Here's a recipe I've made using my new kitchen friend, Ishiri sauce (if you haven't done so already, you can check it out on Youtube at Interesting Japanese Foods) or just do a search for the blog post.
Basically, Ishiri sauce is made of (ok, prepare yourself) squid intestines and salt which are fermented together and matured for 2 - 3 years to produce a dark, salty sauce. If you think of Thailand's "nam pla" but super concentrated, you'll get the idea of what Ishiri sauce is like. It's used very sparingly, mostly in fish dishes, to create what the Japanese call "kakushi aji" or hidden flavour.
Health-wise, although Ishiri sauce has high levels of salt, it also contains high levels of natural amino acids and antioxidants so it is generally considered to be a healthy, natural food flavouring. In the recipe above, I've used it to add an umami boost to my squid spaghetti recipe. Personally, I love this flavour and I hope you do too!
You can find the Youtube tutorial by clicking heSquid spaghetti with Ishiri sauce or by scrolling to the bottom of the page. The written recipe is just below.
Happy cooking! Kurumi XXXX.
You might also want to take a look at another recipe Pan fried Cod with Ishiri sauce for more Ishiri inspiration!
Squid spaghetti with Ishiri sauce
ingredients:
(makes 2 servings)
1/2 medium size peeled onion
2 large mushrooms, stalks removed
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
150g squid rings
150g spaghetti
30g salted butter
1 tbsp ishiri sauce
how to:
slice the onion, mushrooms & garlic thinly
cook the spaghetti in the boiling water for 10 mins or according to the packet
heat the oil in a frying pan and saute the garlic for 30 seconds
add the onion and saute for 1 minute
add the mushrooms and saute for 1-2 mins
add the butter, then the squid and stir for 2-3 mins
add the ishiri sauce & stir another 30 seconds
add the cooked spaghetti and mix well
your dish is now ready to plate up and serve. drizzle any sauce that remains in the pan over the spaghetti once its on the plate
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