The Okonomiyaki

The word okonomiyaki literally means “cook what you like”. In Japan, the okonomiyaki is associated with two regions: namely Osaka and Hiroshima. And with that, these two regions have different styles. But basically, it’s just made from a mixture of cabbage, batter, meat, eggs, and veggies. But then, they didn’t call it “cook what you like” if you couldn’t add any personal touches to the damn thing. Anyway, you could also add noodles, chicken, cheese, potatoes, octopus, squid, shrimp, leftovers, whatever. As long as it tastes good (at least for you), then that’s alright.

Okay, since I’ve already started to talk about this thing, I guess it’s my responsibility to at least teach you how to make one. So get your cooking hat on and heat up your griddle, coz we’re makin’ an okonomiyaki.

Note: I suggest you make this on a weekend, given that this recipe could take a bit of time (especially for first-timers). In any case, let’s start.

First of all, you’d need this:

Okonomiyaki (Serves 1)

Main Ingredients:

A cup of shredded cabbage

One small-sized egg

A couple of tablespoons of water (or broth) (or milk)

A couple of tablespoons of pancake batter (I ain’t got time to do the whole batter shit thing)

A few slices of bacon, or ham, or chopped leftover meat (such as bbqs, roasted meat, etc.)

A dash of salt and pepper to taste

Add-ons:

2 tablespoons of chopped green onion

Some yakisoba noodles

Seaweed flakes and dried shredded meat (condiments)

shredded carrots

The sauce:

1 part worcestershire sauce

2 parts ketchup

a dash of soy sauce

1. Once you’ve scrounged up all that you want to add in your pancake, here’s what you do next. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the pancake batter and water (it’s better if you follow the batter’s instructions, but in my case, I have a significantly higher batter/water ratio). Mix until the batter is free of lumps.

2. After that’s over, start adding in the cabbage, ham, and all the add-ons you can think of in the batter. Mix well.

3. Then, heat up your iron griddle, skillet, frying pan, or omelette pan. Then brush some canola oil on it, and when it gets hot enough, pour in the okonomiyaki mixture. Pretend that you’re making pancakes and fry that nasty son of a bitch for 5-8 minutes.

4. When bubbles start to form (or you start smelling burnt pancake), make a little hole in the middle of the okonomiyaki and crack an egg over it. Then, flip the damn thing over. Okay, don’t worry about the egg breaking off–coz that’s alright. Fry for another 5 minutes on medium-to-low heat.

5. When you start smelling burnt pancakes or eggs again, it’s about time you plate that tasty bastard. So go ahead and grab one and place it on a nice, white plate.

6. Now it’s time to make the sauce. Just mix the worcestershire and ketchup together and that’s it. After doing so, pour it on top of the okonomiyaki. If you want, you can add some mayonnaise (but that’s too fattening).

7. Then, sprinkle some benito and/or seaweed flakes or some shredded meat.

And voila, that’s what you call an Okonomiyaki. For optimum results, serve to your girlfriend… naked.

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Ikizukuri: Eaten Alive

ChoppedToothpicks: The following article contains images that could disrupt your appetite. As a suggestion, we think it’s better that you read this article AFTER your meal time. But in any case, should you still wish to continue, hey, we’re not stopping you. But don’t think we didn’t warn you…

Alright.

It’s about Japan, so I guess you know this would get a bit freaky…

You still sure about this?

Okay, let’s start.

If you’re a sushi fan, then you know that when it comes to eating raw food freshness is the key. The less it’s been refrigerated, the better, more succulent, and softer the fish would be. So if that’s the case, then nothing could beat what the Japanese call Ikizukuri.

Well, it’s basically this:

Ikizukuri is a sushi-making process that basically means “served alive”. A highly-trained sushi chef would surgically slice off the flesh of a live fish, leaving all the necessary guts and organs to keep the hapless creature alive. He then quickly cuts the flesh into paper-thin sheets, “reassembles” it back to the fish’s body, and then serves it to you. Like this:

"Oh my God, I can't feel my legs!"

If you’ve watched the video, you could see that the little creature is still twitching, squirming, and finally trying to say “screw all of you” in Japanese while the customer readies his wasabi and soy sauce. Some say that it’s still alive and breathing; others say that it’s just the fish’s bodily reflex that causes it to twitch; while others (probably Japanese) say that “screw it, it’s just food.”

"Hey, there's this lose-weight-quick thing..."

