MAKE UNI PASTA THE KAIZENYA WAY

Uni pasta recipe kaizenya

Uni, or sea urchin, is known to give you a taste of the ocean with every bite you take. It encapsulates the essence of the salty seawater, with its briny yet sweet taste, accompanied with a creamy texture. Its interesting flavour profile can be experienced on its own or added to other dishes to enhance the flavours. 

There are a few different types of uni. Mainly Aka (red) uni and Shiro (white) uni. Aka uni has a darker colour and it has a strong taste. If you want the full experience and taste of uni, aka uni is the one for you. Its strong flavour makes it a great addition in dishes or sauces for that extra umami-ness. If you live on the milder side of life, shiro uni is great too. It has a cleaner and sweeter taste and is best eaten on its own so that the flavours won't be lost. 

Uni pasta is a great fusion dish, combining Italian and Japanese elements together. It is more commonly served at Italian restaurants, but with a hefty price tag.

This recipe will teach you how to use uni and make it into a pasta filled with great flavour and umami. Depending on your preference, you can use either Aka uni or Shiro uni. We recommend to use aka uni for that great flavour. 

Now let's start cooking. Here are the ingredients that you will need:

uni pasta ingredients kaizenya

Ingredients (Serves 2)

  • 200g pasta of your choice (We recommend angel hair, linguine or spaghetti)
  • 100g uni of your choice (or more if you like) 
  • 3 cloves of garlic (minced) 
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp of butter 
  • salt 
  • shoyu ikura (optional, as a topping) 

Directions (Cooking time: 10 min)

  1. Cook your pasta as instructed and set it aside. Remember to heavily salt your water. 
  2. Drain your pasta from the water and set aside. Save your pasta water!
  3. Heat your pan on medium heat. 
  4. Once your pan is heated, add your oil and sautee garlic until soft, but not brown.
  5. Add your heavy cream into the pan and let it reduce slightly on low heat.
  6. Add butter into your pan and mix well. 
  7. Pick 4 pieces of uni (the ones that look the best) and set aside. 
  8. With the remaining uni, mash it and combine well with the sauce in the pan. 
  9. Once the sauce is done, add in your pasta and coat evenly. 
  10. Plate your pasta and place the remaining pieces of uni and ikura nicely on top of your pasta. 

uni pasta steps gif

A beautiful plate of uni pasta done in less than 15 minutes. Really simple and easy, yet a decadent and luxurious meal. Enjoy the richness and creaminess of the sauce that coats each strand of pasta. A great dish to impress that special someone.

Do give it a try and if you do, share it with us on Instagram or Facebook by tagging us @kaizenyasg!