Hong Kong Nachos

Fusion or confusion cuisine?  Mexican American British Japanese Korean Chinese Nachos?  Yes!
   
     The only place that I could think of that may have had a steady supply of cheddar cheese in Asia is Hong Kong, because of the old days of British occupation.  Hong Kong Nachos is an appropriate name for this creation!
     Fried lotus root chips take the place of tortilla chips in this interesting asian style plate of nachos.  All the ingredients are found in Chinese and Japanese cooking except for the cheddar cheese.  Surprisingly, the sharp cheddar cheese goes very nicely with the Asian ingredients.
   
     Lotus Chips:
     Heat 4" to 5" of vegetable frying oil to 360º in a high sided pot.
     Cut 2 peeled lotus roots into very thin slices.  (The slices should be as thin as a potato chip.  Use a mandolin if you have one.)
     Fry a few lotus root slices at a time.
     When the lotus chips become crisp and light golden brown in color, set them on a wire screen roasting rack to drain off the excess oil.
     Continue frying the lotus chips, till you have enough for a pile of nachos.
     Season the lotus chips with a light sprinkle of sea salt.
   
     Teriyaki Ground Pork:
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
     Add 4 to 5 ounces of ground pork.
     Add sea salt and white pepper.
     Add 2 pinches of five spice powder.
     Break any clumps of pork up as it cooks.
     After the ground pork is sauteed a light brown color, place it in a colander to drain off any excess grease.
     Place the cooked ground pork in a small mixing bowl.
     Keep the ground pork warm on a stove top.
     Heat a small sauce pot over medium heat.
     Add 1/4 cup of soy sauce.
     Add 1/4 cup of sugar.
     Reduce the soy sauce and sugar together, till it becomes a Japanese teriyaki glaze syrup.
     Add just enough of the teriyaki glaze to the warm ground pork in the mixing bowl, to coat the pork with flavor.
     Toss the pork and sauce together.
     Keep the teriyaki ground pork warm on a stove top.
   
     Garlic Fermented Black Bean Sauce:
     Fermented black bean paste can be very salty!  Adding salt may not be necessary.  
     Heat a small sauce pot over medium heat.
     Add 2 tablespoons of fermented black bean paste.
     Add 1 teaspoon of garlic paste.
     Add 1 cup of light chicken broth.
     Bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
     Add just enough corn starch and cold water slurry, while stirring, to thicken the sauce to a very thin consistency.
     Stir for 20 seconds.
     Reduce the temperature to medium low heat.
     Simmer and reduce the sauce, till it becomes a medium thin sauce consistency.
     Keep the sauce warm on a stove top..
   
     Hong Kong Nachos:
     Nachos are best if they are assembled in loose layers.  When assembling nachos, leave spaces and air pockets in the nachos so the oven air can thoroughly heat the middle of the mounded nachos.  Densely packed nachos usually end up being soggy and greasy.
     Place a layer of the lotus chips on an oven proof serving plate.
     Sprinkle some of the teriyaki ground pork over the chips.
     Sprinkle some grated cheddar cheese over the chips.
     Sprinkle some sliced green onion over the chips.
     Sprinkle some chopped red bell pepper over the chips.
     Sprinkle some sliced green serrano pepper over the chips.
     Repeat these steps, till several layer are formed and a large tall mound of nachos is made.
     Sprinkle a little extra grated cheddar cheese over the mound of nachos.
     Bake the nachos on the plate in a 350 degree oven, till the ingredients become hot and the cheese has melted.  (Do not brown the cheese!)
     Set the hot nacho plate on a second serving plate.  (Always put a cold plate under the hot nacho plate, so guests do not get burned by the hot plate!)
     Spoon a few very small dabs of the garlic fermented black bean sauce over the nachos.  (Fermented black beans are very salty, so use the sauce sparingly.)
     Spoon a few small dabs of Korean Red Serrano Chile Sauce over the nachos.
     Place fresh cilantro leaves around the base of the nachos.
  
     The flavors of lotus chips, teriyaki ground pork, peppers, green onion and cheddar are a very interesting nacho flavor.  The little bit of garlic fermented black bean sauce adds a salty deep savory flavor and it takes the place of refritos.  The Korean chili sauce add some spicy heat.  Lotus chips remain crisp after baking and they have a potato kind of flavor.
     This is not your average plate of gourmet nachos.  This is gourmet nachos Hong Kong style!  Yummy!  ...  Shawna