かぶら寿しKabura-zushi
「かぶら寿し」は金沢の漬物。寒鰤の旨味とかぶの甘味、発酵した麹のまったりとした上品な酸味が絶妙に調和し、お酒がすすむ北陸金沢の冬のご馳走である。
塩漬けしたかぶの間に同じく塩漬けしておいた鰤をはさんで、麹、昆布、にんじん、鷹の爪、柚子と一緒に漬け込み、ほどよく発酵させる。主に年末に仕込まれ、正月の料理としてふるまわれ、お世話になった人に配ったり、親戚に分けたりもする冬の旬。
金沢ではかつては鰤起こし（ぶりおこし）（*1）が鳴り始める師走の中旬になると、各家庭でこぞって漬けたものだ。漬けはじめるタイミングとか、その冬の気温によって、漬かり方が浅かったり、漬かり過ぎたりする。
「今年のかぶら寿しは漬かり過ぎて酸っぱくなった、そちらはどう？」
「麹の発酵が今年は上手くいった」
「塩を変えてみたらうまく漬かった」
などなどかぶら寿し談議が毎年起こる。本当にこればかりはそれぞれの家庭によって味が変わるから不思議だ。
金沢の人達は誰かが漬けるかぶら寿しを人生に一度は口にしている。子どもの頃にはちっとも美味しさはわからない、大人の味には違いない。日本酒が飲めるようになったら、この金沢のかぶら寿しがいかによくできた肴であるかを実感するのである。
かぶら寿しが酸味を増した頃に雪が本格的に降りだす。大雪の日、温かいこたつでの冬ごもりにはこの酸味もまた「おつ」なものである。
いずれは家庭で作られなくなるようになるのかも知れない。時代が移り変わっても、日本酒が消えないのであれば、この金沢の味の文化が引き継がれていってほしいと願う。
（*1 ）鰤起こし 金沢の冬の夜に鳴る雷のこと。眠っている鰤が起きるほどの大きな音であることからこの名前が付いた。鰤起こしがなると、雪が降るのが近いと言われる。
‘Kabura-zushi’ is the local pickled dish of Kanazawa. Flavour of winter yellowtail, sweetness of white turnip, and rich yet delicate sourness of rice malt make a perfect harmony. It is a winter delicacy of Kanazawa, which goes very well with Sake.
Sandwich pieces of brined yellowtail between brined turnip slices, pickle them with rice malt, Konbu, carrot, chilli flakes and Yuzu, and let it ferment nicely. Normally made at the end of the year, and as a winter custom, it will be served as a New Year dish, and shared with relatives or brought as a gift to people you are thankful for.
In the past, most of Kanazawa’s households used to pickle Kabura-zushi in mid-December when the sound of Buri Okoshi (*1) started to be heard. Depending on the timing at which pickling begins or the temperature of that winter, the Kabura-zushi can turn out not to be pickled enough or pickled too much.
‘This year’s Kabura-zushi was pickled too much and turned out to be sour. How is yours?’
‘The rice malt fermentation went well this year.’
‘It went well as I changed the salt that I use.’
Such Kazura-zushi discussions can be heard everywhere each year. It is really interesting to see that every household has their own flavour.
It is safe to say that every person of Kanazawa has had Kabura-zushi pickled by someone at least once in their life time. Indeed, it is probably a dish for adults, not something that children can appreciate the taste of. When you become old enough to be able to taste Sake, you will deeply appreciate how well-suited an accompaniment Kabura-zushi is to Sake.
As Kabura-zushi builds its sourness, snow begins to fall. On a deep snowy day, enjoying this sour taste in a warm Kotatsu is a rather wonderful experience.
Someday people may stop making this at home. Although the times are changing, as long as we have good Sake, I hope this culture of Kanazawa’s delicacy can continue to pass over generations.
(*1) In direct translation, Buri means yellowtail and Okoshi means waking up. Buri Okoshi indicates winter night thunder in Kanazawa. This name came from the big noise of thunder, which is almost big enough to wake sleeping yellowtail. It is said that when we hear Buri Okoshi, it is not long to go until snow falls.
