Spiced Fries Six Ways With Dipping Sauces Recipes

SHABU SHABU WITH DIPPING SAUCES

Steps:

• Arrange the meat attractively on a round platter, so that each slice can be easily picked up with chopsticks or a fondue fork. Arrange vegetables on a second platter.
• Fill a hot pot or nabe pot 2/3 full of dashi set on a burner on the table. Each diner picks up a piece of meat from the serving platter and swishes it around in the simmering broth until the red meat becomes pink, or cooked to the degree desired. Diners may alternate between meat and vegetables. The tofu breaks easily, so be careful when adding it to the pot. Diners eat from the pot, dipping the food into the dipping sauces which are placed in individual cups at each person's place.
• Combine the water and kelp in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil, removing the kelp just before water boils since it emits a strong odor. If the fleshiest part of the kelp is still tough, return it to the water for a few more minutes, along with a little cold water. (Soft kelp means sufficient flavor has been extracted.) Remove the kelp and bring stock to a full boil.
• Add 1/4 cup cold water to bring the temperature down quickly and add the bonito flakes. Bring to a boil, and then immediately remove from the heat. (If bonito flakes boil too long, the stock becomes bitter.) Allow the flakes to settle to the bottom of the pan, then filter the stock through cheesecloth. Yield: About 2 quarts
• Combine the dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes to reduce by 1/3, then remove from heat and cool. Stir in vinegar to taste. Pour sauce into individual cups.
• Toast the sesame seeds in a heavy pan until lightly browned. Transfer warm seeds to a mortar and grind to a paste, or whirl in a blender. Add the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sugar and sake, and mix well, using a spatula to blend and smooth the sauce. Add cayenne to taste. Pour sauce into individual cups.

DIPPING SAUCES

Steps:

• In a double boiler melt vanilla chips and oil together and stir until smooth.
• In a double boiler melt carob chips and oil together, stir until smooth

SPICED CHICKEN TENDERS WITH DIPPING SAUCES

Steps:

• Heat several inches of oil in a deep pot to 375 degrees F.
• For the chicken: In a large plastic zip top bag, combine flour, marinade mix and pepper. Set aside. In another bag, add corn bran. Using a rolling pin, gently crush cereal to coarse ground crumbs. Mix egg and milk in a shallow bowl. Soak chicken strips in buttermilk mixture. Take a few strips at a time, and toss in seasoned flour mix. Shake off excess flour and dip in buttermilk mix again. Toss in cereal crumbs. Repeat with remaining chicken strips. Fry chicken strips in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels. Serve with dipping sauces.
• For the dipping sauces: Make the ketchup sauce. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, 1/2 cup honey and Worcestershire. Make the mustard sauce. In a small bowl, combine remaining honey and mustard.

HOMEMADE FRENCH FRIES WITH FIVE DIPPING SAUCES

Steps:

• Peel potatoes, then cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick sticks, submerging in a large bowl of ice water. Rinse potatoes in several changes of cold water in bowl (more ice isn't necessary) until water is clear. Drain in a large colander.
• Spread potatoes out in a single layer on several layers of kitchen towels to drain, then pat dry.
• While potatoes are being rinsed and dried, heat 2 inches oil slowly in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium-low heat until thermometer registers 300°F.
• When oil is ready, increase heat to high and fry potatoes in four batches, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through but still white, about 3 minutes. (Adjust heat to keep oil as close to 300°F as possible and return oil to 300°F between batches.) Transfer fried potatoes with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet lined with dry towels to drain. When all potatoes are fried once, cool potatoes to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Reheat oil over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 375°F. Fry potatoes again in four batches, stirring, and adjusting heat to keep oil as close to 375°F as possible, until deep golden, 3 to 4 minutes. (Return oil to 375°F between batches.) Transfer with slotted spoon to dry towels to drain briefly, then season with salt and serve immediately, with sauce(s) for dipping.