Japanese Golden Shrimp

Can anyone get a recipe for the Golden Shrimp they serve at Tsukasa and Hanakawa in Vernon Hills and Libertyvillle ? I have searched and searched. :?

Welcome to LTHForum. I haven't tried those particular restaurants, but here are several recipes. Let us know which one works out.

LAZ --
I don't think that matches the sort of golden shrimp that shows up at teppanyaki places. Those recipes use one yolk for 4-12 shrimp... what I've seen at places such as Rokbonki in Arlington Heights, Kampai in Mt. Prospect, etc., looks like at least a yolk per crustacean. Makes me a bit nauseated, but MrsF adores it.

Joel

JoelF,
I am sort of with you. Golden shrimp are one of those entrees I love when I see it on the menu, love the first half of the portion,but feel too filled up after eating it.

I just ate at Ron of Japan tonight . . . an addiction I care not to shake. My favorite dish there is always the shrimp. I have searched and searched the internet for the recipe, but I have never found one quite right. I tried making it once and thought I came close, except that I believe I had a bit much yolk and not enough oil in the mix.

The cook at our table tonight insisted it's just egg yolk and vegetable oil. I'm not so sure that isn't all there is to it. The butterflied shrimp are placed on the frying table (which already is oiled) with some butter, then topped with the yolk mixture. After the butter melts, they then pour some sake around the shrimp and cover with a rounded metal pan cover/hood. Delicious!

I have not eaten at similar restaurants in quite some time, so I can't recall how the shrimp dishes differ. Benihana never offered a similar shrimp dish. I remember Tsukasa of Tokyo in Vernon Hills had a similar dish, but that was years ago. And I seem to recall a similar dish at Ichiban on Dundee Road in Northbrook in the late 70's or early 80's, but Ichiban thereafter became a temple.

BR wrote:I just ate at Ron of Japan tonight . . . an addiction I care not to shake. My favorite dish there is always the shrimp.

I'm with you, BR. Ron of Japan is a guilty pleasure of mine once or twice a year. I love the shrimp, but if you really want to knock the cholesterol meter into overdrive, try the lobster next time. It's a lobster tail with the meat removed and cut into chunks. Then the meat is put back in the shell and the whole thing is topped with gobs (literally) of that egg yolk mixture and cooked in the same manner as the shrimp. It's heaven on a plate (but not something I can eat too often)!

Though I have never made it, I think that the golden topping may be as simple as yolk and oil. Presumably there is some salt in there, but it is basically mayonnaise. Based on the consistency, I would assume that they emulsify as much oil as they can, so one yolk could be right.

-Will

Hi,

I did a search under 'Japanese shrimp egg yolk,' to find:

True Japanese Egg Yolk Sauce Recipe In one of the responses, someone was trying hard to replicate Ron of Japan's method.

I found this query that led to another website with two recipes using egg sauce. Interestingly the egg sauce is referred to as Moto, which may provide more recipes or uses of this sauce.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I did a search under 'Japanese shrimp egg yolk,' to find:

True Japanese Egg Yolk Sauce Recipe In one of the responses, someone was trying hard to replicate Ron of Japan's method.

I found this query that led to another website with two recipes using egg sauce. Interestingly the egg sauce is referred to as Moto, which may provide more recipes or uses of this sauce.

Regards,

Cathy, I've seen these same recipes and kept them in the back of my head last night while at Ron of Japan. In eating my shrimp dish last night, I tried several bites of just the yolk sauce. By itself, it's somewhat bland. But when tasted with the shrimp, which has been essentially sauteed in a little oil, a little butter and some sake (and then I dip it in a little soy sauce), it is a combination that has a tremendous flavor. Also, the cooking/steaming of the yolk/oil mixture yields an interesting and very light texture.

Thus, the additions of food coloring, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, paprika, garlic powder, etc. etc. that one finds in all of these online recipes -- I don't think that's how Ron of Japan does it. Others might do it that way, but I don't know (as I mention above, it's been so long since I've visited any other spot serving a similar dish). But I think a simple combination of oil and yolk, and then cooking the shrimp in a style similar to that used by Ron of Japan, will do the trick. That's not to say that the recipes found online cannot yield delicious versions of the shrimp and sauce.

All in all, I don't think it's that difficult of a dish to recreate. The most difficult part I found when I first tried it was getting the right proportion of oil to yolk, and I'm not so sure that I didn't use the right proportion . . . I didn't cover the pan (unlike Ron of Japan) and that might be the reason I think the proportions seemed off. At Ron of Japan, the cook seemed to first desire a very quick sear for caramelization, and then sake and a cover on top of the shrimp for steam, probably to ensure the right consistency of the yolk mixture atop the shrimp. I will note that when they scoop this yolk/oil mixture on top of the shrimp, it looks like mayonnaise, albeit much more yellow.

Now if someone can only tell me how to duplicate a Pizano's/Malnati's or Burt's crust . . . I've tried so many times without success. I believe it's all in the butter and the proper way to incorporate the butter . . . I just have not yet figured it out.

stevez wrote:I love the shrimp, but if you really want to knock the cholesterol meter into overdrive, try the lobster next time. It's a lobster tail with the meat removed and cut into chunks. Then the meat is put back in the shell and the whole thing is topped with gobs (literally) of that egg yolk mixture and cooked in the same manner as the shrimp. It's heaven on a plate (but not something I can eat too often)!

I did try it once . . . and your description is dead on! Pricey though, which is why I have not ordered it more often.

HI,

In the Uncle Phaedrus, there was method of making Moto that was pure simplicity:

Moto:
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 C vegetable oil
1/8 t. salt

This would likely be what I would have tried first.

Disney World also has Golden Shrimp with Moto on it.

Regards,

This is what I was originally thinking about when I saw the thread title, so here's a link to google books for Yellow Flower Shrimp. It's a much healthier version (only 1 egg yolk for 4 shrimp!) and it's simmered with squash and spinach. A classic Japanese fall/winter dish.

Ebi Kimi Ni