Have you noticed that some of the best conversations occur around a dinner table? I am convinced that there is magic in food that melts barriers and form bridges. It truly is the most approachable and simple form of art.

I had the pleasure of inviting chef Taeyoung Chang over for dinner. Over jook (the Korean word for congee) — we discussed our Asian upbringing, the challenges, the dual-identities we re-embrace as adults, and the heritage we are able to express through cooking.

This dish is inspired by the anchovy banchan dish Myeolchi bokkeum (멸지 볶음 ). Banchan is a collective name for small side dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine. I love how a bowl of congee is like a canvas where you can add your dishes of choice. It can be as simple as a fried egg with soy sauce or elaborate with fried puffed kombu, anchovies, and garlic oil.

Stir-fried Anchovy with Mushrooms

Serves 2-3. Recipe by Taeyoung

Ingredients

1.5 cups shimeji mushrooms, ends removed and separated into pieces
2 tbsp dried anchovy (12–15 pieces)
A handful of Dasima kombu (8 pieces) *See note
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
Juice from half a lemon
TT Black Pepper
TT kosher salt

Instructions

Over medium-high heat, pan-fry the kelp in canola oil until bubbles appear. Remove from pan and set aside.
In the same pan and oil, sear the mushrooms — keep in a single layer and be sure to not overcrowd the pan.
Add in your butter and toss in your anchovies, add 2–3 cracks of black pepper.
When golden brown, remove from heat, season with salt, and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with Basic Chinese Congee or Sweet Potato Congee.

*Note: The correct type of kombu to use here is Dasima, not just soup kombu. If you have trouble finding Dasima kombu, omit it from the recipe.

I came across this idea on @iamafoodblog’s post and cannot look at these photos without feeling overwhelming happy on the inside. These Totoro’s were eaten with most reluctance and they were a ton of fun to make. If you’re hosting, it’s a great way to entertain your guests by handing them a pair of scissors, a nori sheet, a slab of mozzarella cheese and setting them to work.

I love the simplicity of Japanese recipes made with few but good ingredients. These soba noodles take less than six ingredients to put together but are so satisfying and light. Paired with ramen egg — it’s going to be a repeat meal in my kitchen.

Totoro Soba Noodles

You will need:

Noodles/Totoro Body:
Buckwheat soba noodles
White somen noodles
Sliced mozzarella cheese (for eyes)
Nori sheet

Dashi sauce:
Green onions, sliced
Dashi powder 1 tbsp ( i use Hondashi, found in T&T)
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Water 1/4 cup
Mirin, 1 tsp
Sesame oil, to taste

1. Prep the Totoro eyes, nose, whiskers.

2. Cook noodles. Follow cooking instructions on the package or here.

Somen: Bring 6 cups of water to boil. Throw in a bundle of noodles, stir and set the timer for 3 minutes. Taste test them for doneness. Drain hot water with a strainer and rinse repeatedly under cold water until the water runs clear. This will prevent your noodles from sticking together.

Buckwheat soba: Same instructions as somen but set the timer for 6 minutes.

3. Combine and stir dashi powder, soy sauce, water and mirin in a bowl. Taste for flavour. The sauce should be very salty.

4. Form Totoro body with buckwheat noodles, using white somen for the abdomen, cheese for eyes and nori to top.

5. To serve: drizzle dashi sauce over noodles. Add a sprinkle of sesame oil, sesame seeds. Garnish with green onions. Serve with a ramen egg if you have one on hand. Enjoy.

If you have a lot of time on your hands, here is an old recipe for Totoro Rice cakes.