Dining With The Chef - General Discussion

[David T. Cole]

Discuss Dining With The Chef here!

[David T. Cole]

Authentic-y!

[Milz]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

I bet this is the only show from Japan, produced in Japan, broadcast from Japan featuring real Japanese chefs cooking Japanese food in the forums.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

 

Editing to add a little blurb about "Dining with the Chef". It's shown on NHK world and streamlined on their website (http://www.nhk.or.jp/dwc/). It's really 2 shows in one, alternating between "Rika's Toyko Cuisine" episodes and "Authentic Japanese Cooking" episodes.  Both introduce viewers to Japanese cuisine (aka "washuko") beyond sushi and teriyaki.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Rhondinella

[Milz]

Fish-free sushi is on schedule for Sunday-Monday. 

[Anosumimasen]

Well, I made it. I had to re-register though. The no fish sushi was a rerun, wasn't it? I take a Japanese omlet in my lunch bento a couple of times a week. I put sesame seeds and nori in it. I'd like the red bean dessert soup too, since I love red bean filled sakura mochi. NHK is off air here for some reason. There are certain times of the year when the satellite broadcast is messed up. I think this happened last year at this time. So I may have to watch it this week on the website. Not as comfy as curled up on the couch with my dog!  Looks like this week it's Chakin Sushi. Whether it's Saito or Rika and Dumbo I don't know. Do you think Saito likes his mature new sidekick better than those silly girls? I wonder. He seemed to get off on the adoration.

[Milz]

Hey, you made it! :-)

 

The fish free sushi wasn't a rerun, at least I don't think it was.  The suggestion to use lettuce instead of nori made the sushi look more like Korean lettuce wrapped dishes.

 

Patrick seems to be getting worse with each episode. Everything is "WOOONNNE-derful" or "Ah-MAAAAAAY-zing". Shut up and let Rika get on with the food.

[Milz]

Re-run of Chakin Sushi. Saito does a good job plating food. It doesn't look forced. His chakin sushi is scary because it's too pretty to eat.

 

So far, I'm liking the new host. At least she doesn't seal clap...........yet.

[Milz]

suma, how long do you typically have problems viewing NHK?

[Rhondinella]

I've never seen it, so someone give me a pithy epithet for the title.

[Milz]

 

I've never seen it, so someone give me a pithy epithet for the title.

 

yikes! Can you give us some time to think one up? 

[Milz]

Maybe "sake to me" or "fugu me" (Homer Simpson quote)?

[Anosumimasen]

She does seem to be overpronouncing her consonants like Seira though. But that's ok. She's a lot more professional. The sushi platter was gorgeous. The website doesn't say who's on next week, but it's swordfish.

[Anosumimasen]

I can't see Patrick worrying about what to make for his kids. Too busy admiring himself in the mirror.

[Milz]

I can't see his kids and friends thinking that he can cook because he hosts a cooking show! Okay, on occasion he slices onions or something and maybe he might bread something, but Rika does the cooking.

[Milz]

I don't mind her overpronouncings consonants. She's not seal clapping and she's not obvious about reading the cue cards, so it's okay.

 

It's a Saito swordfish next week.

 

I mentioned it above, but Saito does a really, really, really good job of plating the food.

[Milz]

Rika's teriyaki sauce is a 1:1:1:1 (soy, mirin, sake, sugar) ratio http://www.nhk.or.jp/dwc/recipes/detail/41.html

 

Saito's teriyaki sauce uses less sugar and slightly less soy sauce than mirin and sake http://www.nhk.or.jp/dwc/recipes/detail/66.html

 

I wonder if Saito's is less sweet and more savory.

[Anosumimasen]

The fish looked delicious.  I've never had fish in a teriyaki sauce, and will try it maybe this weekend.  I think I remember Rika saying her sauce came from her mom. I had to google how much. 40ml is, about 2 3/4 T. I've never made Rika's, but I think I'd prefer Saito's.

[Milz]

The sesame dipping sauce looked good-----probably will be good for chicken or pork. I'll have to look for the sichuan bean paste at my local international markets.

[Anosumimasen]

I make chilled soba alot during the warm months, but I've only made hot udon in broth. Usually for Tempura Udon. I'll give that sauce recipe a try, for sure. I make ginger beef or pork all the time. I get the paper thin sliced meat at the Asian market.The salted kombu sounds interesting, and since I make dashi broth at least once a week, I think I'll try making it with the leftover kombu. Did you notice what Mr. Uhmaaaazing was wearing before he donned his apron? He had a long thing hanging off his shirt. It looked like he had an untied bow tie tucked in his fly.

[Milz]

New episode next week: kara age chicken wings (my nephews will love that!) Looks like Saito will bone the chicken wings too.

[Anosumimasen]

Did you see the Washington, D.C. special? I loved the restaurants and the Japanese grocery they went to.

 

Those chicken wings looked delicious. I think I'd like both sauces too. Never had miso and mayo, but I bet it's tasty.

[Milz]

I saw the DC special and I'm rather miffed. Chef Saito cooked for  US fans of the show. Yet, they omitted to invite us. We who introduced Television Without Pity to Dining with the Chef. We who introduced Previously.tv to Dining with the Chef. We who keep this chatter alive about one of the best cooking shows in tv today. Oh well, I guess that's what we get for snarking about Seira's walrus clapping and Patrick's overall demeanor.

 

Anyhow, I liked the Saito's idea of a savory baked Alaska (substituting the cake and ice cream with the red snapper and using a savory meringue)---very original.

 

And I never knew those cherry blossoms were edible. I suspect fans of Dining will rush over to DC next spring and collect the blossoms to salt.

