Shiro Ebi & Uni Toast
Sweet Japanese white shrimp and premium uni served on homemade shokupan toast. Finished with caviar and a little house-made ama shoyu.
Story
Sometimes the simplest dishes depend the most on the quality of the ingredients.
For this dish I wanted to focus on Japanese seafood without adding too many flavours.
I chose Shiro Ebi for its delicate sweetness and soft texture. The uni brings a rich and creamy flavour while the caviar adds a gentle saltiness that works naturally with the seafood.
The base is homemade Japanese shokupan. I make the bread myself because I want a soft interior with a lightly toasted surface. It gives the dish a little warmth and texture without taking attention away from the seafood.
For the sauce I kept it very simple. I make my own ama shoyu using shoyu and mirin. Just a small amount is enough to bring out the natural sweetness of the ingredients.
Concept & inspiration
The idea behind this dish is ingredient selection.
I wanted to create something where every ingredient matters. There is no need for complicated cooking when the seafood already has so much character.
The Shiro Ebi has a delicate sweetness that I wanted to preserve. The uni adds richness and the caviar brings a different depth of flavour.
Even the bread plays an important role. Making the shokupan myself allows me to control the texture and how it works with the seafood.
When developing a dish like this for a restaurant menu, sourcing becomes especially important. The quality needs to be consistent and the ingredients must be handled carefully.
For me this dish is a reminder that good cooking is not always about adding more. Sometimes it is about knowing when to stop.