Dashi Pearl Couscous

I’m a sucker for any kind of soup. Especially if the broth has dashi – you might just have to give me a few minutes to just eat my soup.

Whenever I’m winging recipes, I let my tastebuds take the wheel. Taste as you go. Winging things doesn’t ALWAYS work – some days, you just have to chuck it and start over again. But as you keep doing it, you’ll get better and also discover how to “fix” any recipe or dish.

For those of you who aren’t a fan of frying, you can use your air fryer at the same temperature – just make sure to use a non-stick liner and lay in the beef strips separately in there.

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 4 cups beef stock + 4 cups water, ( or any other stock of choice)
• 2 cups pearl couscous
• 1 teaspoon shiitake mushroom powder
• 1 teaspoon instant dashi powder
• 1 cup crimini mushroom, sliced
• 1 inch ginger, sliced
• 3 lemongrass stalks, outer shell peeled and stalks smashed
• 5 to 6 green onion stalks, just the bottoms reserve the tops for garnish

For the topping:

• 1 lb beef shoulder, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, grated
• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
• 1 + 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 cup of canola/grapeseed oil, for frying

Directions

1. In a large dutch oven or a stockpot, add in stock, water, ginger, lemongrass and green onions and bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. While your broth is simmering, slice your beef or protein of choice and marinate it with soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and cornstarch and set aside.
3. After 20 minutes – taste the broth and add in mushroom and dashi powder – taste again and adjust if needed by adding 1/2 teaspoon of either powder. Let simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Heat the oil to 375° – once it reaches frying temp ladle 2 tablespoons of the hot oil into the beef mixture and give it a good mix – this will stop from the beef from clumping when frying.
5. Fry the beef for 4 to 5 minutes – until crispy and set aside.
6. Taste and strain the broth by taking out the ginger slices, lemongrass and green onion stalks.
7. Add the couscous to the broth and cover, and cook according to the directions on the box.
8. Once the couscous is cooked, assemble the soup with soup on the bottom and top it off with the crispy beef, green onions and chilli oil (the chilli oil is optional — but o’so good!)