The humble yet versatile ninjin (carrot) is thought to have arrived in Japan via China at some point in either the 16th or 17th century. The Japanese originally called it a “seri ninjin” (celery carrot) since, back then, the word “ninjin” was used to refer to ginseng root, which the carrot somewhat resembles.
However, the type of carrot that was grown here up until the Meiji Era (1868-1912) is now known as the red or Oriental carrot. Unlike its Western counterparts, the red carrot has, as its name suggests, a dark red color and is sweeter. It’s also harder to grow, which is why the orange Western types are what’s mainly consumed in Japan these days.
Carrots appear in all kinds of dishes that are popular in Japan, and the recipe featured here is a traditional one from Okinawa known as ninjin shiri-shiri (shredded carrot). It’s said that everyone in Okinawa has their own recipe for shiri-shiri, so consider this to be just one variation. The word “shiri-shiri” is Okinawan for “sengiri” (shredded) and there’s a theory that it is an ideophone derived from the “shiri shiri” sound that the carrots make on a shredder. It is a colorful side dish that works well in bento boxes, or you can increase the egg count and have it for breakfast instead.
Recipe:
Serves 2-4
Prep: 10 mins.
Cook: 5 mins.
Ingredients:
- 2 large carrots
- 1 large can (140 grams) tuna packed in oil
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds
Directions:
- Finely shred the carrots with a vegetable-slicing device, a mandoline is most likely going to give you the best results. If you don’t own such a device, shred the carrot with a knife as thinly as you can.
- Drain the oil from the canned tuna and flake it apart. Set it aside.
- Beat the two eggs and add a generous pinch of salt. Set the mix aside.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the carrots and stir fry them until they are crisp but still a bit tender (for about three minutes). Add the tuna and stir fry for another minute, breaking up any remaining tuna chunks.
- Add the mirin and soy sauce to the frying pan and stir. Turn off the heat and add the eggs, stir until they are scrambled. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Sprinkle the roasted sesame seeds on top of the final product when serving. Ninjin shiri-shiri is good hot or cold, and will keep in the refrigerator for around 24 hours.
Variations:
You can use vegetable oil instead of the sesame oil and omit the sesame seeds if desired. Also, try using canned luncheon meat cut into strips instead of the tuna. You can also leave out the tuna and add a teaspoon of dashi stock granules for extra umami.
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