Munchies that earn the gold
Maia Collins, an award-winning chef and culinary arts teacher with Suffolk Public Schools, loves Japanese and Asian food, which comes in handy when suggesting a menu for the Tokyo-based Olympics. She whipped up three easy dishes that can be pulled together after work or prepped ahead and assembled easily. The ingredients are available at most local markets and definitely at Asian grocery stores.
Soba noodle salad
Makes: 10 to 12 small servings 10 ounces soba noodles 1 tablespoon sesame oil
½ cup green onions, sliced on a bias
½ carrot, julienned (cut into thin strips like matchsticks) 1 small red cabbage (about 1 ½ cups when shredded) 1 cucumber, diced
½ cup fresh cilantro, minced Dressing:
1 tablespoon sweet miso paste 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
½ teaspoon grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook soba noodles according to the package instructions; drain them into a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain well and transfer into a bowl. Mix in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to prevent the noodles from sticking.
2. For the dressing, combine the sweet miso, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, peanut or canola oil and brown sugar. Mix until fully combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the soba noodles, green onions, carrots, red cabbage, cucumber and dressing. Toss. Add sesame seeds and cilantro, then transfer to a serving bowl or plate and serve either at room temperature or chilled. You can add more sesame seeds and green onions to garnish.
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Strawberry kiwi sandos (Japanese fruit sandwiches)
Makes: 6 sandwich halves or 12 quarters
6 slices Japanese milk bread or fluffy white bread
1 cup heavy cream
2 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 to 12 strawberries, hulled and sliced in half
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced thick
1. Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. You want it firm enough to spread easily on the bread slices. (Store-bought whipped cream can also be used, but it won’t be as firm.)
2. Remove the crusts from the bread with a serrated knife.
For each sandwich, spread 4 tablespoons of the whipped cream on both pieces of bread. Place one slice of kiwi on one of the pieces.
Arrange strawberry slices in the corners, making sure the points of the berries are at the corners of the bread. (Resist the urge to use more fruit. Too much will make the sandwich too big and the sando won’t have the characteristic artsy look when sliced.)
3. Place the second slice of bread on top to close the sandwich. Press the bread down slightly to make sure the whipped cream is stuck to the fruit. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours.
4. Slice each sandwich crosswise into quarters or halves.
Fried wonton bites with tuna
Makes: 10 to 12 servings
10 ounces sushi-grade ahi tuna (or sushi-grade salmon), diced
½ teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon mirin (sweet rice wine) 1 tablespoon soy sauce
10 to 12 wonton wrappers
1 to 2 tablespoons black or white sesame seeds, or both
3 to 5 tablespoons kewpie mayonnaise 2 to 3 tablespoons (or more) sriracha
¼ cup green onions, sliced on a bias Oil for deep frying
1. Dice tuna or salmon into small cubes.
2. In a bowl, combine sesame oil, mirin, soy sauce and tuna or salmon. Mix until the fish is fully coated. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to marinate. Do not marinate the tuna for too long or it will become tough.
3. Cut pieces from the wonton wrappers using a small cookie cutter (it can be round or heartshaped, or you can even use the top of a glass)
4. Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep pot to about 375 degrees. Prick each wrapper with a fork to keep them flat while frying. Cook for 10 to 15 seconds on each side until they are crispy and golden. Allow to drain on a cookie sheet or paper towel.
5. Place wontons on a plate or serving platter. Add marinated fish on top, then a drizzle of mayo and a couple drops of sriracha. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds and green onions.