Ants in Trees

This sounds like the beginning of a great Anansi story but it is actually a recipe my mother-in-law taught me when Malika was born. In one Chinese cookbook it is given the fanciful name "Ants Climbing a Tree" presumably because when it is cooked, tiny balls of ground meat (ants) stick to each bean thread (the tree). This dish is a family favorite and I have made it in every city we have lived in: Milwaukee, Chicago, Bangkok, and now, New York. I haven't quite set up the kitchen the way I like so there's some improvisation!

The ingredients: note the steak knife used to chop vegetables!

1 pound ground meat
2 bundles of bean threads
2 eggs,  lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks scallion, sliced
2 tablespoons oil
Soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste
Scallion and cilantro for garnish, if desired

Soak the bean threads in warm water until the bundles loosen and begin to feel limp. Drain well.

Over high heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and scallion and fry until fragrant. Add the ground meat and cook until no longer pink. Season to taste with soy sauce, salt, and pepper.

Soaked bean threads added to meat mixture

Add the bean threads and toss to coat thoroughly. Pour the egg all over and toss  to coat until the eggs are thoroughly cooked and no longer shiny. Adjust seasoning if desired.

Beaten eggs added to the meat-bean thread mixture

 Serve over steamed rice. Garnish with scallion and cilantro if desired.

Result: one pot meal

Oven-Fried Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu: breaded pork cutlets and vegetables over steamed rice

I was in the mood for something light and crispy. I made this tonkatsu recipe earlier this summer with chicken cutlets instead of pork. The thing I didn't like was it was fried in a skillet and it was oily. And as leftovers, they were stiff. Such a disappointment, because I like leftovers. So I wanted to make a low-calorie option that didn't require pan-frying. Here is my recipe for Oven-fried Tonkatsu. But...you have to make the sauce first!

Tonkatsu Sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sake or Japanese rice wine (substitute rice vinegar)
2 tablespoons ginger, minced (or 2 inches of fresh ginger root, sliced)
2 tablespoons garlic, minced (or 3-4 large cloves garlic)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup mirin

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then simmer 25-30 minutes. While the sauce is simmering, start the pork medallions.

Tonkatsu
4 pork tenderloin medallions,  trimmed of fat and silver, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 egg beaten
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup safflower oil

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Have a baking tray ready. It doesn't need to be greased.

Combine salt, pepper, and flour in a shallow dish. Combine egg and water. Dip each medallion in the egg mixture, then the flour mixture, next dip in the oil, and finally coat with the breadcrumbs. Place each medallion on the baking tray. Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 14-16 minutes, turning once, half-way through cooking. Cut each medallion into slivers. Drizzle with tonkatsu sauce and serve on a bed of rice with steamed vegetables. It's so not oily, and it's crunchy and delicious! My only regret is that there were no leftovers.