Category: Cooking

I must admit, I’m guilty…..I adore Xiao Long Bao, those wonderful Shanghai style soup dumplings. So here’s an batch of Xiao Long Bao:

Believe it or not, it’s from our kitchen. A few weeks ago, I planted a little seed in the Missus’s mind. One of the sites that I visit quite often is eatingchinese.org, and Gary Soup does an excellent job of finding interesting links and articles on Chinese food. On the site is a link to a Xiao Long Bao Tutorial. I mentioned this to the Missus, who immediately said "uh-uh, no way, don’t know nothin’ about making Xiao Long Bao." But understanding that "dough" and "dumplings" are so basically entrenched in the Missus’s fate, a few weeks later she asked me to print out the Xiao Long Bao recipe….and we were on our way.

So what follows is a very "broad" interpretation of that recipe. There are other recipes out there, but we decided to use the Chinese recipe as a guide. Again, it was just a guide. I’ll be documenting what we did, and what the results were. It was quite "interesting".

There are many variations on the "soup" for soup dumplings. Some use chicken feet, pork "skin", or other items. We chose Pig’s feet. There was also an item in the recipe to "congeal" the soup. The Missus didn’t quite know what it was, but later with some help, we determined it was Agar-agar.

So on Friday we made "aspic".

Pig’s Feet (Hock) Aspic:
2 Pork Hock/Leg(Pig’s Feet)
8 Cups Water
4 Stalks Green Onion(bruised and roots removed)
2 3" Fingers of Ginger Smashed
1/2 Cup Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine)
White Pepper
Salt
2 Tb Agar Agar

1 – Set a pot of water to boil.
2 – Once boiling, place pig’s feet quickly in the water for 10-15 seconds to allow removal of "scum" on pigs feet.
3 – Rinse and scrub well.
4 – Place in pressure cooker and cover with water. In this case 8 cups.
5 – Add greens onions, ginger, Shaoxing, and white pepper to liquid.
6 – Close pressure cooker and bring to "high heat", once high heat is attained, lower temp to maintain high pressure for 45 minutes.(Approx a two hour simmer on a conventional stove) After 45 minutes let the pressure drop normally for 15 minutes, then quick-release pressure. The meat should just fall away from the bone.

7 – Remove all large remaining portions of pork then strain.

8 – Place broth into a large pot or "wok" and defat. Bring broth to a simmer and add agar-agar. To add agar-agar first get a ladle of broth and add agar powder and start mixing. Slowly lower agar into broth and gently mix until fully incorporated(no "glops" or lumps).
9 – Remove from heat.
10 – Cool, then cover and refrigerate.

Day 2:

So now you’ve woken and are totally "psyched" about making some Xiao Long Bao!

So while the Missus was making the "dough", I made the Ginger-Scallion Water from the recipe.

Ginger Scallion Water:
5 Stalks Green Onion
2 4" pieces of ginger chopped into 1/2" slices
2 Cups Water

1 – Placed ingredients in blender.
2 – Pulse until all ingredients are "chopped"
3 – Strain and place water aside.

The dough? Well, I’m sorry, but the Missus does it all by "feel". What she can tell me is that according to the instructions, she used a combination of high-gluten flour and all-purpose flour, along with cold water. She then kneaded until it formed a "dough" and no longer stuck to your hand. Then allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.

While the dough was resting we made the filling:

The Filling:

1 Lb of Ground Pork
3 Tsp Salt
6 Tsp Sugar
4 Tsp Soy Sauce
White Pepper
Ginger Scallion Water
1 Tsp Sesame Oil
Aspic
1 Egg Yolk

1 – Combine Ground Pork, Pepper, Salt and Sugar (twice the amount of sugar then salt), and Soy Sauce.
2 – Stir Pork mixture in one direction while adding Ginger Scallion water until the filling is saturated and achieves a "pasty" texture.

3 – Remove the aspic from the refrigerator and "unmold". Slice the jell into small cubes.

4 – Make sure the cubes are small – we also added egg yolk to bind.

4 – Mix equal amounts of aspic and pork filling together.

I then left it to the Missus to roll out the dough and form the dumplings. And boy did I feel for Her. You see, in order to form the dumplings, the dough had to be "stiff", to the point it was really difficult for Her to roll out.

When we had enough, I started steaming them.

