Uni Meshi

Raw sea urchin is cooked directly into the rice for this dish from the Hagi coast, distinct from a bowl of rice simply topped with urchin in that the urchin is cooked in together with the grains from the start. The aroma of the sea rises from the finished dish, and a deep richness and sweetness soak into the rice; urchin from the seaweed-rich waters off Hagi is said to grow especially full-flavored thanks to its diet. Not an everyday food given its cost, it has traditionally been served to honored guests instead.

Rice is rinsed and soaked in water for 30 minutes to an hour, then drained and placed in the cooking pot. Fresh water, salt or soy sauce, and sake are mixed in, and raw urchin is laid on top before the lid goes on. The pot is heated over medium to high heat until steam rises vigorously, then lowered for about two minutes before the heat is turned off and the rice rests, covered, for roughly 20 minutes. Once done, chopped mitsuba is folded in gently, and the rice is served topped with shredded nori.

Urchin from the waters off Hagi is prized for its sweetness, richness, and aroma, but its cost has kept it off everyday tables, tradition holds. Reserved instead for occasions with honored guests, the dish appears to have settled into cooking the urchin directly with the rice as a way of carrying its flavor through every grain. It continues to be made today as a hospitality dish in the Hagi area, centered on Mishima island.