Kaki furai
Photo: Ceeseven · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Fried oysters are a yoshoku dish, part of the Western-influenced cooking that entered Japan from the late nineteenth century, and Hiroshima adopted them wholesale because the raw material was on its doorstep. In the prefecture they are a winter staple rather than a novelty, sold in oyster restaurants, kaki-goya sheds and ordinary teishoku counters between roughly October and March. The local convention is a coarse panko crust and a very short fry, so the oyster keeps its liquor rather than shrinking into the coating.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Common allergens: Shellfish, Gluten, Egg

Make it at home

Yield Serves 2Hands-on 20 minTotal 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 12 shucked oysters
  • 60g plain flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 80g coarse panko
  • Neutral oil for deep frying
  • 200g white cabbage, finely shredded
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped cornichon
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

  1. Pat the oysters dry on kitchen paper. Any water on the surface will make the coating slide off.
  2. Set out three bowls: flour, beaten egg and panko. Coat each oyster in that order, pressing the panko on firmly.
  3. Heat the oil to 180C. Test with a crumb: it should sizzle and rise straight away.
  4. Fry the oysters in batches of four for 90 seconds until the crust is deep gold.
  5. Drain on a rack rather than paper so the underside stays crisp.
  6. Mix the mayonnaise, cornichon and lemon juice for the tartare and serve with the shredded cabbage.

Tip from the editors. Ninety seconds is the whole cook. Any longer and the oyster tightens and gives up the liquor that makes the dish.

Where to eat kaki furai

Kaki furai in Hiroshima

Kakibune Kanawa ★ 4.7

¥¥¥¥ Tasting ¥9,000Oyster barOtemachi

Kakibune Kanawa has farmed its own oysters since 1867 and serves them from a boat moored on the Motoyasu river in central Hiroshima, raw and in courses.

OrderThe kaki-zukushi oyster course, 9,000 yen on the Seto deck

Book1 week ahead

TipOysters come from the company's rafts off Okurokami island, which is why the raw plates run through the colder months.

Directions

Kaki Goya Fukuromachi Umihei Shoten ★ 4.4

¥¥¥ Oyster barFukuromachi

Kaki Goya Fukuromachi Umihei Shoten keeps Hiroshima's fisherman-hut oyster format running indoors all year, one kilo of shells steamed in a can.

OrderThe kilo of oysters steam-grilled in a can over the burner

TipUnlike the seasonal huts on the waterfront this branch runs year round, but the oysters are still plumpest between October and March.

Directions

All Hiroshima signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want kaki furai covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →