eG Foodblog: jkonick - Mild Mannered Student By Day...

[jkonick]

jkonick: what happens with the eel after it's killed? Do they clean it? Does it need cleaning? Any pics of its pre-preparation state?

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At the store, the guy basically slit its throat and belly. All the internal organs were still intact, so I had take those out myself. In order to get it to that nice looking filet for the unagu, you also have to take out the spine, which is a real pain. I didn't take any pictures of the process - eels are very slimy ("slippery as an eel" isn't just an expression) and I didn't want to get eel slime on my camera.

[jkonick]

Just when I thought I couldn't eat any more...

I made these two things last night, although by the t ime I was done eaeting them I was too tired to upload the pictures. It was my first time working with this kind of dough, and it was definitely tricky stuff to work with. It gets hard very quickly, which is why you can't find it premade. It was almost unusable by the time I was done, so this project was a real race against time.

Here are the two mixtures, which are basically the same except the one on the right has chives. They have a dash each of the following: xiaoshang rice wine, light soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and a little bit of chopped up fat from bacon (QFC, which is pretty much the only thing open at 1 a.m. ,doesn't carry lard, unfortunately). Oh yeah, and shrimp

Here's the raw ingredients for the dough: 1 1/2 cups wheat starch (it's reccomended that you use a little tapioca starch too, but I didn't have any), one teaspoon oil, and a dash of salt.

Next you have to mix in one cup boiling water, then stir until it forms a rough dough, then put on a (important - it's very sticky) cutting board dusted with more wheat starch.

After a minute or two of kneading

The best way to make them into wrapers is to make three cylinders, then cut each cylinder into eight or so pieces. You then press down on those with the blade of a large cleaver (or something else big enough to stretch them out to about three inches across).

The process for the har gow is pretty simple: basically but the stuff in the middle and close it up like you would a potsticker. There's also a fancy method involving pleating, which I tried, and failed at repeatedly (good thing I had extra dough).

The chive dumplings are a little trickier, you can't get away from the pleats this time. Put the filling in the middle, then pleat the edges so they come up around and form sort of a "wall" of pleats around the filling. Then bring all of the edges together and pinch shut. You should have a little hockey puck looking thing.

These ones, unlike the har gow, are not steamed. They're pan fried until both sides are brown, then water is added and they're steamed just for a few minutes.

And voila! Finished product

[Shalmanese]

I swear I saw tapioca starch at Uwajimaya. Near the bubble tea paraphernalia I think.

[jkonick]

I swear I saw tapioca starch at Uwajimaya. Near the bubble tea paraphernalia I think.

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Yeah, I'm sure they have it there, and given my encyclopedic knowledge of the store that sounds about where it would be. I'm gonna go there again today to pick up some more shrimp, I'll look for it.

[johnnyd]

hey now, those look pretty cool. We are awash in fresh shrimp over here in Maine. I am looking for different ways to prepare them. Have you made shumai before?

[jkonick]

hey now, those look pretty cool.  We are awash in fresh shrimp over here in Maine.  I am looking for different ways to prepare them.  Have you made shumai before?

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Shumai are good, and a lot easier to make since you can buy the wrappers premade, and they don't need to be sealed.

For lunch today I decided to make bahn mi, so I went back to Viet-Wah to pick up some supplies.

Sazji, I tried to get a picture of Mt. Rainier for you, but it was totally obscured today. Here's one of downtown with Puget Sound off in the distance though

Here's the view coming into Chinatown from the north. The are where I took this picture from used to be the predominantly Japanese neighborhood, but after many Japanese lost their businesses because of being put in internment camps, the neighborhood fell apart. There are still a few Japanese restaurants around there, but it's nowhere near as vibrant as Chinatown or Little Saigon.

Back at Viet-Wah... Here are some more pictures:

Seafood counter

Soup bases and sauces

Lots of different kinds of flour (including wheat starch and tapioca, for more dumplings)

Produce

I decided to pick up a sandwich which I would base my own on, so I got the "special" sandwich from Bahn Mi 88 in Little Saigon, which had three kinds of Vietnamese ham, along with the usual pickles, cilantro and mayo.

