I Love the “Chiai” (Bloodline) of Fish

As the title suggests, I have a deep fondness for the “chiai” (血合い), or the bloodline, of fish. My favorite is the chiai of mackerel, particularly when preparing miso-marinated mackerel. I always select fillets with a generous portion of chiai. I also enjoy the chiai of salmon. Ever since I was a child, I’ve liked the chiai of fish. My family also appreciated it, so I grew up considering it one of the most flavorful parts of fish. However, when I started elementary school, I gradually realized that not everyone shared this preference. I noticed a few classmates leaving the chiai uneaten—along with the skin—when eating salmon during school lunches. Curious, I asked why they didn’t eat it, and they responded that they didn’t like the taste. I was genuinely surprised to hear that. A quick search online reveals that while there are people who enjoy chiai, it seems that those who dislike it are in the majority. In my own experience, most of the people I’ve met don’t like it. Outside of my family, I’ve rarely encountered anyone who shares my enthusiasm for it. Interestingly, those who enjoy chiai often also like liver, as the flavor of chiai shares some similarities with liver. I, too, have always been fond of liver. These days, I usually order a skewer of liver at a yakitori (“yakitori”, 焼き鳥) restaurant or enjoy it occasionally if I feel like it at a yakiniku (“yakiniku”, 焼肉) place. But as a child, I loved liver so much that whenever I went grocery shopping with my parents, I would plead for a liver skewer from the yakitori vendor in the parking lot. Now, you might wonder why I’ve decided to write about this topic after all these years. Recently, I came up with a possible explanation for my love of chiai, something that has intrigued me for quite some time. A family member was recently hospitalized for a few weeks and required a blood transfusion. Wanting to do something to help, I decided to donate blood. Afterward, I received my blood test results, which revealed that my hemoglobin levels were quite low. Specifically, my MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume) was below average, and I was advised to consume more iron. This got me thinking—could my craving for iron-rich foods like chiai be related to an iron deficiency? That said, I don’t consider myself a picky eater—I eat a balanced diet and enjoy a variety of foods, including meat. So I never suspected that I might have low iron levels. But maybe I’m naturally predisposed to this condition. Perhaps this is why I’m drawn to foods like liver and chiai, which are often associated with being rich in iron and blood. It’s an interesting theory to ponder. By the way, the chiai of today’s salmon was incredibly delicious. Maybe my body is trying to tell me that I need more iron…