I thought they looked great, and they also stood up to the heat well.

So what did we learn? Well first of all, I never thought I’d ever say this, but there was too much soup, so we need to adjust the ratio. Also, I don’t think we needed as much Agar, there was enough gelatin in the pig’s feet, we would only need about maybe 1/2 tsp. The Missus was disappointed in her inability to get the dough thin enough, and I felt for her; the dough was so "stiff" and hard to roll out. We’ll work out the kinks in the future. She thought the dough was much too thick, so maybe this is where we get a pasta maker……

I still managed to eat 2 dozen. The filling was tasty. And we had alot of fun making this.

Yes, I’m finally cooking again. I know that one of my "Food Resolutions" was to cook alot more. So I guess I’ve got alot of territory to make up. This past weekend, the Missus decided that she wanted some Sukiyaki, so I broke out my Mother’s recipe. Well it’s sort of my Mom’s recipe. I’ve made a few changes over the years, but overall it’s still Her basic recipe. Some of the items we’ve changed in the recipe are watercress to replace shingiku, and the addition of enoki mushrooms.

Sukiyaki is the ubiquitous Japanese dish, and ingredients and recipes vary. From very simple soy sauce and sugar concoctions, to more complicated versions. I’ve been told several times that the "meat" makes the Sukiyaki, but coming from humble beginnings, I believe that the Warishita (sukiyaki sauce) makes the dish. Luckily, I’m able to get my hands on prime sukiyaki cut rib eye, so I’ll have all bases covered.

Warishita (Sukiyaki Sauce):

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
3/4 Cup Mirin
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Sake
1/4 tsp Dashi No Moto(optional)
1 clove garlic smashed (optional)

Combine Warishita ingredients(except for dashi no moto) and bring to a boil while stirring, turn down heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes to burn off alcohol. Remove from heat and add dashi no moto, if desired. Remove from heat and cool. Let the sauce "rest" at least 20 minutes, or over night. I usually make a double recipe of Warishita for each "batch" of Sukiyaki.

Sukiyaki:

1 lb Thin cut rib eye or sirloin
2 Medium Round Onions sliced
2 Packages Shirataki(Yam Noodles), open packages and place in a colander. Pour boiling water over Shirataki to remove the "smell".
1 Block Tofu drained well, and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Can Bamboo Shoots – If the smell bothers you, pour boiling water over Bamboo Shoots, drain, then cut into slices lengthwise.
6-8 Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms
1 Bunch Enoki Mushrooms (optional)
2 Bunches Watercress, or 1 bunch Shingiku (Edible Garland Chrysanthemum)
1 Bunch Green Onions(green parts only), cut into 1 inch lengths
4-6 Eggs

1. Lightly oil the bottom of a Tetsunabe (Iron Pot),do not use a donabe(earthenware pot). You can also use a large heavy bottom skillet. Place on a tabletop stove.

2. Arrange items in a single layer on the bottom of the skillet.

3. Heat skillet over medium heat. Pour half of the Warishita over ingredients covering the meat.

4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes.

5. Add ingredients and sauce as they are depleted.

6. If you desire, pick out ingredients and dip them in lightly beaten egg right before eating.

You can turn a Sukiyaki dinner into a real social event, with  designated rotating "Sukiyaki Chefs". I’ve yet to find decent Sukiyaki served at a restaurant for under $25/person. Most restaurants have use a watered down sauce, with low grade meat, and cheap ingredients like napa cabbage.

Sorry no photo of the finished product – we were to busy eating.

Just to finish up. Here’s an interesting little book/pamphlet my Mother owned.

The Author is someone named "Fumiko" and this 70 page book cost exactly $1.00! Even though our Sukiyaki recipe is not from this book, I found this to be most "interesting":

Yes, it says Hawaii, the 49th state! Guess they got a little ahead of themselves!

Last week we "hit the wall"…… The Missus and I were going over our favorite restaurants one by one, and really didn’t feel like eating at any of them. Truth was, we really didn’t want to eat out at all. It seems that "restaurant fatigue" had set in. Those moments of indecision, really disguise the fact that you really want to just stay at home and cook something. But what?

Then the Missus suggested Won Ton Soup. So we made a quick trip to 99 Ranch Market, and picked up some Shrimp, Bok Choy, Won Ton Wrappers, Egg Noodles, and somehow the Missus talked one of the "Guys" in the meat department into grinding some fresh pork loin. Amazing!

