Intended Malice wrote:Ahh, a personal favorite of mine, I lived on this stuff a few years back; it was all I could eat when I was about to get sick or was hung over and had to do 17-20 hour days of school and work b2b... but I had to do without for like 3 years since I moved to a a non-Asian community. So I had to take it upon myself to do so from scratch. This one of my 2 recipes, I have made it with my own touch, which usually means giving it a bit Japanese and Mediterranean influence.
The stock is actually a Kombu Dashi left to sit for 2 days before using it, I then add a few dashes of 5 spice powder and a star anise or two until it starts to talk to me (yes, dashi talks) and grind a bit of Mediterranean sea salt and black pepper corns. While that is going, try not to let the dashi get a rolling boil, I cut up the Negi (regular white and Japanese green onion preferable), Italian Parsley, and a few slices of what they sale at my local store as 'Peppered Beef' its paper thin, medium rare cold cuts with just a hint of mix spices, its so thin that its just enough, not too overwhelming on the palate. And hen clean the bean sprouts and lemon--I hate lime, it tastes like battery acid. I tend not to have much mint or cilantro on hand but if I do I get it in there too.
I then boil the water for the noodles, vermicelli is stupidly cheap I can't believe I used to get a refills for 1.50 at the old spot.
While that goes I de-frost some large head-on shrimp and get the shells off and save for later recipes, while keeping the head-on and give it a quick blanch in the dashi/stock to get it to turn pinkish. I take out the noodles and try to dry them as best as possible (I need one of those ramen colanders they use in Japan) and place in the bowl.
Then I assemble the rest ingredients, squirt half the lemon into the noodle/veg mixture and place the shrimp, then finish by covering it all off with the beef. I then raise the dashi to just before boil and pour over the top of everything. A bit of the rooster sauce and dig in. If you're hung over or sick make it bold red and drink every fucking drop and sweat it out. You'll feel much better when you're finished.
I want to try it with Kobe beef since they started carrying it, but 22.00 a pound is steep. I've done hand made cuts with tender Loin, and Sirloin, an old trick is to stick it in the freezer and cut thinly with a sharp knife, but I like the peppered beef by far. I also have a Shrimp Dashi one that I'll save for myself unless some wants that, its way more labor intensive, but worth it.
What I really want to move onto is Ramen but I need help (Goth-Trad I'm looking at you). That is way harder to get right and I could use the help since the few places that actually serve it load it with MSG and other garbage.
making this thread was worth it based on this response. dashi incorporated w/ pho sounds unbelievable. kobe beef, or what you should be buying is wagyu, isnt something you should worry too much about. its the poor cuts which make it what it is, despite the tantalizing taste of wagyu. i dont think it would be worth the cost.
also your comment on making pho bold red made me laugh my ass off in a good way.
