The monkfish, which belongs to the family of angler fish, is popularly called the 'poor man's lobster' because of its firm flesh and delicate taste. Ankimo is a Japanese delicacy made using the liver of the monkfish. The liver is first rubbed with salt and sake, an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting rice. It is then mixed well, rolled into cylinder shapes and steamed. This delicious delicacy is served with thinly sliced daikon, scallions and ponzu sauce, which is a citrus based sauce.
The history of Ankimo, which is one of the most authentic Japanese delicacies, goes back to the ancient times. The liver of the monkfish is larger than the livers of most other fishes. Some of them even weigh up to a pound. In the olden days, the poor fisherfolk didn't have the heart to throw away the liver, which was such a prominent part. As the fishing techniques weren’t as developed earlier, it was extremely difficult catch even one or two fishes. So, they cooked most parts of the fishes including the head and the tail. It was the poor fishermen of Japan who prepared Ankimo for the first time using the liver of the monkfish.
This steamed dish, which is mostly eaten during the winter season, has soft texture. However, today, Ankimo could be enjoyed throughout the year even in countries like the United States. Besides Japan, the Chinese people too love Ankimo very much. Due to Ankimo’s amazing popularity as a special delicacy, monkfishes are caught in huge numbers, putting the existence of the species in jeopardy.
Interestingly, the flesh of the monkfish doesn’t have many admirers in Japan. Unlike other Japanese fish dishes, soy sauce is not had along with Ankimo as the pungent flavour of the soy sauce may overpower the unique taste of the liver.