Japanese tiger prawn (kurama-ebi)
The kurama-ebi season runs through summer heading into spawning, but for a time starting late autumn, the prawns are again at their finest, though hard to find. This is when they feed voraciously just prior to moving deeper as the water temperature falls. The prawns are dropped live into boiling water containing salt and vinegar. “Wild” prawns will emerge a distinctive white and vivid red. The center of the flesh is left slightly raw and the prawns shelled quickly while piping hot, split, made into nigiri and eaten; the rich aroma, intense sweetness, and firm plumpness of kurama-ebi best savored while slightly warm.