Niboshi (煮干し) are Japanese dried baby sardines (sometimes translated as anchovies). They are one of many varieties of small dried fish used throughout Asia in snacks and as seasoning for soup stocks and other foods. Sardines or pilchards are a group of several types of small oily fish related to herrings, family Clupeidae. ... Genera Amazonsprattus Anchoa Anchovia Anchiovella Cetengraulis Coilia Encrasicholina Engraulis Jurengraulis Lycengraulis Lycothrissa Papuengraulis Pterengraulis Setipinna Stolephorus Thryssa The anchovies are a family (Engraulidae) of small but common schooling saltwater plankton-feeding fish. ... Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus, the most abundant fish species in the world. ... A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... Soup is a savoury liquid food that is made by boiling ingredients, such as meat, vegetables and beans in stock or hot water, until the flavor is extracted, forming a broth. ...

In Japan, niboshi dashi is one of the more common forms of dashi. It is especially popular as the base stock when making miso soup. Niboshi dashi is made by soaking niboshi in plain water (after first pinching off their heads and entrails). If left overnight or brought nearly to a boil, the flavor of the small sardines permeates the water and makes a popular stock. Dashi (出汁) is one of several simple soup stocks considered fundamental to Japanese cooking. ... Miso soup (味噌汁, misoshiru in Japanese) is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a stock called dashi into which is dissolved softened miso. ... Water (from the Old English word wæter) is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless substance that is essential to all known forms of life and is known also as the most universal solvent. ...

Niboshi are also cooked and served as snacks and as one of the symbolic foods making up the Japanese osechi during New Year. Tazukuri (fried sweet and savory sardines for New Year) are made by frying the dried sardines and then adding a mixture of shoyu, sugar, mirin, and roasted white sesame seeds. Korean fried sardines often include small amounts of ginger, garlic, and chili paste as well. Osechi (お節) is a traditional Japanese New Year meal. ... This page deals with the annual event. ... Soy sauce (US) or soya sauce (UK) is a fermented sauce, made from soybeans (soya beans), roasted grain, water and sea salt (US will use salt unless otherwise stated). ... A sugar is a form of carbohydrate used in the food and drinks industries, and important in biochemistry. ... Mirin (味醂) is an essential condiment of the Japanese cuisine with a slightly sweet taste. ...

See Also

• Japanese cuisine

There are many views of what is fundamental to Japanese cuisine. ...

External Links

• The world of "Dried Small Fish", a site about small fish industries in Japan. Includes a link on How to eat the Dried Small Fish in Japan, including niboshi.
• Korean Sweet Dried Anchovy Condiment at Recipehound.com
• Japanese Osechi Sardines