Tokyo Meets Lima: Edamame Tacu Tacu & Seared Scallops
In Lima, Tacu Tacu is the ultimate leftover dish—beans and rice fried into a crispy, hearty cake. The very first time I ate it at a tiny cebichería in Miraflores, the crunch instantly transported me back to Tokyo, reminding me of the grilled yaki-onigiri my grandmother used to make. It is funny how a Peruvian comfort food shares DNA with a Japanese classic. That memory birthed this dish: Flash-Seared Jumbo Scallops over Edamame 'Tacu Tacu'. I swap traditional canary beans for smashed edamame to build a crispy-chewy base. On top go jumbo scallops, seared for exactly 90 seconds per side in a screaming hot skillet. Why this works: The ultra-fast sear creates a Maillard crust without turning the delicate scallop rubbery. But the real magic is the Yuzu Kosho Salsa Criolla. By spiking a traditional Peruvian onion relish with fermented Japanese chili-citrus paste, we cut right through the scallop's richness. It is a fermented umami bomb! To make it your own, try swapping the scallops for a fatty piece of pork belly or even roasted king oyster mushrooms. Keep experimenting, keep breaking the rules, and whatever you do, get that skillet smoking hot!
Featured Recipe
Flash-Seared Jumbo Scallops over Edamame 'Tacu Tacu' with Yuzu Kosho Salsa Criolla
In Lima, Tacu Tacu is the ultimate leftover dish—beans and rice fried into a crispy, hearty cake. The first time I ate it, I immediately thought of yaki-onigiri, the grilled rice balls I grew up eating in Tokyo. This Nikkei translation swaps the traditional canary beans for smashed edamame, forming a crispy-chewy base for perfectly flash-seared jumbo scallops. We cut the richness with a salsa criolla spiked with yuzu kosho, bringing that unmistakable fermented Japanese chili-citrus punch to a Peruvian classic.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 12 pieces Jumbo sea scallops(Must be 'dry-packed' (untreated). U10 size is ideal.)
- 2 cups Cooked short-grain sushi rice(Day-old and cold works best)
- 1 cup Shelled edamame(Thawed if frozen)
- 1 tbsp Aji amarillo paste(Available at Latin markets)
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce (Shoyu)(Light soy sauce preferred)
- 1/2 medium Red onion(Julienned paper-thin)
- 1 tbsp Yuzu kosho(Green or red, both work)
- 2 tbsp Fresh lime juice(Freshly squeezed)
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar(Unseasoned)
- 1/4 cup Fresh cilantro leaves(Roughly chopped)
- 3 tbsp Neutral oil(Grapeseed or avocado (split use))
- 1 tbsp Unsalted butter(For basting)
- 1 tsp Kosher salt(Diamond Crystal)
Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 medium red onion, 1 tbsp yuzu kosho, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, and a pinch of 1 tsp Kosher salt. Massage the onions gently with your hands to start the curing process. Fold in 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and set aside. This quick-pickle will act as our acidic contrast.
5 min
Tip: The salt and acid rapidly break down the raw bite of the onion through osmosis. Give it at least 15 minutes to sit while you cook everything else.
- 2
Place 1 cup shelled edamame in a large bowl and roughly mash them with a potato masher or the back of a sturdy spoon until mostly crushed but still chunky. Add 2 cups cooked short-grain sushi rice, 1 tbsp aji amarillo paste, and 1 tbsp soy sauce (Shoyu). Mix vigorously until the starches bind everything into a cohesive, sticky mass. Form into 4 oval patties.
5 min
Tip: Smashing the edamame releases internal starches that, combined with the short-grain rice, mimic the binding power of the traditional Peruvian lentils or canary beans.
- 3
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp neutral oil. Once shimmering, carefully lay the Tacu Tacu patties in the pan. Cook undisturbed until a deep, golden-brown crust forms on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip and crisp the other side for another 4 minutes. Transfer to a warm plate.
8 min
Tip: Don't move them! Let the Maillard reaction do its job. You want a crispy, caramelized exterior that protects the chewy, starchy center.
- 4
While the Tacu Tacu cakes are finishing their second side, prepare the scallops. Thoroughly pat 12 Jumbo sea scallops completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with the remaining 1 tsp Kosher salt.
2 min
Tip: Moisture is the enemy of a good sear. If your scallops are 'wet-packed' (treated with STP), they will dump water in the pan and steam instead of searing.
- 5
Wipe out the skillet used for the Tacu Tacu and place it over the highest heat possible. Add the remaining 1 tbsp neutral oil. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the scallops, making sure they don't touch. Press them down lightly once. Sear undisturbed for exactly 90 seconds until a dark, hard crust forms. Flip, add 1 tbsp unsalted butter, and baste for just 30 seconds. Remove from the pan immediately.
3 min
Tip: Flash-searing is about violence and speed. High heat, fast extraction. The center should remain translucent and sweet.
- 6
To plate, place a warm Edamame Tacu Tacu cake in the center of each shallow bowl. Top each cake with 3 flash-seared scallops. Generously spoon the Yuzu Kosho Salsa Criolla (and its vibrant pink juices) over the top of the scallops.
2 min
Tip: Serve immediately while the contrast between the hot, crispy scallop crust and the cool, acidic crunch of the salsa is at its peak.
Chef's Notes
Why this works: A traditional Peruvian Tacu Tacu relies on the starch of canary beans or lentils to hold leftover rice together. By swapping in short-grain sushi rice and smashed edamame, we get a similar structural integrity but with a lighter, distinctly Japanese flavor profile. The yuzu kosho in the salsa criolla is the real secret weapon here—it replaces the traditional aji limo or rocoto chili, bringing both heat and an intensely floral, fermented salinity that cuts right through the rich, buttery crust of the scallops. Remember: the key to a true flash-sear is bone-dry scallops. Buy 'dry-packed' always.
Kenji Nakamura
Where Japanese precision meets global flavors
I trained in Tokyo for eight years, mastering the discipline of washoku—traditional Japanese cuisine. But I got restless. So I cooked my way through Southeast Asia, spent a year in Mexico City, and fell hard for the food of Peru. Now I see connections between cuisines that others miss: the umami in dashi and fish sauce, the heat in shishito and Szechuan peppercorns, the way Japanese technique can unlock flavors from any tradition. I'm always fermenting something.