Clams with Starch sauce and Fried Tofu
The first recipe I picked up is a fried tofu dish, that we want to make at home, but rarely do it. I believe almost everybody likes a fried tofu. It is a kind of fried dish, but also a healthy food which is full of soy bean's protein and clam's iron.Today's recipe is a special dish for welcoming important guets, using clams with starch sauce. It may be a small surprise to use nam pla, that is an accent of savory flavour. By adding several drops of nam pla, a good mariage is coordinated. (Another choice is Japanese traditional fish sauce to make a rich taste.) If you like, Thai pakuchi is an alternative of Japanese mitsuba.INGREDIENTS (4 servings)for Clams with Starch sauce 200 grams ............. Clams200 cc .................... Dashi10 cm²................ Dried kelp ("Kombu")"A"1 tablespoon ....... Cooking sake1 tablespoon ......... Mirin cooking sake1 teaspoon............... Sugar2 tablespoons .......... Soy sauce1/3 teaspoon .......... Salt"Mizutoki-Katakuriko" .......mix potato starch (Katakuri-ko) with cold water1 tablespoon........... Cold water1 teaspoon................Potato starchfor Fried Tofu400 g ...................... Momen Tofu200 g .......................Potato Starch ("Katakuriko")200 cc................... Vegetable Oil(adjusting the quantity as you like)1 pinch .............. SaltFinishing1 piece ................. Mitsuba ("Japanese wild parsely")Several drops .......... Fish soy sauce ("Nam Pla") *if there is1 teaspoon ............. Ground sesame seeds *if there is4 pieces .................. Orange peel *if there isPreparation1) Drain off the water from the tofu. Leave for 30 minutes, and wrapwith kitchen paper to drain well.2) Put the clams in 3% salted water (e.g. put 6 g salt into 200 cc water) just enough to cover the clams in a bowl. (to make the clams release sands they contain) An hour later. scrub the crams with a cold water in a bowl. When the water that runs off is mostly clear, drain the clams.3) Make dashi stock(*). * Refer to Dashi.STEPSClams with Starch sauce 1) Put 200 cc of (*)dashi, the clams, and seasonings "A." and bring to a boil. Please refer to the theme of "Dashi"2) When it is boiled, cover the pan.3) After 30 seconds, shut off the heat. Wait for the clams open (3 minutes). *Not keeping the heat on until the clams open (to make fluffy).4) Foretaste once the clams open. Add a little salt if necessary. *Not make the scratch sauce much darker.5) Remove the kelp, and put on the heat again.6) Bring to a boil and add the mizutoki-katakuriko with slowly rolling a pan (avoid clumping), and make proper hardness sauce.Fried Tofu1)Put the vegetable oil in a pan (depth 3 cm) and preheat to 170 degrees C.2) Drain the tofu well by using kitchen paper.3) Dredge evenly and softly the tofu with salt, pepper and flour.4) Put the tofu in the pan, constantly pour the oil over the tofu, to be colored to brown. Finishing1) Place the fried tofu in serving dish.2) Top the clams with starch sauce beautifully.3) Sprinkle a little pakuchi (or Mitsuba) and few drops of nam pla. *as you like4) Sprinkle a little ground sesame seeds. *if there is5) Garnish with chinese orange slices. *as you likeKey Points 1) Not too much dry the tofu ( to keep soft)2) Not cook much the clams ( to keep fluffy)3) Quickly put the tofu into the oil after draining. ( to avoid water distilling form the tofu inside)4) The tofu should be powdered equally all cover (to avoid peeling-off) , but not too much.5) The tofu should be slowly and mild heated (to cook with a white color and heat inside well)
