SALMON KELP ROLL

Another recipe from "Nobu Now" cookbook. Yes, it's another roll! check Here for the explaination if you don't already know why i've been making Japanese fares and why. This was one of our Sunday menu.

SALMON KELP ROLL
Recipe from Nobu Now Cookbook P. 36

Serves :2
½ sheet Shiroita Konbu kelp ( 5x8 inch) *
2 ounces boneless skinless salmon fillet
2 large shiso leaves
1 garlic clove, cut into 6 thin slices
1 stick yamagobo root, rolled and cut into slices about ½ inch thick.
½ ounce scallions chopped
daikon for garnish *2 T ponzu
1 head of an edible flower *

AMA-ZU (SWEET VINEGAR)
2 T rice vinegar
6 T granulated sugar
2 ½ t sea salt
PONZU
4 T soy sauce
8 T rice vinegar
2 T lemon juice
¾ inch square piece of konbu

1. Make the ama-zu by putting all the ingredients in a pan and warming through gently until the sugar dissolves. *
2. Prepare the kelp: heat the ama-zu in a pan until it is just about to boil (it should not reach boiling point), then add the kelp. Simmer gently for 1 minute, remove the pan from the heat and leave it to cool at room temperature. *3. Peel off the skin of the salmon and cut the flesh into 6 thin slices about 1/8 inch thick.

4. Drain the kelp well and spread it out on a sheet of plastic wrap.* Place 4 salmon slices side by side and then the other slices across them side by side.

5. Over the salmon slices, arrange the 2 large shiso leaves, the slices of garlic, yamagobo and scallions. Roll up the kelp tightly into a cylinder.

6. Cut the roll across into 6 pieces and arrange them on a serving dish with daikon garnish in the middle. Pour some ponzu around the pieces and place the flower on the daikon.

Ponzu sauce – are available at Japanese/Asian markets.

yamagobo root - pickled burdock

Shiroita Kelp is the ingredient i had to substitute. Noble Fish didn't have this kind of kelp so i opted to buy Soy Wrap w/c to me is the closest to the kelp and i get to try something new as well.

***I skipped some steps since i didn't have the kelp.

This is like a very thin crepe. It comes w/ 5 different flavors.

Sashimi/Sushi Grade fish should be used for this particular dish.

Salmon

Shiso Leaves

Yamagobo (Picled Burdock)

Place salmon slices side by side. Over the salmon slices, arrange 2 shiso leaves, slices of garlic, yamagobo and scallions (i used chives). Roll up tightly into a cylinder.

Cut into pieces and arrange them on serving dish w/ some garnish. Daikon should have been a garnish for this but forgot to buy one so i garnished it w/ my cherry tomato. Pour some ponzu.

It was okay but will not be doing this again. I didn't like the pickled burdock (yamagobo). But the soy wrap, i will definitely be using them again great alternative for nori wrap. (Wink, Wink to Tina)

PAM'S SUSHI AND "SPIDER" TEMPURA

This is a continuation to the previous blog SHRIMP ROLL (SHRIMP OR PRAWN, SHITAKE MUSHROOMS, SHISO LEAVES
Part II of the Saturday dinner

These "Spider" Tempura was an after thought side dish. If you know me, you'll be surprised if i told you that i threw away the shrimp heads and shells. Nope, i made shrimp stock out of the shrimp shells including the heads. But this time i made some tempura using the heads aka "Spider" coz that's what they call it. Well, i'm sure you guys know why, i just don't want to elaborate and explain further!

I make my own batter, it's a combination of flour and cornstarch, water and S&P. I mixed them until i achieve a pancake consistency. Deep the shrimp heads into the batter then deep fry.

Pam made her special sushi. She made 2 kinds, one vegetarian and one w/ egg omelet

INGREDIENTS:
Nishiki rice
Mirin
Rice Wine Vinegar
Soy Sauce (Kikkoman)

Wasabe
Cucumber (julienne)
Carrots (julienne)
Avocado (julienne)
Japanese Spicy Mayo
Fish Roe (optional)
Egg Omelet
Nori (Seaweeds)

Pam's Sushi with eggs

Pam's version of California Roll sans the crab

It was a wonderful meal!!!

