“Itawasa” is the name for kamaboko with wasabi and soy sauce. Kamaboko is probably one of the least accessible Japanese foods, but if you give it a chance, you’ll find that it is healthy, delicious, and attractive.
Kamaboko is made with “surimi”, a mixture of various whitefish formed into a distinctive loaves (often pink and white) and steamed until firm. You’ll find kamaboko in many soups (such as ramen) and noodle dishes. Kamaboko is sold in grocery stores and even convenience stores in Japan, and in America it can be found at Asian groceries. If you don’t have an Asian grocery nearby, I hope you’ll try it if you have the chance to visit Japan!
Yield: 2 servings
Time: 2 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 loaves of kamaboko
- 1 tsp wasabi
- 3 tsp soy sauce
Preparation
- Run the knife underneath the kamaboko to loosen it from the board and slice it into 1/2″ pieces
- Mix wasabi in a small bowl with soy sauce, dip, and enjoy!