When we arrived home, I got about 8 cups of chicken stock going, and seasoned to taste, with soy sauce, the white parts of green onion, salt, white pepper, Tsao Tsing, and Fried Garlic:

I also got two pots of water going; a small pot, and a larger pot for the egg noodles. In our household we divide up the labor when it comes to dumplings and won tons. I do the prep, the Missus folds the Won Tons, and I do the cooking. This works out best for us.

Here’s the "broad outline" of the recipe for the Won Tons:

1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb shrimp, shelled, deveined, and chopped
4 pieces dried black fungus(cloud ears) cleaned, soaked, and chopped into fine strips
3 pieces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and chopped fine
2 bunches green onion chopped
2 Tb Shao Tsing
3-4 Tb Soy Sauce
2 tsp salt
1 Egg
white pepper to taste

2 tsp cornstarch dissolved with 2 tsp water

1. Combine filling ingredients, use egg to "bind" mixture.

2. Create "test" Won Ton, place into small pot of simmering water, cook, and check flavoring.
3. Place filling into won ton wrappers, and fold; sealing with water and cornstarch mixture.

4. Cook desired Won Tons, and freeze the remainder. Makes about 75 Won Tons.

We made "One Ton of Won Ton" Egg Noodle Soup:

For excellent step-by-step instructions on making won tons check out this great post from Annie’s blog Green Beans in San Diego.

Here are some other "Links" that have caught my attention recently:

Kiki on Her Food Blog Kiki Rice, has a very good "primer" on various Vietnamese Noodles.

The so very informative Food Blog S’Cool has an interesting post with a link to an article on the Legal Rights of Photographers.

And Rachel on Her Blog Filling Good, has a photo of a delici-yoso looking Burger that I can’t get out of my head……

And most importantly I’d like to wish Passionate Eater(aka ‘PE’) a quick recovery. Recently, PE injured Her hand, and is recovering. Unfortunately, weighed down by a finger splint she’s unable to post at this time.

The day after our visit to the Wat Thai Temple's food court, the Missus asked me to make Pad Thai. The request filled me with a bit of apprehension. You see, first of all, I hadn't made Pad Thai in about 6 years, and have never used the Big Kahuna to make any type of noodles. Also, I must admit, I really don't deal with last minute cooking requests real well.

First of all, I had to find "My" recipe. We used to cook alot more when we lived in Los Angeles, and became obsessed with Pad Thai. Not cooked using any particular recipe, but made to our taste. We must have made at least a dozen versions of these noodles before coming up with something that we enjoyed. Now after all these years, I dug up the crumpled sheet of yellow legal pad paper I wrote the recipe on. What follows, is that recipe, though this version was a bit different, which I'll get into later. And of course a quick trip to 99 Ranch Market was in order.

This time, the Missus wanted Shrimp as the meat for her Pad Thai, so we replaced the Chicken and Dried Shrimp with fresh shrimp. The other item I really feel strange using in Pad Thai is Ketchup, yes, I use Ketchup. I never said it's authentic, it's just the way we like it. Also, we tried to cut out the amount of oil when we originally made Pad Thai, and ended up using low-sodium chicken broth to keep the noodles from sticking to the wok. High heat has made the chicken broth a relic. Amazing what 50,000 BTU's can do! In this case shell and devein 1/3lb shrimp; season with salt and pepper(I added 1 Tb Xiao Sing), and stir fry over high heat:

Also as with any stir-fry, have everything prepped. It's especially important if using high-heat!

Here's my original "crumpled" recipe:

Pad Thai
1/2 lb dried rice noodles – soaked in warm water about 20-30 minutes, drained, cut in half.
1/3 cup chicken broth
2-3 TB oil – most Pad Thai recipes use 1/4-1/2 cup of oil – we get away by using chicken broth to avoid sticking
3 cloves garlic minced
1/4 lb chicken sliced thin and seasoned with S&P and marinated in 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp water for 15 minutes
1/4 lb baked or fried tofu sliced
2 eggs beaten – can use 2whites/1yolk season with S&P
1/4 cups chopped roasted peanuts
1/2 lb bean sprouts
2-3 stalks green onions – green portions cut chinese style, parts of the whites finely sliced
1 lime