SHRIMP ROLL (SHRIMP OR PRAWN, SHITAKE MUSHROOMS, SHISO LEAVES)

I bought a new cookbook "Nobu Now" as a birthday gift to myself. As I peruse through the recipes, I see some familiar ingredients while some; I haven’t the slightest clue what those ingredients are. Some I’ve seen and heard but never ventured on using them nor tasted them.

Call it coincidence, Debbie, posted a blog on shiso leaves Cold-Smoked Herring Bouzushi (rod sushi)
and remembered Nobu had shiso on at least 6 of his recipes. I’ve seen shiso leaf graced my plate at fancy shmancy Japanese restaurant but thought it was just a garnish so I set it aside. Ever since Debbie posted her blog w/ shiso and Nobu had these in his recipes, I decided to give shiso a try.
I listed all the Japanese ingredients that I need for the recipes I planned on making and went to Noble Fish, a Japanese mini grocery store near my place. I got almost all the ingredients except for two. They didn’t have the Shiroita Kelp for the Salmon Kelp roll. I saw this colorful soy wrap and decided to use it instead of the kelp and pate’ brisque obviously I can’t buy them there but me being me I thought of experimenting, and used rice paper w/c I have in my pantry. I know, I know…I should have used egg roll wrapper or phyllo dough to substitute the pate’ brisque but hey, like I said I wanted to experiment and see if I could fry those rice papers.

Menu for that weekend were Shrimp Roll and Pam’s sushi for Saturday. Salmon Kelp Roll and a Debbie inspired shiso wrapped sushi for Sunday. Over all it was a success except for a few ingredients that I will not use on my next try.



I will be blogging all recipes separately so comeback and read all my new Japanese dishes. Okay?


Recipe from Nobu Now Cookbook p.57
Serves: 1
1 tiger prawn or large size shrimp
½ shitake mushroom
1 large shiso leaf
1 endive (chicory) leaf
1/ sheet pate brique or egg roll
a little yuzu kosho
2 T Maui Onion salsa
1 t caviar or fish roe (i used red onions)
cilantro


MAUI ONION SALSA

1 3/4 ounces finally chopped Maui Onion (i used red onions)
1 3/4 ounces finely chopped tomato
3 T Ponzu
1 t orange juice (i added the zest)
1/2 t hot chili sauce
Mix all the ingredients together.

1. Remove the shell, head and tail of the shrimp. Cut into the back of the shrimp with a knife, devein and slice through the meat lengthwise.

2. Cut the mushroom into ¼ inch slices. Cut the shiso leaf in half and the endive leaf into four.
3. Place on the sheet of pate brique the halved shrimp pieces, alternating the heads and tails. Put the shitake pieces on top and sprinkle w/ the yuzu ppper. Spread the halved shiso leaves over them and fold each side of the pastry over the filling, then roll up away from you.

4. Heat the oil for deep frying to a temperature of 355 degrees F. Deep fry the roll until golden brown. Drain.

5. Spoon the onion salsa into a cocktail glass and place in it the endive leaf and then fried roll. Top with the caviar or fish roe and cilantro.

Nobu’s note:
Eat the first bite of the roll with the caviar/roe and then the second bite onwards with the salsa.

Shiso Leaf – There are both red and green shiso leaves. The red ones (akaijiso) are mainly used to color umeboshi and other pickles. The green leaves (aojiso) have many uses as a herb, tempura and garnish. Although it is called perilla or beefsteak plant in English, shiso is actually a member of the mint family. Shiso buds are also used as a condiment, garnish and, when very young, for tempura.

PONZU- a citrus and soy sauce dip

Yuzu Kosho – Available from Japanese markets, this commercial seasoning comprises green chili, yuzu rind and salt.

Yuzu – Japanese citron- is zestier than lemons and not as sweet. Yuzu also has a very potent fragrance. It is used for both its acidic juice and its aromatic rind. Yuzu juice is now available from Asian supermarkets.

