tim maughan books

Okay, this should be a lot fun. With hopefully tasty consequences.

Randomly chatting with some people on Twitter about lunch today, we got on to the point that being able to cook a decent meal is an important stage in the otaku manning up process. And no, by decent meal I do not mean adding boiling water to some instant noodles. I mean being able to cook at least one amazing, proper delicious signature dish. See, some fools might think that’s the opposite of manning-up, but they couldn’t be any more wrong. It’s about being able to impress your friends – or a date – with your culinary skills. It’s about not having to depend on your mother or a fast food place just to be able to eat. But mostly it’s about expanding your horizons, doing something different and having a laugh.

So, with all that in mind, I had a crazy fucking idea. Why don’t we try and get as many anime/manga bloggers as possible to post up their favourite recipes?

Here’s how it’s going down:

1. If you’ve got a blog, find your favourite recipe and post it up. If you’re on Twitter then post a link on there with the #otakucookup hashtag.
2. No blog? Then post your instructions for deliciousness in the comments below. Or if short enough, over a couple of tweets if you are on Twitter – again don’t forget the #otakucookup hashtag.
3. Next week – lets say Wednesday 9th March – I’ll be doing a round-up of all the bloggers that have contributed and posting links up here. I might even give out some awards or something.

Okay, is that all clear? I want to see entries from around the globe, from every culture and cuisine. Anything is good, from the really easy to the super-complex, from sandwiches to really elaborate pies.

Hmmmmm. Elaborate pies.

Anyway, lets get this rolling:

Spiced beef stir fry topped with spring onion and coriander

Ingredients:

400g/14oz beef fillet
2 tbsp groundnut oil
1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 tbsp light soy sauce
pinch sea salt
1 large handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1-2 tbsp ground cumin (to taste)
1-2 tbsp dried chilli flakes (to taste)
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp sea salt

Method

1. For the beef, prepare the fillet by flattening it with a meat mallet or rolling pin, or cut it in half horizontally. Cut into wafer-thin slices.
2. For the spicy coating, mix all of the coating ingredients together on a plate. Roll the beef slices in the spice mix, then shake off any excess.
3. Heat a wok until smoking and add the groundnut oil, then add the beef and stir-fry for one minute, or until browned. Add the rice wine and season with the soy sauce and a pinch of salt. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander and spring onion. Serve immediately with rice and a cold beer.