Kimchee/Kimchi/Kim Chee

For my next culinary adventure, I will be preparing Kimchee, which, as you can see from my title, can be spelled a few different ways, and can also be made many different ways, depending on the region of Korea you're in or from.  The base of this traditional side dish is often napa cabbage and daikon, an Asian variety of radish (it's huge compared to the standard little red variety I'm accustomed to), and red-chili paste, or another spicy element.  Kimchee is always aged to allow fermentation;  this sometimes for as little as a few days, or it can be as long as several years.

Now I've only had kimchee once, and was surprised to find that I liked it, considering my distaste for most pickled things.  I have no clue how it was made or how long it had fermented, but it wasn't incredibly pungent, and the cabbage still had a crisp texture, so I don't believe it was that old.  This is the type of kimchee I would like to make, and I've scoured the great, big recipe book that is the Internet for recipes that my produce something similar.  I have yet to decide which one to make, so if anyone thinks any look better than others, please let me know!

Basic Napa Cabbage Kimchee

Quick, Spicy Kimchee

Hot, Sour, and Salty Kimchi

Easy Kimchi

Cold Asian Noodle Salad w/ Tofu

I try my best to make and pack lunches for my school day.  Sometimes this is just a hastily thrown together peanut butter and jelly sandwich, along with some chips and a piece of fruit, but when I can get my act together on a Sunday afternoon I like to prepare something a little heartier, more satisfying, and definitely something that appeals to my taste buds (No offense PB&J, you know I love you!).  A few years ago, an ex-girlfriend of mine introduced me to this super easy and quick noodle salad, which, if you're ok with tofu, makes for a great packed lunch due to it being a 'cold' dish, plus it's packed with protein from the tofu to help you combat hunger until you can make it home and snack or eat.

The Ingredients:

The Dressing

-3 TBSP.  Fresh Lime Juice (About 1 1/2 )

-2 TBSP.  Tamari or Soy sauce (Variations of the same thing)

-2 TSPS.  Toasted Sesame Oil

Whisk all three ingredients together and set them aside.

The Salad

-8 OZ.  Green Beans, trimmed and cut into 2-in. pieces

-6 OZ.  Soba Noodles (Japanese buckwheat noodles, which can be found in most supermarkets)

-6 OZ.  Extra-Firm Tofu, cut into 1/2-in. cubes 

-2          Scallions, rough chopped

-Dash   Toasted Sesame Seeds (Optional)

Fill a pot with 3-4 quarts of water and start it on its long journey towards boiling.  While you're waiting rinse and trim the green beans, and mince the scallions.  At this point my water is typically still not boiling (something might be wrong with my stove top...) so I move onto the tofu.  

The tofu needs to be drained and then further dried to remove some of the water content.  I find the best way to do this is to lay down 2 layers of paper towel on my cutting board before placing the tofu on it.  I then slice the tofu in half width-wise,

before cutting the two halves into 1/8ths, and finally 1/16ths:

After cubing the tofu, leave it on the paper towel and cover it with another sheet or two, and let it drain until the green beans are finished, or until it's drained to your liking.  When it's ready put it in a large bowl and gently toss it with half of the dressing we made earlier, and set it aside.

Hopefully by now the water is boiling.  Toss in the prepped green beans and let them boil until they are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes (4 for a little more tenderness).  Using a slotted spoon, remove the green beans (Haricot verts, en Francais!) and dump them in a colander to drain.  Now, dump your uncooked noodles right into the same pot, and let them cook to the packages instructions (typically 5-6 minutes for al dente).

Once the noodles have cooked, drain them and place them in a large bowl and toss them with the remaining dressing, the green beans and the scallions.  Sprinkle the tofu on top and then top it all off with a dash of toasted sesame seeds for some added pop.  

Now the hard part:  Wrap up the salad with saran wrap, or if you're going the packed lunch route just dish it out into your Tupperware, and place the salad in the fridge for at least an hour or two of cooling.  Afterwards, stuff your face, or think about how good this is going to be for lunch tomorrow.

