Today, I’m sharing another one of my favorite chilled pasta dishes.
It’s wonderfully flavorful, yet surprisingly simple. This recipe uses convenient pre-cooked scallops and store-bought shiro dashi (Japanese white dashi concentrate), making it both time-saving and budget-friendly.
Shiro dashi is a concentrated Japanese seasoning that adds rich umami quickly—highly recommended for achieving the best flavor.
(If pre-cooked scallops aren’t available, you can quickly sear fresh scallops instead.)
Ingredients (Serves 1)
Pre-cooked scallops (small) 7–8 pieces
Shiso leaves 8
Cherry tomatoes 5
Pasta 3.5 oz (100 g)
Japanese sake 2 tablespoons (or substitute dry white wine) <A>
Water 1/4 cup (60 ml)
Store-bought shiro dashi (Japanese white dashi concentrate) 2 tablespoons
Soy sauce 1 teaspoon
Sugar 1 teaspoon
Grated garlic 1/2 clove
Ground white sesame seeds 1 tablespoon
Extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon
Reserved scallop juices (from Step 1) all
Directions
1.Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil (not included above) in a pan and add the pre-cooked scallops. Once they begin to release moisture, add the Japanese sake, cover, and gently steam for about 5 minutes. Reserve all the scallop juices for later use.
2.Thinly slice the shiso leaves and halve the cherry tomatoes.
3.Combine all ingredients from section <A>. Add the halved tomatoes and let marinate for about 15 minutes.
4.Bring 1 liter (about 4 cups) of water to a boil and add 2 teaspoons of salt (not included above). Cook the pasta 1 minute longer than package directions. Drain, rinse in ice water, and dry thoroughly. Pat gently with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
5.In a bowl, combine the scallops, shiso, marinated tomatoes with dressing, and chilled pasta. Toss gently until evenly coated.
The tomatoes make this dish beautifully vibrant—perfect for a relaxed lunch gathering.
It’s just as satisfying as Western-style pasta, yet carries a delicate Japanese touch. Give it a try.