Okonomiyaki (Japanese "Pancakes")

Okonomiyaki (Japanese "Pancakes")... with shrimp. This past summer I've really challenged myself to stretch my dollars when shopping at our local farmer's market. I've been trying to find local produce that would sell for just a single dollar. I know, it kind of sounds strange... I mean, really... $1 for farm fresh ingredients? But you know, if you look really hard it's possible. At least here in Montana, anyway. It's kind of funny how it started out...

In the beginning of the summer I happened to go to the farmer's market early one Saturday morning... quickly realized that I had just a few dollar bills on me. I walked through the stands not really thinking I could buy much, but decided to see how far I could stretch those dollars. That day I ended up buying some cucumbers. And then throughout the summer, I "played" the $1 dollar game most Saturdays... just to see what produce I could buy for a single dollar. Turned out that I could buy a variety of produce... like mushrooms, zucchini, corn, peppers, and cabbage. So, today's post features a recipe I made using a small cabbage I bought for a single dollar... actually, I only used half of it:). 

I wanted my cabbage to stretch out a bit, so I decided to make the popular Japanese cabbage "pancakes" called, Okonomiyaki. The word Okonomiyaki can be translated to  mean, "cooked to one's liking".... so this of course will make the Okonomiyaki  pancake to vary somewhat from chef to chef. The "pancakes" can be made using a variety of ingredients, but the main ingredient happens to be shredded cabbage. And depending on the region, even toppings, ingredients, and cooking style can change.  There's the Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki, where a crepe-like batter is first cooked, and then the rest of the ingredients are added in stages... with a final topping of noodles. The Osaka Okonomiyaki  differs from the Hiroshima style, in that the batter and ingredients are all mixed together and cooked like a pancake. 

I chose to cook the Osaka-style Okonomiyaki... with ingredients I had at home. Bacon is a common ingredient, and since I didn't have the bacon, I added some shrimp instead. Really, if you like, you can make a vegetarian-only Okonomiyaki, and add extra shredded vegetables that may be in season. And even though I've called these "pancakes", they're known more as a "pizza-style" dish.... in that the toppings make the dish. I find the pancake is mainly used as a vehicle for the toppings and sauces that are added at the end. Funny, but I found myself adding a bit more sauce and mayonnaise  to the "pancakes".... sort of like you would add extra maple syrup to regular pancakes. That's probably due to the fact that mine were a bit thicker and because they didn't have too many toppings. So... maybe they can be a "pancake/pizza" sort of dish:). In any case, I really don't think there's a wrong way to make the Okonomiyaki... so feel free to experiment with ingredients and sauces. Hope you enjoy...

Note: I cooked my Okonomiyaki in english muffin rings for uniformity, but it's truly not necessary. And while I chose to add some baking powder to mine, many recipes omit it.

Tip: I had some leftover Okonomiyaki... so I refrigerated them. The following day I baked them in the toaster oven, and felt they were even better... personally liked the more pronounced flavors. It's just good to know they work as a make-ahead dish that can be reheated. 

You will need:

2 eggs
3/4 cup water (can use dashi water or even chicken stock)
1 cup flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp hot smoky paprika, optional
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
1 carrot, finely grated
2 green onions, chopped
1/4-1/2 of an onion, sliced thinly
1 cup blanched shrimp, chopped
salt and pepper, as needed
oil as needed

Toppings: can include any, to taste

chopped chives
sliced chiles
shrimp
bonito flakes
toasted and crumbled seaweed
pickled ginger

Sauces: can make your own or use store-bought.

okonomiyaki sauce (similar to worcestershire sauce that is thicker and sweeter... can mix some ketchup, worcestershire, and soy sauce to taste.)

mayonnaise (I like to add a bit of rice vinegar/apple cider vineagr with some wasabi powder to make wasabi Japanese mayonnaise)

BBQ/hoisin sauce will work in a pinch:)

Directions:
1. Blanch shrimp, if using... and cut in small pieces. Reserve a few for topping, if desired.
2. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Mix eggs with water and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
4. Shred cabbage... you will need about 3 cups. Grate carrot. Slice onion and chop green onion.
5. Add cabbage in a large bowl, along with the grated carrot, onion, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Add the flour mixture and combine.
6. Pour the beaten egg/water over the floured cabbage mix and combine.
7. Fold in the shrimp.
8. Heat a large skillet add a bit of oil. Place about 1/2 cup cabbage mixture in hot skillet... making as many mounds as can fit leisurely. Don't crowd.  Optional: You can use a 3 inch ring to place cabbage mixture in for uniformity.
9. Cook pancakes on medium/low heat for 3-5 minutes, and when golden on the bottom, flip on second side. Continue to cook the second side for an additional 3-5 minutes... or until cooked through, and golden on both sides. The cooking time varies depending on the heat level and thickness of the pancake.
10. Top with various toppings of choice, and drizzle plenty of sauce and mayonnaise. Serve hot.  

