Amber Aspic Loaf

Name: Amber Aspic Loaf
Yield: Makes 2 dozen pieces
Cuisine: Japan
Ingredients: 2 or 3 small dried shiitaké (dark Oriental mushrooms); 2–3 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast; 1 ounce (about 2 inches) carrot; 2–3 ounces (about ¼ medium-sized) onion; 1 stick kanten (Japanese gelatin; agar) OR 1 envelope (4 grams) powdered kanten; 1 cup dashi (basic sea stock); 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 5–6 fresh snow peas; 4 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons saké (Japanese rice wine)

Kohaku Kan

Preparation info

Makes
2 dozen pieces

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

An American Taste of Japan

By Elizabeth Andoh

Published 1985

About

This jellied chicken-and-vegetable loaf is perfect for buffet service or packing in a picnic basket since it doesn’t require constant refrigeration. It makes use of kanten (agar), which is processed from sea vegetables, not animal protein, and gels firmly without chilling.

Ingredients

1 stick kanten (Japanese gelatin; agar) OR 1 envelope (4 grams) powdered

Asia
Japan
Starter

Method

Break the stick of kanten into several pieces and soak them in cold water for at least 10 minutes. If you’re using powdered kanten, sprinkle it over 2 tablespoons of cold water and let it stand for at least 5 minutes before using.

Soak the dried mushrooms in