Deep-Fried Juvenile Ayu, Sake-Steamed Icefish, Tamagoyaki, Bamboo Shoot Kinpira, Octopus Ogura-Ni

For the hassun (seasonal assortment course), I think very hard about coloring. Taking into account the balance with the dishes that come before and after it in the course, I prepare it with real attention to how beautiful and lustrous it looks the moment it's served. I'd be happy if guests can enjoy it together with their sake.

1. Clean the juvenile ayu (sweetfish) and deep-fry them karaage-style.

2. Clean the icefish (shirauo) and steam them with sake. Add prepared udo (a mountain vegetable in the aralia family) and wakame, and top with a pickled-plum sauce (umeniku-an).

3. For the baked egg dish (tamagoyaki): make a batter of gisei-dofu (a mock tofu made with egg and vegetables), mix in tai roe (tai-no-ko) that has been simmered and broken apart, season with soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil, then bake.

4. Simmer the kuruma prawns and fava beans separately.

5. For the sweet-vinegar pickled apricots: soak store-bought dried apricots in sweet vinegar.

6. For the bamboo shoot kinpira: prepare the tougher base end of the bamboo shoot, and cook it kinpira-style (a soy-and-sugar sauteed preparation).

7. For the octopus simmered with azuki, Ogura style (ogura-ni): clean the octopus and simmer it together with azuki beans to make ogura-ni.

Akasaka, Nogizaka Shin