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Ninjin shirishiri (Okinawan carrot and egg)
Fine carrot ribbons stir-fried with egg, Okinawa's everyday bento side
In Okinawa, at the southern tip of Japan, ninjin shirishiri is what home cooks make when there is a bag of carrots and a lunchbox to fill. The carrots are grated into fine ribbons on a shirishiri grater, softened in sesame oil and bound with a scrambled egg and a splash of kombu dashi, so they taste sweet and mild enough for small children. It is served warm at dinner and cold in the next day's bento. It contains egg, soya and wheat (soy sauce) and sesame. Chef's tip: cook the carrot until it turns limp and glossy before the egg goes in; that is where its sweetness comes from.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 carrotsabout 250 g, coarsely grated or cut into fine matchsticks
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp kombu dashior water
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 eggbeaten
- 1 pinch salt
To serve
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add 2 carrots and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes, until they turn limp and glossy and taste sweet. Don't let them brown.
5 minStep 2: Add 3 tbsp kombu dashi, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 pinch salt and stir for 1 minute, until the liquid has almost gone.
1 minStep 3: Push the carrots to one side, pour 1 egg into the space and let it set for a few seconds, then stir it through the carrots. Keep cooking for 1–2 minutes until there is no wet egg left. A common mistake is adding the egg while the pan is still watery, which makes it soggy instead of fluffy.
2 minStep 4: Scatter with 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and serve warm, or cool completely for the bento.
Step 5: If it is going in a lunchbox, let it cool completely first (no more than an hour at room temperature), close the box and pack it with an ice pack. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ninjin shirishiri (Okinawan carrot and egg) take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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