Food, Fun and Fabulous 74
Ponzu Sauce
yield: 2 cups
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic
½ stalk lemon grass
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon grated ginger
½ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon nampla (Thai Fish Sauce)
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
In a stainless steel pot, heat olive oil. Sauté garlic,
lemon grass, and chili flakes for 3-4 minutes,
then add ginger for 30 seconds. Add remaining
ingredients and bring to a hard simmer. Once the
heat comes up, turn heat off and let sit for 30-40
minutes. If desired, strain the sauce after cooled.
yield: 8 cocktails
Rice Noodle Salad with Ponzu Sauce
8 sushi rolls or sashimi pieces
pickled ginger
wasabi paste
In each martini glass, add noodle mixture, then
top with a piece of sushi or sashimi. Place a small
mound of pickled ginger and wasabi paste next to
the sushi. Serve with chopsticks.
We've created the "cocktail" in a cosmo glass for a little drama. A Chinese takeout box works well, too. I like to stand the
chopsticks up to create a visual effect.
Rice Noodle Salad
yield: 2 cups
1 (1-pound) package Asian Rice Noodles
1 cup Ponzu Sauce
¼ cup carrots, shredded
¼ cup scallions, sliced on a bias
2-3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped (plus extra
sprigs for garnish)
1-2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
1-2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
Cook noodles according to package directions
and drain. Toss in 1 cup of Ponzu Sauce and chill
for 10-15 minutes. Just before assembling, toss in
carrots, scallions, chopped cilantro, and sesame
seeds. Thoroughly combine noodle mixture.
Sushi "Cocktail" with Rice Noodle Salad
