What is torigai in sushi?鳥貝
This time, I looked into the various names and seasons for sushi torigai.
How to call torigai
【torigai】cockle トリガイ 鳥貝
Torigai is a type of bivalve mollusc that can be caught in Hokkaido, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and China. The origin of the name is thought to be because the leg part resembles a bird’s beak, and also because the taste is similar to chicken. Another name for torigai is Kawatrigai” in Osaka, and in Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture, the termtonbo” refers to shellfish that are boiled and eaten without being opened. In addition, there are various other names such as Chawangai, Tomokangara, and Torige.
The peak season for torigai
The seasons of bird shellfish vary depending on their ecology. More details below.
Torigai: The fishing season for torigai differs depending on the production area, with the fishing season being around March to June in Mikawa Bay and Nanao Bay in Ishikawa Prefecture, and May to July in Tango areas such as Miyazu and Maizuru. The ones caught in spring are called harukai,” and they have a soft texture and a strong sweetness. On the other hand, those caught in the fall are calledautumn shellfish” and have a large, chewy texture, but they do not have the delicate sweetness of “spring shellfish.”
Bird shellfish are sensitive to high water temperatures, and as water temperatures rise, their resistance decreases and they die, especially due to lack of oxygen, so in many regions they are harvested before summer arrives. However, in Tango, it grows for nearly two years even beyond the summer, allowing it to grow to a large size.
