Squid Pasta with Light Garlic Sauce from NOBU

Today, October 1, is World Sake Day. And we’re celebrating with a wonderful recipe from the acclaimed NOBU restaurant in which sake plays a role: squid pasta with light garlic sauce.

In 1994, exactly 30 years ago, the very first NOBU Restaurant opened in Tribeca, New York. Since then, NOBU, under the leadership of chef Nobu Matsuhisa, has grown into an international phenomenon, and this chef has had an enormous influence on the culinary scene all over the world. Oh, how we’d love to have a NOBU in the Netherlands! And hey, good news: it’s coming! In 2027, a NOBU will open in Amsterdam-Zuid.

Until then, we’ll have to make do with what we’ve got; we’ll simply make NOBU’s squid pasta with light garlic sauce at home. Before we share the recipe, here’s a little more about the equally acclaimed drink sake.

Sake at the table

You’ve probably had sake before. And probably with a meal, too. The Japanese drink, brewed from polished rice, pairs well with a multitude of dishes. There are many different sake breweries, different sake regions, different styles and grades. That makes buying sake no easy task. But with a crash course in sake, you’ll get a long way. And another nice thing about sake: if it doesn’t live up to expectations, you can always cook with it – sake gives dishes umami and a subtle sweet-and-sour accent.

Making NOBU’s squid pasta

1. First, we’ll blanch the broccoli. Boil the broccoli for 90 seconds in a small pan of boiling water with a little sea salt. Then plunge the broccoli into ice water and let it drain.
2. Pat the squid dry with paper towels. Cut the squid into strips approximately 5 cm wide. Using a knife, make fine vertical cuts along the length of each strip, in the direction of the fibers. These cuts should be fairly deep but close together. When the squid cooks and curls up, the cuts will give it a shell-like shape.
3. Then cut the squid parallel to the cuts into strips approximately 1.25 cm wide. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and black pepper.
4. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and garlic and fry the garlic slices. When the garlic becomes fragrant, turn the heat to high and add the shiitake mushrooms. Fry them lightly. Then add the squid, asparagus and broccoli, in that order, and season with a little sea salt and black pepper.
5. When the squid is approximately 70% cooked (the surface will become opaque), add the sake and soy sauce in a swirling motion, just before turning off the heat. Mix the contents of the pan well to distribute the sauce evenly.
6. Serve on a plate and optionally sprinkle with shichimi togarashi, also known as Japanese seven spice. It contains, among other things, Sichuan peppercorns, roasted orange peel, sesame seeds and ground ginger.

Tip: if you can’t find fresh squid, you can also use frozen squid. Make sure to thaw it completely, rinse it and pat it dry with paper towels before cutting it. You can replace the shiitake with mixed mushrooms or any other mushrooms you have on hand.

Also read: 

• Online supermarket Crisp now sells Japanese fish dishes from Hokkai Kitchen
• The acclaimed Asian restaurant Taiko impresses with every bite
• Stock your Japanese pantry like this

Recipe and images: NOBU