Innie or Outie

Well here it is the end of another summer and to celebrate, a final new dish using the last of the twenty-five 70 grams somen packets, Shrimp Noodle Crunch:

(Click on image to view large size)

The dish consisted of shrimp and diced red onion sautéed in sesame oil; with blanched mixed veggie (cauliflower, broccoli, and carrot) medley, diced red bell pepper, diced yellow bell pepper, and sliced shitake mushrooms; in a sauce of miso, honey, white wine vinegar, minced garlic paste, minced ginger paste, toubanjyan sauce, soy sauce, chicken broth, black sesame seeds, and corn starch; on a bed of deep-fried somen tossed with julienned red cabbage sautéed in olive oil.

Hubby was really in the mood for something a little different from our normal cuisine and decided to go washyoku (traditional Japanese cooking), Papa’s Shibui-Chicken Soup:

(Click on image to view large size)

Presoak chopped chicken chunks in sake and sea salt; in a large pot of water, simmer konbu (seaweed) sheet until soft; remove konbu and add katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), mirin, white pepper, soy sauce, and chopped shibui (Winter gourd); bring to rolling boil (remove one cup of stock and set aside); add presoaked chicken with liquid; reduce heat and simmer until shibui is tender and chicken thoroughy cooked.

Meanwhile, prepare the accompanying dish, Papa’s 10 Grain-Kamaboko Rice:

(Click on image to view large size)

Cook rice adding one 10 grain rice packet, chopped shitake mushroom, diced carrot, diced gobo (burdock root) stuffed kamaboko, soy sauce, and substituting the one cup reserved konbu stock for one cup of water; plate and garnish with chopped scallions.

Plate soup and garnish with fresh arugula. Serve.