Sakana no surimi / ground fish

Often made into shinjo boiled fish dumplings or satsumaage deep-fried fishcakes, ground fish can be another way to preserve fresh fish.

Whole recipe:
321 calories; 44.6 g protein; 0.6 g fat; 24.1 g carbohydrate; 23.7 g net carbs; 23.7 g net carbs; 1,250 mg sodium; 144 mg cholesterol; 0.4 g fiber


<Ingredients>

(Makes about 300 g surimi)

250 g fish fillet (248 g cod in photo)
2 cm nagaimo Chinese yam (48 g in photo)
1 1/2 tbsp sake
2 1/2 tsp mirin
1 1/2 tbsp katakuriko potato starch
2.5 g salt (slightly less than 1 tsp of kosher salt)
Small amount of crushed ice (when using food processor)


<Directions>
1.

Skin and debone fish, and cut into smallish cubes.

2.

Skin and dice nagaimo, and grind.

3.

Add fish, and grind.

Put a small amount of crushed ice to keep fish cool while grinding.

4.

Add remaining ingredients, and process until smooth.

5.

If not using immediately, wrap in plastic film and freeze up to 2 weeks.

<Notes>

• The basic ingredient proportion for 100 g of fish is 1 tbsp sake, 1 tsp mirin, 1 tbsp potato starch and 1g salt. Nagaimo makes the result fluffier but is optional if not available.
  
  
• Surimi can be made with a suribachi. When using a suribachi, you do not need to add ice. Make sure to grind until fish becomes a smooth, glossy paste. I personally prefer surimi made in a suribachi.
• Don't worry about the high sodium content – you can eliminate excess sodium in the cooking process.

Recipe with sakana no surimi

• Hotate-shinjo to endomame no surinagashi / green pea soup with fish and scallop dumplings
• Tsumire to retasu no nimono / fish dumplings and lettuce simmered in broth
• Ebi-shinjo to yasai ribon no nabe / hot pot with prawn-fish dumplings and vegetable ribbons

(Last updated: June 29, 2016)