Spicy Tofu Hot Pot

Super Easy Tofu Soup

Do you know October 2nd is a Tofu Day in Japan?  10 in Chinese Character ‘十’ (looks like cross or plus sign doesn’t it?) has two pronunciations – Jyu and To (pronounce tow). 2’s Chinese character is very simple, just draw two lines, one on top of the other, make the top line slightly shorter.  ‘二’ also has two pronunciations two…I mean too. Nee and Fu. See where I’m going with this? 

Inexpensive, available in supermarkets everywhere, versatile tofu is a Japanese kitchen staple. This tofu dish is incredibly easy and quick, the spicy tobanjyan sooth your melancholic soul.

The recipe is just guideline, adjust to your own taste.

Ingredients and Instruction for two servings (Print Recipe Here)

Nice to have equipment – small stone pot with lid

• 150 cc water
• 2 teaspoons instant dashi powder Note; I used no-MSG granule type.
• 4 Tablespoons soy sauce or tamari sauce
• 1 to 2 teaspoons tobanjyan (豆板醤/spicy miso paste) available in tube or jar.
• 1 package Japanese style soft tofu, drained and cut in 4ths
• 2-3 stalks of green onion or 1 long green onion, cut the white part -diagonally
• 1/3 cup tempura batter crumbs (agedama/揚げ玉 or tenkasu/天かす) they comes in a bag, find in refrigerated section of a Japanese market. Note: Homemade tempura batter crumbs – Fish out with a slotted spoon the crumbs naturally occur when you frying tempura.

1. Pour water in stone pot or bottom heavy small pan and boil.
2. Add dashi powder and stir to dissolve
3. Add soy sauce.
4. Add tobanjyan and mix well. cook until liquids come to a full boil.
5. Lower the heat and place tofu in the pot. Put lid on and cook for about 5 -7 minutes. Turn tofu once mid way.
6. Add green onion and cook for additional 2 minutes.
7. Sprinkle tempura crumbs on top, cook for 30 second to soften the crumbs or serve immediately if you prefer crunchy texture.

Variation#1 – Instead of Tofu, add rinsed frozen udon noodle
Variation #2 – Add kimchi and it’s own juice to make knock-off kimchi jjiage

From instagram posts of Today’s TAPAS (#todaystapas) and Today’s Sweets(#todayssweets) -

I love Tamago yaki (卵焼き/Japanese style omelet). The amazing quilt underneath is a gift from a friend…she is so talented and very kind.

Pickled Grapes (the recipe in bon apetit magazine) is delightful! Ready in 30 minutes,  great in salad or for snack.

Well received, lovely Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes with custard cream filling for a church function. The recipe links - Bake for Happy kids or Nasi Lemak Lover. I must say…I did a good job!

Night fall comes early now, I just have one of those,  a cup of decaffeinated  earl gray tea and a good book to curl up with…when I wake in the morning, it’s still dark. I feel like I need mega dose of Vitamin D.

Ban Ban

Banbanji/棒々鶏-Chinese fusion chicken salad

 

Ban, when written in Chinese characters, means “a stick”. Because this Szechuan/Sichuan cuisine (四川料理) used sticks to tenderize steamed chicken. The whole meaning is therefore: stick,stick chicken, how cute! I can almost hear the banging sounds of someone doing that repeatedly. Can you? This recipe was requested by friends whom we had over for Sunday dinner and they liked it very much. I’m flattered. I think it is a really great dish for a hot summer day.

 

Sichuan cuisine use lots of spices and this one is no exception. When it was introduced in Japan, it was too spicy for most Japanese. Naturally, Japanese people modified and Japonnized  it to fit their taste - to resemble a cousin once removed identity? One problematic thought-  people of Sichuan providence believe sweating is healthy, they eat lots of spicy foods to force sweat to come out from every pore so taming the wild heat is defeating the purpose?

There are many versions of the dish and it is very flexible about ingredients (except chicken breast of course) and volume, also for degree of heat. In other words, whatever…whatever is in your fridge that is. Just to be clear, I don’t ban ban chicken. 

Low-fat version of Banbanji Serve for 4

• (Costco) frozen chicken tenderloin breast meat 8 pieces or 2 pieces per person.
• 2-3 stalk of green onion-green parts only, white parts use later in the sauce.
• Skin of ginger roots-about 2 inch by 4 inch, actual ginger part use later in sauce.
• Vegetable- cucumber, bean sprouts, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach or arugula,etc.

1. Boil water (about 4 cups,enough to cover all the chicken pieces) in medium sauce pan.
2. Add green onion, ginger skin and chicken. Reduce heat to low and simmer until cooked through. You do this to take away the chicken odor. If you don’t have green onion or ginger, use 2-3 Tablespoons of rice wine instead.
3. Meanwhile, prepare your vegetables. Cucumber - cut in match-stick style. Beans sprouts - boil for 1-2 minutes then drain and give an ice bath to cool. Tomatoes - thinly sliced. Spinach,lettuce and arugula - wash and spin dry. Lay all the vegetable on large platter.
4. Drain the water. Discard green onion and ginger skin. Wait for the chicken to cool enough to handle then shred in small, skinny pieces. Lay chicken on the top of vegetables. Chill for about 1 hour.

While chicken and vegetable are chilling, prepare the sauce. Adjust to suit your taste.

• Green onion,white parts minced
• White miso paste about 4 Tablespoons
• Sugar 2 Tablespoons-can use sugar substitute
• Soy sauce 2 Tablespoons
• Rice vinegar 2 Tablespoons
• Tobanjan (Spicy miso paste) 1 to 2 teaspoons
• Sesame oil 1 to 2 teaspoons
• Mirin (sweetened sake wine) 1 Tablespoon ( optional)
• Ginger, grated
• Sesame seeds

Mix everything except sesame seeds with the back of your spoon. Chill. Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. For vegetarian use tofu in place of chicken.

This one is Sunday dinner version-did not use tobanjan.

Dahlias are basking in the sun in my neighbor friend's manicured back yard. Striking look!

 

Golden sweet tomatoes are great for snacking.

Burdock flower! I’m ready for kimpira gobo.