Table of Four - Umami

Me and Kevin got so obsessed about an Umami based theme, we started planning our menu. A 3 course menu was done in ideas and paperwork. All we needed was guests to fill up the seats and help us with the preparations and also cleaning up the dishes :P


First course was my Deep Fried Kailan Soup with lots of ingredients(as you can see! lol)
We were really greedy and wanted almost everything in the soup, so...
we added meatballs, toufu, dried anchovies(ikan bilis), wolfberry(goji berry) and even wolfberry foam!
Thats what happens when you have lots of chefs in the kitchen.

We were really suprised and happy at the same time as the wolfberry foam was actually stable enough to be foam up. This time rather than deep frying the kailan, i actually toasted it with little oil, it tasted so much less oily than the first trial i did. The Umami tasted really mild and light which is just right for the first course to bring up the Umami intensity.


Dried Scallop and Mushroom Risotto is Chef Kevin's idea with the concept that came from the original umami profile, dashi. After stir frying the garlic, onion and mushroom, Hua Tiao rice wine was added before the dried scallop stock.

The flavour in this dish was really one of a kind. Definately Umami i must say! The Hua Tiao rice wine intensify and stimulated our appetite and palate for more. Craving for this now while writing this blogpost!

Last but not least was, Pan Seared Snapper with Braised Chinese Mushrooms served with Dashi. Chef Kevin was inspired by a dish in Top Chef season 5, Eric Repert's Sourdough Crusted Snapper with Tomato Basil Consommé. He used the same concept but twisted it since we were doing an Umami theme set
This Dashi reduction was made with kombu and also braising the pre soaked mushrooms into the dashi. The fish was a frozen snapper which was pan fried with basic seasoning to upkeep the Umami flavours as the only main flavour to be focused on . 
Maybe the Risotto dish should be the last dish as it was the most highest intensity level of Umami among all 3 dishes. Overall was a great simple 3 course theme set which we all had nothing much to complain about but just enjoy our foodie session with great company and conversations :D

And for those who do not have an idea what kombu(scored) is, this is it :)

Click Here for Rebecca's Table of Four - Part IIClick Here for Rebecca's Table of Four - Part IIIClick Here for Rebecca's Table of Four - Part IV

Deep Fried Kailan and Kailan Soup

Myself, Rebecca, Kevin, Brendan, Rainier and Amelia were kidding so much about Umami during Rebecca's Table for Four till I keep thinking of making an Umami dish, but without the common ajinomoto and just natural ingredients which has natural Umami flavour involve.

I was once told by my lecturer that if you deep fry kai lan(chiffonade) you would get something like a seaweed. And *ding* I think I've got a connection with Umami!
I felt like, why not put my own twist on it; deep fried kailan soup which will taste something like a korean seaweed soup? Umami dish?

That was the idea, and i normally get really excited when I have an "experiment" on my mind. Don't you?
Well, here's for you to pick my brain a little. Enjoy!

Whaddaya' need?
Kai Lan, chiffonade
Chicken Stock, homemade
Meatballs (i cheated and used ready made pork balls. beef or chicken meatballs will be fine too)
Salt & Pepper
Soy Sauce
Oil

Directions:
1. Prepare chicken stock. *keep in mind, you can do this beforehand.
2. Marinate Kai Lan with salt and pepper. (5minutes will do)
3. Deep fry Kai Lan till crispy.
4. Add fried Kai Lan into chicken stock.
5. Add meatballs and soy sauce to taste till meatballs are done.

Raw Kai Lan, chiffonade

Crispy Fried Kai Lan

Crispy fried kai lan which has some bitter taste at the end, due to the natural taste of kailan. It can be served with rice. Hmmm...Perhaps I should add some toasted sesame seed for extra colour and better presentation?

Deep Fried Kailan Soup

I was really happy because it did really taste like seaweed soup :)

On a not-so-good-note; It was quite oily, maybe the next time I should try this recipe but sun/toast the kailan and add some suitable noodles, toufu or maybe use ikan bilis stock? Aah, we'll leave that for another day. Umami without Ajinomoto, its possible! Mission Accomplished! :)