.: evil jungle prince :.

This dish falls under "didn't use a recipe -- just made it according to the parameters of my craving." I would describe it as a mix between pad thai and pad khe mao, with a Korean kick in the pants.

To make it, here's what I did:

1. First I marinated cubes of firm tofu in a spicy marinade, consisting of: a few dashes of white pepper, 2-3 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp dried red chili pepper flakes, 1 tsp lime juice, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp fish sauce. Allow to sit for a few minutes so the tofu can absorb the seasoning.

2. Next I prepard my fresh ingredients: 1 sliced shallot, 2-3 green peppers, 2-3 cloves sliced garlic, chopped green onions, and 1-2 tsp chopped coriander stems (optional), one bunch of Thai basil leaves. Place to the side.

3. Next I began preparing my noodles by placing 1/3 package of sen-yai rice noodles into boiling water, stirring and tasting until they were al dente (soft but still rather chewy). These are then drained and immediately placed under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.

4. Finally I sauteed the following in a wok with a little peanut oil: shallots, peppers, garlic, and coriander stems. (Leave just a few of the fresh ingredients to the side for a topping.) When aromatic, I then added my marinated tofu, basil. Be sure to include all the marinade sauce. Stir fry briefly on high heat.

5. Next I added 2-3 tsp oyster sauce, dash or two of soy sauce, and Thai basil leaves. Stir fry on high heat until the noodles have uniformly absorbed the liquids. Ideally your wok heat will be high enough to slightly char the noodles. Just before removing from wok, add green onions and then remove.

6. The noodles can then be topped with the remaining fresh ingredients together with some chopped peanuts for crunch. Serve with a cool vegetable like cucumber -- enjoy!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 05:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

In this dish (두부전골 or Korean tofu hot pot), two slices of pan-fried tofu are stuffed with and egg-based seasoning and tied together with a knot to hold their contents together. Traditionally minced beef is used but I've instead used shitake mushroom for a meatless dish. The bundles are then cooked together (boiled) together with carrot, mushroom, and daikon radish.

1. First cut the tofu into thick slices and weigh them down with a weight to remove excess liquid. Set aside 15 mins or more and remove liquid.

2. Dust tofu with flour and a little salt/pepper and fry in oil until crispy on both sides. Set aside.

3. Parboil green onions in salted watter until they go limp. Set aside.

4. Create an egg-shitake seasoning by mixing one egg white, 1 fine chopped shitake mushroom, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp finely chopped green onion, 1/2 tsp crushed garlic, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, pepper to taste. Set aside.

5. Lay down one wilted green onion and then place one piece fried tofu on top. Place 1 tsp of the egg seasoning on top of the tofu. Place another piece of tofu on top and tie the bundle together with a green onion. Repeat and set aside.

6. Slice daikon, carrot thinly and set aside. Clean two shitake mushrooms and set aside. Line the bottom of a pot with the daikon. Place bundles on top. Interleave the bundles with carrot and mushrooms.

7. Finally, create a cooking sauce by combining 2 cups of mushroom stock, 1/2 tsp crushed garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp soy sauce. Pour over the bundles until the liquid almost reaches the top. Simmer on low until most but not all of the liquid has been boiled off.

P.S. I want to apologize about my comments system! For some reason, they take forever to save through my MT template, and many people give up after experiencing such a long pause, following hitting "Send." But please be assured that once the screen goes white, your comments have been saved. Thank you!

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 07:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Today the temperature is supposed to reach 119F, so it's a lucky thing it's a holiday and everyone can stay home and run the air conditioner. It's also a good opportunity to cook and try out some new dishes.

This dish is milssam (밀쌈), or Korean crepes filled with vegetables and shrimp with a citron-vinegar-soy seasoning sauce. It's essentially the same as gajeulpan which I've made before but a simpler, less fancy version.

Goodies are placed on the crepes with a little of the seasoning sauce and gobbled up. What makes this meal so nice for a summer day like this is the zesty seasoning sauce, which is made with soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and lemon rind. So light and delicious.

Each item has a slightly different preparation method, so let's get started.

1. You can start by prepping the shrimp. Boil in water briefly and then season to taste with sesame oil, white pepper, salt. Set aside.

2. The seasoning sauce served in a half-lemon is prepared by mixing 3 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and by zesting the second half of the lemon. Scoop out the second half and serve the seasoning inside.

3. Fry the mushrooms briefly in sesame oil and season with salt, pepper, and toasted sesame seeds.

4. Half the cucumber, cut into thin diagonal strips and salt them, allowing to sit for a few mins and release water. Squeeze a small bunch at a time to release liquids. Fry and season the same as the mushrooms.

5. The last part is creation of the crepes or wrappers. I'm no pro at this so best to not to look to me for advice, but here is how I make them. Use the whipper attachment of a blender and combine: 1.5 cups flour, 1.5 cups water, 1 egg yolk*, 1/4 tsp salt. Blend very well. Heat a large pan with a little oil. Pour in the batter -- just enough to cover the pan so it forms a very thin crepe. You'll need to circle around the pan in the air to make that happen. Cook just long enough until the crepe is sturdy enough to flip, but not long enough to brown. After the second side is cooked, remove and use a cup or bowl to cut a perfect circle into the crepe. Each crepe should make about small, perfect crepes.

* I used egg whites instead for a healthier version.

Posted by Evil Jungle Prince at 01:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)