Dinner with Anthony Bourdain

Usually Thursdays are a total scramble. It's up in the morning at 6:30 AM and out the door by 7:30 - then it's the usual chaos of work, until 4 PM when it's time for Aj and I to go to our Japanese class (which doesn't start until 6:15, but the commute is an hour long if traffic is good) and then after that it's around the corner to our favorite Japanese hot spot in Cambridge - the Porter Exchange for some curry at Cafe Mami. And finally back home. We're lucky if it's before 10 that we get back home to shower and stumble to bed after a little TV.

Today was different though - a bit. Since it's Veteran's day the school is on holiday, and we realized just before leaving that there might not be classes. Sure enough a quick check of the website confirmed that and then it was "Well what do we do for dinner?" Thursday dinners are a fixed thing - every week it's curry at Cafe Mami. We thought about driving down just for the curry, but I had some curry roux and chicken thighs calling my name, so I volunteered to make our regular meal.

Maybe I should explain why we're taking a Japanese class and how I know how to whip up a "Tatsuya" Curry. As it would turn out I've always had a passion for Japanese culture, and in college I decided to study abroad. While there I fell more in love with the culture and even more in love with the FOOD. The Japanese really know how to make comfort food. You thought biscuits and gravy or mac and cheese was comfort food? Ah try a good hamburger steak with a fried egg and a ginger ponzu sauce, or a piping bowl of ramen from a road side stand - better yet try that pancake filled with red bean paste.

Well despite the language barrier while I was in Japan (my japanese was passing by the end of the stay, but at the beginning it was a great game of charades) I quickly picked up a lot of cooking techniques and recipes or just general love for certain foods that I had to recreate when I returned to the states. Now Aj and I are planning a vacation-length trip to Japan so that I can show him the temples and we can experience the culture and food together. It's a kind of belated honeymoon.

So now you know - I'm not just a southern girl cooking in a Yankee kitchen, but I'm also endlessly inspired by Asian cuisine. You'll see a lot of that here mixed in with the traditional American regional foods. Didn't take me long to break you in - Honestly I had planned to take it easy - start traditional - but life throws things your way and you have to share them.

So tonight was Chicken "Tatsuya" Curry paired with a Filipino spring roll called Lumpia. After Aj made a banzai run to the grocery to pick up some peanut oil, we were on our way. We ate in front of the TV, watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain on netflix where he visits Japan. It was a great evening in.

First things first - the rice. I have a rice cooker and have always had one. I don't make rice traditionally on the stove, so I can't help you there. But I'm telling you now - when it comes to Japanese foods you have to go with short grain. And I mean short grain - you're looking for Sushi rice. Kohaku Rose is usually sold at places like Walmart and is acceptable, though a higher quality rice is always going to taste better. The first rule of cooking Japanese rice is that you have to WASH IT. Wash it wash it wash it. Until the water runs mostly clear. Follow the directions on the bag and don't cook it like you would cook regular rice. Shorter rice means less water necessary for cooking.

Now we can get to the "Tatsuya" Curry. The difference between Tatsuage and Karaage is that one is marinated first. We're trying to mirror the Cafe Mami curry here, so we're going with Tatsuage. However, if you don't have 20 minutes to marinate, skip it and go straight to the batter. Won't be as good, but certainly won't be bad!!!

Ingredients:

• 4 Boneless skinless chicken thighs


• 1 carrot, sliced in thin rounds.


• 4 cubes of curry roux from a band like S&B or Vermont Curry (available at many wal-marts or asian grocer)


• About 1/2 c. cooking/cheap Sake (Japanese rice wine - about $4-5 at a grocery store. Substitute = any really mild white will do)


• 2 tbsp mirin, or aji-mirin. (Found at Asian market, or on Asian aisle of grocer. Substitute = sugar)


• 3 tbsp soy sauce (I swear by Yamasa brand)


• A bit of grated ginger (Substitute = powdered ginger)


• 1/2 c. flour


• 1/4 c. Potato, arrowroot, or corn starch (This is important - it gives it that nice crisp and thick fry)


• Pepper


• Water or chicken broth


• Peanut oil for frying (Substitute = vegetable or canola)

1. Marinate the chicken in the sake, mirin, soy sauce and ginger for 20 minutes, flipping twice.


2. In a large wok (or other pan, but I find a wok works beautifully) begin heating your oil. You need it to be hot, between 320 and 350^oF, or the batter in the chicken will absorb too much oil in cooking.


3. Grind a bit of pepper over the chicken and cut it into large chunks, about 3 chunks per chicken thigh.


4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and starch of your choice.


5. Transfer the chicken to the flour mixture and stir to coat evenly.


6. Add 1/4 cup of water and mix until you've got a nice gummy coating on the outside.


7. On a separate burner in a nonstick pan, place the carrot slices, 2 cups of water or chicken broth, and 4 large curry roux cubes. Simmer on medium heat while frying the chicken, stirring every now and then until the curry roux cubes are dissolved and the curry begins to thicken.


8. Begin moving the chicken from the bowl and gently submerging in the hot oil. Only 4-6 pieces should be fried at a time, and they should be gradually added so as to not bring down the temperature of the oil. Fry until golden and crisp and put on a paper towel to drain.


9. On a plate with white rice, put 3-4 chicken pieces and cover with curry roux.


10. Serve with Japanese Fukujin-zuke pickles if you have them.

Want to go for a lighter, non-fried version? Try this recipe from Bebe Love Okazu - I haven't tried it but it looks good!