Thursday, July 8th, 2010
BAM 12: Salmon Shimeji and green onions foil wrap, Kimpira Gobo,
Potato and Daikon Leaf Miso Soup and
Rice.
I am going to start with Kimpira gobo. I previously posted a recipe for
Kimpira Renkon, which is very similar, but I think they both deserve a post.
As I mentioned in the Kimpira Renkon post, kimpira is a side dish that is usually made of root vegetables. Most commonly it is made from,
gobo,
renkon and carrots, although
daikon and goya (bitter melon, I'm not talking about the canned food) are also good.
During the Edo Period, gobo was regarded as a food that gives one strength. Kimpira gobo was named after Sakada Kinji's son Kimpira who was nicknamed
Kintaro (A fictional character who was known for his brute strength). Kimpira gobo was therefore thought to be a fitting name for this dish.
Gobo/carrot and renkon kimpira are my favorite kimpira dishes, I don't think I could choose which one I liked better. I don't like it, however, when it's been simmered or braised. Kimpira should be shari shari (sound of the vegetables against your teeth) and have a nice bite to them.
The important thing to note when making any kind of kimpira is to cook it briskly in oil before adding in the sauce ingredients, and to not simmer it for a long time.
Ingredients (2 Servings)
2 cups of prepped
gobo and carrots cut into match sticks
2 teaspoons of sesame seed oil
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of sake or mirin
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/8 teaspoon of dashi powder (optional)
sprinkling of sesame seeds
Directions
1) Wash, peel and slice the gobo into match sticks. Don't make them too thin because it's harder to get crunchy gobo. Cut the carrots the same way.
2) Soak the gobo in water as you're cutting for
aku nuki.
3) Drain and try to shake as much water out as you can.
4) Get a pot or large frying pan hot. Add the sesame oil and coat the bottom of the pan.
5) Add the gobo and carrots and stir fry so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Stir fry constantly for about 4-5 minutes.
6) Add the mirin, sugar and soy sauce in that order. You can also add the dashi powder last but that's optional. The reason why you don't want to put in the soy sauce and sugar first is because it will burn.
7) Turn off the heat or put it on low and stir fry constantly until the flavors are absorbed. Approximately 1-2 minutes.
8) Serve in bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Cut off about 1.5-2 inch pieces and then cut that in half. Cut the half into even pieces.
If the root is fatter, you will want to cut it into more pieces. Make sure they are even with the other pieces.
Drop the match sticks into a bowl of water as you cut otherwise they will turn brown and create a bitter taste.
Stir fry quickly in sesame seed oil, stirring constantly.
Add the sauce ingredients and turn off the heat. Continue to stir for 1-2 minutes.
Cool in a tupperware. The faster it cools, the faster it will absorb the sauce.
Kimpira gobo the next day is even better. Give the kimpira a turn once or twice and it will marinate nicely.
Sprinkle with a few sesame seeds.
