Shutō (seafood)

Shuto is made by salting rare parts of bonito (katsuo), fermenting it for more than six months, then chopping it up and sometimes adding a mixture of sake and mirin. There is also a tuna (maguro) type that has a milder character.

The Chinese characters of the dish (酒盗) means "sake thief" and is derived from the belief that it is a good side dish for sake. Legend has it when eating Shuto (酒盗), your chopsticks will move so fast that you will want to ‘steal’ (盗) ‘sake’ (酒).^[3][4]

Shuto may have originally been prepared and eaten by bonito fishermen,^[2] and there are records that it has been eaten in Japan for about 300 years, dating back to the Edo period.^[4]

It is sometimes known as ‘Japanese anchovies’, which does not refer to the ingredients or manufacturing process, rather the way in which it is used as a salty and savory compliment to many other dishes.^[4]

Variations of shuto include "versions flavoured with yuzu, chilli and other spices, or with spring onions."^[2] It may also be made with various other fish such as salmon, sea bream, and saury.^[2]