Pad Thai Sauce:
3-4TB Brown sugar or Palm sugar
3TB Tamarind Paste – we use dried tamarind and reconstitute it in boiling water into a paste and strain
3 t finely chopped dried shrimp.
2TB Ketchup – Yes, ketchup
5-6TB Fish Sauce – We use Tiparos – you can adjust. Pad Thai tastes best with Tiparos which has almost a caramel fragrance when used.
3-4TB Shoyu
1t(or more) Red Pepper – optional

Head oil and saute garlic and white part of green onion until garlic is light brown.
Add some chicken broth to make sure that bottom of wok is covered.
Add chicken and tofu, then add egg, let set about 5 seconds and then stir fry until chicken is cooked
Add juice from 1/2 of the lime
Use broth to keep from sticking as necessary

When chicken is cooked add 1/2 of the bean sprouts, green parts of green onions, and rice noodles and mix

Add sauce and cook for a few minutes until cooked and well mixed – use chicken broth to keep from burning/sticking

Plate Pad Thai, add the rest of bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, place sliced lime wedges around plate. You may also want to garnish with chinese parsley.

The verdict? Well, we've never achieved that bright orange-red color of some of the Pad Thai we've eaten, but it tasted pretty good. In my rush I bought some pretty lousy noodles, but that'll be rectified in future versions.

Whew, I survived Pad Thai! We included some of the Papaya Salad we bought at Wat Thai.

Again, the recipe is just our broad interpretation. Barbara of Tigers & Strawberries has a nice version here.

*** I have an updated (2014) version of this recipe here if you're interested.

Nishime; a humble Japanese Vegetable Stew, is a New Years staple for many households in Hawaii. There are probably as many different Nishime recipes as there are Families, and you are sure to find Nishime at almost any New Years "spread" in Hawaii.

Actually, I've been trying to retire from making Nishime for several years. As soon as New Year approaches, I'd ask the Missus if she wants me to make "Sukiyaki". And Her answer will always be the same; "No, I want Nishime". "Why?" "Because it takes much more time and labor to make. And that is a labor of love. heeheehee." It's quite surprising that such a humble stew, takes so much time and effort to make. Though to be honest, many of the ingredients can be bought already cut, sliced, or otherwise prepared. But for some reason the Nishime made with pre-made ingredients doesn't taste the same. It probably lacks the saltiness from the sweat of my labor! The actual cooking time is only about 30 minutes or so. It's the preparation that takes time.

Please forgive the somewhat "disjointed" recipe. I've tried to present the process in a fairly coherent manner, including many steps that are probably obvious to anyone who has made Nishime, or any similar dish before.

1 Lb Thinly sliced lean pork(We use Beef, the Missus enjoys the flavor)
2 Tb Vegetable Oil
5 Cups Water
2 36" Strips Nishime(not Dashi) Kombu(Kelp)
1 Strip Kanpyo (Dried Gourd)
2 Packages Konnyaku or Shirataki
2 Cups Daikon cut into wedges
1 Cup Carrots cut using a rolling cut
2 Cans Takenoko Tips(Bamboo Shoot Tips)
2 Stalks Gobo (Burdock Root)
12-15 Satoimo/Araimo/Dasheen(Japanese Taro)
6 dried or fresh Shiitake Mushroom – rehydrated in warm water if dried
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Mirin
2 Tb Sake
1/2 Tsp salt
2 Cloves Garlic Minced

1 – Place two large pots of water on the stove and bring to a boil.

2 – Wash Kombu, and strip lengthwise if wider then 3 inches. Tie into knots at 2 inch intervals. To make the Kombu the way I do it, tie one strip of Kombu into knots, and leave the other as is. Soak Kombu in water for 20 minutes. Soak Kanpyo in water for 20 minutes.

3 – Cut Gobo in half; and scrape "skin/bark" off of root using a spoon. Immediately place in water to prevent discoloration. Cut Gobo into 1/2" matchstick lengths. Parboil in water for several minutes(I use a microwave for 3 minutes on high)

4 – Blanch and peel Araimo, and place in water to avoid discoloration.(Blanching makes the taro much easier to peel) Be careful if cutting the taro, it is very starchy and slippery.

