Katsu ika odori-don facts for kids
Katsu ika odori-don (活いか踊り丼) is a unique Japanese dish. It means "dancing squid rice bowl." This dish features a fresh squid placed on top of rice or noodles. When you pour soy sauce on the squid, it seems to "dance." This happens because the squid's muscles react to the salt (sodium) in the sauce. It's a bit like how frog legs can twitch when salt is added. This dish often comes with tasty toppings like salmon eggs.
How It's Made and Served
First, noodles or rice are cooked. They are then put into a bowl. Chefs add toppings like bright orange salmon eggs and other ingredients.
Next, the head of a fresh squid is carefully removed. The body of the squid is then placed on top of the dish. When the dish is served, the squid looks still.
The "dancing" begins when soy sauce or another salty liquid is poured over it. The salt makes the squid's arms wriggle and move for a short time. Sometimes, the movement is strong enough for the squid to move out of the bowl! After the "dance," the squid's body is taken off the dish. It is then sliced into pieces and put back on top for you to eat.
Where It Came From
The idea for this dish comes from a traditional Japanese meal called "ika-don." In the past, "ika-don" usually had sliced squid.
The "dancing" version, called "odori-don" (which means "dancing bowl"), became famous thanks to a sushi restaurant. This restaurant is called Ikkatei Tabiji. It is located in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. They started serving the squid whole, instead of slicing it first. This made the "dancing" effect possible.
Why Does It "Dance"?
Even though the squid seems to be alive for a moment, it's not actually alive. The "dancing" is a scientific reaction. It happens when you add soy sauce, which contains a lot of salt.
Here's how it works:
- The salt in the soy sauce has tiny particles called sodium ions.
- These sodium ions make the nerves near the squid's muscles react.
- Even after the squid is no longer alive, its muscle cells still have some energy. This energy is called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
- When the nerves are stimulated by the salt, it causes the muscles to contract. This is similar to how your own muscles move.
- This muscle movement makes the squid's arms wriggle. It looks like it's "dancing" on your plate!
