Namero

What is Namero?

Namero

Namerou (なめろう・ナメロウ) is
a dish made by pounding fresh horse mackerel, sardines or other fish meat, mixed with ginger, spring onions, shiso leaves, miso and other ingredients, with the back of a knife or similar tool until it becomes sticky.

One of a number of dishes made by pounding uncooked meat or fish into small pieces, known as Tataki-namasu or Tataki.

It is said to have originated on the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture and is said to have spread from fishermen’s cuisine. It is said to be so tasty that people even try to lick the plate, hence the name ‘Namero’, which is similar to the sound of the Japanese word ‘Nameru’ meaning ‘lick’.

It is mainly made from horse mackerel, but also bluefish such as sardines, saury and flying fish, and seasonal fish such as bonito, squid, sea bream, yellowtail and flatfish are also used, and it’s sometimes referred to in restaurants by the name of the fish used, such as ‘Aji no Namero- horse mackerel namero’ or ‘Katsuo no Namero, bonito namero’.

In the past, it was eaten in homes mainly in the coastal areas of the Boso Peninsula, but nowadays it is often served in taverns and restaurants in and outside Chiba Prefecture, and has become widely known throughout Japan, with recipes being introduced on TV, in books and on the internet.

Sanga yaki

There are dishes in which ‘namero’ is cooked on a griddle or in a frying pan, and these are known as ‘sanga’ or ‘sanga-yaki’.