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Brined Shrimp.... and Chinese Eggs with Shrimp and Scallions

Brined Shrimp.... and a simple recipe for Chinese Eggs with Shrimp and Scallions

Since I've brought up the topic of brining in my last post, I thought to also share one my favorite ways to "perk" up un-cooked frozen shrimp.... accomplished by using the brining method once again. We all probably know about brining a turkey, chicken, even pork chops... more common meats to brine. But brining seafood isn't as widely known, or talked about. Or maybe I just didn't know about it....

I grew up thinking you weren't supposed to soak seafood in water(especially fish)... reason being that the water would leach out all the flavor from the seafood. But soaking seafood in plain water isn't the same as using a brine. Interestingly enough, years ago when I used to teach at an elementary school, I had a teacher's assistant whose husband always used to go to Alaska for salmon fishing. I remember her saying the fish tasted best when soaked in salted water before cooking it... at the time I thought the idea was a bit strange, though I have to say that it did make me think... and that's why I never forgot about it. Sadly, I didn't try brining seafood until about a couple of years ago.

In any case, I love to apply the brining method to shrimp. It not only firms up the flesh of the shrimp, but it makes them have that "pop" when you bite into them. They're just nice and plump without being dry or limp....and it just gives them a ton of flavor. The brine also helps the shrimp to retain moisture, which is especially great when you're planning on "dry" cooking the shrimp... such as grilling, pan frying, or broiling the shrimp. Brining and blanching isn't really recommended. But you know, I'll also use the brining technique even when blanching shrimp.... just because it's quicker, and the method allows me to use the shrimp in a variety of dishes.... and well... it works for me:). I'll use the brined blanched shrimp when making shrimp cocktail, or in the dish I'm sharing today. But do feel free to skip the blanching and just broil the brined shrimp if you like... or quickly panfry the shrimp.

So I used the brined blanched shrimp to make a quick and tasty dish called, Chinese Eggs with Shrimp and Scallions. The final photo I took of the shrimp and egg dish was taken in quite a hurry... seconds before sitting down to eat:), so it's not the best photo. But I really wanted you to see how I used the brined shrimp.

I love making this dish because it comes together rather quickly, making it ideal for those busy weeknights...or when you're too tired to make a complicated meal:). The dish can be served on its own... or even used as a side dish to other Chinese dishes. You can easily adjust the recipe to include ingredients you like... so feel free to add some spinach leaves, steamed bok choy, or other vegetables of choice. And if you don't care for shrimp, or are allergic to it, you can opt to just make the scrambled eggs alone. It's still delicious:)...

So in case you've never brined shrimp before, you might want to try it out and see the difference. It really doesn't take long to brine the shrimp... and the result, I think, is worth it. Actually, I've been using the brining method on my shrimp ever since I was introduced to it. Hope you enjoy...

A great read on basics of brining: Cook's Illustrated notes

Note: I have used the brining method on frozen fish fillets as well....it works especially great on large pieces of fish used in "dry" method cooking(grilling or roasting)....though I won't blanch the fish:)

~You can add a bit of sugar to the brine, if you like...but I prefer not to, just because it works without the sugar as well:). But in case you are interested in the salt and sugar ratio, you can see the cook's illustrated version above or Alton Brown's version... HERE

Tip: When brining seafood, take care not to have the seafood sit in the brine for too long or it will be too salty. A general rule: do not brine seafood for longer than 30 minutes.

BRINED SHRIMP....

You will need:

1/2 lb shrimp*

3 cups water

1 TBS kosher salt

* I'll often use frozen shrimp and allow the shrimp to defrost in the brine... and then rinse.

Directions:

1. In a bowl add water and salt . Mix until salt dissolves.

2. Add shrimp to brine and let sit for about 20 minutes( if peeled) or 30 minutes if unpeeled....

~I often just place frozen shelled shrimp in the brine and allow the shrimp to defrost completely( it can take a bit longer than 30 minutes)... then remove from brine.

3. Remove shrimp from brine and rinse quickly. Cook as desired.

For blanched shrimp: feel free to place shrimp under the broiler for a few minutes until pink...or quickly panfry.

