This recipe for pan-fried chikuwa (fish cake) is made without deep frying. By coating the chikuwa directly with flour and water and then pan-frying, you achieve a crispy texture similar to fried foods. No need to deal with hot oil, and cleanup is a breeze. It's a perfect easy dish for bento boxes, snacks, or when you need just one more side dish.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients (2 servings)
- 4 pcs Chikuwa (fish cake)
- 2-3 tbsp All-purpose flour
- 2-3 tbsp Water
Seasonings
- Aonori (seaweed flakes) to taste
- Sesame oil to taste
Steps
- Slice the 4 pcs of chikuwa diagonally. 【The key to this recipe!】 Slicing them diagonally so that they have a larger surface area to touch the pan makes them more stable when frying.
- Place the sliced chikuwa in a bowl and sprinkle with 2-3 tbsp of all-purpose flour, adding as needed.
- Gradually add 2-3 tbsp of water while mixing to evenly coat the chikuwa with the batter.
- Add aonori (seaweed flakes) to taste and mix to complete the coating.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add water, and once it evaporates, add sesame oil to taste, slightly more than usual.
- Place the coated chikuwa in the frying pan and cook until browned.
- Once one side is browned, flip them over and cook until the entire surface is crispy and browned.
- Arrange the finished Chikuwa no Isobe-yaki on a plate.
