What is saba in sushi?鯖
This time, I looked into the various names and seasons for sushi saba.
How to call saba
【saba】mackerel サバ 鯖
There are many species of mackerel, but when it is simply called mackerel, it refers to the mackerel, which is popular in Japan. Other names for mackerel include Sesame mackerel, Gurukuma mackerel, and Nijo mackerel, which are used throughout Japan. There are other names for chub mackerel, including Honsaba, Hirasaba in Shizuoka Prefecture, Hirasaba in Nagasaki Prefecture, and Takkuri in Kagoshima Prefecture.
The peak season for saba
The season for mackerel varies depending on the type, but generally it is from late autumn to February. This is because mackerel at this time of year finish their spawning season from April to June, and the lean mackerel eats a lot of food again and stores fat. Mackerel caught in the fall is called autumn mackerel,” and mackerel caught in the winter is calledkan mackerel.”
Also, the season varies depending on the type of mackerel. For example, Masaba, the most popular food in Japan, is in season from late autumn to February. On the other hand, Goma mackerel” andAtlantic mackerel” do not have a particular season and their taste does not change throughout the year, but Atlantic mackerel seems to accumulate nutrients and become especially delicious in the fall.