1. Bring water to a boil and remove from heat.

2. Add shrimp. Remove shrimp when they have turned pink... they will cook quickly in a matter of a couple minutes or so. Don't overcook...

To make Chinese Eggs and Shrimp.... using blanched shrimp

Tip: you can add some peas along with the shrimp, if you like.

You will need:

4 eggs

1 TBS milk( or stock)

1 tsp soy sauce

1/4-1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

3 TBS chicken stock

1/3 cup chopped green onion

chile flakes, to taste

salt and pepper to taste

8 oz cooked (shrimp from above)

2 TBS oil

Directions:

1. Crack eggs in a bowl and add milk( or stock, if using), soy sauce, sesame oil, the additional stock, chile flakes, salt and pepper.

2. Beat until frothy. Stir in onion.

3. Heat a non-stick skillet pan on med/high until hot. Add oil.

4. When oil is hot, add a bit of the egg mix...if it sizzles and puffs up, it is ready.

5. To the hot pan, add the egg mix. With a spatula, bring in the egg from the sides... to the middle of the pan to form large curds. Do this from all sides until the egg is nearly set, but not quite. This shouldn't take longer than a couple of minutes on med/high heat.

6. When eggs are nearly set, but still a bit wet, add the shrimp and fold them in gently.

7. Turn off heat and cover. Allow to sit covered for a couple of minutes or until the top of the eggs are set and they have puffed up a bit. Serve immediately.

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Malaysian Curry Laksa...well, sort of.

Malaysian Curry Laksa...well, sort of. Today, I was brave. Really brave. I made curry laksa...well, sort of. More on the "sort of "... later. To be honest, it took me several days to decide if I should go ahead and make this dish or not. I'm not keen on lemongrass... probably because I've had a few restaurant dishes where the lemongrass was really overpowering. On the other hand, my mom would make us lemongrass tea when I was young, and I loved it. I don't exactly remember how we had this fresh lemongrass plant growing in our backyard, but lemongrass was something I grew up with... and only in tea. We always had tea...every morning. I am not sure why I never cared for lemongrass in savory dishes... but I just never used it in the dishes I made. And because this particular dish used quite a bit of it, I was hesitant. But it wasn't just the lemongrass, it was also the fish sauce. I don't cook with fish sauce...and I've never bought it before. Ever. Would I take the chance now? This dish was really out of my comfort zone...

I had heard about this dish before...being a popular dish in Asia(more so in Malaysia and Singapore).... had heard how popular laksa is in Australia.... and then I saw a recent post on use real butter featuring curry laksa. I quickly glanced over the ingredients and knew I probably wouldn't make it. But the amazing photos made the dish look so appealing... so worth trying! I looked over it once more... and then bookmarked it:). I thought about it for a few days, and finally decided to make it.

We don't really get a chance to try different cuisines here in Montana. We're actually pretty limited. I find myself not wanting to miss out on dishes that others may have access to in bigger cities... I want to experience as many different dishes as I possibly can. Even if this means having me make the dish at home.... at least this way I don't feel left out:). But I'm all for making it at home, because this way I can broaden and improve my cooking skills... and that's always, always a plus.

It took me a few days to get all the ingredients as I couldn't find fresh lemongrass anywhere. Knew the local natural food store sometimes carries it, but they didn't have any when I was there. I started thinking about using dried lemongrass.... But a few days later, I went back to get some spices and found they had brought in a small package of fresh lemongrass. I quickly grabbed it. Finally. Now, I had most of the ingredients needed to make the dish. And here comes the "sort of" part...

I was missing a very important ingredient, the tofu puffs, which are a main part of the laksa. There's absolutely no way I would find such an ingredient here in Montana, at least in the area I live. I suppose I could have made a homemade version, but since I most never buy tofu, I decided to skip it, and used some fresh shitake mushrooms instead... to sort of compensate for the lack of tofu puffs. The soup I made is a curry laksa...sort of....without the tofu puffs. I am, however, listing the tofu puffs in the recipe... for those of you who have access to them and want to use it.

The soup was delicious, and my husband and I really enjoyed it! A new experience for both of us, and I am so glad I tried it! I did end up making half the soup quantity... but made the full amount of curry paste. Stored the other half of the paste in the freezer for another time. The recipe I am posting is for the whole amount. Oh, and the fish sauce wasn't bad at all... it blends very well with all the other ingredients. Hope you enjoy...

Note: A little bit of information on laksa can be found... HERE.