5 – Because the Missus likes her Kombu in "maki"(roll) form; I'll tie half the Kombu, and make the other half into maki as a compromise; rolling the Kombu and tying with a short strip of Kanpyo.

6 – If the smell or slight bitterness of Bamboo Shoots bothers you, pour boiling water over Bamboo Shoots, drain, then cut into slices lengthwise.

7 – If using Shirataki(yam noodles), open packages and place in a colander. Pour boiling water over Shirataki to remove the "smell". If using Konnyaku, slice crosswise.

8 – Cut Daikon into "wedges", cut Carrots using a "rolling cut".

9 – Mince garlic.

10 – Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and pork until light brown in color.

11 – Add water, all the vegetables(except Shiitakes), sugar, sake, and mirin. Bring to a slow boil and cook for 15 minutes.

12 – Add Shiitakes, soy sauce, and salt and simmer 15 minutes, or until cooked. Taste and make adjustments to flavoring.

Like most stews, the Nishime will taste better the day after cooking.

Whew! No wonder Nijiya sells Nishime for $3.99 for 2 ounces! As mentioned before, you can purchase peeled and perfectly round frozen satoimo and rolled kombu maki ready to be soaked. I would not recommend the frozen packaged sliced Gobo; many times a preservative is used to prevent oxidation. I've also eaten Nishime with abuarage(fried tofu), Hasu(Lotus Root), Kamaboku(steamed fish cake) or chicken used to replace the pork/beef. Dashi is also often used to add flavor as well. So many variations for this tasty, but humble "poor folk's" stew.

I'm bushed!

Tonight I decided to make a few more quick and easy Japanese dishes. Because we didn’t want to be cooking all evening, I chose 2 really easy dishes that took a total of about 30 minutes.

The first was Lotus Root "Kinpira", a very easy(3 step) sweet and spicy dish of crunchy lotus root that is delici-yoso with Gohan(rice).

Renkon Kinpira
Sweet and Spicy Lotus Root

1/2 lb Lotus Root
1 Tb Sesame Oil
1 Tb Vegetable Oil
1 Tb Sake
3 Tb Soy sauce
1 Tb Sugar
1 Tb Mirin
Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper
Shimichi Togarashi(Japanese Chili Pepper)optional
Toasted Sesame Seeds
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
2 Cups Water

1 – Peel the Lotus Root and slice thinly. Soak briefly in Vinegar and Water to remove bitterness.

2 – Heat Sesame and Vegetable Oil in a saucepan(I add vegetable oil to increase the smokepoint of the sesame oil), using medium heat fry the lotus root until slightly translucent. Do not overcook! Add crushed red pepper, Sake, Soy Sauce, Sugar, and Mirin. Simmer until all the liquid evaporates.

3 – Sprinkle with Sesame Seeds before serving.

The second dish was very easy Simmered Wakame and Bamboo Shoots. Wakame is a very popular dried seaweed, that can be found in everything from miso soup to salads. I’ve even had it in a few Korean Dishes, and as Kim Chee. To say that the Japanese have been using Wakame for a long time is an understatement. Use of Wakame have appeared in Japanese documents as far back as the ninth century. This dish is a fragrant and supposedly healthy dish, that combines two very aromatic ingredients, the earthy-woody bamboo shoot(takenoko), and the oceany wakame. I used canned bamboo shoots to cut down the cooking time.

Waka-Take Nimono
Simmered Wakame and Bamboo Shoots

2 (14.5oz) Cans Boiled Bamboo Shoot Tips
1/3 Cup Dried Wakame
2 1/2 Cups Water
1/3 Cup Sake
3 Tb Sugar
3 Tb Mirin
1/3 Cup Soy sauce
1/2 Tsp Dashi No Moto(instant dashi)

1 – Cut the Bamboo Shoots lengthwise into quarters or eighths depending on their size.

2 – Place wakame into a bowl and pour boiling water over them, and drain quickly.

3 – Place Bamboo Shoots and water into a pot, cover and bring to a boil. When a boil is reached add sake and mirin and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add Sugar and Soy Sauce, and stir. Simmer for 5 more minutes.

4 – Add wakame and simmer briefly. Turn off heat and add Dashi No Moto

Some notes on the Wakame; I used the "chopped" variety. If you purchase the "whole" variety, use about 2 strands.

Enjoy!