Enjoy!

On the Horizon!

Dropping in to drop a link of some potentially delicious Asian inspired restaurants that just recently opened, or are opening in the Boston area in the near future.  I want to highlight the opening of two places that are close to my heart:  Blue Dragon and Mei Mei Street Kitchen.

Blue Dragon is already open in the Fort Point neighborhood, and is a gastropub take on Chef Ming Tsai's modern 'East meets West' cuisine.  I have not been yet, but am a huge fan of his Wellesley joint, Blue Ginger.  Ming's pedigree is impeccable, so don't hesitate to jump at this chance to take in his eclectic menu in what I'm sure is a unique setting.  My thoughts on the place will be forthcoming.

You may remember Mei Mei Street Kitchen from a previous post on food trucks, and if you decided to check it out you know why the idea of a storefront version of the popular food truck is worth salivating over.  I'm interested to find out what the people behind Boston's best pork bun can do with a full kitchen and a full menu.

Check out all the other openings:
http://www.bostonmagazine.com/2013/01/asian-dining-new-asian-restaurants-opening-boston/

Pantry Staples

While preparing what would have been some delicious Vietnamese steak sandwiches (which I provide the recipe for in my previous post Back to Banh Mi) the other night, using a very, very, very sharp ceramic knife, I carved off a pretty generous portion of a finger on my left hand--Ouch!  Needless to say, I think, I will be out of the kitchen for a bit, while the tip of my finger grows back.  This presents a conundrum of sorts as this is, after all, a blog about cooking.  I think I have lined up a sous-chef (my lovely fiancee) to take care of prep for future posts, but not in time for this one.  I figured, in the intervening time that I have, I'd write up a little something on the basic staples that I keep around for Asian cuisine.  

Warning:  This list is not meant to be definitive, or wholly representative of the wide variety of staple ingredients.  This is just a very basic list of what a very basic man uses to cook his Asian cuisine.  Take a look at some of the other Asian-staple guides available on the interwebs, and you'll quickly see that there are many more pantry items waiting to be included in your cupboards.

Without further ado:

Fish Sauce-  Does it smell fishy?  A bit.  Does it taste fishy?  Not at all.  Don't be turned off by the name; this is very common in Southeast Asian cuisines, and adds a salty depth and complexity to any dish it's added to.  Don't be afraid to try it in non-traditional ways, too!  I add a bit to guacamole, to give an already rich dip, more richness. 

Hoisin Sauce-  Like Asian barbecue sauce, but better.  Hoisin is not terribly dissimilar to soy sauce, in that it's a fermented wheat product, but it's made so much more by the addition of bold flavors such as garlic, chili pepper, tamarind, ginger, and sesame oil.  It can be used both at the table for dipping (it's in every pho shop I've ever been in), and in the kitchen in various dishes, mostly of Chinese origin.  If you've ever had Peking duck or barbecue pork, you've had hoisin, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say you enjoyed it.  Now go get some!

Red Curry Paste-  Thai food is know in part for it's curries, and no curry gets made in Thailand without the use of a curry paste.  There are many types of curry paste, but I personally have only had need for the red variety.  Use it for the tangy-spiciness imparted by ingredients like red chili pepper (that's why it's called "red" curry paste and not, let's say "green" curry paste, had it used green chilies), galangal (Thai ginger), lemongrass, and Kaffir lime.  Here's a great recipe that utilizes the paste to make a decadent, savory broth along with coconut milk, and a bit of chicken stock (another pantry staple):

Thai Chicken Curry with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans

Sesame Oil-  If you're making a stir fry, you need this.  Period.  In Asian cuisine this oil is mainly used for flavoring, and not cooking.  

Soy Sauce-  I saved the most ubiquitous for last, and I don't think it's salty goodness needs to be described in any great length.  Needed for stir frys, marinades, dipping, making rice less blah, etc.  Chances are we have all had soy sauce, and if the stock image above is any indication, it's dirt cheap, so there's no excuse not to have it on hand.