Tip: You can make the curry paste and soup base in advance( minus any of the toppings and tofu puffs/mushrooms(if using). Just re-heat the soup on a later day and simply add the rest of the toppings...add tofu puffs/mushrooms while reheating. I had leftovers and the soup was delicious the next day as well.

Feel free to make it with only chicken, or only seafood...

The soup isn't really that spicy ...even with 10 chiles! But if you like, you can definitely cut down the amount of chiles.

You will need: totally inspired by use real butter and adapted from New Asian Cuisine.

Curry Paste:

10 dried chilies(or about 5 fresh red jalapenos), or to taste

10 shallots

2 cloves garlic

2 stalks lemongrass

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon mild curry powder

1 inch of ginger(or galangal)

1 tablespoon dried tumeric powder

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup of oil for frying

Soup Base:

2 cups coconut milk, reserve ½ cup of cream for garnish, if you like

4 cups of chicken broth, preferably homemade

1 cup of water

Salt to taste

12 fried tofu puffs( or fresh shitake mushrooms, as many as you like)

Additional Toppings:

8 oz cooked shrimp, or however many you like

1-2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded in 1/2 inch pieces

6 oz egg noodles, optional( I didn't use)

6 oz rice vermicelli

2 hard boiled eggs, halved or quartered

1 cup mung bean sprouts, or so

Cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

Make the Curry Paste:

1. Grind together spice paste ingredients in a food processor until smooth....you may need stop the processor and scrape the mixture in between the processing. You want to get it as smooth as you can. This can take several minutes. Set aside.

Cook Chicken/Shrimp:

1. Season chicken breast with salt and steam until cooked( I just boiled mine). Tear the chicken into ½ inch thick slices.

2. Blanch shrimp. I like to brine my shrimp for 20 minutes or so....adding about 1 TBS kosher salt to 2 cups of water(or so). I remove the shrimp from the brine and blanch them until pink. Makes the shrimp nice and plump...as well as tasty.

Cook the Noodles/Egg:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add salt. Remove from heat and blanch the rice vermicelli until tender.

2. Do the same with the egg noodles, if using( just use the same water you cooked the rice noodles in). Reserve.

3. Boil egg, peel, cut, and set aside.

Make Laksa Soup Base:

1. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the spice paste. Cook and stir constantly... about 8 to 10 minutes. The oil will sort of separate from the spice paste and get darker in color. Adjust heat so as not to burn.

2. Lower the heat and add coconut milk, tofu puffs( or mushrooms in my case), chicken stock and water. Bring to a slow simmer, stirring constantly. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Season with salt ... to taste.

Assemble Laksa Soup:

1. Place a serving of noodles, mung bean sprouts, shrimp, and chicken in bowls. Ladle the laksa broth over and drizzle a bit of coconut cream, if you like. Garnish with cilantro and egg.

2. Serve with quartered limes...do use the limes, as it freshens the dish quite nicely.

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Shumai...Chinese Dim Sum (Chicken and Shrimp Dumpling)

Shumai...Chinese Dim Sum (Chicken and Shrimp Dumpling). I love small bites and I love Chinese food...most of it anyway. And living in Montana, I don't have the chance to experience Chinese cuisine very often. I've resorted to making my own at home and in the process have learned to make quite a few dishes that are a winner for us...the Sweet and Sour Chicken and the Velveted Chicken Stir-Fry are just a few. But you know, I'd never made dim sum at home before. And for that matter, never had dim sum in a restaurant before either....you know, a real dim sum restaurant. The type of restaurant where servers actually push around a trolley full of dim sum... and all you have to do is pick and choose from the different array of dumplings and small bites that are presented. I suppose if I lived in a bigger city, the opportunity to try a dim sum restaurant might have presented itself sooner or later.....but chances are pretty slim around here.

So, you can imagine when I saw the folks on America's Test Kitchen making Chinese dim sum, that I was all ears! The process looked simple enough...ok, the assembling did look like it would take a bit getting used to, but I wanted to try it nonetheless. A couple of days later, I made my first shumai dim sum at home....although with a few changes of my own.

I chose to use chicken instead of the pork, used some fresh mushrooms instead of the dried mushrooms, omitted the water chestnuts, and added a couple of cloves of garlic. I also didn't have the Chinese vinegar or sherry, so I used a couple of different vinegars I had in my pantry. The changes I made weren't very big....or maybe they were:). But I felt the overall product was just delicious. This time around, I used store-bought wonton wrappers, but I would simply love to make my own homemade version.

The shumai are best eaten hot... and since the batch makes quite a few, you can opt to divide the meat filling and make a batch one day and the second batch another day. You can also cut the recipe in half or freeze some( I've heard they freeze very well, though I personally haven't tried that yet). I simply chose to make 2 batches....on 2 different days.

