What Makes Fresh Engawa Such A Rare Delicacy?

Engawa, the tender meat from the fin of flatfish like flounder, is a top choice in the world of sushi and sashimi, especially when fresh. Known for its firm yet melt-in-your-mouth texture, engawa offers a unique bite that’s both chewy and buttery.

Its mild, sweet flavor with a hint of umami makes it a favorite among seafood lovers.

The rarity of fresh engawa and the skill needed to prepare it add to its high demand and exclusivity, making it a must-try delicacy.

What is Engawa?

Engawa (縁側) is a prized delicacy in Japanese cuisine, derived from the thin, fibrous muscle along the edges of flatfish such as olive flounder (hirame), halibut (karei) or marbled flounder (makogarei).

The name "engawa," which translates to "veranda" or "edge," refers to its location on the fish, making it a rare cut as each fish yields only a small portion.

Engawa, a type of white-colored flesh, is typically served raw as sashimi or commonly as nigiri, where a slice of the fish is draped over a small ball of seasoned sushi rice.

It is often lightly seared (aburi) to enhance its natural sweetness and impart a smoky aroma, creating a delightful contrast of textures.

For added flavor, it may be garnished with a hint of yuzu, ponzu, or a dab of wasabi, accentuating its delicate taste.

Known for its distinctive texture and flavor, engawa has a slightly firm, fibrous quality that becomes tender and buttery as it melts in the mouth.

The flavor is clean, mildly sweet, and rich in umami, offering a subtle yet unforgettable taste.

The preparation of engawa requires great skill to preserve its texture and flavors, symbolizing the artistry and precision of Japanese culinary techniques.

Why Is Engawa So Rare?

Small Usable Portion

This muscle, located along the dorsal and ventral fins, is known for its high collagen content, which gives engawa its signature crunch and distinctive mouthfeel.

The preparation of engawa highlights the skill of the sushi chef, particularly in using techniques like kakushi boucho to enhance its texture.

Flatfish have three types of muscles that control the movement of their dorsal and ventral fins: the erector spinae, depressor, and slanted muscle.

Among these, the slanted muscle is used to make engawa, while the erector spinae and depressor muscles remain attached to the fin ray during preparation.

This specific muscle's high fat content compared to the fish’s body meat contributes to its rich, elegant sweetness and depth of flavor, which is highly sought after by sushi aficionados.

The rarity of engawa lies in its limited yield. Only four pieces can be obtained from a single flatfish—two from the dorsal fin and two from the ventral fin—making it an exclusive treat.

Its preparation requires precision and expertise, further elevating its value in the world of gourmet dining. With its exquisite flavor and scarcity, engawa holds a special place on the menu for food lovers seeking a luxurious sushi experience.

Natural Habitat and Distribution

• Hirame (Olive Flounder or Bastard Halibut):
  Hirame is commonly found in the coastal waters of the Northwest Pacific, particularly around Japan, Korea, and China. These fish prefer sandy or muddy seabeds and often inhabit depths of 20–200 meters. Their camouflage abilities and bottom-dwelling habits make them harder to detect and harvest, requiring specialized fishing methods.
• Makogarei (Marbled Flounder):
  Makogarei also resides in cold, shallow coastal waters, primarily in the Sea of Japan and adjacent regions. They prefer colder temperatures and migrate seasonally, further complicating their harvest. Their smaller size compared to hirame adds another layer of difficulty as more specimens are needed to meet demand.

Fishing Methods

Both hirame and makogarei require targeted and sustainable fishing techniques due to their sensitivity to overfishing. The primary methods include:

• Bottom Trawling:
  This technique uses nets dragged along the seabed to catch flatfish. While effective, it requires careful regulation to prevent damage to marine ecosystems and ensure bycatch (unwanted species caught) is minimized. The labor involved in sorting and processing makes it a time-consuming method.
• Gillnetting:
  Gillnets are designed to catch fish of a specific size, ensuring hirame and makogarei are selectively harvested. However, setting and retrieving these nets is labor-intensive, especially in rough waters, and requires skilled fishermen to operate effectively.
• Handlining and Longlining:
  Artisanal methods like handlining or longlining are sometimes employed for smaller-scale, high-quality harvests. These approaches are sustainable but slow, and they yield lower quantities of fish.

Seasonality and Migration

• Seasonal Availability:
  Hirame and makogarei are most desirable in colder months (winter), as they accumulate fat during this period, enhancing their flavor and texture. This means that fishing efforts are concentrated during specific seasons, leading to fluctuating supply and increased demand.
• Migration Patterns:
  Both species migrate seasonally to spawn or find suitable feeding grounds. Their movements are influenced by water temperature, salinity, and food availability. Tracking and locating these fish during migration periods require advanced knowledge and tools, such as GPS and sonar technology, adding to the cost and complexity of harvesting.

Size and Growth Challenges

• Hirame:
  Hirame can grow to impressive sizes (up to 15 kg or more), but larger specimens are rare due to overfishing and habitat degradation. Smaller fish may not meet the standards for premium sushi-grade cuts, including engawa, making sourcing mature fish challenging.
• Makogarei:
  Makogarei is smaller than hirame, typically reaching only 20–50 cm in length. Their smaller size means fewer premium cuts can be obtained, and more fish are needed to produce a comparable amount of engawa, amplifying the difficulty of sourcing enough high-quality specimens.

Fresh Engawa vs. Frozen Engawa: Key Differences

Fresh engawa is rare because its high fat content and delicate structure make it highly perishable, requiring immediate processing, often through the traditional iki jime method, and strict cold chain logistics.

Most of the engawa served in Japanese restaurants is frozen—over 90% of it, in fact—due to the challenges of sourcing and maintaining fresh engawa.

Frozen pieces are whiter and more opaque because of slight dehydration during freezing, while fresh engawa, which is extremely hard to obtain, boasts a darker, creamy hue, richer natural oils, and a more refined taste with nuanced sweetness and a tender, authentic texture.

These differences, combined with its exclusivity and rarity, make fresh engawa a prized delicacy in high-end sushi dining, sought after by true connoisseurs who value its superior quality and flavor.