Now for my sandwich. Here are before and after veggie to pickle pictures

While I was working on it, my upstairs neighbor stopped by with some cookies. I ate... a fair number

These are the three different meats I used. From left to right: something wrapped in leaves, which basically just tasted like balogna, another lunch meat typed meat, which tasted a lot like salami, and a Vietnamese head cheese.

Finished product!

Now I'm off to my parents' house in about an hour to make latkes and lemonana (this time with REAL mint!).

[nakji]

What a lovely banh mi! In Hanoi, it's popular to have have pickled red cabbage as well. Ironically, the most reliable ones in the city are run by the Geothe Institute...and they substitute roasted pork off a spit (Which I consider, and they describe as 'doner kebab') for the cold cuts. Not being a big head cheese fan, I like the roast pork version better. The stall outside my work gets a ton of business, as they're located on a major road. If I run down between classes to get a bite, there's often a line up of motorcycles waiting along the curb. For around 50 cents, they make a great dinner.

Will you be cooking any more Vietnamese food this blog? I look forward to seeing what you make next.

edited for early-morning spelling.

Edited December 20, 2006 by nakji (log)

[Eden]

Now I'm off to my parents' house in about an hour to make latkes and lemonana (this time with REAL mint!).

Fun to see you blogging jkonick, and to see more about a part of town I don't know as well!

If you didn't find schmaltz I can testify from recent experimentation that duck fat works really well for latkes, we liked it even better than bacon fat

[jkonick]

Now I'm off to my parents' house in about an hour to make latkes and lemonana (this time with REAL mint!).

Fun to see you blogging jkonick, and to see more about a part of town I don't know as well!

If you didn't find schmaltz I can testify from recent experimentation that duck fat works really well for latkes, we liked it even better than bacon fat

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My mom said she was going to the Albertson's over on Mercer Island (which carries tons of Jewish foods, as there's a large Jewish population there) so she picked up a container of shmaltz for me. I actually did have some duck fat but I just used the last of it up a week or so ago.

[jkonick]

As an aside, I made a group on facebook for eGullet, so if you're on facebook, you can join here: http://washington.facebook.com/group.php?g...24322207&ref=mf

[little ms foodie]

great looking bahn mi!! I'm addicted to the one's at Saigon Deli which is catty corner from Bahn Mi 88- have you tried it? I think they are $2.50...........

[SheenaGreena]

I just joined facebook and tried to join the egullet group...waiting on a response

this is a very consfusing webpage. Myspace is so much easier (and lamer)

[jkonick]

Sheena - you've been approved. Once you get a handle of facebook you'll realize its superiority.

Little ms. foodie - I actually prefer Saigon Deli, but I had tons of groceries and about a mile to walk and Bahn Mi 88 was closer

Tonight was latkes at my parents' house for dinner.

Here's my perfected lemonana - lemons and limes, sugar and a few stalks of mint leaves. It was good, but the mint flavor wasn't quite strong enough... I think I'll try the blended version, that seems like it would be mintier.

Latke mix - two onions, six potatoes, four tablespoons matzoh meal, a little salt and pepper and two eggs.

I delegated my brother to peeling duty. As my mom would say, it's a "Christmas mitzvah."

Shmaltz, sweet shmaltz

In they go!

This picture's kind of hard to see, but it's a menu my seven year old sister made. Tonight's special: lotcase.

Finished latkes staying warm in the oven

Lighting the menorah

And to finish it off, a true Konick family Christmakkuh: watching A Charlie Brown Christmas in the light of the Christmas tree and menorah.

After about six latkes I'm not sure what the har gow redo future is looking like tonight, but I'll be up late so you never know...

[jkonick]

For dessert tonight, I had a piece of lemon cake and something my little sister made - a popsicle dipped in apple sauce (I give her credit for originality anyway) Now I'm eating a few pieces of fudge, which my mom makes in huge batches every year to give away as gifts, and finishing off the last of the lemonana.

[christine007]

Sheena - you've been approved. Once you get a handle of facebook you'll realize its superiority.

Little ms. foodie - I actually prefer Saigon Deli, but I had tons of groceries and about a mile to walk and Bahn Mi 88 was closer 

Tonight was latkes at my parents' house for dinner.

