Crab Shinjo Steamed Fish Cake with Dashi Soup

1. 1

   Parboil the watercress stems and cut into pieces 3 cm / 1.2 in. long. Set aside.

2. 2

   Flake the crabmeat and set aside. Finely mince the uncooked white fish with a knife.

3. 3

   Using a suribachi mortar and surikogi pestle,^*2 grind the minced fish into a smooth paste. Add 2T of the grated yam to the mortar and mix with the pestle until well blended. Next, incorporate the egg white, cornstarch and a pinch of salt into the paste, mixing until the paste is uniform. Fold in the crabmeat using a spatula until evenly combined.

4. 4

   To make the shinjo cakes, divide the crab-fish paste into four equal portions. Wet hands with water to form each portion into a cake. Place the four cakes on a heat-resistant tray in a steamer for 10 minutes over medium-high heat.

5. 5

   While steaming, warm the soup ingredients in a saucepan.

6. 6

   Place each shinjo cake in an individual soup bowl and gently pour in the soup from the side of the bowls. To serve, garnish with the watercress and yuzu zest.

1. * 1 Authentic shinjo soup is garnished with mitsuba Japanese parsley; watercress is substituted here.
2. * 2 If suribachi/surikogi are unavailable, use food processor to make smooth paste.

Recipe by Kikkoman Corporation