Where to eat Anago-meshi in Hiroshima
Grilled saltwater conger eel laid over rice that has been cooked in stock made from the eel bones, a Miyajima dish sold at the ferry crossing since the early twentieth century.
The story of Anago-meshi
Anago-meshi began as a station bento at Miyajimaguchi, the mainland ferry landing for Itsukushima. Anagomeshi Ueno, founded in 1901, is credited as the originator and still grills eel to a house sauce over rice cooked in a seasoned broth. Conger eel is leaner and lighter than the freshwater unagi used elsewhere in Japan, and the Seto Inland Sea has supplied it in quantity for centuries. The bento version is one of Japan's best-known ekiben, and the queue at the counter still forms before opening.
How to make Anago-meshi
Serves: Serves 2
Ingredients
- 2 prepared conger eel fillets, about 150g each
- 300g Japanese short-grain rice
- 400ml dashi
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sake
- Sansho pepper to finish
Method
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and drain it for 15 minutes.
- Cook the rice in the dashi with 1 tbsp of the soy sauce and 1 tbsp of the mirin.
- Simmer the remaining soy sauce, mirin, sugar and sake for 5 minutes until slightly syrupy.
- Grill the eel fillets skin side up under a high heat for 4 minutes, then turn.
- Brush with the sauce and grill for 2 minutes. Repeat the brushing and grilling twice more.
- Slice the fillets across into 2cm strips, lay them over the rice and spoon the last of the sauce on top.
- Finish with a light dusting of sansho pepper.
Editor tip. Conger eel dries out faster than freshwater eel, so brush and glaze in short passes rather than leaving it under heat.
The editor picks for Anago-meshi in Hiroshima are still in research. Meanwhile, see the Hiroshima signature-dishes index or the Hiroshima food guide.