 

The wings looked really good. I wonder if I can get a hold of those peppers, because those aren't supposed to be spicy. I saw a really interesting recipe over the weekend where you take a hot chili pepper (like those thai peppers), fill them with a shrimp stuffing, wrap in an egg roll wrapper and deep fry.

[Anosumimasen]

Good point! Chef Saito does not appreciate our efforts. Could we shoot him an email? He needs to know who his peeps are.

[Milz]

I bet those "fans" dining with him read our TWoP thread too.  IF those "fans" were really "fans" of Dining and NHK they would have known proper chopstick etiquette and wouldn't be pointing them at this thing or at that thing.

[Anosumimasen]

Ooh, I noticed that too.

[Milz]

 

Did you notice what Mr. Uhmaaaazing was wearing before he donned his apron? He had a long thing hanging off his shirt. It looked like he had an untied bow tie tucked in his fly.

 

 

This is why we will NEVER be invited to a Dining with the Chef  fan event. lol....My favorite outfit of his was a pink shirt under that black apron. He looked like Lucy Ricardo sans red hair.

 

New episode for next week: deep-fried stuff on skewers.

Edited June 9, 2014 by Milz

[Anosumimasen]

Patrick is changing things up! He actually said "maaarvelous" instead of "wuuunderful" last night.

 

Fried things sound good. I made tempura udon last week.

[Milz]

That was a good episode.

 

I liked the Rika's idea of pairing each skewer to a wine.

 

The matcha sauce on vanilla ice cream sounded good (especially since it's in the 90s here!)

[Anosumimasen]

I think tonight was a rerun, but it's always fun to watch an expert filet a fish.. I laughed out loud when Yu told Chef Saito he was getting worked up.

 

She has really big eyes that remind me of a manga or anime character.

[Milz]

I like Yu.

 

New episode this week--beef with potatoes.

[Anosumimasen]

Me too., She's professional and competent.

[Milz]

And she doesn't seal clap.

[Milz]

I don't think the kids will go for octopus and watercress salad. They might go for shrimp and watercress-lettuce salad.

I don't think the kids will go for octopus and watercress salad. They might go for shrimp and watercress-lettuce salad.

[Anosumimasen]

I agree. Most American kids would run. The show wasn't on last week, but there is a new Asian cuisine show coming up in a couple of weeks. I can't remember the name, but it looks like they're starting out in Cambodia.

[Milz]

The squid and cucumber salad last night looked good. But we'll have to substitute shrimp for the squid at my house.

 

Is this new show on NHK?

[Anosumimasen]

We would eat all that. Rare chicken livers excepted. Although I like them, I don't want them bloody. And they have to be organic. I soak them in milk too to remove bitterness. Then tossed in flour and fried in butter or curried.

[Milz]

I like chicken livers, but I don't understand the "pink" trend with them these days. I've watched other cooking shows recommending "pink" chicken livers rather than fully cooked ones. *shivers*

[Milz]

New episode: Soba

 

It's listed as an "artisan's edition", so if Saito isn't on, we'll start a new thread for "artisan editions".

[Anosumimasen]

Chicken livers aside, are you watching Asian Travelogue tonight?  Parts one and two. They are in Cambodia.

[Anosumimasen]

No idea what Artisan's Edition is, but I'll be watching.

[Anosumimasen]

I really liked Chef Inouye. Very laid back and modest, unlike Saito, who can be pompous. Yu was lovely too. Although it would be fun to try to make soba, I don't own any of the equipment, nor do I have enough counterspace to roll out something that large. I love eating it though. One of our favorite ways is Tempura Soba. I never knew that they made a soup at the end out of the leftover mori tsuyu and the soba water and condiments. Great way to use up every drop! I loved this episode.  I hope they do more Artisan Editions.

[Milz]

That was interesting. I especially liked how he rolled the dough into a cone then flattened out the tip to make a disc. Maybe I can use that same technique for pie dough? Right now I'm pushing the dough together to make a disc. I'll give it a try the next time I make pie.

[Milz]

I missed it. Cat got ill and we had to bring her to the vet. :-(

[Milz]

I thought the toasted nori wrap was interesting.

 

Looks like a Rika episode next week.

 

BTW, I made a pie crust using the soba noodle disc forming and rolling technique. It worked. But I need practice. lol.

[Milz]

the edamame and scallop pasta looked good!

[Anosumimasen]

It looked delicious! I don't know about eating half raw scallops unless they're sushi grade though, and that could be pricey. I'll look into it when I go to the fish store this weekend.  We're back to Saito on Sunday with another salad.

[Anosumimasen]

Saito's steak sauce was wild. Umeboshi, umeshu, soy sauce, butter and ground sesame seeds.  I'm so curious that I'll have to give it a try. I'm sure I can get salted plums at the Asian market, but where to find that liqueur or what to substitute for it, no idea. Plum wine, maybe? I'll call around to see if I can find the real thing.

[Anosumimasen]

Another rerun.  Quite an outfit Patrick had on. Sheer cardigan over a striped shirt with some kind of long tie or something hanging down. While he was slooooowly peeling the ginger with that big knife, I wanted to yell "use a spoon!". That's how I do it and it really works well.

[Milz]

Another rerun.  Quite an outfit Patrick had on. Sheer cardigan over a striped shirt with some kind of long tie or something hanging down. While he was slooooowly peeling the ginger with that big knife, I wanted to yell "use a spoon!". That's how I do it and it really works well.

 

Omigod, you noticed it too! It looked like he was wearing a pre-teen girl's cardigan.

 

I use a spoon too. Much safer than holding a big knife and paring it.

 

Next week will be California rolls. The sides look interesting.

[Milz]

I've seen fresh umeboshi plums at an Asian market once. There is a Japanese plum wine. I haven't tasted it but it might substitute well.