bamboo shoot & mentaiko pasta

Mentaiko spaghetti is a big thing over here in Japan, and the variations on the recipe are endless, however this one from Moco's kitchen recipe book is definitely my favourite. The combination of the earthy soy-infused pasta with the crunchy freshness of the bamboo shoots, all tied together nicely with the creamy, slightly salty kick of the mentaiko is definitely a taste experience, and a great Japanese twist on the traditional spaghetti dish. It's super quick and easy to make and always a great fall-back if you're low on ingredients but want to make something yummy with what's left in the fridge.

Ingredients (serves 2):
♥ 160g spaghetti
♥ 1/2 a bamboo shoot [ゆでたけのこ] (these come packaged whole in Japanese supermarkets, but if there's only sliced bamboo shoots available where you are, then around a handful will do.)
♥ 100g komatsuna [小松菜] or pak choi
♥ 4 mentaiko
♥ 2 teaspoons soy sauce
♥ 1 tablespoon sake
♥ A handful of daikon sprouts [貝割れ菜] 
♥ Salad nori
♥ Sesame seeds
♥ 2 half-boiled eggs


1. Whack the spaghetti on boil with a pinch of salt.
2. Whilst it's cooking, roughly cut the bamboo shoot and komatsuna into bitesize strips. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and lightly fry.
3. Add in the mentaiko, the drained spaghetti (it should be cooked after 10 minutes), soy sauce and sake. Stir.
4. Turn off the heat and add in the daikon sprouts. Serve onto a plate. 
5. Sprinkle salad nori, sesame seeds and place the half-boiled egg on top.