Good Eating!

Sriracha-cha!

Chances are you've seen a bottle of this before; you might have tried some, and if you're anything like me, you became addicted.  I'm not sure how I went nearly 25 years of my life without this spicy nectar of the gods.

Sriracha (or "rooster sauce," as it's colloquially known here in the states) is a hot sauce that originated in Thailand, where people love their food with a kick, but has become popular world-wide.  It's relatively simple list of ingredients (chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, salt) belies the complexity of the flavor, which is simultaneously sweet, savory, and with just the right amount of heat behind it (At 2,000 scoville units--a measure of heat intensity--it's about half the heat of an ordinary jalapeno).

Now being a typical American, I don't get too creative with my sriracha application--I usually limit myself to liberally dousing anything that needs that extra "something"--but greater minds have come to the rescue with some creative recipes for that sriracha that should be a staple in your pantry.

Courtesy of the fine folks at Bon Appetit:

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshows/2011/06/sriracha-recipes-slideshow#slide=1

Good Eating!

Back To Banh Mi

I thought I'd drop in and leave a simple and satisfying recipe for a banh mi sandwich, which I mentioned in my last post on food trucks.  The recipe, which I found in her Everyday Food cookbook, comes courtesy of the fine, but anonymous, folks at Martha Stewart's test-kitchen.

http://www.marthastewart.com/336902/vietnamese-steak-sandwiches

Now the recipe above is not wholly authentic, as traditional banh mi is usually filled with a pork product (porkbelly, headcheese, pork-liver pate, to name a few), but the substitution of a lime-marinated flank steak for the pork is the only variation.  The remaining ingredients such as the cilantro, carrot, heat (typically chiles, here crushed red pepper), and French baguette (a nod to Vietnam's colonial heritage), are traditional.

My protips:  Make sure your baguette is fresh and high-quality--it really makes a difference.  I highly recommend Iggy's Bread out of Cambridge.  And, when preparing the bread, if it's really thick, I like to carve out a bit from the top, which allows me to stuff more of the meat and dressing in.

Happy Eating!

Boston Food Trucks

Since I first moved back to Boston in 2005, until just a few years ago, there has been a dearth of food vans in and about town.  But just within just the last 4 or 5 years, with the sponsorship of Mayor Menino and City Hall, food trucks have begun to flourish.  Boston's burgeoning food-truck scene covers just about any traditional or ethnic food you can think of.  Some of the best represented, and best reviewed (according to Yelp and my belly) food truckers present fresh, fast, and novel takes on popular asian staples, street food, and delicacies. Below you'll find links to the sites of several of my favorites.  Bon Me in particular makes my mouth water, even just typing the words.  The name of the van is a play on the traditional Vietnamese sandwich spelled "Banh Mi," of which they serve there own non-traditional take.  I encourage everyone to try one or all of these purveyors of deliciousness-on-wheels--their typical locations are listed on their respective websites.  Just be prepared for long lines. 

Bon Me

Momogoose

Mei Mei Street Kitchen

Savory Food Truck (Admittedly, I haven't tried this one...yet.  But, I have it on good authority from several friends that it is worth checking out.  Consider it next on my food-truck to-do list.)

Eat Well Friends!

Vegetable Curry Served over Jasmine Rice

Now that we have our fresh curry powder made, it's time to get to work making a delicious dish that incorporates it.  To that purpose, I have selected a dish perfected by America's Test Kitchen: a vegetable curry that integrates a variety of textures and earthy flavors, to make a hearty and satisfying weeknight meal.

Note:  In order to make this dish in the most convenient manner, you’re going to need a garlic press and a food processor.  There are certainly workarounds for both implements, but the process is made much easier by not having to put knife to cutting board, in either instance.  With that being said, if you don’t have a processor, just strain the tomatoes (retaining the juice), and chop them coarsely.  As for the garlic—smash it well, and mince it finely; you’ll hardly know the difference.

