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How could you possibly console someone after their mother died? I didn't know how, but I decided to do what I could best: cooking. I promised Yuichi that I would make him a dinner that ended all dinners, and here it is. International hodge-podge, that's what we decided to call it. It took two hours to make this concoction and even longer to chug them all down with the accompaniment of wine. We had a long conversation after dinner about things we have avoided for so long - Eriko, death, mourning, love, moving in,... Her death is still so unreal to me, like a distant event. One day, I hope, the only thing we can recall from this day is an amazing dinner with amazing food. Not death, not grief, not fear over how to move on.
View original recipe on cookpad.comFor chickpea salad: Mash one can of chickpeas.
Boil 2 eggs and chop them into small pieces.
Mash together the chickpea and eggs with mayo, salt, sugar, mustard and pepper to taste.
Chop up the celery stalks and mix in the salad.
For bean thread with chicken: First, boil the chicken (with ginger, salt, water) and shred them. Save the chicken stock.
Soak the bean thread for 15 minutes before boiling them. Once boiled for 3 minutes, drain the bean thread and set it aside.
Blanch the bean sprout and drain them.
For the sauce, mix together 2 cloves of garlic + 1 tbsp sugar + 1 tbsp vinegar + 1 tbsp fish sauce + 2 tbsp soy sauce + 2 tbsp saved chicken stock + pepper to taste.
Assemble the bean thread, bean sprout and chicken and pour sauce over everything.
For fried tofu: Drain the water and cut the tofu into thin blocks.
Prepare the wet batter by mixing 4 tbsp all-purpose flour with 1 egg and enough water that the consistency is drizzly. Put some salt and sugar in to season.
Once the batter is done, coat the tofu. First, dip them in the wet batter and then onto a plate of panko.
Heat up the oil and fry until golden.
For sweet and sour pork: First, make the batter with 1 cup of corn starch and enough water to cover the starch
Cut the pork loin into thin, worm-like strips and coat them with the batter.
Heat up the oil and fry as soon as the pork is coated. Drain them off the oil to avoid grease.
For the sauce, first sautee pineapple and onions until they're charred.
Make the sweet and sour sauce by mixing ketchup, sugar, fish sauce, vinegar. Pour sauce over the pineapple and onion and cook until they reduce into a thick consistency.
Pour the sauce over the fried pork.
For steamed greens: First, wash and blanch the lettuce in boiling water quickly.
For the sauce, fry garlic in 1 tbsp oil until it's crispy. Then, pour in oyster sauce, sugar, chicken bouillon and 1/3 cup of water and cook until it bubbles.
Pour sauce over the lettuce and serve.
Assemble the international hodge-podge. Talk to your friend about what's on your mind while eating.
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