Akagai – [Sushi|Foodlore]

Description

• Akagai – 赤貝 – (Arkshell)

• About this clam: Sometimes considered the monarch of shellfish, This huge ribbed cockle is also known as the “Blood Clam” specifically because it contains an iron-based hemoglobin, thus they have red ‘blood’ (However Clams dont bleed, so its technically “clam juice”) but the colour is quite similar to a human blood when they’re pried open: so naturally its famously said to ‘bleed’ as they’re prepared; (the same juice is also often used as a red dye for fabrics!) its known for its vibrant red-orange color and thick, meaty crunchy-yet-chewy texture. Freshest in the fall, A sure fire way to tell if the Akagai is at its best: is that after being prepared, any knife cuts will furl open and the  Hashira(adductor muscle) will appear to expand a bit! (when prepared as Sashimi: it kind of resembles a little octopus!)

Sadly, these clams are a luxury ingredient and are sadly quite hard to find in the wild these days, its nearly impossible to obtain outside of specific places. (As with hamaguri  & most other Japanese clams it’s farmed, largely due to the disaster that was the 2011 Tohoku Earthquakes which ruined their natural habitat.) The Master Sushi Chef “Jiro Ono” noted in books and various interviews that the healthiest farmed ones came from Yuriyagi in Miyagi prefecture. Today, these clams are also being farmed in Oita, Kagawa & Shimane Prefectures as well!

In one of Japan’s oldest history books called the “Kojiki’; Akagai appear alongside ‘Hamaguri’ as a pair of shinto goddesses called “Kisagaihime and Umugaihime” in the story; they save the storm god Susano’s son, Okuninushi, from burning to death! The two quickly create a medicinal salve reviving him using Arkshells & Clam juice (supposedly this was an old folk-remedy for burns!) Today, A very cute bronze statue depicting these clam princesses can be found at the Tamatsukuri Onsen, just outside of Matsue!

[Sticker art by @Samkalensky, Part of my Nigiri Sushi/Foodlore collections.]

[The artist/author would like to note:  it is very difficult to draw a clam without making it look like a “clam.” any phallic symbolism was not unintentional. ]