Taste of the Teppanyaki

These recipes have been prepared by Md. Nur-A-Alam Sikder and Feng Tao, the Sous chef and Teppanyaki chef respectively, of Bunka restaurant, Six Seasons.

Lobster Teppanyaki

Teppanyaki is a style of Japanese cuisine that uses an iron griddle to cook food.

Ingredients

8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ tsp crushed red chili flakes

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Zest of 1 lemon

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 live lobster (about 1 to 1 1⁄2 lb.)

1⁄4 cup olive oil

Procedure

Begin by combining the butter, chili flakes, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl and then set it aside. Using a cleaver, split the lobster in half, lengthwise through its head and tail. Scoop out and discard the yellow-green tomalley and break off claws. Transfer the lobster halves, shell side down, to a baking sheet; crack the claws and place them on the teppanyaki plate. Drizzle the halves and claws with oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Place lobster halves, flesh side down, and the claws on the hottest part of the grill; cook until slightly charred which should take 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the lobster over and using a spoon, spread garlic butter on the lobster; continue grilling until lobster meat is tender in 3 to 5 minutes.

Beef Teppanyaki

Ingredients

500g beef chunk (preferably sirloin or tenderloin)

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp garlic powder

¼ tsp sugar

1 tsp ground pepper

3 tbsp oil, for frying

Procedure

Begin by cutting the beef into really thin slices, about half a centimeter or thinner. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Leave to marinate for at least an hour. Heat oil on a frying pan or skillet on medium-high heat. Fry the beef slices. Place cooked slices on your serving dish. After all the meat is cooked, using the same pan but on low heat, add the leftover marinade and it let simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce is a bit thicker.

Pour sauce on top of the cooked beef and serve.

Easy Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients

Marinade:

¼ cup soy sauce

⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1½ medium or 1 large orange)

3 tbsp honey

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 tsp sesame oil

For the chicken:

1½ to 2 lbs (about 6-7 medium) boneless and skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat

1 tbsp oil (light olive oil is recommended)

1½ tbsp unsalted butter

Green onion and sesame seeds for garnish, optional

Procedure

In a large bowl, whisk all the marinade ingredients together. Once done, put aside. Next, cut the boneless and skinned chicken into 1-inch sized pieces and place into the marinade. Stir and cover with a plastic wrap and marinate on the counter for 20 minutes.

Next, heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to it. Then, remove the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon. Leave some marinade in the bowl. Add the chicken to a hot pan and sauté, stirring occasionally until golden and cooked through in about 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and transfer the chicken to a bowl.

Pour the remaining marinade into the pan, add 1½ tbsp butter and place back over medium/high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened (in about 1 minute) then remove from heat. Add chicken back to the pan and stir to combine it with the marinade. Serve with fresh green onion and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if desired.