Ika no Nuta
Inspired by a dish of the same name that I had at Rintaro. "Ika" translates to squid, and "Nuta" translates to the vinegar + miso based dressing. It obviously wasn't as good as the version I had there, but I was pleasantly surprised at how simple and delicious the sauce was. I used saikyo miso (Kyoto-style), which has an intriguing nutty, almost caramel-like flavor. Japanese mustard powder helps round everything out beautifully. Unlike western mustard, Japanese mustard powder is significantly spicier and has a taste similar to horseradish.
Active Time: 30 min
Total Time: 30 min
Ingredients
> small squid tubes
> green onions
> apple
> komotsuna (or any kinds of mustard greens)
> white miso (4 tbsp)
> mirin (2 tbsp)
> rice wine vinegar (2 tbsp)
> Japanese mustard powder (1 tsp)
Instructions
1. Cut the green onions into 4cm pieces, and gently blanch them, for around 30-60 seconds.
2. Cut the squid tubes into 1/4-inch rings, and gently poach them until cooked, about 1 minute
3. Cut mustard greens into 1-inch pieces, and gently blanch them, for around 15-30 seconds.
4. In a small saucepan, heat white miso, mirin, and rice wine vinegar over medium-low heat. Stir with a whisk until everything is well incorporated. Set aside in a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
5. Slice the apple into very thin slices. If the apple is large, halve the apple slices. (make sure not to do this too early, otherwise the apple will oxidize)
6. Add the mustard powder into the dressing and mix to combine. Add everything and toss with the dressing to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips:
> Feel free to use all kinds of miscellaneous vegetables and seafood in this salad. In the picture show, I only used apple, scallions, and squid. But you could feasibly use any kind of sashimi, turnips, hearty greens, other kinds of onions, etc.
> I used saikyo miso, which is significantly sweeter than white miso. It was personally a bit sweeter than I would have liked. But if you want the sweeter taste with other kinds of miso, add a teaspoon of sugar with the sauce.