Fish cake pleases palate when made from scratch

Back in elementary school my class took a field trip to a Japa­nese fish-cake factory in Hilo. Whatever it was we were supposed to learn, I did not absorb the message — all I remember is passing by a bucket of fish paste that looked like congealed brain matter.

In the absolute manner in which a 9-year-old mind works, I decided it was disgusting and I would never eat fish cake again. And I didn’t, for years. To this day I have no love for Japa­nese pink-and-white kama­boko, partly due to flashbacks to that bucket of gray sludge, but mostly because it doesn’t seem to have enough flavor to make it worth the effort necessary to chew it.

Sometime after my brain grew up, though, I was introduced to homemade fish cake, which I now consider one of the great proteins. Flavorful and easy to make, it doesn’t seem to have a downside.

Except that you start with fish paste, and that still looks like sludge. But I got over it.

Find the paste in Asian markets — I get mine at Don Quijote — labeled "Chinese fish cake." It’s stashed in the refrigerated compartment near the cut and packaged fish and goes for about $8 per pound.

With minimal preparation — usually steaming or pan-frying — it loses its gray, gelatinous appearance and turns snowy white. Very little seasoning is needed, not even salt, as the native flavor is quite good.

The other day I was in pursuit of some fish paste when I met a woman intent on the same packages. She told me of her plan to make patties, stuff them into cone sushi wrappers and steam them.

What a great idea. My plans for dinner were clear.

Inarizushi (cone sushi) wrappers, called "inari age" in Japa­nese, are sold in refrigerated packages or in cans. Some are rectangular, others triangular. If you get the triangular type, you’ll need to press on the filled cones so the bottoms flatten out and they can stand upright in the steamer. Also, this type normally comes in packages of eight. A pound of fish paste will make about 10 filled cones. Rather than open another package, simply fry the leftover filling and make a couple of fish patties to serve on the side.

FISH CAKE ‘INARIZUSHI’

» 1 pound fresh Chinese fish paste
» 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
» 2 tablespoons minced green onion
» 2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
» 2 tablespoons shredded carrot
» 1 egg, beaten
» 10 pieces inari age (cone sushi wrappers)

Combine fish paste with ginger, green onion, cilantro and carrot. Fold in egg, turning until well combined. (If you wish to test your flavorings, fry a small amount in a skillet and taste. Adjust seasonings.)

Squeeze excess liquid from inari age (some liquid can be added to filling to add a sweet-tart flavor). Separate inari age and open each piece. Stuff about 1/4 cup of filling into each wrapper.

Set in a steamer basket, pressing filled cones into basket so bottoms flatten out a little and cones stand up. Place in a steamer over simmering water and cover. Let steam until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Test by cutting into filling of 1 cone with a knife; it should be white and firm. Makes 10 filled cones.

Note: If you have extra filling, it can be fried like a pancake in a skillet.

Approximate nutritional information per cone: 150 calories, 10 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 12 g protein

Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.

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