Hatoshi (Nagasaki Shrimp Toast)

Quick answer

Total time: 50 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

Hatoshi is a Nagasaki shrimp toast made by sandwiching a thick mixture of minced shrimp, squid, and sautéed onion between bread, steaming it to set the seafood, and frying it until crisp and golden.

The dish reached Nagasaki from Qing China during the Meiji era and first appeared among the shared plates of shippoku dining. It later became a familiar shop and street snack. Puréed seafood binds the filling while coarsely chopped pieces keep a springy bite, and the steamed center stays moist beneath the fried bread.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
peeled shrimp	320	g
cleaned squid	80	g
onion	50	g
sandwich bread	4	slice
salt	0.5	tsp
black pepper	0.25	tsp
mayonnaise	1	tsp
ground chili	1	tsp
neutral oil	500	ml

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

5 steps

1

Finish

Finely chop 50g onion.

Sauté it in 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat for 10 minutes until translucent and soft, then spread on a plate and cool completely.
2

Season

Process half the shrimp and squid with salt, pepper, and mayonnaise for 30 seconds into a sticky paste.

Chop the remainder to 8mm and fold it into the paste with cooled onion and chili.
3

Control

Spread half the seafood mixture 1.5cm thick on each of two bread slices and cover with the remaining slices.

Wrap loosely and steam over active steam for 8 minutes.
4

Heat

Unwrap and air-dry for 5 minutes.

Heat oil to 180C and fry one sandwich at a time for 60 to 90 seconds per side, until golden and the center reaches at least 74C.
5

Finish

Drain on a rack for 3 minutes and cut each sandwich into four pieces.

Check that the seafood filling is opaque and springy, then serve hot.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Puréed and chunky seafood textures
Finish cue: Check that the seafood filling is opaque and springy, then serve hot.
Storage and reheating: Sauté it in 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat for 10 minutes until translucent and soft, then spread on a plate and cool completely.