Eel
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06.26.2015
Are you a samurai or merchant when it comes to eating eel?
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Eels have been a popular dish among Japanese for centuries. The custom of eating grilled eel to ward off summer weariness is even recorded in Japanese poetry from the 1600s. However, there's a big difference between how eels are prepared in western and eastern Japan. According to tradition, eels are split along the back in eastern Japan (including Tokyo) because samurai in the Edo era (1603-1868) wanted no reminders of hara-kiri. But in western Japan, they are split along the belly and served with the head attached because straight-talking merchants in Osaka liked the saying "hara wo watte hanasu (split one's belly and talk)". In addition, eels are only steamed before grilling in the east. Why not try eel prepared both ways and discover your own preference.
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