Chikuwa Isobeage, perhaps a mouthful to pronounce for non-Japanese speakers, is Tempura Chikuwa (a kind of fishcake) flavored with Aonori (dried seaweed flakes). This deep-fried dish is often a side dish item in commercial Bento, but also a great home-made appetizer that goes well with drinks.
Isobeage is a deep-fried dish that contains some kind of seaweed. Here we added Aonori, dried green seaweed flakes, to the batter to give a distinctive seaweed aroma. But there are lots of kinds of seaweed and lots of possibilities, like wrapping a sheet of roasted seaweed, Nori, with the other ingredients and frying. The batter could be just like Tempura, or it could be much thinner or even no batter at all. Chikuwa is fishcake shaped into sticks or tubes that are long and hollow inside, and it is the most often used meat used in Isobeage. Other seafood like fish and shrimp or even chicken are also suitable for the dish. This is very flexible side dish that you can adjust to your taste and what you have available.
Chikuwa has its own flavor and the batter is lightly salted, so this is usually eaten as is, without more seasoning or sauce. However, it also goes well with a dipping sauce like Tempura sauce if you like. Or simply squeeze lemon juice over for a more refreshing taste. Experiment and find the right balance for you!
Chikuwa Isobeage Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp cake flour
- 2 Tbsp potato starch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp Aonori
- 1/4 cup water
- 4-5 sticks Chikuwa
- Deep-frying oil
Instructions
- Heat oil at medium heat to 350 F (175 C). Mix first 5 ingredients well in a medium bowl. Cut Chikuwa vertically in half, and then cut the long pieces in half (making shorter pieces).
- Add Chikuwa to the batter and coat. Deep-fry until lightly browned and floating in the oil.
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