Sunday, July 20, 2008

Seafood Doria...I think...

My friend was telling about this wonderful dish that can be found in Japan called a "Seafood Doria". I've never had it before, and have never seen it at any Japanese restaurant before. A quick google returned the most heavenly looking image I have ever seen. From then onwards, it was a mission to recreate this dish!

I searched and searched, I googled and then I interrogated my friend until I was confident I kind of knew what a seafood doria should be.

Firstly, I made a quick "fried rice" using leftover rice, bacon and onion. This goes into the bottom of a dish (I had to use a cake tin because I cooked too much.......). I then quickly sautee some peeled king prawns, fish and baby octopus. Other seafood you can use include scallops, mussels etc. Don't cook the seafood all the way through, it will need to be cooked again later. Scatter the seafood over the rice and ensure you spread it evenly so every section of the pan has a bit of everything.

Make a basic white sauce using flour and butter to creat a roux, then whisk in some milk until the sauce starts to thicken. Make HEAPS of this sauce. When the sauce is almost done, chuck in a handful of garted cheese until it melts in the sauce. Pour the sauce all over the seafood until it is generously covered. Sprinkle grated cheese all over the pan until covered. Bake until the cheese is all melted and golden brown.

My seafood doria coming out of the oven

It looks pretty average doesn't it? It certainly doesn't compare to the original photo I saw, and I was worried it would turn out crap. However, the minute I dug into the pan, I knew how gorgeously moreish this would be...


The rice had just become to absorb some of the cheesey white sauce, almost like a risotto. The seafood was just cooked to perfection. Soft tender baby octopus, flakey fish and the most bursty prawns ever! All covered in a lovely cheesey sauce. I was spooning the sauce up and eating it like a soup. Definitely something I should only make once every 6 months!

I'm not sure how authentic this seafood doria is, but my friend certainly loved it and both of us ended up fighting over the leftovers!

6 comments:

NfOrCeR said...

Have you been to Poporo upstairs in Market City?

They do all sorts of doria's! theyre so yummmmm. and it comes out on a sizzling hot plate too.. Mmm

SoRMuiJAi said...

:O NO!!! I can't remember the last time I've gone to Market City!! I gotta go soon! Mmmmmm Doria....

NfOrCeR said...

it's been opened for over a year at least.. foods pretty good

its next door to the sushi place... pretty cheap there as well. $2.80 for all plates, $2.50 if u park at mkt city!

yum :)

SoRMuiJAi said...

WTF? What sushi place?? Gees....I really need to get out more.

NfOrCeR said...

umm the sushi place thats next door to nandos with periperi sauce?

you do know that mamas kitchen is no longer there right? haha its been replaced by these 3 restaurants!

SoRMuiJAi said...

Ahhhhhh ok. I didn't even know there's a nandos there...... -_-"