Mactra Clam Adductor Muscle Sushi

Kobashira Sushi

The mactra clam (aoyagi) has two uses for sushi. The foot is used for a nigiri, and the adductor muscles are used for a ship roll. It takes a few mactra clams to make one ship roll since they only have two adductor muscle.

The muscles are more concentrated in taste and softer than the chewier foot of the mactra clam. They have a sweet aroma with a ocean scent. They are called kobashira or small poles. Poles are referred to the adductor muscles in shellfish such as the body part used in scallop sushi.