In outings with friends, it seems everyone has the same questions upon getting their hot bowl of delicious ramen and noticing something they don't quite recognize…
"What's the swirly thing?"
"Is it some kind of root?"
"Can I grow this in my back yard??"
"Can I even eat it???"
That "swirly thing" is called Narutomaki, a fish-paste based Japanese food product similar to a hot dog or processed sausage in the states. Narutomaki is a kind of Kamaboko, a ground, flavored, cured. and shaped white fish/crab product which takes it's signature design from the Naruto whirlpools in Shikoku, Japan. Newer ramen shops in the states don't use it often, as the organic/anti-processed foods movement has had massive influence on the biz, but there are definitely still the traditionalists that will dress up a bowl with Narutomaki out there. This type of Kamaboko is certainly edible, but in my experience it seems to work better as a garnish. There is so much GOOD going on in a given bowl of ramen, that eating a fish-paste mini loaf seems like a silly move. However, to each his/her own! Try it next time you sit down for a bowl, bursting with Umami :)
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