
Chikuwa
is a
Japanese tube-like
food product made from ingredients like
fish surimi,
salt,
sugar,
starch, and egg white. After mixing them well, they are wrapped around a
bamboo or
metal stick and steamed or broiled. The name chikuwa, lit. bamboo ring, comes from the shape when it is sliced.
Chikuwa is consumed all over Japan but in some places other variants of surimi products such as
kamaboko and
satsuma age may be consumed more. In
Tottori, the per-household consumption has been the highest of all prefectures for the past 30 years, since the first year such records were kept.
As it is cheap and a relatively low-fat source of protein, chikuwa is also popular as a doggy treat.