What’s pink and swirly and processed all over? If it’s floating atop a bowl of ramen, it’s probably a slice of narutomaki, the iconic Japanese fishcake.
Inspired by whirlpools in the Naruto Strait, these chewy, bouncy slices represent a formidable natural phenomenon. The swirl in the center of each piece is emblematic of the spiraling ocean water that formspools between Shikoku and Awaji Island every six hours or so. Located along the Shikoku coast, the whirlpools are visible for an hour or two at a time. While it’s best to visit the whirlpools in the spring or summer, when the waters are more intense, narutomaki can be enjoyed year-round.
This processed roll is primarily made of frozen surimi(processed, pureed whitefish), while the pink swirl comes from food coloring.Invented in the 1800s and prepared by slicing and steaming, narutomakihas a history of gracing traditional noodle soups, such as ramen and soba.
The pink-spiraled slice is a striking visual atop Japanese ramen, but noodles aren’t the only platform showcasing the fish cake. Over a dozen styles of narutomaki emoji exist across services such as Google, Facebook, Apple, Twitter, and Microsoft. The narutomaki icon joined Unicode 6.0 in 2010 under the name “Fish Cake With Swirl.”Admittedly, the sweet, fishy taste and buoyant mouthfeel of fishcake isn’t universally popular. However, anyone with a keyboard can reap the benefits of narutomaki’s global virtual presence. Just type the shortcode :fish_cake:
FAQs
Narutomaki — a delightful steamed fish paste cake — is a super popular topping for ramen that's absolutely worth trying if you haven't already.
What is the Japanese fish cake in ramen? ›
Other Names. What's pink and swirly and processed all over? If it's floating atop a bowl of ramen, it's probably a slice of narutomaki, the iconic Japanese fishcake. Inspired by whirlpools in the Naruto Strait, these chewy, bouncy slices represent a formidable natural phenomenon.
What is the 🍥 emoji? ›
A slice of Japanese narutomaki, a ridged fishcake of processed whitefish with an iconic pink swirl, often served in ramen or oden. Thanks to its distinct swirl, may be used for flair.
What is Japanese fish cake called? ›
Kamaboko is sometimes referred to as fish cake in English.
Is naruto named after ramen? ›
Naruto's name is based on the food narutomaki, a pink and red topping for ramen with a spiral design. His spiral-shaped patterns represent the Naruto whirlpools in Japan.
What is Japanese for fishcake? ›
Kamaboko (蒲鉾, かまぼこ), or Japanese fish cake, is a processed seafood product eaten in Japanese cuisine. It consists of pureed white fish paste (surimi すり身) that's steamed, grilled, or fried until cooked and firm.
Is Japanese fish cake healthy? ›
Nutrition. White fish meat is high in protein and low in fat. Do note that kamaboko is somewhat high in sodium and sugar, so be careful not to overeat if monitoring salt or sugar levels.
What is the white pink thing in Japanese food? ›
Narutomaki is a type of kamaboko, or Japanese fish cake, that features a pink swirl in the center. Its name likely comes from the naturally occurring Naruto whirlpools located in the Naruto Strait between Shikoku and Awaji Island in Japan.
What is the Japanese fish cake snack? ›
Hanpen is a traditional square-shaped Japanese fishcake made from white fish and sweet potato with a soft and mild taste It's a perfect ingredient when preparing delicious recipes such as oden or nabe hotpot.
What does Naruto eat? ›
'Naruto has to face various difficulties, but nothing warms his heart like a bowl of ramen. With no mother to cook for him, instant ramen noodles are his favourite meal, but when he is invited to his favourite restaurant, Ichiraku, one bowl is never enough!
Naruto takes Hinata Hyūga to Ramen Ichiraku for their first date; in the anime, this in turn causes Hinata to become a regular customer, to the point that she has won at least one of its eating contests.
What is Naruto's blood type? ›
Some examples of characters with B blood type include Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto), Megumi Noda (Nodame Cantabile), and Minako Aino/Sailor Venus (Sailor Moon).
What are narutomaki made of? ›
Much like the imitation crab that's become popular in California rolls, narutomaki is made of fish that has been broken down into paste, colored with food dye, and then pressed into logs for slicing. Narutomaki's texture is also similar to imitation crab – soft and springy with an easy chew.
What is Japanese dried fish for ramen? ›
Niboshi Ramen – Shoyu
Niboshi is dried sardines. At Emoto they use 3 types of sardines and 1 type of horse mackerel. These dried fish make up 60% of the broth.
What are the white and red swirly things in ramen? ›
Narutomaki. Have you ever wondered what that cute pink and white spiral thing is that you see in some ramen noodle bowls? That would be Narutomaki. This traditional ramen topping is made by rolling red and white fish paste into a log, cooking it with steam, and cutting it into thin slices.
