RECIPE: Hotaru Ika & Tiger Prawn Fried Rice

We saved this recipe for a whole year waiting for the Hotaru Ika to be in season again!

We made this on a whim last year when the season was ending and it was such a shame that we couldn't share this -- it was SO good.

The Hotaru Ika is naturally strong in seafood smell and taste, so we thought the flavour would make a superb seafood fried rice and that's what we made.

Here are the ingredients you'll need for 4~5 servings:

1 x 200G Hotaru Ika, pat dry 

1 x Hitomebore Cooked Rice, unheated. Or you can use 2 pax worth of leftover chilled rice.

1 x Tiger Prawns, approx. 10 pieces or so. You can add more if you want. Peeled with tail on. You can peel the whole thing if you want.

1~2 tbsp of Tsuyu / Soba Sauce / Tempura Sauce, to taste

Garlic Chips (optional) as a topping

Steps:

1. In a pat, heat approx 2 tbsp of cooking oil. 

2. Once it is heated, lower heat and add Hotaru Ika. The liquid from Hotaru Ika will be excreted, so let it cook until the liquid evaporates and lessen until there is very little liquid left (approx. 70% lesser will do, don't have to be too accurate. The liquid is fine and safe to consume.)

3. Add the prawns in and give it a stir until the prawns are cooked.

4. Once the prawns are orange, move the Hotaru Ika and Prawns to a separate plate, leaving the oil / liquid in the pan. 

5. If there's not much oil left, add more and heat pan on medium.

6. When the oil is heated enough, add cooked rice and give it a good stir until almost every grain is covered with oil/liquid. 

7. Once the rice is heated and the grains are separated enough, add the Hotaru Ika and Prawns into the pan and mix well.

8. Drizzle 1 tbsp of Tsuyu and mix well. Taste and see if it is to your taste, if it is not salty enough, add accordingly to taste. Then finish with some black pepper.

9. Serve with garlic chips. Enjoy!