With XO sauce, a Nagasaki shrimp toast turns into a slice of heaven

Crisp and savory, hatoshi — minced shrimp paste sandwiched between slices of deep-fried bread — is a Nagasaki version of a classic Cantonese treat.

The dish was introduced to Nagasaki during the late 19th century, when culinary influences from China, then under the reign of the Qing dynasty, filtered through the port city and helped shape the region’s food culture. Its name is actually a phonetic approximation of the Cantonese terms for “shrimp” (“ha”) and “toast” (“doshi”).

Hatoshi was originally part of shippoku ryōri, a style of banquet cuisine served at Chinese-style round tables. (This traditional cuisine is still practiced at some high-end restaurants in Nagasaki.) Today, hatoshi is a popular snack enjoyed at home and as street food.