Anagomeshi (あなご飯)
Anagomeshi (conger rice) is a local dish from the Setouchi area in Hiroshima Prefecture.
Summary
Originally, this dish started as a kind of fishermen's cooking in Setouchi area.
The best season for conger myriaster is mid-January and summer. In particular, those caught in mid-January are said to be the best.
Broiled conger caught in the Setouchi area are served on top of rice in a bowl like 'unadon' (a bowl of rice topped with grilled eel).
It is also well-known as a type of ekiben (a box lunch sold on a train or at a station), sold at the Miyajimaguchi Station and Hiroshima Station.
Especially, 'Ueno' located near the Miyajimaguchi Station is famous because it has not increased the variety of ekiben, selling only 'anagomeshi.'
It always purchases only congers which are caught not by fishing net but by fishing rods from local fishermen of the Jigozen area.
Also, at the above-mentioned 'Ueno,' other than ekiben, steaming hot anagomeshi are served on the spot.
Recipe
First, broil a conger: split open the fish along the back, take away its backbones, head, tail and fins, pierce the fish with metal skewer, grill it and grill it again with sauce made with sugar, soy sauce, mirin (sweet cooking rice wine) and sake which tastes salty-sweet till glazed.
While grilling, put the sauce repeatedly, and when it is done, cut the fish into pieces of around three cm.
Cook rice with a small amount of sauce, dish out into a bowl and top it with the broiled conger. Sometimes, broiled conger pieces are mixed into cooked rice.
Ginger amazuzuke (pickling in sweetened vinegar) sometimes come with the dish.