Saturday, June 26, 2010

Ozeki style Taichazuke


This delicate flavoured dish happens to be one of my favourite comfort foods. Its quick and easy to prepare and makes a deliciously filling, yet light, meal.Try it out, I promise you won't regret it.

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked (preferably leftover, rice. This doesn't necessarily have to be japanese rice, but japanese rice tastes better)
Fish (salmon/seabass/bream) - sliced thinly
Genmaicha (green tea roasted with rice) or any green tea
Toasted sesame seeds
Nori (seaweed), cut into thin strips
minced garlic
minced ginger
fish sauce
soy sauce
sesame oil
Wasabe


Directions:
Marinate fish with a bit of lemon juice, ginger juice and sesame oil for 10-15 mins.

To prepare broth:
Pour about 6 cups hot water over 3 spoonfuls green tea leaves and leave to seep.

In a pan, spray some sesame oil, and lightly fry minced garlic, ginger and some sesame seeds until fragrant. Pour in green tea and let simmer over low heat. Add in 1 teaspoonful of soy sauce and 2 teaspoons fish sauce. Add in salt to taste. Simmer for 4-5 minutes covered.

Poach the fish in the broth.

Divide rice into 4 bowls.

When fish turns opaque, place on top of rice.

Pour the green tea broth over the rice.

Garnish with liberal amounts of dried seaweed strips and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Put a lump of wasabe at the side (wasabe gives it a nice, tangy flavour but too much will bring tears to your eyes).

Serve piping hot.

Traditionally, the japanese tend to eat this with ume (plums pickled with red shiso), but this modern version is my fav!

PS: Don't add too much oil or garlic... it might overpower the delicate taste of the fish and green tea. Some people might find it a bit bland, but if you savour it, you'll feel your tastebuds tingling. Its very subtle.

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