Here's my perfected lemonana - lemons and limes, sugar and a few stalks of mint leaves. It was good, but the mint flavor wasn't quite strong enough... I think I'll try the blended version, that seems like it would be mintier.

Latke mix - two onions, six potatoes, four tablespoons matzoh meal, a little salt and pepper and two eggs.

I delegated my brother to peeling duty. As my mom would say, it's a "Christmas mitzvah."

Shmaltz, sweet shmaltz

In they go!

This picture's kind of hard to see, but it's a menu my seven year old sister made. Tonight's special: lotcase.

Finished latkes staying warm in the oven

Lighting the menorah

And to finish it off, a true Konick family Christmakkuh: watching A Charlie Brown Christmas in the light of the Christmas tree and menorah.

After about six latkes I'm not sure what the har gow redo future is looking like tonight, but I'll be up late so you never know...

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jkonick, christmakuh is a wonderful holiday! This blog is so cool. I have neighbors living this experience so this is very informative to me. She's catholic, He's jewish, and their beautiful little baby was adopted from Korea! I love the blending of the cultures/religions, it's wonderful to see the way the traditions, food, etc, can go together in harmony and the love within a family.

Thanks for sharing your life. And your sister's cute as a button.

[LindsayAnn]

My chalenge to you for this blog is to consume more food than I did in mine.  I wish you luck in this endeavour.  And if you get around to making some of the unagi we were talking about please take pictures.

As an aside, we need to start a global eG Facebook group.  There's me, you, Shal, s_sevilla, tupac (but I haven't seen him around), chianti_glace, Rocklobster.  Anyone else?  Where are the ladies?

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It's not just students on Facebook anymore. Several members of the administrative staff at Widener University have Facebook profiles.

--Sandy ("Sandy"), who falls into this category

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Laides on facebook? ME ME ME ME ME!!!

Althogh I graduated (from U of Iowa, Iowa City), 3 years ago, I am still on Facebook!

I worked for 2 years, and now am back in graduate school, getting my masters in Elem. Education (I want to teach), my undergrad was in Business!

Facebook EG group? Include me!

[LindsayAnn]

By the way, loving your blog -thanks for taking the time on your much needed break (assuming) and sharing with us

We oh-so-love to have an intimate food looky-look at our members culinary lives (eating, cooking, creating, shopping, dining, etc...)

[jkonick]

Today it's okonomiyaki for lunch, since several people have seemed interested in it. For those who don't know, okonomiyaki is a kind of Japanese cabbage pancake (that doesn't sound very appealing, but among the numerous things it's been called or compared to in English, I think that's the best) filled with basically whatever ingredients you want (okonomiyaki literally means "whatever you want/like grilled), and topped with okonomiyaki sauce, a thick worcerstershire based sauce, katsuo-bushi, which are shavings from dried bonito, and ao-nori, a kind of seaweed.

I remember someone asking a few pages back why theirs was so dense - it's probably because one of the ingredients in okonomiyaki that makes it so fluffy is a kind of Japanese yam that's grated into the b atter. Personally, I just use a batter mix that already has it in it, and that works pretty well. You also have to be sure not to use too much batter - I've found that using just enough to coat the ingredients well is enough.

Here's what went into mine: mochi, kabocha squash, an egg, cabbage, okonomiyaki mix and pork

Here's the mix pre-cook

With the pork on top. Usually some kind of fatty pork like bacon is used, but I didn't have any so I just used this really thinly sliced pork.

And the toppings... The stuff in the bottle is tonkatsu sauce, which is similar enough to okonomiyaki sauce, and all I had. The green stuff is ao-nori seaweed, and the other stuff is the dried bonito shavings. Usually people also put mayonnaise on it, but I hate mayo so none for me.

Sans toppings

With a fried egg, yolk uncooked so it can get all mixed in with the rest of the ingredients

And now with the rest of the condiments

I'm off to work in an hour or so, where I will take lots of pictures and you might even be able to see me tossing some pizza if you're lucky...

