Nameko (or Pholiota Nameko) is a very popular, cultivated mushroom in Japan. It’s used in stir-fries and miso soup. The taste is nutty, the color amber brown and the texture is firm, also after cooking. The flavor combines very well with (home-made) dashi and shrimps. The kamaboko (made from processed seafood) and the mitsuba (Japanese parsley) add colour and extra flavour to the dish. Light, delicate and refreshing: a memorable starter.
Sake Pairing
If you want to serve a drink with the soup, then serve taru sake. This dry sake is characterized by its refreshing taste and the aroma of Yoshino cedar. The sake was stored in a barrel (taru) made of cedar. Taru sake is about skills, history, dedication and refinement. Yes, you guessed right, we simply love it. Our choice? The one made by Kiku-Masamune.
What You Need
- For the Dashi
- 500 ml Water
- 10 gram Kombu
- 15 gram Katsuobushi
- 50 grams Nameko
- 6 small raw Shrimps
- 3 small tablespoons of Sake
- 1 small tablespoon of Light Soy Sauce
- 2 slices of Kamaboko, halved
- (optional) Mitsuba
What You Do
- Clean the shrimps and cut lengthwise in two
- Let the shrimps marinade in two tablespoons of sake and transfer to the refrigerator for an hour
- Clean the mushrooms with kitchen paper if necessary
- Prepare the dashi
- Add a small tablespoon of sake and a similar quantity (or less) of soy sauce
- Add the mushrooms to the soup
- After a few minutes (depending on the size of the mushrooms) add kamaboko and shrimps.
- Taste and if necessary add more soy sauce
- Serve immediately when the shrimps are ready
- (Optional) add some mitsuba.
Cook and Drink 