Ojiya--Rice Porridge

Now that the weather is cooling down in the evenings, it's nice to have some Shabu Shabu.  We've already put in the recipe for Shabu that Udon and I will attach it again to the bottom of this post. After finishing up your Shabu Shabu you can make some Ojiya with the broth.  This is the perfect ending to a fall or winter evening, especially if you've had a busy week or weekend and need some comfort food!

Ojiya -- Rice Porridge

Ingredients:
3 Cups of cooked rice
1 egg
1/4 Cup of dipping sauce
Nori, umeboshi and shiso for garnish

Direction:
1.  Place the cooked rice into the electric skillet with left over broth in it.
2.  Cook it until the rice soaks in the broth and becomes infused with flavor!
3.  Scramble 1 egg in a separate bowl
4.  Mix into the rice
5.  Add dipping sauce
6.  Stir together
7.  Place in a chawan (rice bowl)
8.   Garnish with nori, umeboshi and shiso

This certainly helped Chef's Azuki's family recover from a fun-filled yet hectic weekend!

BeaNspiration:  Comfort yourself with comfort food!

Monday, February 11, 2013

Shabu that Udon!

Happy Chinese New Year!  Yesterday was the start of the Year of the Snake.  We’re ready for change and growth this year as we shed our old skin like the molting snake.  Chef Azuki started the New Year creating a new dish.  Shabu-Shabu is a dish that uses thinly sliced Shabu-shabu meat and various vegetables that are picked out of boiling water and soaked in individual bowls of dipping sauce.  Shabu-shabu refers to the noise the vegetables and meat make sloshing around in the water.   Chef Azuki  used kamaboko and tofu instead of the usual thinly sliced meat and added some udon noodles.  The dish is light and fresh, yet still a hearty meal.  Her family had a cooking adventure as everyone participated in preparing his or her own food.  Set up the electric skillet in the center of the table and everyone can make their own shabu udon, the way they like it.  So get on it and “Shabu that Udon”!

Shabu that Udon

1 block of Kamaboko sliced thinly

1 Onion thinly sliced into rings

1 zucchini sliced into thick sticks

½ of a head of nappa cabbage chopped

2 green onions thinly chopped

1 block of medium firm tofu cut into cubes

2 pkges of udon noodles

Dipping Sauce

4 Tbsp. Memmi (Japanese Soup Base in a bottle that looks like shoyu bottle)

1 Cup of  hot water

¼ tsp. of Sesame oil

Directions:

1.     Slice and chop vegetables, kamaboko and  tofu

2.     Set up ellectric skillet in the center of the table and turn on

3.     Fill the electric skillet half way up with water

4.     Once the water is boiling, add all ingredients except those for dipping sauce

5.     Prepare the dipping sauce by adding all ingredients into large glass measuring cup

6.     Fill each individual bowl with some dipping sauce

7.     When they vegetables are tender and kamaboko and tofu heated through, each person can pick up what they like and put it in their bowl with dipping sauce

8.     Eat and enjoy

BeaNspirations:  Find ways to make mealtime fun and easy for the cook!