Nigai
What is Nigai?
1. Nigai (煮貝・boiled shellfish) is a dish made by boiling clams, turban shells, cockles, surf clams, and other shellfish in a broth made from soy sauce and sake.
The most famous dish is ‘boiled abalone’.
Boiled abalone is known as a local dish, a Yamanashi specialty, and a famous Yamanashi product.
It can be eaten as is, sliced, or grilled.
Why boiled abalone became a local dish in landlocked Yamanashi
During the Edo period, abalone caught in Suruga Bay was transported to Kai Province, but at the time there was no refrigeration or freezing system like today, so the abalone was processed in Suruga Province, pickled in soy sauce, packed into barrels, and transported on horseback along the Nakamichi Okan (Ko-Shun Kaido).
The journey from Suruga to Kai took about a day and a half, and during that time the barrels loaded on the horse’s back were warmed by the horse’s body heat.
Furthermore, as the horse walked, the barrels vibrated, allowing the flavor to seep into the abalone inside the barrels, making them delicious by the time they arrived in Kai Province.
2. Nigai (苦い・にがい) is a Japanese word that means bitter.
It is used in expressions such as “This coffee is Nigai” and “This vegetable is Nigai”.
Bitter taste is called “Nigami.”
