Regional Cuisine - Ehime

Overview

Taking full advantage of its proximity to the Inland Sea and climate, Ehime Prefecture is known around the country for its sea bream catches and citrus fruits production. Many of the prefecture's dishes feature sea bream with some even boasting an ancient warrior heritage while other foods make good use of its citrus culture. Here is a quick look at some of the local foods of Ehime.

Tai-meshi

Famous for the quality and catch of sea bream, Ehime's signature dish is tai-meshi, sea bream mixed with rice. A symbol of all things congratulatory, sea bream here is prepared with a number of local methods; the Hojo tai-meshi uses the whole fish on a bed of rice while the Uwajima tai-meshi is more sashimi oriented.

Mikan

With around forty different kinds of citrus fruits grown in Ehime - including mikan mandarin oranges - the prefecture has become the nation's go-to-name for quality citrus. Juicy and sweet with the right balance of sourness, Ehime's mikan finds itself in the most diverse of foods. From ice cream and jellies to juices and bread, mikan is a must-eat food in Ehime.

Jakoten

A traditional food eaten for over four hundred years in Ehime, jakoten is a popular fish paste cake made from the jako glowbelly fish. Eaten all the time here and with almost anything, including salads, hotpots and with alcohol, the fish is minced before being fried, giving it a light brown colour. Its condensed flavour has made jakoten a real hit here.

Houraku-yaki

Made up of fresh seafood pulled from the Kurushima straits, houraku-yaki is a seafood platter boasting a warrior history. Not only is the dish delicious, but the cooked tiger prawns, sea bream, eggs and seasonal vegetables, resting on a bed of fragrant pine needles, provides a dynamic visual treat limited only by the talents of the chef.