Ume Shiso Pasta
If you enjoy Japanese style (wafu) pasta, you'd love this Ume Shiso Pasta where simple ingredients bring out the best of a dish.
Servings: 2
Calories: 711kcal
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti (4 oz/113 g per person)
- 10-20 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba) (I like to use a lot for more flavor)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1.8 oz shimeji mushrooms (½ package)
- 2 pieces umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums)
- 4 pieces chicken tenders (these are also known as chicken fingers and chicken strips. I like to use this part of chicken because they are moist when cooked. These strips of white meat are located on either side of the breastbone, under the breast meat (pectoralis major).)
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (1 Tbsp for non stick pan)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- ¼ cup shredded nori seaweed (kizami nori)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Cook spaghetti according to the package instruction in lightly salted boiling water. However, as we will be further cooking spaghetti with the sauce, cook about 1 minute less than the package instruction. Make sure to reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water before you drain the spaghetti into a colander.
- Meanwhile, roll up shiso leaves and julienne into thin strips.
- Slice garlic and discard the bottom part of buna shimeji mushrooms.
- Remove a seed from umeboshi and discard. Then mince into small pieces.
- Slice the chicken tender diagonally into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces (this cutting technique is called “sogigiri") and season them with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and coat it well with your hands.
- Heat the olive oil on medium high heat and cook garlic until fragrant.
- Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink. Then cook the shimeji mushrooms till coated with oil.
- Add half (¼ cup) of the reserved pasta cooking water, soy sauce, and umeboshi.
- When the chicken is coated with the sauce, add the spaghetti into the pan.
- Using a tong, coat the spaghetti well with the sauce. If you need more sauce, add the pasta cooking water and soy sauce and adjust the flavor. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste.
- Garnish with shiso leaves and shredded nori on top.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month.
Nutrition
Calories: 711 kcal · Carbohydrates: 96 g · Protein: 38 g · Fat: 19 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 11 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 64 mg · Sodium: 736 mg · Potassium: 752 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 4 g · Vitamin A: 550 IU · Vitamin C: 11 mg · Calcium: 42 mg · Iron: 2 mg