogi is a port town long known for squid fishing, and ishiri making has continued there as the knowledge of using every part of the squid brought ashore.
Squid innards from the waters off Noto, salt, and over 2 years of aging in Noto's climate. The scent is quieter than you expect, and the savor is deep. You need not brace yourself at the words "fish sauce."
How to use ishiri
- In Noto-style kaiyaki (貝焼き) or ishiri nabe
- A few drops into the shoyu for sashimi, to lift the savor
- As a background note in fried rice, pasta or yakisoba
- A very little to season lightly pickled vegetables
Start by adding a few drops to your usual shoyu. Two years of Okunoto time turn into depth in a dish.
Frequently asked questions
What is ishiri?
It is a fish sauce (gyosho) from the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture. Salt is added to squid innards and the mixture is fermented and aged for over 2 years. In some areas it is called ishiru. It is a long-standing Japanese savory seasoning made by fermenting seafood with salt.
What is the difference between ishiri and shottsuru?
Both are fish sauces made by fermenting seafood with salt, and together with Akita's shottsuru and Kagawa's ikanago shoyu they are counted among Japan's three great fish sauces. The difference is mainly the raw material: ishiri uses squid innards, while shottsuru uses fish such as sailfin sandfish. Ishiri is known for the dense savor that comes from squid.
How should I use ishiri?
In Noto it goes into kaiyaki, cooked in a shell, and into ishiri nabe. At home, a good approach is to start small: a few drops mixed into the shoyu you dip sashimi in, or a background note in fried rice or pasta. Its scent is quiet, which is said to make it easy to handle even if fish sauce is new to you.
