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is a type of cured , a processed seafood product common in Japanese cuisine. It was initially made in the year 1115.

Production and uses

is made by forming various pureed deboned white fish with either natural or man-made additives and flavorings into distinctive loaves, which are then steamed until fully cooked and firm. These are sliced and either served unheated (or chilled) with various dipping sauces, or added to various hot soups, rice, or noodle dishes. is often sold in semicylindrical loaves, some featuring artistic patterns, such as the pink spiral on each slice of , named after the well-known tidal whirlpool near the Japanese city of Naruto.

thumb|A model of a 12th-century meal including the earliest known example of kamaboko.

There is no precise English translation for . Rough equivalents are fish paste, fish loaf, fish cake, and fish sausage. , chef and author, recommends using the Japanese name in English,

Outside Japan

Hawaii

In Hawaii, pink or red-skinned is readily available in grocery stores. It is a staple of saimin, a popular noodle soup created in Hawaii from the blending of Chinese and Japanese ingredients. is sometimes referred to as 'fish cake' in English.

After World War II, surplus Quonset huts became popular as housing in Hawaii. They became known as " houses" due to the Quonset hut's half-cylindrical shape, similar to .

See also

  • (grilled )
  • Fish ball (boiled )
  • (boiled )
  • (deep-fried )

References

  • Suzuhiro Kamaboko - How to make Kamaboko