Tsumire-jiru (Sardine Ball Soup)


Ingredients (serves 4):
6 sardines (iwashi)
1 scallion (naga negi)
1 pickled and dried Japanese plum (umeboshi)
1 teaspoon grated ginger (shoga)
1 tablespoon red miso paste (aka miso)
1 egg
3 tablespoons cornstarch
5 cups (33.8 fl oz / 1,000 ml) water
6 inches (15 cm) kelp
2 tablespoons Japanese sake
1 teaspoon salt

Tsumire-jiru




Directions:
1. Remove the sardines’ heads, entrails, and bones. Cut the fish into 3/8-inch (1 cm) pieces. Mince the pieces with a knife or food processor.


Tsumire-jiru



Tsumire-jiru




Tsumire-jiru

2. Chop the scallion into parts 4 inches long. Cut the rest of the scallion into 1 inch-long julienne strips.


Tsumire-jiru

3. Grate the ginger.


Tsumire-jiru

4. Remove the stone from the pickled and dried Japanese plum, and chop the flesh of the plum.

Tsumire-jiru

5. In the bowl, mix the minced fish, grated ginger, chopped scallion, red miso paste, chopped pickled and dried Japanese plum, egg and cornstarch until the mixture develops the consistency of paste. Instead of mixing in a bowl, a food processor or grinding bowl could also be used.


Tsumire-jiru

6. Soak the kelp in a pot containing water. Bring it to the boil.


Tsumire-jiru

7. Scoop the fish paste in the form of ping-pong-sized balls and put them in the boiling water.


Tsumire-jiru

8. When the balls float, add sake, salt, and strings of scallions.

9. Serve the fish ball soup in a bowl.

Tsumire-jiru

Tips:
-Enjoy the dish with a variety of flavors, such as sliced yuzu citrus peels, shichimi togarashi (a mixture of red pepper and six other spices) or julienne strips of mioga ginger.
-If sardine paste is available, it may be convenient to use this instead of fresh sardines.
-Instead of salt, try 2 tablespoons of soy sauce or 2 tablespoons of miso paste. Find your favorite flavour!

Sardines:
Sardines were traditionally a common fish in Japan that was caught in great volume. However, the fishing of true sardines has decreased since peaking in 1988, and its price has soared. Common methods of eating sardines include: as sashimi, broiled with salt, fried, as tempura, or cooked in soy sauce.

Japanese Liquid Measures:
1 cup = 200ml = 6.76 fl oz
1 tablespoon = 15ml = 0.5 fl oz
1 teaspoon = 5ml = 0.16 fl oz

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