Green Pepper, Ham, and Tofu Skin With Sesame Vinegar

Rinshinomori's Note:

This style of dish in Japan is called yasai okazu (vegetable side dish) perfect for eating with steamed white rice. It is very easy to make and provides very wonderful textural feel to your teeth. It's hard to describe it in English. In Japanese, it's called hagotae (to the teeth - like al dente feel to the Italians). This dish is great with steamed white rice. If you are a vegetarian, omit ham and increase tofu pockets (aka aburaage) to 4-5 slices. The taste of this dish is predominantly green pepper and sesame sauce and deleting ham does not affect the taste much.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 3 green peppers (can use equal mixture of green and sweet red peppers for color) or 3 sweet red peppers , seeded and deveined (can use equal mixture of green and sweet red peppers for color)
• 4 -5 slices ham
• 3 tofu pockets (aburaage)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

For Sauce

• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds , lightly toasted
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions:

1. For Sesame Sauce: (Depending on size of green peppers, you may only need to use 2-4 T sauce for this dish and you can keep the extra sauce for other sauteed veggies and meat).
2. Grind toasted sesame seeds using a mortar and pestle or spice/coffee grinder until they are moderately ground. It should be half way between seeds and paste.
3. Combine prepared sesame seeds with oyster sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sugar and 1 T soy sauce; set aside.
4. For Vegetables:.
5. Thinly slice green peppers, ham, and tofu pockets (aka aburaage) approximately same size.
6. Using a moderately high heat, heat a frying pan and add oil and sesame oil.
7. Add green pepper, ham, and tofu pockets (aka aburaage) slices to the frying pan and turn down heat to medium.
8. Saute for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.
9. Add 1 T soy sauce and continue to saute for additional minute.
10. Remove from heat and combine with sesame sauce and serve either warm or at room temperature.