Fukui Local Cuisine: Saba Nuta

Hey, food lovers! Let’s talk about a zesty and refreshing dish from Fukui Prefecture called Saba Nuta. It’s a simple preparation of mackerel combined with flavorful condiments, and it really highlights the quality of the local fish. This dish has a cool history tied to the old trade routes, so there’s some interesting background to it as well. Let’s get into the details.

Dish Name: Saba Nuta

• Region / Location: Obama area, Fukui Prefecture
• Primary Area of Tradition: Obama area
• Main Ingredients: Mackerel, green onions, miso, karashi mustard, sugar, vinegar, salt

How It’s Eaten / Served

The mackerel is salted for a while, then pickled in vinegar. The skin is removed, and the fish is cut into 1cm-wide pieces. It’s then seasoned with karashi mustard and miso. Along with green onions, other aromatic vegetables like nira chives, ginger, myoga ginger, or shungiku (chrysanthemum greens) are sometimes added. The combination with “Yatabe Negi,” a traditional local green onion variety, is particularly popular. Ingredients used with “Saba Nuta” include various aromatic vegetables, as well as konnyaku and roasted sesame seeds.

Cultural Background and Preservation

Obama, a central location in Wakasa Bay, was the starting point of the “Mackerel Road,” where fish were carried on people’s backs to Kyoto. Since ancient times, from the Asuka and Nara periods, it was known as “Miketsukuni” (a land providing food for the emperor), recognized for its important role in providing food to the imperial court. It’s said that the salt used to prevent spoilage resulted in the perfect saltiness of the mackerel by the time it reached Kyoto. Since the Miketsukuni era, seafood from Wakasa Bay has been highly valued throughout Japan as “Wakasa-mono.”

The mackerel caught in Wakasa Bay is fatty and flavorful. “Saba Nuta” is made by pickling this mackerel in vinegar and combining it with green onions, karashi mustard, and miso. Locally, “nuta” is also called “nota” or “dorozu,” and it has been passed down since ancient times. Pickling the mackerel in vinegar makes it easier to peel the skin, and it’s delicious when combined with aromatic vegetables.

At the “Miketsukuni Wakasa Obama Food Culture Center,” they actively work to pass on local cuisine to the next generation through cooking classes for children (Kids Kitchen, Junior Kitchen) using local ingredients. They also hold the “Healthy Hometown Cooking Club” every year, where people can enjoy local dishes like “Yatabe Negi no Saba Nuta,” making efforts to promote traditional cuisine.

Additional information:

• Mackerel (サバ): A common and flavorful fish, especially prized when caught in the Wakasa Bay.
• Karashi (からし): A type of Japanese mustard, known for its pungent flavor.
• Negi (ねぎ): A Japanese long green onion.
• Miketsukuni (御食国): A historical term for a region that provided food to the imperial court.
• Konnyaku (こんにゃく): A jelly-like food made from the starch of the konnyaku potato.