Hirame 鮃

A prestigious topping ranked alongside sea bream as the very model of white-fleshed fish. Mild yet endowed with refined sweetness and umami, it is one piece that lets you savour the beauty of delicate white flesh. Winter "kan-birame" is in a class of its own: the flesh firms up and takes on extra fat. It is also sometimes served as "kobu-jime", pressed between sheets of kombu kelp to draw out the umami. Incidentally, the muscle at the base of the fins is called "engawa" — itself a hugely popular cut.

Origin: Aomori, Hokkaido and elsewhere nationwide Season: Autumn to winter