Treasure Bags

Name: Treasure Bags (Agé Fuku-bukuro )
Cuisine: Japan
Ingredients: ¼ cup strained mushroom liquid; 2–2½ cups dashi (Basic Soup Stock); 4 tablespoons soy sauce; 2½ tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon saké (rice wine); 3–4 small dried shiitaké (black Oriental mushrooms); 3–4 small dried shiitaké (black Oriental mushrooms); 1–1½ cups shirataki (“white waterfall”; gelatin-like noodles); 12 six- to eight-inch ribbons of kanpyō (dried gourd); ½ small carrot, cut into short, extra fine julienne strips to yield approximately ¼ cup; ½ small carrot, cut into short, extra fine julienne strips to yield approximately ¼ cup; ¾ pound ground lean chicken meat; ¼ cup green peas; 6 slices abura agé (fried bean curd)

Agé Fuku-bukuro

Preparation info

Makes
12
bags.

Difficulty
Complex

Appears in

At Home with Japanese Cooking

By Elizabeth Andoh

Published 1986

About

Treasure Bags are brimming with a variety of good-tasting things. Fried bean curd is stuffed with meat and vegetables, then tied up with ribbons of gourd and simmered in a seasoned stock. Three or 4 Treasure Bags make a substantial single portion. Rice, soup, pickles and a tart salad would round out the meal nicely.

Ingredients

6 slices abura agé (fried bean curd)
3–4 small dried shiitaké (black Oriental mushrooms)
1–1½

Method

Quickly blanch the slices of fried bean curd in boiling water to remove excess oil. Drain the slices and pat them dry with paper towels. While they are still warm, cut each slice in half, across its width. Place a slice of the bean curd on the open palm of one hand and slap down on it with the other. From the cut edge, gently pry open the fried bean curd to form a deep pocket or bag. Repeat thi