Ponzu

Yuzo Kosho - green chili, Yuzu rind and salt.
Yuzu - Japanese Citron is zestier than lemons and not as sweet.

Shiso leaves. I'm glad i could buy this at the Japanese store nearby. Something new that we like.

Shiso leaves - They are both red and green. The green (aojiso) have many uses as a herb, tempura and garnish. Is also called perilla or beefsteak plant in English. Shiso is actually a member of the mint family. Shiso buds are also used as a condiment, garnish and when very young, for tempura.

Assemble shrimp in the middle lower part of the sheet. Arrange shiso leaves, mushrooms on top of the shrimps then spread a little of the yuzo kosho. Then fold and roll.

Folding and rolling is so simple.

Shrimp and Shitake Mushroom Rolls in a row

A knock off plating from Nobu Now. Original plating had caviar instead of fish roe.

Shrimp roll w/ Onion Salsa, Shitake Mushrooms, Fish Roe and Endives. The combination of all the ingredients were perfect.

We love, love these rolls but will not use the rice paper again for frying. It's crispy when you serve them right away but became soggy after few minutes. I would suggest to use thin egg roll wrapper or phyllo dough if you can't find pate' brisque.

Will definitely make this again! Yum!

FRIED PORKBELLY (PRITONG LIEMPO)

This is a continuation to the previous blog i posted (Fish and Shrimp Sinigang). Fried porkbelly was the side dish for the sinigang so i figured, i should blog the porkbelly too!

As i mentioned my sister from TN gave me a year supply of the porkbelly =;). They buy their pork meat at an abattoir near their cabin. I should blog that site as well, i'm sure all my foodie friends will be jealous ha!

This dish again is so Filipino, but this time not from the Visayas (Cebu) region. I have blogged the Cebuano style before check them at my archives under Filipino dishes or Pork..(Pritong Liempo- Cebuano Style) .http://bisayajudkaayo.blogspot.com/2008/12/pritong-liempo-adobo-cebuano-style.html

This time this is more of the Luzon(Laguna) region style of cooking.

So simple measurements aren't necessary. All you need aside from the porkbelly are the following:
Flour or combination of cornstarch and flour
water
S&P
Oil for frying

PorkBelly sliced thin. You can either cook them as is or cut them 1" size.

Season the pork belly w/ S&P. Set them aside
Make your batter. You can definitely make your own batter by adding your choice of herbs or spices.
Fry them.

Fried Porkbelly cooked in strips. Served w/ soy sauce and vinegar dip

Fried Porkbelly cut in 1" size

OH SO CRISPY AND DELICIOUS!!!!!

SINIGANG NA ISDA AT HIPON (FISH AND SHRIMP SINIGANG)

Sinigang is a Filipino dish that means sour broth which could be prepared with seafoods or meat as one of the main ingredient. There are a variety of vegetables that could be used for this dish. It usually calls for leafy vegetables, sili (chili), eggplant, tomatoes, okra, taro or daikon and long beans.

The sour broth comes from a variety of sour fruits. Coming from the Visayas region, my mom used only two kinds of souring agent, green tamarind (sambag/sampalok) or iba/ kamias (sour and citrusy fruit). I prefer tamarind, i remember, she boils water and tamarind pods until pods are tender. Then removes tamarind, mash them and strain back into the boiling water. I'm so glad and thankful for the powdered mixes, i can easily have my fix for my sinigang cravings. Aside from the fact that fresh green tamarind is not available here.

Okay, enough of the FYI..let's go to the ingredients. This is one of those dishes that i "eyeball" the measurements but i'll try my best to give you some amounts but plssss...as i always say in my recipes...tastes as you go!

1 lb of salmon belly (Thanks to my sis from San Jose, CA..you can use anykind of fish)
1/2 lb fresh shrimps
Mustard greens
2 medium tomatoes
2 Asian eggplants (Italian eggplants is too tough for this dish)
6 to 8 okra
3 taro (optional)
long beans or green beans
sili (long hot peppers)
stalks of scallions
1 packet of sinigang mix
salt to taste
water (read the instructions on the sinigang mix packet)

1. Wash the fish, shrimps and vegetables thoroughly.
2. Cut vegetables into bite sizes.
3. Bring to a boil 4-5 cups of water, add in taro and the rest of the vegetables that needs to be cooked longer like eggplants.
4. Add the fish and shrimps, simmer for 8-10 minutes, then add the remaining vegetables.
5. Mix in the sinigang mix and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning or the sourness.