In any case, Ikizukuri is a traditional Japanese cooking method. Just like tempura and sukiyaki, Ikizukuri is basically one of the many cooking methods that the Japanese use to prepare their meals. However, before you get all PETA and WWF on the comments section, this method of cooking is also controversial in the country that created it. So yeah, some of them don’t like their sushi alive and breathing as well.

Personally, I believe that once you ordered a fresh-off-the-tank fish, it’d be better if you hammer or slice off its head quickly so it’d die peacefully. I mean, I know we’re on top of the food chain and all, but a little respect on what we kill is something that’d go a long way. Hell, to take it a bit further, Lummi Indians even say sorry to their preys.

You're next.

So the next time you order a sashimi, try to make sure that the fish died a happy, peaceful and quick death.

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Katsudon @ the Venue

It’s definitely 2009. And with the New Year comes the new pounds of solid fat and grease that you’ve gobbled up this past Christmas. That additional inch on your waistline really is a bummer isn’t it? Yeah, especially if that inch once came from a live animal that’s been impaled, roasted – and to add insult to injury – had its mouth crammed with a freakin’ apple. Yes, we Filipinos really do have a sense of humor. But in any case, we know you wouldn’t follow-up on your New Year’s resolution on losing weight (read: liars). And so, our nasty little blog continues… hehe.

Anyway, here’s our selection for the day:

Yes, friends, that — believe it or not — is edible. For all of you who don’t know what this is, well, that is a Katsudon. It’s  from a restaurant that is creatively named The Venue[1], here in Ortigas. I know it doesn’t look as appealing as it should be – but hey – this is a blogsite about cheap (and possibly good) food. We didn’t say it’s about freakin’ art. In any case, this complete meal is priced at Php 109 pesos – and yes, the 9 pesos there is for the iced tea.

Anyway, if you didn’t know, a Katsudon is a bowl of rice topped with a deep-fried pork cutlet, a fresh egg, some scallions and then smothered with sauce. To put things in a clearer perspective, it’s just breaded porkchop – Japanese style.

No, really, this is what it actually looks like.

Alright, for a restaurant that deliberately took an ambiguous name, their Katsudon isn’t that bad – and it’s not that good either. It’s not bad in a sense that you’d get a hefty serving for a reasonable price, and it ain’t that good since you’d also get something that is reasonably edible. Yes, reciprocity is such a bitch.

With regard to the taste, this Katsudon could be classified like your everyday office meal. It’s a step below Tokyo-Tokyo, and it’s a little step above your neighbor’s cooking. Hmm… how should I say this? Okay, if Katsudons (singular: Katsudon) were action stars, then I guess this one would be Jeric Raval – he’s okay, but he ain’t no Robin.

Editor: "No, this ain't Jeric. This shit is for another action star. Don't you guys have a freakin' heart?!?"

In any case, you could both live with and without this meal right here. Now, for those smartasses out there who’s thinking: “Why the hell are you featuring this then?!” Well, before I answer that, I suggest you take that tampon out of your ass first and understand that we feature cheap and edible food. If it’s good we’d recommend it to you, and if it isn’t we’d still post it here and let you know that it isn’t. In any case, enjoy!

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[1] Located at 2^nd Floor Pearl Plaza, Pearl Drive.

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My Own Phad See Eaw

Okay, for those who’s always eating around Pearl Drive, you’ve probably heard of this little, yet famous, Thai restaurant called Thuk Thai. A lot of people around the University of Asia & the Pacific knows this hole-in-the-wall restaurant (except those who’re really really rich I guess), and I for one am a big fan.[1]

Now they’ve got this dish called Phad See Eaw. It’s basically a soy sauce-based rice noddle dish topped with pechay, egg, and your choice of meat. If you’re new to Thuk Thai, this is a very popular and well-loved dish. Despite its simplicity, it’s really tasty. And due to its simplicity, I decided to at least give it a try in my kitchen.

I scoured the net for some helpful recipes, and yes, they’ve got their own variations. I borrowed some, and I trashed others. I know mine wouldn’t be exactly like Thuk Thai’s, but at least it’s a good approximate:

Rein’s Phad See Eaw (good for two)

Okay, this one's got broccoli in it. Hey, I just got this from the net.

