Geso Don is a local comfort food from my hometown Asahikawa Hokkaido. It originally started at a mom and pop Soba noodle restaurant in the town. The dish wasn't on the menu first; it was actually prepared for the staff of the restaurant, but it came onto the menu after persistent requests from some of their patrons.
The original recipe uses only squid legs but this is my version of Ika-Geso Don, which uses a whole squid,
Ingredients (Serves 4)
|
4 |
Squids |
|
4 Tbsp full |
Potato starch (or cornflour) |
|
2 pinches |
Salt |
|
2 pinches |
Ground pepper |
|
4 pinches |
Aonori (Dried seaweed flakes) |
|
4 bowls |
Steamed rice |
|
250ml |
Vegetable oil for shallow frying |
|
-Sauce- |
|
|
4 Tbsp |
Soy sauce |
|
2 Tbsp |
Sugar |
|
2 Tbsp |
Mirin (Sweet rice wine) |
|
2 Tbsp |
Cooking sake |
|
2 Tbsp |
Water |
Method
1. Add all the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan and heat on high heat and bring it to boil, then set it aside.
2. Gut and debone the squids, then wash the cavities well. Cut open the bodies and split into half by cutting the centre lengthwise. Slice them into 1cm x 5cm strips. Chop the eyes off the legs and take out the beaks. Divide the legs into 5 pairs. Rinse the cut squids under running water and dry with a paper towel
3. Add the sliced squids into a bowl and season with salt and pepper, then dust them with the potato starch well.
4. Add the oil in a frying pan and bring the temp. up to 180℃ (356℉) on high heat. To check the temp., dip the tip of a wooden chopstick and if you see a lot of tiny bubbles come out, it’s ready. add the squids and shallow fry until the crispy on the outside.
5. Add a portion of steamed rice in a bowl and place a portion of squid over it. Pour over a quarter of the sauce and sprinkle a pinch of Aonori.
If you are interested in learning how to cook more Japanese food, visit the following Washocook website to reserve my class.