[SheenaGreena]

oh my god that looks so freakin good. I have never had the pleasure of eating okonomiyaki, but I know I would love it. Maybe I will try making it over the holiday break when I fly down to see my parents. I am sure my korean mother will love the stuff - although probably not all of the crazy toppings. I have yet to try making takoyaki and would love to make that as well.

have you ever tried making it? I think I read somewhere that you tried making it once or something like that. I don't know where to get the pan though.

all this talk of tonkatsu sauce is causing me to salivate. mmmmm my mom used to make me tonkatsu when I was little and it was one of my favorite dinners, so delicious!

eta: you have good taste in music, jeremy

Edited December 20, 2006 by SheenaGreena (log)

[Hiroyuki]

Good job, jkonick!

I have one question: Your cabbage looks like Chinese cabbage to me. Is it really cabbage?

I hate mayo on okonomiyaki, too. I like a combination of ketchup and okonomiyaki sauce, katsuo bushi, ao nori, and above all beni shoga (pickled red ginger). Also, if you sprinkle tenkasu (tempura batter balls) on it, it will be more delicious!

[jkonick]

Good job, jkonick!

I have one question:  Your cabbage looks like Chinese cabbage to me.  Is it really cabbage?

I hate mayo on okonomiyaki, too.  I like a combination of ketchup and okonomiyaki sauce, katsuo bushi, ao nori, and above all beni shoga (pickled red ginger).  Also, if you sprinkle tenkasu (tempura batter balls) on it, it will be more delicious!

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It is Chinese cabbage. What kind is normally used? From what I've seen in pictures I thought that was the norm.

I totally forgot about the beni shoga, I don't know how. Too many toppings! I usually put tenkasu in the batter (is that wrong? most of my knowledge of making okonomiyaki comes from the pictures on the back of packages, since I can't read Japanese), but I was all out this time

Sheena, I think you've inspired me to make some takoyaki in the next few days. Also, try okonomiyaki with kimchi, it's good and sort of Korean.

[BryanZ]

It is Chinese cabbage. What kind is normally used? From what I've seen in pictures I thought that was the norm.

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My mom used to make this stuff when I was a kid, and I've had it in Japan a few times. I think Hiroyuki is right in that you're technically supposed to use just normal green cabbage. Napa cabbage, like you used, would work though. Looks tasty nonetheless.

Jeremy, you like Lifetime and Sunny Day. That amuses me; good times.

For those who actually want to join the official eG Facebook group, "I Post on eGullet" you're going to have to go to facebook.com, then go to "my groups," then go to the bottom of the page, then do a search for "i post on." For some reason typing in "eGullet" doesn't come up with any matches. Follow these instructions and you'll be among the coolest cats on Facebook. Then again, Facebook is so lame.

[SheenaGreena]

It is Chinese cabbage. What kind is normally used? From what I've seen in pictures I thought that was the norm.

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My mom used to make this stuff when I was a kid, and I've had it in Japan a few times. I think Hiroyuki is right in that you're technically supposed to use just normal green cabbage. Napa cabbage, like you used, would work though. Looks tasty nonetheless.

Jeremy, you like Lifetime and Sunny Day. That amuses me; good times.

For those who actually want to join the official eG Facebook group, "I Post on eGullet" you're going to have to go to facebook.com, then go to "my groups," then go to the bottom of the page, then do a search for "i post on." For some reason typing in "eGullet" doesn't come up with any matches. Follow these instructions and you'll be among the coolest cats on Facebook. Then again, Facebook is so lame.

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another fan!! I used to love sdre, so good.

anyways those tempura balls make everything taste better! I bet they would make a nice coating for deep frying

[Hiroyuki]

Like Bryan has just clarified, just normal "cabbage" (I don't know what else to call it).

Putting tenkasu and beni shoga in the batter before frying should be the norm (I'm talking about Osaka-style Okonomiyaki), but I prefer using them as toppings. This way, I can stand them out. Beside, my children hate beni shoga, and I have to make sure that every family member can eat it the way they like.

As you described, okonomi + yaki = Just as you like + grilled.

Note that Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is quite different from the Osaka-style.

Edited December 21, 2006 by Hiroyuki (log)

[Timh]

I lived on Kyushu oknimiyaki, during my time there. It had tako(octopus) in it, but at my request without the mayo.