Fukushima Squid-Carrot Pickle (いか人参, Ika Ninjin)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Sharp knife
• •Cutting board
• •Small saucepan
• •Nonreactive storage container
• •Small plate or light weight for pressing

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the squid

   If the dried squid is very stiff, wipe it with a barely damp cloth and let it rest for five minutes. Don't soak it. A little surface moisture helps the knife, but a true soak steals the clean dried flavor that makes this dish what it is. Cut the squid into strips about 3 mm wide, trimming away any hard beak or tough edge.

   Surume sold as a snack often comes already flattened. Choose a piece that smells sweet and marine, not stale or sharply fishy.
2. 2

   Cut the carrot

   Cut the carrot into matchsticks close to the same width as the squid. Work lengthwise first into thin slabs, then into strips. Matching the cut is not decoration here. It keeps the carrot crisp while letting it season at the same pace as the squid.

3. 3

   Warm the seasoning

   Put the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and chile if using into a small saucepan. Warm over low heat just until the sugar dissolves and the edge of the liquid begins to shine, then take it off the heat. Boiling drives off the fragrance of the mirin and sake too harshly; you only need enough warmth to make the seasoning even.

4. 4

   Combine and press

   Put the squid and carrot in a clean nonreactive container and pour the warm seasoning over them. Turn everything well so the strips are coated. Set a small piece of parchment directly on the surface, then place a light weight or small plate on top. This keeps the upper strips in contact with the seasoning without crushing the carrot.

5. 5

   Rest overnight

   Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, preferably 24. Turn the mixture once or twice if you pass the refrigerator and remember it. The squid will soften, the carrot will bend without losing its bite, and the liquid will turn amber and savory.

6. 6

   Serve restrained

   Lift out a small portion with clean chopsticks, letting excess seasoning drip back into the container. Mound it lightly in a kobachi or small saucer, with the strips running in the same general direction and a little height at the center. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature.

Chef Tips

• •Use whole dried squid or good-quality surume strips, not soft fresh squid. Fresh squid gives you a different dish entirely, and pretending otherwise helps nobody.
• •Carrot quality matters. Choose one that is firm, sweet, and heavy for its size, especially in winter when its shun is doing half the work.
• •If your surume is already salty, reduce the soy sauce by half a tablespoon the first time. The finished dish should be sweet-salty and bright, not harsh.
• •This is better the next day and still good after three. Past that, the carrot loses its clean snap, and the dish becomes more tired than seasoned.

Advance Preparation

• •Make ika ninjin one day ahead for the best texture. Twelve hours works, but twenty-four hours gives the squid time to soften and season the carrot properly.
• •It keeps refrigerated for up to five days in a clean covered container. Use clean chopsticks each time so the seasoning stays clear.
• •For New Year service, prepare it on December 30 or 31 and portion only what you need into small dishes just before setting the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 75g)