Curry Chikuwa Isobe-age (Seaweed Fish Cake Fritters)
ちくわの磯辺揚げ（カレー味） · Chikuwa no Isobe-age
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Isobe-age is a classic Japanese way of frying chikuwa (grilled fish cake tubes) in a light batter flecked with aonori, the green seaweed flakes that give the dish its "seashore" name. Here we add a little curry powder, whose gentle aroma helps even hesitant eaters reach for the seaweed. Chikuwa is soft and already cooked, so the pieces only need a quick fry until the coating turns lightly golden, and they are cut small enough to pick up easily with little hands or a fork.
Added. Open the recipe helper (bottom right) → ☰ Menu → 🛒 Shopping list to see the ingredients for your family size.
Printing uses the number of adults and children set under Ingredients, so set those first.
Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 45 gchikuwa (grilled fish cake tube)A mild, slightly chewy tube-shaped fish cake made from white fish paste grilled around a stick. Substitute: Imitation crab sticks or other mild fish cake (kamaboko); check the label, as fish cakes often contain egg white and wheat.
- 9 gegg
- 6.8 gflour
Seasonings
- 0.3 gaonori (green seaweed flakes)Fine, fragrant flakes of dried green seaweed sprinkled over dishes like okonomiyaki and yakisoba. Substitute: Crumbled nori sheets, or omit.
- 0.6 gcurry powder
- 7.5 gwater
- 9 gvegetable oil
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- chikuwa (grilled fish cake tube) (焼き竹輪)
- A mild, slightly chewy tube-shaped fish cake made from white fish paste grilled around a stick. Substitute: Imitation crab sticks or other mild fish cake (kamaboko); check the label, as fish cakes often contain egg white and wheat.
- aonori (green seaweed flakes) (あおのり)
- Fine, fragrant flakes of dried green seaweed sprinkled over dishes like okonomiyaki and yakisoba. Substitute: Crumbled nori sheets, or omit.
Directions
- 1
Slice each chikuwa in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 3, so each tube gives 6 pieces.
- 2
Beat the egg in a bowl, then add the flour, aonori, curry powder and water and mix lightly with cooking chopsticks until just combined.
- 3
Add the chikuwa to the batter and turn to coat, then slip the pieces into oil heated to 170°C (340°F).
- 4
After 1 minute, turn the pieces over a few times and fry for a total of 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly colored.
Cooking Notes
The key is to mix the batter lightly, just until combined - don't overwork it!
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 174 kcal | 348 kcal | 174 kcal |
| Protein | 7.4 g | 14.7 g | 7.4 g |
| Fat | 11 g | 21.9 g | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12.9 g | 25.8 g | 12.9 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.9 g | 1.8 g | 0.9 g |
| Calcium | 18 mg | 36 mg | 18 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg | 2.4 mg | 1.2 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 174 kcal | 7.4 g | 11 g | 12.9 g | 0.9 g | 18 mg | 1.2 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 348 kcal | 14.7 g | 21.9 g | 25.8 g | 1.8 g | 36 mg | 2.4 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
