穴子 · アナゴ · anago
Anago
Anago is saltwater conger eel — the lighter, more delicate eel of true edomae sushi, simmered soft and brushed with sweet tsume. Not unagi.
- Also known as
- conger eel, sea eel
- Species
- Conger myriaster (Whitespotted conger)
- Category
- Simmered & cooked (nimono)
- Texture
- fluffy, delicate — light, sweet tsume, melts
- Peak season
- Jun, Jul, Aug
- Sustainability
- varies — Generally a sounder choice than the endangered freshwater unagi, but varies by fishery.
- Mercury
- Not in the FDA consumer table
- Pregnancy
- Generally safe
- Price tier
- $$
The edomae eel
Anago is saltwater conger eel — the eel that actually belongs to traditional edomae sushi. It’s simmered until meltingly soft, then brushed with sweet tsume (a reduction of the cooking broth) or simply finished with a pinch of salt.
Lighter than unagi
Where unagi is dense, sweet and lacquered, anago is delicate, fluffy and clean — a connoisseur’s eel. A great piece practically collapses under the chopsticks.
Sourcing
Anago is generally a sounder choice than the endangered freshwater unagi, though sustainability still varies by fishery. If a counter just says “eel,” ask which one — see anago vs unagi.