Dried squid (surume)

Calmar séché (surume)

What it is

Japanese has two names for the same dried squid because of a superstition about the first: suru also means to lose at gambling, so the auspicious substitute atarime, from atari, a win, was coined and stuck. In the yuinō betrothal exchange it is written with characters chosen only for their sound — long life, staying, woman — and the squid itself is not really the point.

In the kitchen

Toast it briefly over a flame until it curls and smells sweet before it goes into a stock; untoasted it gives a flat, fishy broth. For braises, soak it 30 minutes in water or rice wine and add the soaking liquid to the pot.

Goes with

Koikuchi shoyu Junmai sake Gochugaru Daikon Kombu Ginger

Same species

Shiokara

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