A healthy and refreshing dish for a summer evening is agekama and fresh seasonal tomatoes with the freshness flavors of cardamom and lemon. The tomato is one of the most popular vegetables eaten in Japan and the world, with over 8,000 different varieties. The popular Momotaro and Aiko are Japanese varieties that are known for their fruity sweetness and are a popular ingredient for summer dishes. This wonderful pairing makes a combination of “deliciousness” in which both drink and food accentuate one another for a satisfying culinary experience.
When sauteed, “Agekama” comes back to life as a freshly fried treat.
Agekama, Suzuhiro’s deep fried kamaboko, is presented as a set of five flavors in different shapes. It is a long-seller that was created about 60 years ago and is still the most popular deep-fried kamaboko in Japan.
Once you saute Agekama, the plump surimi pushes back against your teeth with a pleasant firm texture and the aroma of fried fish spreads from your mouth to your nose.
Tomatoes and cardamom change the culinary experience when added to Agekama in a fried dish. Cardamom is a popular spice made from the seeds of several plants. The spice has a complex aroma and is often used in curries.
The flavor and acidity of the Japanese tomatoes combined with the refreshing aroma of cardamom goes well with the fried fish cake. Of course, it goes well with beer, but we encourage you to heat up some rich Junmai sake (rice wine) to make it a special experience.
Stir-fry the cardamom to release its aroma
Ingredients
2 pieces of deep-fried kamaboko, any shape you like
4 to 5 cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon whole cardamom (powder is also fine)
1 teaspoon of whole cardamom (or powder) – A dash of olive oil
1 cut lemon
A pinch of salt
How to make
1: Cut up the deep-fried fish paste into bite-sized pieces.
2: Heat olive oil in a frying pan and lightly fry pounded cardamom.
(If the cardamom is powdered, do not fry it but sprinkle it over the top.
3: Add the fish cake and tomatoes and fry. Sprinkle a little salt.
4: Squeeze lemon and fry lightly to finish.
Photography by Hiyori Ikai Translation by Jeffrey Garrish