Sanga Yaki
Perfectly soft and fluffy grilled delight

About Sanga Yaki

Sanga Yaki (さんが焼き, Sanga yaki) is a traditional dish from the Boso Peninsula area, where fish like horse mackerel, sardines, and Pacific saury have been abundantly caught for generations.

Fishermen would prepare a simple dish called *namerou* by finely chopping fresh fish together with miso—a method that was easy to do even on their unsteady fishing boats. The dish got its name from how delicious it was—so good that people would metaphorically "lick their plates clean."

When heading to the mountains for work, these fishermen would pack *namerou* into abalone shells and cook it by steaming or grilling it in mountain cabins. In old Chiba dialect, the word "○○'s house" takes on the form "○○ga." Hence, the dish cooked in mountain shelters came to be called "Sanga Yaki."

While horse mackerel is available all year round, it tastes best in early summer, just before spawning season. To prepare Sanga Yaki, *namerou* can be grilled directly on an iron plate or stuffed into scallop or abalone shells and cooked over a grill. The key to a delicious Sanga Yaki is thoroughly pounding the fish mixture until it becomes sticky.

This versatile dish is enjoyed as a perfect accompaniment to rice or as a savory pairing with sake.

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