So, for this blog, I decided to highlight a sample of the some of the best Japanese food I've ever tasted (which you're bound to see in Angelic Guardians). One place I do love to eat is Naked Tchopstix in Fort Wayne, IN. It's a pan-Asian restaurant with full bar service. While it specializes in mostly Japanese cuisines, Chinese food lovers will also enjoy this place. (I'm happy to say that there are four other locations within Indiana, one of which is at the International Airport in Indianapolis, which I might become a frequent visitor in the future if all goes well.) The prices are reasonable, and, by the way, if you plan to get Don Katsu, make sure you eat light before you order it. You'll get your money's worth.
The Don Katsu at Naked Tchopstix, featuring pork cutlet,
rice, cucumbers, potatoes, salad, and, of course, soy sauce.
My favorite item on the menu? The Sushi Dinner Naked special. I'm a sucker for California rolls, and, although I've been told that is strictly an American take on sushi, I'm sure I can find something similar to it in Japan. The only time I will not eat it is if it's been covered with seasoned sesame seeds. I take that back. I will eat it, but the roll is shredded. (I hate spicy seasoning.) Nigiri, which is an oblong rice roll with a slice of raw fish on top, is another love of mine. Whoever says that raw fish is nasty probably hasn't had enough to understand that if it's prepared properly, it's actually delicious and good for you. I admit I was hesitant to try it at first, but I'm alive and I'm now craving for an order or two as I'm typing this blog! The only thing about the Dinner Naked Special that I don't care for at all is the wasabi, a spicy "paste" that can be used as a dip (kind of like spicy cheese for breadsticks). Obviously, I have reasons to avoid the wasabi.
Sushi Dinner Naked:
6-8 California Rolls, 4 nigiri (salmon, tuna, crab/krab, and shrimp), and wasabi.
Not very filling, but a good starter for those who are unsure about raw fish.
And don't forget the dessert. The Japanese have a sweet tooth, albeit smaller than the average American's, and as an ice cream parlor chick, I have to say mochi ice cream is my favorite foreign dessert of all time. Mochi ice cream is basically a scoop of ice cream (generally fruit-flavored and green tea) wrapped inside rice flour dough and freezed until it's time to serve. But since Japan is learning that some exotic flavors, such as chocolate, are becoming more available to those who are not considered as wealthy by standards, options for mochi ice cream have expanded these last few years. At Naked Tchopstix, mochi ice cream comes in a serving of eight (more like four balls cut in half). You can choose from vanilla, strawberry, mango, green tea, and chocolate, and you can always split four-and-four with two flavors. The best combos I can think of are strawberry/chocolate and mango/chocolate, and if you dip them with the small serving of chocolate syrup that is drizzled on the platter, it's to die for. I think instead of green tea, mint or mint chocolate chip should be offered. I love mochi ice cream so much I intend to make it at home very soon.
A sample of mango and chocolate mochi ice cream at Naked Tchopstix.
Speaking about homemade Japanese cuisines, I made some homemade mitarashi dango over Memorial Day weekend, and it was delicious! Dango is a Japanese dumpling made out of rice flour, and it's harder and sturdier than the dumplings I make for Thanksgiving (which are made with Jiffy Mix). Dango is uncommon in most restaurants, but it's a hot item (literally) at festivals and maybe in a few tea shops. It's really considered more as a snack or a sweet dessert, but it's not as cold as mochi ice cream. You can eat it hot or lukewarm, depending how you prefer your dango. As for the mitarashi, that's a special soy-based sauce that serves like a glaze over the dango, but if you prefer to be different and not traditional, maple syrup or honey would make a fine substitution.
My take of mitarashi dango.
Now I know why Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon earned her nickname "Odango Atama"
("Dumpling Head" or, in the DiC dub, "Meatball Head").
If you are interested to make this yourself, here's the recipe with a few notes I wrote in after my first attempt. Good luck!
Mitarashi Dango
(Japanese Rice Dumplings)
Serves 25 (5 skewers)
Note: It’s imperative to use the proper flour for this recipe. To find rice flour and sweet rice flour/glutinous flour, it’s recommended to visit your local Asian market.
Dango (Rice Dumplings):
1 c. joushinko (rice flour)
½ c. shiratamako (sweet rice flour or glutinous flour) + 1 TBS corn starch
1 ½ c. hot water (not scorching)
1 pot of salted water
Mitarashi sauce:
¼ c. sugar
½ c. water + 1 TBS corn starch dissolved in it
1/8 c. soy sauce
1 TBS mirin (rice wine)
½ TBS rice vinegar
Instructions:
1. Mix joushinko (rice flour) with hot water. Add shiratamako (sweet rice flour/glutinous flour) and corn starch. Mix until the dough is soft yet dry to touch. You might need to add more flour to thicken the dough. If so, use more joushinko than shiratamako.
2. Divide the dough into 25 pieces and roll each piece into a small ball.
3. Bring the pot of salted water to a boil and drop a few dumplings (at a time) into the pot. The dumplings will rise to the surface after a few minutes. Continue to boil for another 3-4 minutes, and then scoop out the dumplings with a slit spoon.
4. Immediately drop the dumplings into a bowl of cold water.
5. Put 5 dumplings on a skewer (preferably bamboo).
6. Grill the skewers on a grill or in a grill pan. Turn several times until there are nice burn marks on the dumplings.
7. Make the mitarashi sauce while grilling. Combine all ingredients into a small pan and bring it to a boil. Cook until the sauce thickens. The sauce can be made in advance too.
8. Coat the cooked skewers with the sauce. You can also make the skewers in advance as long as you bring them to room temperature before eating them.
Substitution: If you do not wish to use traditional mitarashi sauce, maple syrup, honey, or soy sauce is also recommended.
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