Soba, Edamame, and Dashi Dipping Sauce

The idea of cold noodles may seem a little weird (if you’re not Japanese), but I’ve tried it, and like most things I stuff in my face, I like it.

In Japan cold pasta is often topped with a leek-type veggie and dipped in sauce.  Pretty plain, but good, especially if you have a hangover.  Danny is obsessed with noodles so I thought I’d throw this together.  I am obsessed with edamame so there ya go.

It actually ended up more like this, because I was too lazy to dip continually:

Ingredients

**makes 8 small Asian servings, or 4 average-sized American servings, or 2 Amanda servings

dipping sauce

2 T yuzu

4 oz soy (I used way less because salt is not my friend, hence the light color)

3 oz mirin (ie sweet sake.  ie yum)

16 oz dashi (I will put the dashi recipe at the bottom of this blog post)

one package of soba noodles (they usually come in one pound)

wasabi

Method

1. 1. Combine all ingredients and mix together thoroughly.  Easy.
2. 2. Cook soba noodles in salted water according to package directions.  Rinse with cold water.  Toss in edamame beans.
3. 3.Dip noodles in the traditional style or throw them all together like the lazy people do.  I just threw my wasabi dollop into the dashi dipping sauce.

**Traditional soba noodles are cooked differently from western pastas.  The noodles are thrown into boiling water, returned to a boil, then cold water is thrown in, and it is then cooked until al dente.  BUT, I have found that the Asian mart sells soba noodles that instruct you not to do this.  So like I said, cook them according to package directions.  Thank you.

Dashi 

2 cups water

4x4 piece of kombu (dried kelp)

1/2 cup bonito flakes

Method

1. 1.Put kombu in water, soak 10 minutes, and then bring to a simmer.
2. 2.Remove kombu (can reserve for another use) and add bonito flakes.
3. 3.Soak bonito flakes for 10 minutes and then strain.  Resulting stock is dashi.

Shrimp Toast

Shrimp toast, sometimes called prawn toast, is a common Chinese dim sum dish; although I went to dim sum yesterday and they didn’t have any.  Boo.

This version has a sprinkling of sesame seeds on top, which is a variation used frequently here in the US, in the UK and Australia.  You can bake instead of deep frying, but deep frying tastes better... always.

Ingredients for 16 pieces

8 slices of sandwich bread

shrimp mixture

1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup water chestnuts

2 T cornstarch

2 t rice wine

2 stalks green onion, finely sliced

1 t salt

1 T sesame seeds

1 tsp paprika

green onion, for garnish

hot oil, for deep frying

Method

1. 1.Trim crust off each piece of bread and slice diagonally into two triangles.  You should have 16 pieces.  Duh.
2. 2.In a food processor combine all ingredients for shrimp mixture and pulse into a paste.  You should chop the green onion (scallion) ahead of time because it doesn’t always process well and you want small pieces.  Just do it.
3. 3.Make sure you have some 325-350 degree oil ready to fry.
4. 4.Spread the shrimp mixture evenly among the 16 pieces of bread, making sure it covers the whole surface and is slightly mounded up in the middle.  Be generous. 
5. 5.Sprinkle paprika and sesame seeds on the shrimp mixture and push in gently (otherwise the seeds will just float off in the oil)
6. 6.Drop the bread pieces, shrimp side down into the oil and fry for 25-30 seconds.
7. 7.Turn over and fry on the other side for 25-30 seconds, until light golden brown.
8. 8.Turn one more time and cook the shrimp for a few more seconds if its not golden brown in color.
9. 9.Remove from oil onto paper towels to drain.  Serve hot with sweet chili sauce and garnish with green onion slices.

                                                                     

Vegetable Egg Rolls

Is there any great reason to eat a vegetarian egg roll?  I guess your being a vegetarian or having a gun to your head are decent reasons.

This is similar to a recipe that I was supposed to make in class this morning.  I doctored it, which is a questionable move in class; the chef wants to know you can follow directions but I’m guessing also wants to taste something worth eating.  I have a huge reputation to live up to; my mom is the most famous egg roll maker in the northeast!

Elevate this recipe by adding some ground meat (pork!) or shrimp.  Even crab.  Yum.

Some egg roll recipes will have you frying with raw filling, while these have a filling that is fully cooked before they go into the fryer.  It’s nice because you can taste the filling and adjust the seasonings before they are cooked (and it’s too late to adjust).

Ingredients

1 oz oil

**6 oz cooked meat, either ground of shredded is fine optional

**1 1/2 oz raw shrimp, peeled and deveined and chopped optional

6 oz chinese cabbage, shredded

3 scallions, chopped fine

6 oz bean sprouts

5 dried black mushrooms, rehydrated and chopped fine

2 oz bamboo, fine julienne cut

3 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sherry or shaoxing wine

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp oyster sauce

3 oz chicken stock

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

1 T water, cold

16 square skins/wrappers

1 egg, beaten

Method

1. 1.Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat
2. 2.Stir-fry cabbage, scallion, sprouts, mushrooms, bamboo shoots (and meat/shrimp if using).  Add water as needed if your pan becomes very dry, this will help “steam” the veggies and wilt them faster
3. 3.Combine soy sauce, sherry (or shaoxing), garlic powder, pepper flakes, oyster sauce and half of the stock and then add to the stir-fry mixture.  Stir and cook another 2-3 minutes.  If it becomes at all dry add the rest of the stock (this is a variable - you want the filling moist but not wet).
4. 4.Combine cornstarch with water (slurry) and add to the pan.  Stir and cook until thickened and reduced.
5. 5.Remove from the heat and adjust seasonings if necessary.  Cool.
6. 6.Lay skin down in front of you like a diamond and add about 1 1/2 oz of filling to the lower area, stretching across.  Make sure it is centered and not too close to the edges.
7. 7.Fold the bottom point up over the filling and tuck it in tight.
8. 8.Brush around the remaining three corners with the beaten egg.  This is going to seal your egg roll so it doesn’t explode in the fryer.
9. 9.Fold in the left and right corners and roll upwards, making sure the roll is tight and sealed completely.
10. 10. Finish all rolls.
11. 11. Deep fry at 350 until crisp and brown.  Remove onto paper towels to drain oil and serve immediately with nuac cham or duck sauce.

Or as my chef would say “these are seasoned so well they don’t need a sauce”.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

                                                                Spring Rolls Recipe