Menu
Syosaku-Japan
0
  • Freebies
  • Knife Engraving
    • HOW TO ORDER A CUSTOM ENGRAVED KNIFE?
  • Plates
    • Plate Type
      • Charger Plate
      • Dinner Plate
      • Flat Dinner Plate
    • Plate Color
      • Vermilion
      • Pure White
      • Light Beige
      • Jet Black
      • Majestic White
      • Majestic Blue
      • Majestic Green
      • Gradation Colors
  • Knives
    • Knife Type
      • Chef Knife (Gyuto)
      • Petty Knife
      • Multi-Purpose Knife (Santoku)
      • Slicing Knife (Sujihiki)
      • Vegetable Knife (Nakiri)
      • Paring Knife
      • Sashimi Knife (Yanagiba)
      • Deba Knife
    • Knife Steel
      • Premium Molybdenum Stainless Steel
      • Molybdenum Vanadium Clad Stainless Steel
      • INOX AUS-8A
      • Damascus ZA18 69 Layer
      • VG-1 Gold
      • Hammered Damascus VG-10 16 Layer
      • Hammered Damascus VG-10 46 Layer
      • Shaded Damascus VG-10 16 Layer
      • Shiroko(White Steel)-No.2
      • Kigami(Yellow Steel)-No.2
      • Aoko(Blue Steel)-No.2
  • Testimonials
    • Chefs
    • Ambassadors
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Plates
    • Kitchen Knives
    • Blog
    • News
    • FAQs
    • Contact Us
  • Sign in
  • Your Cart is Empty
Syosaku-Japan
  • Freebies
  • Knife Engraving
    • HOW TO ORDER A CUSTOM ENGRAVED KNIFE?
  • Plates
    • Plate Type
    • Charger Plate
    • Dinner Plate
    • Flat Dinner Plate
    • Plate Color
    • Vermilion
    • Pure White
    • Light Beige
    • Jet Black
    • Majestic White
    • Majestic Blue
    • Majestic Green
    • Gradation Colors
  • Knives
    • Knife Type
    • Chef Knife (Gyuto)
    • Petty Knife
    • Multi-Purpose Knife (Santoku)
    • Slicing Knife (Sujihiki)
    • Vegetable Knife (Nakiri)
    • Paring Knife
    • Sashimi Knife (Yanagiba)
    • Deba Knife
    • Knife Steel
    • Premium Molybdenum Stainless Steel
    • Molybdenum Vanadium Clad Stainless Steel
    • INOX AUS-8A
    • Damascus ZA18 69 Layer
    • VG-1 Gold
    • Hammered Damascus VG-10 16 Layer
    • Hammered Damascus VG-10 46 Layer
    • Shaded Damascus VG-10 16 Layer
    • Shiroko(White Steel)-No.2
    • Kigami(Yellow Steel)-No.2
    • Aoko(Blue Steel)-No.2
  • Testimonials
    • Chefs
    • Ambassadors
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Plates
    • Kitchen Knives
    • Blog
    • News
    • FAQs
    • Contact Us
  • 0 0

Kinki, not kinky (channel rockfish)

Kinki, not kinky (channel rockfish)

Kinki, not kinky (channel rockfish)

What would you say if I told you “you can order Kinky at a Japanese restaurant”? And if you did, you could be broke. The name of the super expensive fish in Japanese sounds exactly same as the English word “kinky”!

We spell it “Kinki”. The English name is channel rockfish, or sometimes idiot fish. I don’t know why some call this delicious fish idiot. If you know, please let me know.

They are expensive not only because of the beautiful red color, which gives a sparkle to the market. There are two more reasons.

First, they are exceptionally fatty and juicy with exquisite and intense sweetness. The moment the juicy white flesh melts in your mouth, the sweet flavor explodes. It feels the fat content is more than the protein.

Second, the catch of the fish has been very small recently. In Japan, they can be caught only in the northern part. Hokkaido has more than half of the total catch.

Especially, the ones fished by longline fishing are branded. They are distinguished from the ones caught with a net in bulk. The difference is obvious. They have much less damage and the red color shines brilliantly.

Fresh Kinki just fished by longline fishingFresh Kinki just fished by longline fishing

The Kinki live in the sea at the depth of 200-500 meters (600-1,600 feet). They feed primarily on shrimp. A natural red pigment called astaxanthin makes the shrimp red. It also makes the Kinki bright red, too.

The astaxanthin is a well-known antioxidant. It is very good for your skin health, heart health, cancer prevention and care. Other than the astaxanthin, Kinki is a great source of other nutrition. Like protein, omega-3 fatty acids, various vitamins and minerals.

They say the best season for Kinki is autumn to winter, before the spawning season. But you can enjoy the rich and sweet flavor all year round. If you find it at a restaurant, order regardless of the season. You’ll never regret.

Kinki is so delicious no matter how you cook. I love the simmered best. It brings out all the Umami (savory taste or the fifth taste) to the full extent. When cooked properly, even some rice with just the broth can make the best dish. You can enjoy it after having the fish first.

Simmered Kinki with Japanese leek and sugar pea vineSimmered Kinki with Japanese leek and sugar pea vine

Of course, Sashimi is as nice. You can also grill, and deep-fry if the fish is small.

Kinki can be caught at the nearshore in the USA, too. But be aware. They say there are more than 70 so-called rockfishes with similar appearances. The taste and flavor can vary a lot depending on the species. It’s difficult to tell which one is real Kinki, if you’re not familiar with them. Red color doesn’t mean delicious.

So, don’t be afraid to ask, is this Kinki?

For more details, send us an email at info@syosaku-japan.com.

If you like it, share with the buttons at the bottom of the page.

Thank you!
Toshi  

  • Share:


Also in Blog

Beef Ragu Recipe
Beef Ragu Recipe

Italian Beef Ragu: It is an Italian dish that's easy and packed full of flavor. This ground beef ragu is made using only a few simple ingredients.

Read More

Urushi (Japanese lacquer) 101
Urushi (Japanese lacquer) 101

When you spell Japan with the uppercase letter “J”, it’s my country. When you spell japan with the lowercase letter “j”, it means Urushi. What is Urushi? The Urushi is a traditional Japanese natural resin lacquer. It is made from the sap of the lacquer tree (or urushi tree), which is a native to south-eastern Asia. They make [...]

Read More

Gyuto vs Santoku, what’s the difference?
Gyuto vs Santoku, what’s the difference?

Gyuto and Santoku. Two of the most popular Japanese kitchen knives. What is the difference? I often have the question. Here are my answers.1. Gyuto vs Santoku, general rule: When discussing the difference, always do within the same maker and the same series. Otherwise, you end up with the discussion about other factors. Like steel [...]

Read More

Follow

Let's keep connected!

  • Search
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Shipping policy
  • Refund policy
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of service
  • Do not sell my personal information

Join our newsletter to get the latest on sales, new releases and more…

Contact info
Email: info@syosaku-japan.com
Address: 5-9-2 Seta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 158-0095 JAPAN

© 2023 Syosaku-Japan.

American Express Apple Pay Google Pay JCB Mastercard PayPal Shop Pay Visa