Pho Bo

Work in progress

Stock:

3 l water
5 lb oxtail or beef short ribs
5 star anise
1 2" cinnamon stick
5 cloves
2 medium onions, halved
1 tsp black peppercorns
2-3' piece of ginger
1 lb chuck or similar cheap beef
5 tbsp Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce

Boil oxtails vigorously for 5 minutes in water, discard water, rinse oxtail and the pot. Add 2 l of water and bring to boil. Add anise, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns. Char ginger and onion pieces over gas flame, then add to the pot. Boil gently uncovered for 30 min, skimming foam as needed. Add 1 l of water, bring back to boil and continue boiling gently and skimming foam. When foam stops rising, lower the flame to medium-low and simmer for another hour.
Add the stewing beef and fish sauce, simmer uncovered for 2 hours. Remove the beef, cool and slice as thinly as possible.

Discard all solids and filter the broth. Refrigerate to skim off fat.
At this point, the stock can be frozen and stored for a month.

Chinese Halibut

Yield: 4 servings

4 lg halibut steaks, 1/2 lb each
3 tb finely chopped fresh ginger
6 tb finely chopped scallions
2 tb light soy sauce
1 tb dark soy sauce
2 tb chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tb Chinese sesame oil
1 1/2 tb minced fresh coriander

Lay the halibut steaks on a platter. Puree the marinade ingredients in a blender and spread it evenly over the halibut steaks. Allow to marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator or 1 hour at room temperature. Approximately 40 minutes before you are ready to cook, make a charcoal fire and, when the coals are ash white, grill the halibut steaks for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, depending on their thickness. Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve immediately.

Sake steamed seabass w/ ginger & scallions

Taken from recipezaar

1 cup uncooked medium grain rice
1 cup sake
1 cup bottled clam juice
1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
1 garlic clove, flattened
20 ounces sea bass fillets
2 large green onions, chopped
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, combine sake and next 3 ingredients in large skillet deep enough to hold steamer rack. Bring liquid to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.
3. Arrange fish on rack; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place rack in skillet. Top fish with onions; and minced garlic, drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil.
4. Cover skillet; steam fish until opaque in center, about 5 minutes.
5. Remove steamer rack.
6. Mix cilantro into juices in skillet. Add the brown sugar and butter and reduce slightly.
7. Spoon rice onto plates. Top with fish, juices from skillet, and sesame seeds.