In my last post I used fish sausage, a pleasant pink substance, and got some questions about it (such as what it is/where to buy it/ etc) so I thought I'd make a post about it with the brand I buy and as much general information as I could find.
There are many brands of fish sausage out there, though not many are widely available outside of Japan. Fish sausage is in the same family of foods as kamaboko, hanpen, chikuwa and the like. The fish is steamed then milled very fine, spices and flavors are added, then it is formed into a shape and cooked again.
As it is a fish product, its naturally low in fat (unless a lot is added in its manufacture), rich in calcium and DHA and considered a health food of sorts... or a lesser of evils since fish sausage must contain some amount of preservatives to keep it stable enough for manufacture and shipping. I did read somewhere that the type and quantity of preservatives legally able to be added to fish sausage is really small and tightly restricted.
From what I can tell, in Japan its used a lot the same way we use ham in the United States. You can cut it fifty billion shapes and add it to just about anything. Because its pre-cooked, right out of the package you can add it to salads, sandwiches, wraps, have it plain or with dip, etc etc. It has a mild flavor so it wont over power most dishes. You can add it to stirfries, soups, caseroles, pasta, anything really. Even just pan fry it and eat it as is with sauce.
Since I moved away from Seattle, what I have access to is limited (compared with the resources I had in Seattle T_T) This is the only brand that is available, currently, where I live. This is the front cover of the bag. Its called Maruha Fish Sausage. Haha... I have opened the bag and eaten one already so there is one missing. Its a bright red bag and hard to miss - unless of course the aisle is filled with red packaging.
This is the back of the bag, with the nutritional information. Of course the recipe will change by brand but this one contains: Pollack, water, cornstarch, soybean oil, rape oil, sugar, soybean paste, onion, calcium carbonate, pepper, gelatin, msg, cochineal extract, pyroligneous acid extract, disodium5-ribonucleotide, trisodium citrate, garlic.
O_O Wow... I never really looked at the ingredients because they are hidden under the flap of the package... but good think I eat these like maybe once or twice a month only. >_> Perhaps I should look for a brand with less additives.
This is what the individual sauasages look like. They come individually wrapped in plastic to preserve their freshness (and so your fridge does not smell like fish!). They are quite easy to open.
As for the purchase of these sausages, the best place to look is your local Asian markets. Its a perishable product, not shelf stable, and must be refrigerated. Though it is possible to have it shipped directly to you through a third party (I have seen this on the internet) and in a refrigerated container... the shipping and the additional fee of the company makes it, at least in my opinion, not worth the hassle or the money. Because it must be refrigerated, you would have to have it shipped overnight or 1 day with dry ice. =_=;;; No piece of pink, processed fish that should not cost more than a couple dollars is worth that. Please look at your local stores! If your store has a section with kamaboko, hanpen, fish balls, etc... its a good bet to look in that section.
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