Kamaboko

Ita-Kamaboko (Steamed Japanese Fish Cake on Board)

A homemade version of the classic flat-board fish cake served at New Year and in everyday soups and bento. Pureed white-fish surimi is seasoned, shaped onto a small wooden board, painted with the traditional pink stripe, and gently steamed until springy and tender.

Prep

40 min

Cook

25 min

Total

65 min

Serves

4 small cakes

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) fresh white-fish fillet, Alaska pollock, Pacific cod, or Pacific whiting — skin and pin bones removed
• •2 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt
• •15 g (1 Tbsp) sugar, caster/granulated
• •20 ml (4 tsp) mirin, hon-mirin
• •20 g (2 Tbsp) potato starch, or 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• •100 ml (scant ½ cup) ice water, to keep paste cool during pounding
• •1 pinch red food colouring, natural beet-based or traditional artificial red — for the stripe

Steps

1. 1 Cut the fish into 2 cm (¾ in) cubes and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes until very cold but not frozen solid; this helps the myofibrillar proteins bind. Place one-third of the fish in a chilled mortar (suribachi) or bowl and pound vigorously with a wooden pestle for 5 minutes until it becomes a glossy, sticky paste. Add salt and continue pounding for 2 more minutes until the paste turns whitish and forms stiff peaks when lifted.
2. 2 Add the next third of the fish along with the sugar, mirin, and half of the ice water; pound for 3 more minutes, adding the remaining fish and water gradually until all is incorporated. The paste is ready when it is very pale, smooth, and stretchy enough that a small ribbon dropped into cold water sinks and holds its shape.
3. 3 Fold in the potato starch (or egg white) with a spatula using a slicing motion for 1 minute, working quickly so the paste stays cool and does not warm up from hand contact.
4. 4 Prepare the steamer: fill a wide pot or donabe with water to a depth of 5 cm (2 in), insert a steamer rack or line the base with a clean kitchen cloth, and bring the water to a rolling boil. Lightly oil four small flat wooden boards (approximately 10 × 4 cm / 4 × 1½ in) — traditional kamaboko ita, or use food-safe wooden chopping-board offcuts.
5. 5 Divide the paste into four equal portions (about 150 g / 5¼ oz each). Wet your hands and shape each portion into a smooth oval loaf roughly 1.5 cm (⅝ in) thick on each board, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets but without crushing the paste.
6. 6 Dip a clean chopstick or small brush into the red colouring and paint a single straight stripe down the centre of each loaf, about 1 cm (⅓ in) wide. Let the colour set for 1 minute.
7. 7 Place the boards on the steamer rack, leaving 3 cm (1¼ in) between them so the cakes do not touch. Cover with the lid (wrap the lid in a clean tea towel to prevent condensation dripping onto the surface). Steam over medium heat for 20–25 minutes.
8. 8 Doneness cue: the cake should feel firm and springy when pressed gently with a fingertip, the surface should be glossy and set, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre should read 75 °C / 167 °F or above.
9. 9 Remove from the steamer and cool completely on the boards. Once cool, slide a thin knife between the cake and the board to release. Serve sliced into 5 mm (¼ in) slices in shiru (soups), with soy sauce and grated daikon, in osechi ryori, or in bento. Store refrigerated and consume within 2 days.