Note: I usually cook eyeballing the ingredients, so bear with me :p

Ingredients:

• 2 handfuls of your favorite rice-noodles or vermicelli (they should already be soaked in water and ready to cook)
• 1 bunch of bok choy – cut into half-inch strips
• 2 chicken breast fillets – cut into strips
• 2 eggs – scrambled and then cut into strips
• 6 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 4-5 tablespoons of honey
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 3 cloves of garlic – minced
• 1 tablespoon of ginger – minced
• Olive oil or any other
• salt and pepper to taste
• Some courage and confidence

What-to-do:

1. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, water and hoisin sauce. Mix well.
2. In a heated wok, add oil and sauté garlic and ginger.
3. When garlic is almost browned and you could already smell the aromatics of the ginger, add in the chicken strips and sauté till cooked.
4. Once the chicken is cooked, you can now add in the vermicelli noodles. Stir fry for about a minute or so.
5. After stir frying, pour in the sauce mixture. Stir fry for 5 minutes till almost all the sauce is absorbed by the noodles.
6. Then, add in the bok choy and scrambled egg (that’s already cut into strips). Mix well.
7. Add salt some salt and pepper to taste and then mix some more
8. Serve and enjoy!

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[1] I’ll write an article about Thuk Thai soon, that is, till I get some pictures of their dishes.

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Dude, it’s not lumpia; It’s fresh spring roll!

Any food that is rolled on a wanton or rice wrapper is called lumpia.

Don’t you agree?

This is part of our long generation of customary food labeling, just as we call any noodle plate with banana catsup and occasional slices of hotdogs a “spaghetti.”

But try ordering the Fresh Spring Roll at Pho Hoa. Your old worldly view on lumpia will never be the same again.

If you come to think of it, it’s just a simple dish that doesn’t require any special skill to prepare. But its presentation tempted me to expect something more for my senses.  The vivid colors in this dish pops out from the soft white contrast of the rice vermicelli. The texture looks delicately soft for my palate. Well, I wasn’t disappointed.

The fresh spring roll from Pho Hoa features a simple organic taste–without the fertilizers and pesticides, of course–with a hint of seafood meat. I ordered a Shrimp Fresh Spring Roll and the filling is just limited to shrimp; it has a small chunk of crabstick that makes it tastier. But for those of you who don’t like eating seafood, or perhaps you just can’t eat some, you can opt to go Vegetarian.

The overall taste is accented with a savory, sweet peanut sauce. I like spicy food so I added some chili sauce on mine and it worked well. If you like eating light and easy food or perhaps you’re on a diet then I recommend this dish for you. But if you’re after a stronger flavor, then you better start looking for something else on the menu or rush to the next Chinese restaurant or something. At Php125, it’s a bit pricey but I believe it’s worth a try. Besides, the next spring roll you’ll encounter is just going to be a lumpia.

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Lunch @ Kaya

Alright, first of all, people might think that Kaya is such an expensive, fine-dining, Korean restaurant. And to tell the truth, it really is. The first time I went here I thought that I had to shell out 300 pesos or more for just a regular kimchi-based meal (I apologize for my ignorance on Korean cuisine), but I was surprised that they offered budget meals for those who want to eat Korean food on a budget.

*kimchi not included :p

I ordered what Koreans call Dweji Bulgogi (duh-woo-gee boohl-goh-gee) set meal. It’s basically a big bowl of rice topped with grilled spicy pork. However, you get a lot more than just a simple ulam-topped rice meal. If you look at the pic, this big bowl of dweji bulgogi also is topped with a variety of kimchi strips, micro shrimps, tamago rolls, glazed bean sprouts, and some spinach flakes. There’s also this sweet and savory sauce that you’d have to pour on your bulgogi. This sauce is so tasty, you’d mistake it for a soup too. :p

Some guy who's looking for the cheapest item on the menu

Not only that, this set meal comes with a soup that’s made out of chicken broth, diced scallions, and egg strips. There’s also a kidde-sized iced tea that comes when you order this. However, I suggest that you upgrade it (15 php) to a larger size since this iced tea is, well, kiddie-sized.

The Dweji Bulgogi is priced at 125 Pesos complete with a soup, a specialty sauce, and iced tea. Now you might ask: “Mabubusog ba ko jan?” Well, actually, the bowl is pretty big and the serving is really hefty and very tasty—so yeah—you’d get your money well spent. To put things straight, yes, even a big guy who’s used to eating 2 cups of rice and 2 pieces of fried chicken would be burping from this meal. And oh, this meal comes from Kaya’s budget meal set, so you could choose an assortment of other dishes that’s worth only 125 Pesos.

So there you have it. If you happen to pass by Megamall Building A, Kaya’s located at the 1^st floor near Powerbooks and Yoshinoya. Happy eating!

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