Tofu Recipes

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 blocks cotton tofu
1 cup dashi soup stock
1 Tbsp soysauce
1 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp potato starch/corn starch and 1Tbsp water, mixed
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
*potato starch/corn starch for dusting tofu
*vegetable oil for frying.

Preparation:

To drain tofu, wrap tofu with paper towels and place it on a cutting board. Put another cutting board or a plate on top the tofu and let sit for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, put kombu dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add starch mixture in the sauce and stir quickly. Stop the heat. Dry tofu with paper towels and cut each tofu in half. Dust tofu with potato starch. Heat oil in 350 degrees F in a deep pot. Deep-fry tofu until they turn lightly brown. Place each fried tofu in a small dish and pour the sauce over it. Garnish with grated ginger.

*Makes 4 servings

DEVIN'S BABY BACK RIBS

baby back ribs (full rack) 2-4
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon spice supreme
1 tablespoon cumin
seasoning salt (to flavor)
Any other spices you may like to add to this, go ahead.

Combine all the spices together. Then rub over ribs generously until all ribs are covered. Cut up one lemon into slices and place slices on top of each rib. Put ribs into a zip lock bag one on top of each other, and let sit in refrigerator overnight 24 hrs.

When ready, take ribs out of bag. Remove lemon slices and place ribs in shallow pan. (Do not pile ribs on top of each other.)

Fill pan up with pineapple juice so ribs are just covered. Cover pan with tin foil and bake in oven at 350 degrees F. for 1 1/2-2 hrs. When ribs are ready, let cool down for 1/2 hour or more. Then place ribs on grill at Medium heat for 10 min per side, basting them with a mix of maple barbecue sauce and hickory barbecue sauce.

Enjoy!!

MESQUITE SMOKED BABY BACK RIBS OVER BEER

3 slabs baby back ribs
rib rub (your preference)
6 or 12 pack beer
mesquite chips
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 1/3 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cans (about 16 oz) tomato sauce
hot sauce
salt
fresh pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
yellow mustard
dash cayenne pepper
2 sweet onions
2 green peppers

Note: Good smoked ribs require tender loving care, and while not overly difficult, are time consuming.

The Sauce:

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan on medium heat, then sauté onion and garlic 2-3 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook for 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, per your taste and bring to a low boil; then reduce to a simmer for one hour.

Cool; then serve or refrigerate, as this may be made a few days ahead to allow you to relax while the ribs cook.

Depending on the amount of "bite" you like, adjust the amount of salt (approximately 2 teaspoons) hot sauce (approximately 3 teaspoons) and mustard (3 or 4 good squirts) and cayenne (a few dashes)

Now for the ribs:

1 Day ahead - liberally rub the ribs with your favorite rub (store bought or homemade). Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, and then in aluminum foil. Refrigerate for one day.

Soak chips in water for about 30 minutes, then dry. Heat one side of the grill, (I use a gas grill) and add the chips. When they start smoking, add the ribs, cut in half slabs, to the opposite side of the grill, preferably on a top rack. You may stack them if needed.

Pour one can beer into a disposable aluminum pan, and place over the heat at the back of the grill (this will create some moisture inside to self-baste ribs).

Cook on a low heat. Use a gas grill thermometer to ensure a temperature of 200-225°F degrees. Close the lid to allow the ribs to soak the smoke flavor up, but monitor the temperature, and add chips as needed to keep the smoke billowing.

Every 15 minutes or so baste the ribs - I boil a mix of cider vinegar, lemon juice, hot sauce, pepper, Worcestershire and a little mustard for this.

When the ribs are close to being done, but not quite, I pull them. Rib cook times vary - at this temperature about 3-4 hours would be a good time to check.

When the meat has cooked down from the bone, and the ribs sag on the ends when picked up in the middle by tongs, remove them from the grill.

Preheat the oven to 200°F.

Cut into slices sweet onion and green pepper Place these into the bottom of a baking pan. Cover with beer and water. Slather the ribs with BBQ sauce - then place into the pan Seal tight with aluminum foil and bake for 1-1 1/2 hours.

Remove - Open - Serve!! Remaining beers may be consumed anytime at chef's discretion!

Submitted by: Mark Taylor

Mixed Seafood with Oyster Sauce Recipe

Estimated cooking time: 30 minutes

Seafood with Oyster Sauce Ingredients:
1 kilo of seafood (any one or a combination of crabs, prawns, squid, clams, mussels and any seafood)
1 large onion, diced
spring onions (cut 1 inch long)
1 thumb sized ginger, sliced into strips
1/2 teaspoon of sugar or monosodium glutamate
1/3 cup of oyster sauce
2 pieces green finger pepper (sili pang sigang) chopped
3 table spoons of cooking oil or olive oil
1/3 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

Cut crabs into 2 or 4 if very big
Steam crabs and prawns for 5 minutes
Clean squid and cut into 1 inch long sections
On a big wok, sauté garlic until golden brown, then add ginger and onions, sauté for a minute more
Add water and bring to a boil
Add squid, clams, mussels and other uncooked seafood.
Boil for 5 minutes
Add crabs and shrimp
Add the oyster sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle the sugar or monosodium glutamate (vetsin)
Add the long green chili
Mix well and bring to a boil
Simmer for 3 minutes
Serve hot with steamed riceS

Seafood with Oyster Sauce Cooking Tips:

Add the long green chili earlier if you prefer your mixed seafood with oyster sauce hot.

The above recipe can be used for just one type of seafood like crabs only or a combination of many including fish.