Shinshūmushi is a steamed dish with fish fillet topped with soba (buckwheat) noodles. Just like Zaru Soba (Cold Soba Noodles). It is served with a soy-based sauce that is similar to the soba noodle soup, with wasabi and shredded green onions as garnishes.
Don't forget to see the section 'MEAL IDEAS' below the recipe card! It gives you a list of dishes that I have already posted and this recipe that can make up a complete meal. I hope it is of help to you.
- 50g / 1.8oz dried soba noodles (buckwheat noodles, note 2)
- 2 Ocean perch Fillets (about 100g / 3.5oz each, skin on, note 1)
- 1 tsp cooking sake
- A pinch of salt
- 2 sheets of banana leaf or konbu (optional, note 3)
- 120ml / 4fl oz dashi stock
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp mirin
- 1 tbsp cooking sake
- Shiraga negi
- Wasabi paste
-
Bring a sufficient amount of water in a pot to a boil.
-
(Optional, note 4) Tie one end of the bunch of dried soba noodles with a piece of butcher’s twine, then put the noodles into the boiling water.
-
Gently untangle the strands while keeping the tied end intact. Cook for the required time, less 2 minutes (note 5).
-
Drain and rinse the noodles, still tied on one end, under cold running water until the noodles are completely cooled down.
-
Drain water well and lay the bunch of noodles on a cutting board. Cut the tied end, about 1cm from the butcher’s twine (the strands very close to the twine are too hard).
-
Pat-dry fish fillets and sprinkle cooking sake and salt on both sides of the fillets. Leave for 5-10 minutes.
-
On a heat-proof plate that can just fit in a steamer, place two pieces of banana leaves without overlapping. Place the fillet on the banana leaf.
-
Take half of the noodles by pinching the middle of the strands so that the noodles naturally fold into half.
-
Lay the noodles over one of the fillets covering about 2/3 of the fillet. Do the same for the other fillet.
-
Turn a steamer on and reduce the heat to medium heat when it starts steaming. Place the plate in the steamer and steam for 7 minutes (note 6).
-
Remove the plate from the steamer. Transfer the banana leaves with the fish and noodles to serving shallow bowls.
-
Pour the sauce over the noodles, place shiraga negi and wasabi paste on top.
-
Serve while hot.
-
Add all the Sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.
1. I used ocean perch as it looked very fresh at the fish shop. But you can use any white fish fillet, such as snapper, flounder, and Spanish mackerel.
My fillet was quite large, so I cut it in half diagonally so that both pieces became similar shapes.
2. You can use any kind/colour of soba noodles.
3. I cut out 2 square sheets from a banana leaf that I had in the freezer. They are used to place fish fillets on so that it is easier to transfer the fish from the steamer to serving bowls.
Using of konbu will make the dish full of umami.
4. By tying the end and cooking the noodles, you can keep the noodles in a bunch without them getting tangled up. If you are not tying the noodles, you need to pick up the cooked noodles strand by strand to line them up.
5. For the time required to cook noodles, please check the instructions on the package of the dried soba noodles. The cooking time varies greatly depending on the brand.
Because the noodles are steamed later, you need to cook the noodles t slightly harder than al dente, i.e., you can feel a hard centre of a noodle.
6. Depending on the thickness and the size of the fillet, the steaming time varies. If you are using thin fillets like snapper, you will probably need to steam for 5 minutes.
7. Nutrition per serving.
serving: 207g calories: 240kcal fat: 1.9g (3%) saturated fat: 0.4g (2%) trans fat: 0.0g polyunsaturated fat: 0.6g monounsaturated fat: 0.4g cholesterol: 116mg (39%) sodium: 980mg (41%) potassium: 530mg (15%) carbohydrates: 22g (7%) dietary fibre: 0.1g (0%) sugar: 2.2g protein: 31g vitamin a: 1% vitamin c: 2.9% calcium: 8.9% iron: 11%