is a white, square, triangle or round surimi product (fish or meat paste) with a soft, mild taste. It is believed to have been invented during the Edo period in Japan by a chef, of Suruga, and the dish is named after him. Another theory suggests that because it is triangle shaped and appears to have been cut in half from a square, it is a . It can be eaten as an ingredient in oden or soup. It can also be fried or broiled. In Shizuoka Prefecture, whole sardines are used, and the resulting product has a bluish-gray color. This is called kuro hanpen (黒はんぺん), literally "black hanpen". Hanpen is made from grated Japanese mountain yam, surimied Alaska pollock, salt, and seaweed stock (kombu-dashi). See also References Surimi