Kyoto

A dish that only can be made by alive hamo (pike conger). A standard summer hamo dish that looks refreshing

Hamo no Otoshi

“Hamo no Honekiri (cutting the bones of pike conger)” can only be done by well trained cooks in Kyoto restaurants. “Hamo no otoshi” is the standard dish where hamo after honekiri is boiled instantly and taken out. Hamo is an elegant fish with no strong taste, but it contains so many small bones that it cannot be eaten without the honekiri procedure. Honekiri is done by using a special knife and cutting the flesh and bones in several millimeters thick, leaving one skin after opening the fish. Hamo no otoshi can only be made with alive hamo. Put the fish into boiling water and instantly take it out, put it in ice water and serve in a cold plate with pickled plums or mustard vinegar miso. It is a summer dish refreshing to one’s eyes as well as one’s mouth.