Nabeyaki Udon and Homemade Kamaboko

12 September 2014 - Nabeyaki Udon

The Shinya Shokudou Series - NABEYAKI UDON

The Nabeyaki Udon's recipe is from La Fuji Mama

Nabeyaki Udon
Serves 5

170 g fresh spinach leaves
6 cups dashi (basic Japanese sea stock)
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp mirin
1 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp finely grated ginger
2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 leeks, cleaned and cut into 1-inch slices on the diagonal
450 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
600 g fresh udon noodles
5 large eggs

Kamaboko's recipe is from Reddit

200-300 g Fish (any white fleshed fish will do; make sure it’s decently fresh)
Salt
Flour
Ice, water

For equipment you need :
Bowl
Food Processor
Piece of wood (or a small cutting board, anything clean and heat resistant)
Steamer
Cheesecloth

1. Roughly chop the fish, submerge in ice water, stir gently. Water will cloud; oils and proteins will rise to the surface, so gently discard.Repeat 2-3 times until water is fairly clear.
2.Drain, wrap in wet cheesecloth and squeeze out excess water, don’t overdo this.
3.Weigh the fish. Ready 2% salt, 5% flour and 10% water by weight to the weight of the fish.
4.Pulse in food processor on and off until a paste forms (don’t do a continuous pulse or the fish will heat up too much).
5.When the fish starts getting lumpy, add the flour, salt and water. And continue to pulse.
6.Shape into a log on the wood or whatever you’re using. Let rest at room temperature for about an hour.
7.Place in steamer and steam at high heat for 20-25 minutes.
8.Take out of the steamer and immerse in ice water. This slows down the spoiling process.
9.Once cool, dry, slice and enjoy!

Notes : Flour is optional, it just makes the kamaboko more “bouncy”. You can add egg whites in lieu of the water for the same effect. If you’re making the ubiquitous kamaboko with the pink rim, just separate a bit of the fish prior to shaping, add food coloring (sadly, that’s the way it’s done) and slap the red layer on top of the shaped log.