How to Make Ikanago no Kugini (Sand Eel Boiled Down in Soy Sauce) - Video Recipe

Last weekend was a 3-day weekend, so my darling and I went to Kobe to visit my grandma to make Ikanago no Kugini (my favorite dish) together!!!
http://createeathappy.blogspot.jp/2014/03/ikanago-no-kugini-2014.html


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NyDB6OR-ao

Ikanago no Kugini is a specialty in Hyogo prefecture. It can be cooked and eaten during a specific period of time around March. Thanks to the holiday, I could finally visit my grandma :)



My blog post about our trip to Kobe:
http://createeathappy.blogspot.jp/2014/03/kobe.html

Souvenirs from Kobe:
http://createeathappy.blogspot.jp/2014/03/souvenirs-from-kobe.html

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Ikanago no Kugini (Sand Eel Boiled Down in Soy Sauce)

Difficulty: Medium
Time: 1hr
Number of servings: N/A

Ingredients:
2kg (4.4lb) Ikanago (sand eel)
A
* 440g (1lb) Kizarame (coarse crystal medium soft sugar) *400g (0.9lb) when Ikanago is small
* 400ml soy sauce *360ml when Ikanago is small
* 160ml Mirin (sweet Sake)
* 160ml Sake
260g (9oz) ginger
2 tbsp. Mizuame (starch syrup)
white peeled sesame seeds if you like

Directions:
1. Thinly slice ginger to the size of Ikanago.
2. Wash and drain Ikanago. *cook Ikanago as soon as you get or it can get bad easily. the fish gets white and water becomes cloudy when it gets bad.
3. Put A in a large aluminum pot, then put on high and bring to a boil. Tilt the pan and make sure the sugar is melted.
4. Sprinkle with hands full of ginger. Sprinkle with hands full of Ikanago. Then sprinkle with some ginger again. When the bubbles start to cover Ikanago toward the center (that means Ikanago is cooked), add hands full of Ikanago and some ginger again. Repeat this until the ingredients are gone. *do not mix with chopsticks or a ladle or the fish will fall apart.
5. Remove the foam if necessary. *to remove a fishy smell
6. Cover with a lid made with aluminum foil with a few holes. Put on high, make sure it won't boil over. Then simmer for about 1 hour.
7. Add starch syrup, cover and simmer until the liquid is almost gone. Now toss Ikanago in the pot to mix. *again, do not mix with chopsticks or a ladle or the fish will fall apart.
8. When the fish is caramelized, drain with a strainer.
9. Transfer to a tray, and fan like cooling sushi rice. Then leave to cool completely. *1.2kg (2.6lb) Ikanago after cooking.

You can keep Ikanago in a large container BUT I recommend to store it in small quantity (in a Ziploc bag is okay), since it can easily get bad if you open and close the container frequently.

レシピ（日本語）
http://www.cooklabo.blogspot.jp/2014/03/blog-post_29.html
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Inarizushi using Ikanago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u8wzq0F5bM

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Souvenirs from Kobe 神戸のお土産

Here are some souvenirs from Kobe:




神戸プリン Kobe Purin (Pudding / Flan)
you can keep it at room temperature for 2 months.
(you can find at any souvenir shops, stations, or airport in Kobe)
http://www.kobepudding.com/




風見鶏チーズケーキ Kazamidori Cheese Cake
made with camembert cheese and cream cheese with a hint of orange
it is sold frozen. you defrost and keep it in the fridge, and eat within 3 days.
(you can find at any souvenir shops, stations, or airport in Kobe)
http://www.kazamidori.co.jp/




大黒屋 いかなごくぎ煮 Daikokuya Ikanago no Kugini
sand eel simmered in soy sauce, Mirin, and sugar with a hint of ginger
best eaten within 4 months
(you can find at any souvenir shops, stations, or airport in Kobe)
http://www.kobe-daikokuya.co.jp/item/HL25/




I bought a pair of earrings at a shop called macaroni in Motomachi. They are made of Farfalle (real bow-tie pasta!!!). They have many cute hand made accessories from Europe.
http://macaroni.shop-pro.jp/

神戸プリン（小） 価格：997円（税5%込、送料別）

風見鶏チーズケーキ【3個入】 価格：630円（税5%込、送料別）

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Kobe

Last weekend was a 3-day weekend, so my darling and I went to Kobe to visit my grandma to make Ikanago no Kugini (my favorite dish) together!!!

Ikanago no Kugini is a specialty in Hyogo prefecture. It can be cooked and eaten during a specific period of time around March. Thanks to the holiday, I could finally visit my grandma!!!

Day 1:

We took Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train) from Shinagawa (Tokyo) at 6:27AM. We bought Ekiben (bento box sold at the railway station) for our breakfast. As soon as we arrived at 9:08, we strolled around 三宮 (Sannomiya) 元町 (Motomachi) China town and the bay area (Kobe Port Tower and Kobe Harborland umie). Obviously it was so early that most stores were still not open till 11AM. LOL We had lunch at Frantz (famous for magic pot pudding, if you know). The harbor view from the restaurant was amazing. Then we walked all the way back to 三宮 (Sannomiya). In the shopping street, you can find 生田神社 (Ikuta shrine), the god of marriage and longevity. For dinner, we happened to find a real good and inexpensive restaurant called 鹿鳴茶流 (Rokumei saryu). They use deer meat for their dishes. They were amazingly healthy and delicious!!! We stayed at the hotel called Crowne Plaza ANA Kobe. Very convenient next door to Shin-Kobe rail station. The hotel overlooks the city of Kobe.

Day 2:

My grandma lives 1 hour away from Shin-Kobe station. I visited her with my darling to make Ikanago no Kugini :) Hopefully, I will make a video of it soon!!! We had a real good bento lunch box together. Those plates are printed on the bento box, so you cannot remove them. hehe

Day 3:

We went to the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens next to the hotel, and took a ropeway up to the mountain top! You can enjoy the panoramic view of Kobe. Also, you can enjoy herb dining buffet there! In the afternoon, we walked around Kitano area where there are many Ijinkan (foreign residences). The train back to Tokyo was at 19:46. We bought Ekiben at 淡路屋 (Awajiya). Their beef bowl bento is famous. We arrived back to Tokyo at 22:26.

I miss my oba-chan (grandma)!!! I remember I visited Harborland and Ijinkan with her many many years ago. Time flies. But she hasn't changed since my childhood. I will visit her again someday soon :)

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