Serve hot with steamed rice
My Mom also serves this w/ a side dish. She usually serves this w/ fried fish. I served mine w/ slices of fried pork belly.

Taro (bisul)

Asian Eggplants, Taro, Mustard Greens, Scallions, Long Hot Peppers, Okra. Not in picture- tomatoes

SALMON BELLY (THANKS TO MY SISTER FROM SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA, SHE BROUGHT ME ENOUGH OF THESE TO LAST FOR A YEAR...YUM!!!!)

SALMON BELLY AND SHRIMPS

LIGHTING WASN'T GOOD=;(

FRIED PORK BELLY AS SIDE DISH (THANKS TO MY SIS FROM TN..SHE SENT ME A YEAR OF SUPPLY OF "PORKBELLY / LEAN O' MEAT) WE CALL THEM LIEMPO

Gen Tso's Chicken ( A Chinese Dish Made In the USA for a change)

For a change, there is something Chinese that's made in the US not the other way around. You don't believe me, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Tso's_chicken.


Ingredients:
Sauce:

1/2 C cornstarch
1/4 C water
1 1/2 t minced garlic
1 1/2 t minced fresh ginger root
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C soy sauce
1/4 C white vinegar
1/4 C dry sherry/ Chinese wine (no cooking wine pls.)
1 1/2 C hot chicken broth

Meat:
3 lbs. deboned dark chicken meat, cut in cubes
1/4 C soy sauce
1 t white pepper
1 egg
1 C cornstarch
Vegetable oil for deep frying
1/2 t chili flakes (Optional)
1/4 C of chopped chives or green onions for garnish

Vegetables:
Any fresh vegetables you like. I have used bell pepperes, broccoli, peas and onions w/ mine.


1. Mix 1/2 C cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Add garlic, ginger, sugar, 1/2 C soy sauce, vinegar, wine, chicken broth. Stir until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

2. Mix chicken, 1/4 C soy sauce, pepper, stir in egg. Add 1 C cornstrach and mix until chicken are coated evenly. Add 1/2 C of oil to help separate pieces. Deep fry at 350 degrees F until crispy. Drain and set aside.

3. Place a tsp of oil in wok and heat until hot. Add onions and peppers and stir fry briefly. Stir sauce and add into the wok. Place chicken in sauce and cook until sauce thickens. Garnish with chives or green onions.

***** I prefer my sauce poured to the chicken in lieu of mixing it all together.
***** You can use anykind of veggies you like.

SERVE HOT WITH WHITE STEAMED RICE.

Fried chicken thighs.

You can either coat the chicken w/ the sauce or pour the sauce over the chicken

Serve with hot steamed rice

HHHMMMM!!! LAMI NI KAAYO!!!

POTSTICKERS (JAPANESE GYOZA/CHINESE DUMPLINGS)

Y: 1 pack of wonton wrapper about 50 pcs.

4 C Napa cabbage (shredded thin)
1 1/2 t salt
1 lb porkloin (minced) ground pork will be a good substitute
1/2 lb fresh shrimps (cleaned and minced)
2 to 3 stalks of green scallions (minced)
1/4 t white pepper
2 1/2 T soy sauce
1 T Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 T freshly grated ginger
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 package of wonton wrappers
Oil and water for cooking

Dipping Sauce:
1/2 C soy sauce
2 T rice wine vinegar
Dash of sesame oil
Chili oil to taste
Scallions minced to garnish

Procedure:
For the Dipping Sauce - Combine all ingredients in bowl. Set aside , can also be refrigerated for a week.

For the PotStickers:
1. Toss cabbage and salt. Squeeze out the liquid from the cabbage.

