Puffer Fish (Fugu) Meal in Japan 河豚餐

March 20, 2016 Osaka, Japan

Puffer Fish Dinner: 4 courses

I am not a travel blogger and I don't think I will spend too many words on describing my Japan travel experience. All I can say is "FANTASTIC" food, hotels, and travel companions. Eating puffer fish is one of the exotic experience in this trip. Fugu, puffer fish, is only safe to eat at a recognized and licensed puffer fish restaurant with certified Fugu chef. It is a fatal food if it is not cutting and serving properly. We had ordered 3 sets of the following meal for our group of 10 adults 4 kids and 1 toddler. 

It costs ~¥80,000 ~C$900. So it is C$300 for this 4 courses meal (serves 3-4 people)

Appetizer: Puffer fish skin

Sashimi: Puffer Fish Sashimi

Dish: Puffer Fish Tempura

Main: Puffer Fish Hotpot

Video: Very fresh puffer fish meat

Owner: Chef Kawata-san

Store's address

Video of cutting puffer fish by Chef Kawata-san. He told us the liver of puffer fish is poison, please avoid eating it.

Canelé de Bordeaux (Using Silicone Molds) 卡娜蕾

A canelé is a small French pastry with a soft and tender custard center and a dark, thick caramelized crust. It takes the shape of small, striated cylinder approximately five centimeters in height and is a specialty of the Bordeaux region of France. 

Last week, I finally make up my mind and bought a silicone 8 holes large Canelé mold when I visited "Gourmet Warehouse" in Vancouver. It's $10.99 + tax. I can't wait to make this small French pastry for my coming party. This little pastry is not difficult to make but you will need to prepare the batter 24 - 48hours ahead of time. And need to do some preparation work before putting it to the oven. Otherwise, all ingredients are normal ingredients that every kitchen should have. 

This time I omit Rum in recipe. I just put 1 tsp of Rum extract to it. The reason is I don't have Rum at home and I am still suffering jetlag from recent trip to Hong Kong and Japan. I am too lazy to get the Rum from Liquor store. :p

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 500ml milk 鮮奶
• 2 whole eggs 全蛋 plus  2 egg yolks 蛋黃 beaten
• 1/2 vanilla beans  香草莢 or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 香草精
• 3 -4 tablespoons rum 朗姆酒 (optional)
• 3/4 cup cake flour  低筋麵粉 + 1/4 cup plain flour 中筋麵粉
• 1 cup light brown sugar or 3/4 cup superfine sugar 糖
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 無鹽奶油
• butter, for greasing
• sugar, for sprinkling
• 
  

Directions

1. The day before 24 hours - 48 hours before serving: boil the milk with the vanilla and butter.
2. Take off the heat, allow to cool VERY slightly.
3. Mix the flour and sugar together, then add the eggs and egg yolks, pour this mixture in the hot milk.
4. Gently mix in order to obtain a fluid and smooth mixture, like a pancake batter. Or strain through fine sieve into container. Let it cool, then add the rum.
5. Place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours to 48 hours maximum.
6. Place mold in freezer 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 375°F (For Convention Oven).
7. Take mold out from freezer and butter the mold liberally and then sprinkle some sugar in to the molds.
8. Pour the batter in to the buttered and sugared caneles moulds, they should be 3/4 full - NO more.
9. Place the molds on a baking sheet, and place it on lower rack. Cook at 375°F (using Convention Oven) for 1 hour at least. (It depends on your oven, it can take up to 1 and a quarter hours!) The tops will have a brown crust when they are ready, and they should still be moist inside.
10. Carefully unmold them while they are still hot. Allow them to cool.
11. Serve with tea or coffee.

Tips: 

1. Canelé batter can be frozen up to two weeks; defrost in refrigerator.
2. Canelés turn spongy and heavy after 5 to 6 hours. To refresh: heat (without molds) in 450 degrees F oven 5 minutes; remove from oven; let cool until exteriors hardens.
3. Leftover baked canelés can be frozen up to 1 month; to freeze, wrap individually in plastic wrap; to serve, remove from the freezer; while still frozen, bake unwrapped in 500 degrees F 5 minutes; remove from oven; let rest 30 minutes; bake 5 minutes; remove from oven; cool until exteriors harden.

Recipe adapted from: Food.com and Paula Wolfert Website