Authentic Datemaki Recipe – Osechi Ryori (Japanese New Year Datemaki)

Time
30 mins

Create your own delicious osechi ryori, or New Year's food, with this Datemaki recipe; savoury bites, using eggs and hanpen Japanese fishcake, with a touch of Honteri. Perfect as a tasty snack for the New Year and beyond.

  • 120g hanpen (fishcake, or cod/haddock flakes broken up)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp Mizkan Honteri
  • 1 tbsp sake
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • ½ tsp soy sauce
  • 1 bamboo sushi rolling mat
  • Baking paper
  1. Preheat your oven to 200ºC and line a 8" x 8" (20 x 20cm) baking dish with baking paper.
  2. Cut the hanpen (or fish flakes) into ½ inch cubes and whisk the eggs in a small bowl. In a blender or food processor, put the hanpen and add mirin, sake, sugar, honey, and soy sauce). Add the beaten egg and blend until smooth, about 1-1.5 minutes, then strain the egg mix through a fine sieve to a clean bowl. Pour the mixture back into the blender and strain one more time into the bowl. Finally, pour the mixture into the baking dish lined with parchment paper.
  3. Bake at 200ºC for 20 minutes or until slightly brown on top. If the top is not golden brown, switch to a grill and grill for 2 minutes or until the surface is a golden brown. The centre of the omelette will rise a little bit as the top gets brown. It will shrink as it cools.
  4. Remove the baking dish from the oven/grill and let the omelette deflate and cool to handle, for 1-2 minutes maximum (do not leave it more than that as you need to roll the omelette while it’s hot).
  5. Transfer the omelette from the baking dish to a working surface by lifting the parchment paper. Place the bamboo mat over the omelette, the flat bamboo side facing up. Carefully flip the omelette and remove the parchment paper.
  6. Carefully score the omelette ⅛ inch (3 mm) deep every ½ inch (your knife should be parallel to the bamboo). This cut will help the omelette roll up without breaking/cracking. Roll the omelette into a tight cylinder and secure the bamboo mat roll with rubber bands and wrap it with plastic wrap. Cool completely for 2-3 hours.
  7. Carefully remove the Datemaki from the bamboo mat. Cut into 12 equal slices, about ¾-inch wide pieces. Serve at room temperature. You can store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Ingredients

  • 120g hanpen (fishcake, or cod/haddock flakes broken up)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp Mizkan Honteri
  • 1 tbsp sake
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • ½ tsp soy sauce
  • 1 bamboo sushi rolling mat
  • Baking paper

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 200ºC and line a 8" x 8" (20 x 20cm) baking dish with baking paper.
  2. Cut the hanpen (or fish flakes) into ½ inch cubes and whisk the eggs in a small bowl. In a blender or food processor, put the hanpen and add mirin, sake, sugar, honey, and soy sauce). Add the beaten egg and blend until smooth, about 1-1.5 minutes, then strain the egg mix through a fine sieve to a clean bowl. Pour the mixture back into the blender and strain one more time into the bowl. Finally, pour the mixture into the baking dish lined with parchment paper.
  3. Bake at 200ºC for 20 minutes or until slightly brown on top. If the top is not golden brown, switch to a grill and grill for 2 minutes or until the surface is a golden brown. The centre of the omelette will rise a little bit as the top gets brown. It will shrink as it cools.
  4. Remove the baking dish from the oven/grill and let the omelette deflate and cool to handle, for 1-2 minutes maximum (do not leave it more than that as you need to roll the omelette while it’s hot).
  5. Transfer the omelette from the baking dish to a working surface by lifting the parchment paper. Place the bamboo mat over the omelette, the flat bamboo side facing up. Carefully flip the omelette and remove the parchment paper.
  6. Carefully score the omelette ⅛ inch (3 mm) deep every ½ inch (your knife should be parallel to the bamboo). This cut will help the omelette roll up without breaking/cracking. Roll the omelette into a tight cylinder and secure the bamboo mat roll with rubber bands and wrap it with plastic wrap. Cool completely for 2-3 hours.
  7. Carefully remove the Datemaki from the bamboo mat. Cut into 12 equal slices, about ¾-inch wide pieces. Serve at room temperature. You can store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.