Scallops in a kumquat sauce

Seared scallops in a kumquat sauce

My latest craze in cooking is Japanese food. I love the umami flavours. In this recipe, the fresh sea scallop is the star of the show, and I have tried not to overpower it in any way. The daikon radish adds texture and some zing. The zucchini flowers add colour and an extra bit of taste.

The addition of orange juice brightens the sauce and brings out the kumquat's flavour.
And I thought the addition of fresh ginger balanced things off beautifully, but it could be an optional ingredient, a personal choice.

If you have brown butter to cook it in that is great, but it may be easier to let the butter "froth" in the pan before you start cooking the scallops. To get a perfect caramalised scallop do not overcrowd the pan.

2 tsp salted butter

340 gms — 3/4 lb fresh sea scallops, wash and pat dry  

In a skillet, heat half the butter until it sizzles and foams. Add half the scallops. Cook on a high heat until caramelised. Turn and cook on the other side. Remove to a plate and repeat to finish cooking the rest. 

To prepare the sauce

In a pan, bring all the ingredients to a boil. Lower the heat  and simmer the sauce for 7 minutes. This should become thicker and sticky enough to coat the back of the spoon.

2 tbsp sake

2 tsp le bon magot, or any other kumquat conserve

1.5 tsp mirin

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp light tamari soya

1/3rd cup orange juice

2 tsp yuzu

1 small piece of fresh ginger to infuse

1/2 tsp wasabi powder

To assemble

Pour the sauce over the scallops as needed, sprinkle with nanami togarashi, seaweed salt (seasalt crushed with nori) and plum sesame seeds. 

A side of grated daikon radish sitting on a spoonful of sauce and zucchini flowers pan-fried in brown butter makes this meal very delicious.

Photo credit Niloufer Mavalvala

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself via email, in independent book stores across the world and on Amazon India.

The Route to Parsi Cooking: From Pars to India and Beyond is an award winning book. It has been self published in June 2024. Email at theroutetoparsicooking@gmail.com

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.