cucumber and cheese chikuwa fishcake
A modern take on Chikuwa, or Japanese fishcake. Cucumber chikuwa (top) and cheese chikuwa (bottom)

【Ingredients】 (5 servings)
● Cucumber Chikuwa
・ Chikuwa (ちくわ / Chikuwa)……２ 1/2
・ Cucumber (きゅうり/ Kyuuri)……1/4

● Cheese Chikuwa Maki
・ Chikuwa (ちくわ / Chikuwa)……２
・ Green shiso (大葉 / Ohba)……２ leaves
・ Sliced cheese……２ slices
(スライスチーズ / Suraisu chiizu)

Toothpicks (爪楊枝 / Tsumayohji)……３

【How to Make】
● Cucumber chikuwa
Cut the cucumber into sticks. Cut the chikuwa in half, lengthwise. Stuff cucumber into the chikuwa halves and then cut these in half with a diagonal cut.
● Cheese chikuwa maki
① Cut the chikuwa open and place it on the work surface with the browned side up. Cut the cheese slices in half.
② Lay a shiso leaf on top of the chikuwa and then add a slice of cheese, and repeat. Roll the whole thing up starting with the end nearest you.
③ Stick 3 toothpicks into the roll, so that they will each be holding together 1/3 of the roll after it is cut. Cut the roll between the toothpicks to produce three equally sized pieces.

Recipe Developed by: Machiko Tateno

Advertisement