Oriental flavors
Home cooking allows one to explore different cuisines of the world, regardless of whether you live in a metropolis or a rural area these days. The availability of special ingredients used to be the limiting factor, but most markets now embrace a variety of international flavorings, others can be ordered online, so you remain limited only by your own imagination.
A recent rainy weekend required something warm, light and not too time-consuming. My well stocked pantry and a fresh block of tofu made the choices for our oriental dinner menu: soup, tofu with Udon noodles and pudding.
Hot and sour soup
Black dried tree mushrooms and dried lily buds can be substituted by 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms, but the soup will lack some of its color.
Soak 4 dry black tree mushrooms and 12 dried lily buds in 3 cups boiling water for 30 minutes. Decant the soaking liquid from any debris and save. Pull the lily buds in half lengthwise and cut mushrooms into bite size pieces.
Rinse and drain 4-5 oz extra firm tofu on paper towels and cut in ½ inch cubes. Slice 5 oz. boneless pork loin in ¼ inch thick strips and toss with 2 tsp. dark soy sauce to coat. In a small bowl mix 3-4 tbsp. red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar, 2 tbsp. light soy sauce, 1 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. kosher salt and 1 tbsp. chopped fresh ginger. In another small bowl mix 2 tbsp. cornstarch with ¼ cup of the mushroom liquid. Rinse bamboo shoots from an 8 oz can and cut in strips.
Heat wok on high heat, swirl in 2 tbsp. peanut oil and stir fry the pork strips for 1 minute, add mushrooms, lily buds and bamboo shoots and stir fry for another minute. Add 4 cups of reduced sodium chicken broth and 1 cup of mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to boil, add the tofu and when boiling again stir in the vinegar mixture and then cornstarch mixture. When the liquid thickens, turn heat to medium and add two eggs beaten with a tsp. of sesame oil in a stream, stirring slowly in one direction with a spoon. Stir in 1 ½ tsp. white pepper and 1 tsp. sesame oil. Serve sprinkled with thinly cut scallions. Soup can be reheated for lunch the following day.
Crisp miso tofu with vegetables on Udon
Rinse an 8 oz. block of extra firm tofu and set on paper towels in refrigerator to drain. Assemble 3 cups of broccoli florets, ½ red pepper seeded and cut in julienne, 1 medium carrot cut in thin strips and 1 shallot, thinly sliced. In a small bowl mix for sauce: grated 1-inch peeled ginger, 1 minced garlic clove, ¼ cup light soy sauce, 2 tbsp. miso, 1 tbsp. brown sugar, 2 tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar, 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil, 1/3 tsp. salt, 1 ½ tsp. cornstarch, 4 tbsp. water.
Cut the tofu in 1-inch cubes, sprinkle with ¼ cup cornstarch, pressing with fingers to adhere.
Heat 1 tbsp. grapeseed oil to shimmer in a large pan and cook broccoli, carrot, shallot and pepper with tossing for 5 minutes. Set aside. Add 2-3 tbsp. grapeseed oil to pan and arrange tofu in a single layer to cook for 10 minutes, turning the pieces every 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Whisk sauce in pan and cook to thicken. Remove pan from heat, stir in vegetables and tofu to coat and serve on cooked Udon noodles garnished with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Coconut pudding with blueberry sauce
This is a simple dessert prepared by beating instant coconut pudding in 2 cups of milk for 2 minutes and chilled in the refrigerator for an hour. For sauce: place 2 cups frozen blueberries in a small pot with ¼ cup water, ¾ cups sugar and cook for 10 minutes, stir in 2 tsp. lemon juice, zest of ½ lemon and 2 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water. Cook to thicken then cool and serve on top of the coconut pudding.
Our gustatory travels have taken us to the Far East, and though it is past the cherry blossom time in Japan, the flavors of Orient abounded on or dinner table.
(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)