Saba – Mackerel – [Sushi|Foodlore]

Description

Saba – (Pacific Mackerel.) – Hiragana: さば. Katakana: サバ. Kanji: 鯖.

• About this fish: A small meaty fish with a strong, flavourful, salty punch! (My personal favorite, though it’s often said to be an acquired taste!) Traditionally served treated with vinegar as the meat tends to spoil quickly! It’s considered one of the “skillcheck“ toppings as it takes some know-how to prepare the fish correctly, so for that reason you might not see it at every restaurant! According to Folklore from Ishikawa prefecture, Mountain dwelling Hanadaka Tengu 👺 absolutely loathe the smell of Saba! (it’s implied that they cannot stand the smell!) It’s said that if you have Saba on your breath; they won’t be able to kidnap or spirit you away!! Their dislike of the fish is so strong, that even mentioning Mackerel aloud, might make a Tengu so disgusted they might immediately return someone who had recently mysteriously vanished! –  (“Kami-kakushi” means to be “Hidden by the Gods” or to be “Spirited Away.”) – [More about tengu here.]

See also: Horse Mackerel, Aji.

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