2. Combine the cabbage and all the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

3. Fry a teaspoon of the filling to check and adjust the seasoning.

4. Refrigerate until cold about 30 minutes, It's easier to wrap the filling when cold.

5. Place a small spoonful of filling in the center of the wonton wrapper. Use Enough of the mixture to fill out the wrapper completely without overstuffing it. Make sure to keep the edges clean giving you room to enclose the filling w/ the wrapper. Moisten the edges fo the wonton wrapper w/ water.

6. Fold the bottom half of the wrapper to meet the top half that you moistened in the previous step and seal. At this point you will have the option to make a pleated or simple potstickers.

7. Grease bottome of a nonstick pan with oil. Add the potstickers by batches to the hot pan, laying them flat and being sure not to crowd the pan. Place pan over medium high heat and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving. You want the sides to become golden brown.

8. At this point pour about 3 T of water and cover the pan for another 10 minutes. This is to steam the potstickers.

9. Serve with the dipping sauce. These are delicious served hot.

***If you want your potstickers crispy reverse the process when cooking. Steam them first w/ water. When water evaporates, add little oil to brown them.

CHICKEN CARDAMOM MASALA

Ingredients:


1/2 C plain yogurt ( i used my homemade yogurt)
2 T garam masala
6 to 10 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 t cinnamon powder
2 t chili powder
2 t chopped fresh ginger
2 t salt
4 lbs. chicken, cut into 8 pcs. or 4 chicken thighs, halved
1 t turmeric powder
Vegetable oil, for frying
4 onions, chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 to 2 T tomato paste
2 bell pepperes julienned
1/2 C heavy cream
Chopped fresh cilantro or scallions



1. Combine yogurt, masala, cardamom, cinnamon, chile powder, ginger and salt.


2. Heat about 1 T oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches brown the chicken about 10 minutes each side. Remove chicken and set them aside.


3. Using the same pot, saute' onions and garlic until softened. Return chicken to pot, along with the yogurt mixture and tomato paste.


4. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the vegetables, and let it cook for another 15 minutes or until chicken and veggies are cooked through.


5. Stir in cream. Garnish with cilantro or scallions





*Other veggies could be used like cauliflower, carrots or potatoes.


* Serve w/ Naan or Steamed Basmati Rice.

Preserved Meyer Lemons

This is really easy to make, all you need is patience, a clean glass jar and lots of salt. No need for exact measurements. You can use eureka (regular lemons) or Meyer lemons.

Prep time: 10 -15 minutes
Shelf Life: 6 mos. or more

Make two cuts but not all the way in each lemon so that the lemon remains attached.

Stuff kosher salt into the crevices of each lemon.

Place salted lemons tightly into the glass jar.

Squeeze the juice of leftover lemons into the jar before closing it.

Place the jar on a counter top, and watch and wait and document each progress if you want.

In about 2 weeks, the lemons will get very soft and the brining liquid will be clear.

This is now ready to use. Pick a lemon with clean fork.

If you still have fresh lemons replace the lemon you took out from the jar and add little salt on top of the new lemon.

I don't rinse the preserved lemon, I prefer using everything from peel to flesh.

Since the preserved lemon is already salty, you will have to adjust the salt you will add into the dish.
I have blogged 2 dishes using preserved lemons, pls. check Shrimp Piri Piri under African Fare and Moroccan Beef Stew under Moroccan Fare

TABOULEH (MY WAY)

BULGUR CRACKED WHEAT (MEDIUM )

INGREDIENTS:

1 C bulgur cracked wheat

½ C cucumber (diced)

1 C parsley (chopped)
Juice from a lemon or lime (I used both)

1/4 C olive oil
2 medium tomatoes (diced)
1 bell pepper seeded and diced (I used yellow)
1 T tomato paste
¼ t each of salt and pepper
1 Thai chili or more (chopped)
Boiling water

In a bowl, place bulgur with enough boiling water to cover.
Soak for 25 to 30 minutes.

While the bulgur is soaking cut and prep the veggies and herbs.

Drain bulgur and squeeze out excess water.

Combine everything and taste.
Adjust the flavor if needed.
Chill before serving.
Serve w/ romaine lettuce or pita bread.

I served the salad w/ romaine lettuce