Living in Japan means living with limited refrigerator and pantry space. This necessitates regular visits to the grocery store to keep the kitchen stocked with a balance of fruits, veggies, and protein. But life being life, there are times when we don't have a chance to hit the store for a few days, and things run out.
Such was the case on Thursday, and after rummaging through the freezer, I managed to find a bag of chikuwa, along with a huge Japanese scallion (a.k.a. Tokyo negi). Chikuwa is a type of fish cake shaped on a thick skewer and grilled until it's golden brown. Because of the large hole in the center, it's often stuffed with ingredients like cucumbers or cheese and eaten as a canapé, but I also like to work it into stir-fries and soups.
This one is about as simple as it gets, but the combination of the savory chikuwa with the sweet scallions and spicy chili oil makes for a delicious side dish along with a glass of beer, and it's also delicious served with rice. This makes for a fantastic addition to bento, so if you happen to end up with leftovers, try packing them for lunch the next day with rice and some fresh vegetables or fruit.
Units
Ingredients
- 160 grams chikuwa
- 140 grams Tokyo negi scallions will work
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon rayu chili oil
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds toasted
Instructions
- Cut the Chikuwa and negi into ½-inch thick slices at a 30° angle.
- Add the sesame oil and negi slices into a frying pan over medium heat and fry on one side until browned, and flip and brown the second side.
- Add the Chikuwa and stir fry until the negi is tender and the chikuwa starts to brown.
- Drizzle on the soy sauce, mirin, and rayu, and continue stir-frying until the liquid has caramelized around the other ingredients.
- Toss in the black sesame seeds and serve with rice.
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