The List

More than a week ago, as I was getting going with this "blog dinner" project, I made a list of main dish ideas and corresponding ingredients that I would need to buy. It all seemed so organized, but the truth was, I had just been to the market a couple of days before and I was reluctant to head out again so soon. Turns out I didn't save myself that much work; what with having Japanese/Asian tendencies in my cooking, but also liking to bake and make pasta (that sounds like I like to make it from scratch, um, no, I mean cook with pasta), I can NEVER get every last ingredient I need in any one store.

Finally, tonight, after a trip to Costco a couple of days ago, another stop at my favorite local market the next day, and a final venture to a Korean market this morning, I was actually in position for using The List. Phew.

*shrimp in chili sauce for Aogu and me　(recipe below, scroll down for English)
*natto for the kids
*rice, mostly white with brown mixed in
*wakame soup with green onions and sesame seeds
*beet and carrot salad with tahini dressing for me--I didn't think the kids would like it and I wasn't in the battling mood, which I need to be if I want to try and compel them to eat something unusual. None for Aogu, because he had some for lunch.
*milk for Aogu
*cranberry juice for the kids
*water for me
*mochi with sweet red bean paste for Koji
*1/2 clementine for Izumi

えびチリソース　　

えび　３００ｇ
長ネギ　四分の一本
にんにく、しょうが　　ひとかけづつ

下味調味料
酒、しょうゆ、片栗粉　小さじ１づつ

あわせ調味料
鶏がらスープ　１００ｃｃ
塩　　小さじ二分の一
酒　　大さじ１
ケチャップ　大さじ３
酢、オイスターソース、砂糖、豆板醤　　かく大さじ１

えび、ねぎ、にんにく、しょうがを下味調味料とあえて少しおいて置きます。
待っているあいだにほかに野菜を入れたければ、炒めます。
えびを加えて炒め、混ぜてある調味料をくわえて、好みによってグリンピースを入れます。
とろみがついたら出来上がりです。

Shrimp in Chili Sauce (found on the internet sometime ago, sorry I can't give credit)

300g (about 3/4 lb.) shrimp w/ no tails
1/4 leek
2-3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped fine
1 thumb sized piece of ginger peeled and chopped fine

Combine this with one teaspoon each of cooking sake, soy sauce and cornstarch. Let sit for a few minutes, and in the interval, chop and stirfry any other vegetables to add in a bit of sesame oil(I added mushrooms today).

Throw the shrimp in the pan and toss until half-cooked.

Add the following sauce:
100 cc (about 1/3 cup) chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
3 T ketchup
1 T each of: rice vinegar, cooking sake, oyster sauce, sugar and tobanjian (broad bean chili paste)

Cook and stir, adding peas if you like, until the peas and shrimp are heated/cooked through and the sauce has thickened a bit. If the sauce doesn't thicken, sprinkle another teaspoon of cornstarch over and stir in. Cook for another minute. Serve with rice.