Last Friday, my blogger friend Sissi shared her recipe for aji-no-hiraki (Japanese salted and grilled horse mackerel) on her site With A Glass. She calls it a “scary-looking delicacy” and wrote that some readers may feel horrified at the sight of this “least photogenic dish,” in her words. When I went to see the photo on her site, I burst out laughing!
That’s because I’ve held today’s recipe in draft form for months as I was reluctant to show you an appetizer with a head-on fish! I barely see fish with the head on served at restaurants in the US, even after living here for 15 years. So, I thought this photo might possibly cause you to lose your appetite. Sissi, however, gave me the courage to finally post this Shishamo Wrap recipe!
What is Shishamo?
Shishamo (柳葉魚, Japanese saltwater smelt or willow leaf fish) is one of Japan’s delicacies and popular appetizers. It’s a small, silvery fish that usually grilled or fried whole and served with its roe intact (komochi shishamo) in izakaya (Japanese gastropubs) or more traditional restaurants. It’s said that you can even enjoy fresh shishamo sushi when they are in season.
While growing up, I didn’t like shishamo that much at all. My mom told me I had to eat at least one fish because they are a good source of calcium. Now, I’m a mother of two and it’s ironic that I’m trying to feed shishamo to my kids. But guess what? My kids love it and each eat 4 whole fish. They even eat it from its head!
We can buy this fish frozen at the Japanese market in the US. I know that today’s recipe may not be for everyone if you can’t get shishamo. If you live close to a Japanese supermarket and find these scary-looking delicacies, please give it a try!
Ingredients You’ll Need for Shishamo Wrap
- shishamo (Japanese smelt) — find it in the freezer section of a Japanese market
- egg roll (harumaki) wrappers — cut in half
- shiso (perilla) leaves
- all-purpose flour
- water — to mix with the flour to use to seal the wrapper edges
- neutral oil — for deep-frying
- lemon — to squeeze the juice on the wrap when eating
- shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) — for a spicy kick
- matcha (green tea powder) — to make matcha salt for sprinkling or dipping
- kosher salt — to mix with the matcha
How To Make Shishamo Wrap
- Rinse and pat dry the fish.
- Add the fish and a shiso leaf on half a wrapper.
- Roll and seal the edge with flour and water mixture.
- Shallow-fry in a frying pan. Serve immediately.
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Shishamo Wrap
Ingredients
- 8 shishamo (smelt)
- 4 egg roll (harumaki) wrappers (cut in half)
- 8 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba)
- 1 tsp all-purpose flour (plain flour) (mix with water for "glue")
- 1 tsp water (mix with flour for "glue")
- 1 cup neutral oil (for shallow frying)
For Serving
- lemon
- shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) (for a spicy kick)
- ½ tsp matcha (green tea powder)
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (mix with matcha)
Instructions
- Quickly rinse shishamo under running water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Cut the egg roll wrappers in half.
- Place shiso and shishamo on the egg roll wrapper as you see in the picture. Roll it up from the bottom and seal the edge with the mixture of flour and water.
- In a large non-stick frying pan, heat the oil on medium-high heat. If you are new to frying, check this post.
- When it’s hot, place the shishamo wraps in the pan and fry until golden brown.
- Serve immediately and squeeze lemon before you eat. You can also serve with matcha salt and shichimi togarashi as well.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month. Reheat in the oven toaster or oven till crisp and heated through.
Nutrition
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