TRADITIONAL RECIPE

KATSUO NO TATSUTA AGE DEEP-FRIED BONITO
Tatsuta age recipes typically involve fish or chicken marinated in a soy sauce-based sauce; the meat is then coated with cornstarch and deep-fried. This marinade not only acts as a seasoning, it mellows the strong flavor of the meat. Tuna, chicken or lamb may be substituted for bonito in this recipe.
Ingredients

Serves 4
170 kcal Protein 19.7 g Fat 7.7 g (per person)
- 300 g / 10 oz. fresh katsuo bonito fillet
- 2 T Kikkoman Soy Sauce
- 20 g / 0.7 oz. ginger, grated
- 8 shishito green peppers*
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
- 2 T cornstarch
Directions
- Remove the skin from the bonito and cut the fish into bite sizes, about 1 cm / 1/2 in. thick.
- Mix soy sauce and grated ginger in a bowl. Add bonito and allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
Prick each shishito green pepper with a toothpick to make 2 or 3 small holes (see photo), which will prevent the oil from splattering. Cut off stems.
- Heat oil for frying to 170 °C / 335 °F. Add the peppers gently and deep-fry briefly until they turn a bright green. Remove and place them on a paper towel to drain.
- Coat the bonito with cornstarch and shake off excess.
- Increase the oil temperature to 180 °C / 355 °F. Deep-fry the bonito in oil until the fish turns golden brown and rises up from the bottom of the pot. Remove and place the fish on a paper towel to drain.
- Serve the deep-fried bonito on a platter with the shishito peppers.
* Sweet mini peppers may be substituted. If these are unavailable, 4 small green bell peppers may be used; cut and remove seeds before deep-frying.
Recipe by Kikkoman Corporation
1 C (U.S. cup) = approx. 240 ml; 1 T = 15 ml; 1 t = 5 ml