Shirasu Paste (Baby Sardine Purée)
しらすのペースト · Shirasu no Pēsuto
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Shirasu are tiny dried baby sardines, a staple of Japanese kitchens and one of the first fish many Japanese children eat because they are soft, mild and eaten whole, bones and all. In this preschool-kitchen recipe they are simply blended with kombu dashi until smooth, which turns them into an easy-to-swallow paste that suits the youngest eaters who are not yet ready for chewing. The kelp stock rounds out the natural saltiness of the fish, so no extra seasoning is needed. Spoon it over rice or soft vegetables, or serve it on its own.
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
- 15 gshirasu (dried baby sardines)Tiny, lightly salted and dried whole baby sardines that add gentle saltiness and calcium. Substitute: A small amount of flaked canned sardines, or omit.
Seasonings
- 22.5 gkombu dashi (kelp stock)A light, savory stock made by steeping dried kombu kelp in water. Substitute: Light vegetable stock, or water with a small pinch of dashi powder.
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- shirasu (dried baby sardines) (しらす干し)
- Tiny, lightly salted and dried whole baby sardines that add gentle saltiness and calcium. Substitute: A small amount of flaked canned sardines, or omit.
- kombu dashi (kelp stock) (だし汁，昆布)
- A light, savory stock made by steeping dried kombu kelp in water. Substitute: Light vegetable stock, or water with a small pinch of dashi powder.
Directions
- 1
Put the shirasu in a blender with the kombu dashi and blend until smooth.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 18 kcal | 36 kcal | 18 kcal |
| Protein | 3.8 g | 7.5 g | 3.8 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0.2 g | 0.3 g | 0.2 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.6 g | 1.2 g | 0.6 g |
| Calcium | 42 mg | 84 mg | 42 mg |
| Iron | 0.2 mg | 0.3 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Potassium | 57 mg | 114 mg | 57 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 18 kcal | 3.8 g | 0.3 g | 0.2 g | 0 g | 0.6 g | 42 mg | 0.2 mg | 57 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 36 kcal | 7.5 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g | 0 g | 1.2 g | 84 mg | 0.3 mg | 114 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.
Ingredients in this recipe
You might also like
All recipes →
Natto and Shirasu (Baby Sardine) Tempura
Nikujaga (Japanese Meat and Potato Stew)
Buri Daikon (Simmered Yellowtail and Daikon) (Wheat-Free)
Hot Cook Nikujaga (Japanese Meat and Potato Stew)
Simmered Potatoes with Ground Chicken (Soboro-ni)
