Editor’s note: The theme of Gohan Lab is to help people make simple, tasty “gohan” (meals).

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Frozen meat sold in various forms has become a common sight in stores. This week’s recipe introduces a way to use it readily without thawing.

The dish offers the texture of zucchini and flavor of white wine that go well with pork.

The recipe calls for pork slices that have been frozen separately.

“Frozen loose meat slices are convenient since they can be used as they are without worrying that they will stick together when heated,” says chef Kuniaki Arima, who oversaw the cooking aspect of the recipe.

Yet when frozen meat slices are added straight to the pot, they tend to stick to the surface and burn. In this week’s recipe, this is prevented by adding the meat after stir-frying the vegetables that release water.

When you choose to use meat slices that are frozen in layers, it is better to thaw them somewhat so each slice can be peeled off. Otherwise, the layers will stick together and turn into a lump in the pot.

A whole frozen chicken thigh goes into the pot in the arranged version. You do not have to worry about the meat being heated unevenly as it will be simmered as a soup.

USE DIFFERENT THAWING METHODS TO SUIT THE FOOD

According to Kazuhito Kajiwara, former professor at the Tokyo University of Technology who oversaw the cooking science aspect of the recipe, thawing in ice water suits foods such as sashimi and fruit whose subtle textures make you want to enjoy them, whereas thawing in the fridge is suited to ingredients that will be cooked.

While the temperature of ice water and inside the fridge is generally between 3 and 5 degrees, the heat conduction differs and food thaws quicker in ice water. The advantage of thawing in the fridge is that you can simply leave the food inside where the temperature is stable.

Thawing under running water is an option when you are short of time. Yet since tap water is nearly 10 degrees even in winter and about the same as the normal temperature in the summer, you need to watch out that the food will not spoil in the process.

The microwave is often used to thaw precooked food but beware of uneven heating of the food.

BASIC COOKING METHOD

(Supervised by Kuniaki Arima in the cooking aspect and Kazuhito Kajiwara in the cookery science aspect)

* Ingredients (Serve two)

150 grams pork slices (separately frozen type), 2 zucchinis, 1/2 onion, 1 clove garlic, olive oil, 150 ml white wine, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, bit of chili pepper, some chopped Italian parsley

About 385 kcal and 1.4 grams salt per portion

1. Peel garlic and crush. Cut onion into pieces 1.5 cm on a side. Cut zucchini into 1.5-cm dices (PHOTO A).

2. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and garlic to pot and warm on low heat. When aroma rises, add onion and zucchini. When they are coated with oil, add frozen pork to the pot in one go (PHOTO B).

3. Mix the entire content, add white wine, raise heat level and bring to a boil. Turn sides of content and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add 150 ml water, soy sauce, sugar and bit of chili pepper and mix. Place lid and simmer for about 10 minutes. Turn sides halfway.

5. Remove lid and cook until soup is reduced to about a half (PHOTO C). Add a pinch of salt and parsley. Add olive oil in circular motion and mix entire content.

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Kuniaki Arima is the owner-chef of Passo a Passo, an Italian restaurant in Tokyo’s Fukagawa.

Kazuhito Kajiwara is a former professor at the Tokyo University of Technology who specializes in the study of food preservation.

ARRANGED VERSION

Soup with chicken thigh and vegetables

Pour 100 ml sake and 200 ml water in a pot, add a frozen chicken thigh (200 grams) and turn on the stove. When the soup comes to a boil, turn down to lower medium heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Slice off scales from 2 asparaguses and finely slice at an angle. Remove 8 broad beans (“soramame”) from the pod and remove the thin skin. Add a pinch of salt, asparagus, broad beans, 2 Tbsp green peas to the pot and cook for a few minutes until the beans soften. Cut the chicken before serving.

COOKERY SCIENCE

This week, the meat was cooked from a frozen state since the recipe called for the ingredients to be simmered until tender. Yet choosing the right way to thaw is a key factor to achieving a pleasant taste. Thawing methods include those using ice water, the fridge, running water and the microwave and should be chosen to suit the ingredients and how the dishes will be eaten (Refer to DIFFERENT THAWING METHODS mentioned above).

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From The Asahi Shimbun’s Gohan Lab column