For the first batch, I ended up using my steamer basket insert from my pressure cooker...and that worked fine. Second batch, I ended up placing them in a non-stick skillet with a bit of water and found it much simpler...easier to clean, too. I am sure the way to go is to use a bamboo steamer, but I don't have one of those. In any case, use whatever method works for you. The photos are of my first batch...but I think I got a bit better with the second batch:). It was fun experimenting with making my own dipping sauce/s...no recipe, as I added a little bit of this and a little bit of that and adjusted to taste. We really liked the shumai dumplings. I am wanting to make them again...next time, with homemade wrappers. Hope you enjoy...

Note: I posting the link to the ATK's shumai-making episode...I am not sure how long they will make the video available to watch...as of today, the VIDEO LINK works.

Tip: You can use dried shitake mushrooms(4-5 large) that has been reconstituted...instead of the fresh sauteed version. Water chestnuts are used in the original recipe, so feel free to add some in the filling...about 1/4 cup chopped.

Feel free to vary the meat you use...use all pork, all chicken, all shrimp... or a mixture.

You can probably omit the gelatin, if you don't have or care to use...though it does make the filling moist and juicy and not so dry.

You will need: inspired by America's Test Kitchen ~makes about 40(or so) dumplings

Wrappers:

1 pack round wonton wrappers*

*or egg roll wrappers(cut in 3 inch round shapes)...you should get 4 round circles out of 1 egg roll wrapper

Gelatin Mix:

2 TBS soy sauce

1/2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin

Meat:

1 pound chicken thighs( about 5 pieces), boneless, skinless and cut into 1-inch pieces*

1/2 pound medium size shrimp, peeled and cleaned

*you can use pork meat, if you like

Filling Ingredients and Seasoning:

6 oz fresh mushrooms, minced and sauteed

2 TBS fresh cilantro, minced

2 TBS cornstarch

1 TBS toasted sesame oil

1 TBS white wine vinegar*

1 TBS rice vinegar

2 tsps sugar

2 tsps freshly grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, grated( optional)

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 red jalapeno pepper, minced( or you can use 1/2 tsp pepper)

*Chinese rice cooking wine, or dry sherry is recommended

Decoration:

carrot , finely grated (optional)

peas, (optional)

Additional:favorite dipping sauce

chile oil

sweet and sour sauce

soy/rice vinegar/sesame oil mixture, etc.

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce and gelatin. Set it aside and allow the gelatin to bloom while you get the other ingredients ready.

2. Saute the minced mushrooms in a bit of oil and a pinch of salt. Set it aside.

3. In a food processor bowl, place half of the chicken and pulse until coarsely ground...this should be about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer the meat to a large bowl.

4. In the same food processor bowl, add shrimp and remaining chicken. Pulse until coarsely chopped... about five 1-second pulses. Transfer the mixture to the bowl that contains the previous finely ground chicken.

5. Stir in the soy sauce/gelatin mixture, the sauteed mushrooms, cornstarch, sesame oil, wine vinegar, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, grated garlic, salt, and minced hot pepper( or black pepper).

Assemble:

1. You will want to work with about 6 round wonton wrappers at a time...it's just easier to do the fold and pinch technique with a few than when doing one at a time.

2. Brush edges of each wonton wrapper lightly with water. Keep the remaining wonton wrappers covered so they don't dry out.

3. Place a heaping tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of each wonton wrapper and bring the sides up. Pinch the wrapper on both sides... creating a fold.

4. Make a total of 8 pinches and then squeeze sides against filling... in the crook of your thumb and index finger... shaping dumpling so that top of filling is exposed.

5. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet, or an oiled plate. Make sure to keep them covered. 6. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

7. Top center of each dumpling with pinch of grated carrot, or a single pea.

Steaming:

Using a Steamer Basket

1. Cut a piece of parchment paper that is slightly smaller than diameter of steamer basket. Place the parchment paper inside the basket and poke some small holes in the paper. Lightly coat the parchment with a bit of oil.

2. Place enough dumplings on the parchment to fit inside without having them touch...if they touch they will stick together.

3. Set steamer basket over simmering water.

4. Cook, covered, until no longer pink for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately

Using a Skillet

1. In a nonstick skillet, add enough water to barely cover the surface....you can add a drizzle of oil as well. Bring to a simmer.

2. Place the dumplings in simmered water and cover with a lid.

3. Cook, covered, until no longer pink for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

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