Agedashi (Deep Fried Tofu in Stock)

Another recipe from Taste of Japan by Masaki Ko that was tried recently. I honestly struggled with the timing of deep-frying tofu and ended up with a few of slightly tanned tofu cubes. It didn't really matter after all as everyone seemed to enjoy this entree. The presentation with red pepper and asparagus really made me feel like Christmas.

Thanks to the lady in Korean grocery shop downstairs for helping me to find an instant dashi stock. I brought my recipe book along to the store and funnily, forgot to bring my wallet. D'oh!! She gave me so many suggestions and choices. I followed what she thought was the best and the easiest way. In my opinion, this is what a high quality grocery store is supposed to be. The price is reasonable and they are willing to help us anytime.

 Ingredients (for 4 entrees):

• 1 pack firm tofu
• 4 asparagus spears (trimmed of tough stalk ends)
• a small piece of red pepper (cut into little cubes)
• cornflour for coating
• oil for deep frying

Sauce:

• 200 ml instant dashi ( I used 5 tbs concentrated dashi diluted in water to 1/3 cup)
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 1/4 soy sauce

Preparations:

Cut the asparagus into 3-4 cm pieces. Heat water in a small pot with a pinch of salt and oil. Boil asparagus for 2 minutes. Drain and wash with cold water.

Wrap tofu in a paper towel on a plate and cook in microwave for 1 minute to remove excess water.

Cut tofu into 12 cubes.

Slowly heat the oil for deep frying. Remove excess water in tofu using a paper towel.
Coat the tofu with cornflour.

Deep fry tofu until golden (7-10 mins) and it should expand once it is cooked. Drain well.

Boil the sauce, then simmer for 3 mins. Place 3 tofu cubes on each small plate and arrange asparagus. Sprinkle the red pepper cubes around tofu. Pour on the hot sauce. Ready to serve.

Japanese Seaweed Salad

This salad always reminds me of our stay in Japan a while ago. The hotel breakfast (Villa Fontaine Ueno) always provides this salad, boiled eggs and a variety of Japanese breads every morning. The breakfast was like that every day during our stay.  But yet, we did not complain at all since the salad was very nice and somehow addictive. I found the recipe online how to make the sesame salad dressing. It is just perfect and exactly like what we had in Japan. If you want to cook something Japanese, make this salad and the Chicken Teriyaki that I posted last month. I guarantee it will be very satisfying.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs Wakame seaweed (usually sold as dried form, soak in cold water for 5 mins then drain)
• 1 fresh sweet corn (boiled and cut the kernels)
• 1 cucumber
• a small amount of cabbage (cut very thinly)
• lettuce (optional, cut thinly)
• carrot (optional, cut thinly)
  
• a pinch toasted sesame seeds

Sesame Salad Dressing:

• 3 tbs rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 1 tbs kikkoman soy sauce
• 0.5 tsp sugar

Preparation:

1. Prepare the Sesame salad dressing. Ensure that the sugar is completely dissolved
2. Prepare the veggies
3. Add the salad dressing on the cut veggies. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.
   

Long Beans with Garlic and Chilli

A simple and delicious dish! When you are in the mood of hot-chilli dish, this could be the one. It is perfect with a warm jasmine rice. You can add more/less chillies based on your taste. Just remember that adding too much chillies can overpower the flavour.






Ingredients:

• 300 gr long green beans (cut the edges)
• 1 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 bird's eye red chillies (minced)
• a pinch of salt
• a pinch of white pepper
• 2 tbs of water
• oil to stir fry 

Preparation:

1. Add oil in the wok.
2. Add minced garlic, chillies, salt and pepper. Stir fry until the garlic turns slightly golden.
3. Add the long green beans and water. Keep stir-frying until the green beans are crunchy and cooked (approx. 5-7 mins).

Bok Choy with Garlic and Ginger

I got this recipe from a cooking book by Martha Stewart Living (annual recipes 2005). I like this dish as it is very simple to prepare and it tastes delicious. The ingredients are easily found in the supermarket downstairs where I live. For a great result, you have to remember to get a young ginger and use a good soy sauce. I have been using kikkoman in all of my cooking. This soy sauce is naturally brewed and has no MSG added to it.


I am originally from Indonesia and my family has been using "ABC" brand soy sauce (kecap asin ABC). When I came to Sydney in 2002, I was so pleased to find "ABC" brand soy sauce in an asian supermarket and since then, I had used it. One day, Thu and I found out that ABC soy sauce has MSG and other preservatives added to it. If you concern about this, you might want to switch to kikkoman.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbs sesame oil
• 1 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 piece of young ginger (minced)
• 1 bunch of bok choy
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 3 tbs water to dilute the soy sauce

Preparation:

1. Wash the bok choy and cut in half. Blanch the bok choys in a boiling water for 30 second and drain them. 
2. Heat the wok and add the sesame oil to it. Add minced garlic and ginger and stir fry until all turned slightly golden. 
3. Add the soy sauce diluted in water and it is ready for the bok choys. Mix the sauce with bok choys in a bowl and it is ready to serve.