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Sex Wax
04-01-2008, 02:05 PM
Unagi: To Eat or Not Eat the Eel.

One of the foods that took me a long time to try was Unagi or Eel. I just kept thinking of them slimy Eels that used to swim around the area I grew up. Once I finally tried it (after a few Orion Drafts), I loved it. I found out there were two different types that are used for food here. Unagi and Anago. I like both now. What do y'all think of it?

Unagi (うなぎ) is the Japanese word for freshwater eels, especially the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica. Saltwater eels are known as anago in Japanese. Unagi are a common ingredient in Japanese cooking. Unagi is served as part of unadon (sometimes spelled unagidon, especially in menus in Japanese restaurants in Western countries), a donburi dish with sliced eel served on a bed of rice. A kind of sweet biscuit called unagi pie made with powdered unagi also exists. Unagi has a distinct taste and is quite expensive.

Specialist unagi restaurants are common in Japan, and commonly have signs showing the word unagi with the first letter, the hiragana u, う, made from the curved shape of an eel. Lake Hamana in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka prefecture is famous throughout Japan as the home of the highest quality unagi; as a result, the lake is surrounded by many small restaurants specializing in various unagi dishes.

Unagi is high in protein, vitamin A, calcium, cholesterol and saturated fat.

Unagi is often eaten during the sultry, hot summers in Japan. There is even a special day for eating Unagi, the midsummer day of the Ox.
- Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unagi

Unagi and Rice
http://www.oui-blog.com/erin/archives/unagi.jpg

Anago Sushi
http://www.jenius.com.au/images/miyabi_sushi010.jpg

Grilled Unagi
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y135/Pandabonium/slide/unagi_.jpg

:thumbup1:

DougP
04-01-2008, 02:08 PM
I like it, still unsure about using that propane/butane torch to heat it up though.:)

thistle
04-01-2008, 02:18 PM
Nol I don't like it. It is still slimy and oily no matter how well cooked it is!

I'll stick to Goya:rolleyes:

Sex Wax
04-01-2008, 02:20 PM
I like it, still unsure about using that propane/butane torch to heat it up though.:)

I have never ate it that way...have you tried it, or just seen it. I've seen them do that on Japanese T.V.. Looked kinda fun.

okisteve
04-01-2008, 02:21 PM
I don't like it, and even if I did I would be very sure that it wasn't imported from China before eating it.

DougP
04-01-2008, 02:21 PM
I see it happen a lot in restaurants(blow torching)

okisteve
04-01-2008, 02:25 PM
They use a torch at the sushi place we go to, mostly for salmon and bonito.

Courtney
04-01-2008, 02:36 PM
I say EAT IT! yummy... We juts had some today and I gave the baby a few bites to she how she liked it! She was impressed and screamed for more! =)
the whole fam loves it!

P_chan
04-01-2008, 02:37 PM
I tried it, but really didn't like it. Too much of a fishy taste for me. But at least it looks tasty.

Sex Wax
04-01-2008, 02:44 PM
I really like that Unagi Sauce when it is poured on the Unagi and rice. I put some on grilled Chicken once and it tasted good also.

http://www.efooddepot.com/products/images/A/200/0/256/Unagi_Sauce_(Kabayaki_No_Tare).jpg

http://www.mountfuji.co.uk/acatalog/5227-200.jpg

Courtney
04-01-2008, 02:48 PM
I really like that Unagi Sauce when it is poured on the Unagi and rice. I put some on grilled Chicken once and it tasted good also.

http://www.efooddepot.com/products/images/A/200/0/256/Unagi_Sauce_(Kabayaki_No_Tare).jpg

http://www.mountfuji.co.uk/acatalog/5227-200.jpg

Yup great sauce, ii have some in the fridge right now! =)
Where can you get fresh Unagi? I would love to BBQ some this weekend!

Sex Wax
04-01-2008, 02:49 PM
Yup great sauce, ii have some in the fridge right now! =)
Where can you get fresh Unagi? I would love to BBQ some this weekend!

We always get ours from San-A or Kanehide.

TheLastDon
04-01-2008, 02:50 PM
The only time I can eat unagi is when it's fresh. They have some places where the unagi is alive in the front of the restaurant. I can eat it then, after they cook it of course.

Courtney
04-01-2008, 02:51 PM
not to change the topic, but where is a San-A. I rember seeing one, but cant recall where! Its probably right infront of my face...

mikersoft
04-02-2008, 01:52 PM
I like it!

I remember one time they had a couple big wading pools full of live unagi set up in front of that big department store in Naha (end of Kokusai street). They had contests for kids to catch as many as they could within a set time.

Well, someone decided to pick out the gaijin watching on the side and asked him (me) if he wanted to try it. Man, those things were tough to catch! In the end, they gutted one for us and put it in a bag of ice to take home. My wife cooked it up for dinner. :)

-Mike

Alana
04-03-2008, 01:36 PM
my husband introduced me to it before he told me what it was, i like it, cant describe the taste, but its easy to eat. not tough, or slimy, or squishy, like i expected an eel would taste.

Trail
04-03-2008, 01:42 PM
not to change the topic, but where is a San-A. I rember seeing one, but cant recall where! Its probably right infront of my face...

San-A's are all over. We go out Gate 3 to get to the main San-A. Look for the yellow sign with 3 red triangles in a large red circle.

Jazz
05-13-2008, 03:51 PM
Unagi is great! I'd like to grill some fresh stuff, still haven't done that.

okinawa
05-13-2008, 04:16 PM
Its ok if you like catfish, i.e. gritty flesh. Smells really good when your driving by a place thats Q-ing unagi.