The Ingredients:

2 TBSP.            Curry Powder

1½ TSP.           Garam Masala  (You can buy this pre-packaged, but if you’re       

                      feeling up to the task, you can find a recipe for homemade 

                      Garam Masala 

      here:                   http://indianfood.about.com/od/masalarecipes/r/garammasala.htm)

4 TBSP.            Vegetable Oil

3 Cloves            Pressed or Minced Garlic (Though I always say the more garlic 

                       the better!  Why not make it for 4 or 5?)

1 TBSP.            Minced or Grated Fresh Ginger

1                     Serrano Chile (For a spicier dish, save the ribs and seeds. For 

                       a milder dish, discard the ribs and seeds)

1 TBSP.            Tomato Paste (There are re-sealable tubes available at just  

                       about any grocery store, which provide a greater bang-for-

                       your-buck than a non-re-sealable can)

1 Can               Diced Tomatoes (14.5 OZ.--I usually go for a fire roasted 

                       variety for additional flavor)

2 C.                 Minced Onion (Roughly 2 medium-sized)

12 OZ.             Red Potatoes, Cut into ½ Inch Pieces

1¼ LBS.           Cauliflower, Cut into 1-Inch Florets

1¼ C.              Water (I use slightly less—around 1 C.—to thicken the curry to 

                       my liking)

1 Can               Chick Peas (15 OZ.), Drained and Rinsed

1½ C.              Frozen Peas

¼ C.                Coconut Milk (Or heavy cream, if that’s your inclination)

I always like to begin cooking by prepping all my ingredients.  This is a French cooking philosophy called Mis en Place, or Everything in place.  The ethos being, if you have everything ready to go, you avoid having to stop and restart the cooking process.  Mis en Place helps to facilitate a flow to your cooking, that you otherwise wouldn’t have if you had to stop and chop, or measure out, every single ingredient that you need, as you need it.  Imagine, how much time you lose--how much food you over cook—just because you need to take your attention away from actually cooking, in order to prepare what you could have done ahead of time.  But—if you have years of experience prepping on the go, and the attendant knife skills—feel free to prep and cook at the same time, Jedi Master.

In order to complete prep, you’re going to need to process those tomatoes, which I mentioned in the note above.  If you have a food processor, and used it, your tomatoes should look something like this:

If you don’t have a food processor, try to make your tomatoes resemble something approximating this.  To be honest, texture is a personal preference…to that end:  if you want a chunkier tomato consistency, forgo the processing altogether.

Next up is your garlic mixture.  Combine 1 TBSP. of the vegetable oil with the garlic, ginger, Serrano chile, and tomato paste.  Doesn’t that look, and smell, tantalizing?

Finally, toast your curry powder and Garam Masala in a shallow pan over medium-high heat, for about a minute, or until your kitchen is overtaken by the intoxicating aromas.  Take the pan off the heat and set it aside to cool for a few minutes.

Once the prep is finished, have a sip of beer, or wine, or gin and tonic (it’s important to relax while you’re cooking—trust me, it makes a difference in the end result), and then get cooking.  You want to saute the onions and potatoes with the remaining oil, until the onions are beginning to caramelize and the potatoes are beginning to get golden brown around the edges.  I found that this took longer than the 10 minutes the recipe recommends, so adjust your cooking times according to your stovetop (mine is notoriously under flamed).

Once your onions and taters have achieved their heavenly glow, go ahead and clear out a little space in the center of your Dutch oven (or whatever large pot you might be using), in which you will place our previously prepared garlic mixture.  Now, prepare your nose for excess stimulation (of the best variety), as you mash that mixture into the pot until it’s overpoweringly fragrant—only 15-20 seconds should do it—and then stir the mixture into the surrounding vegetables. 

Are you ready for even more fragrance overload?  That’s rhetorical, because you better be.  Once you’ve stirred in the garlic mixture, add the toasted spices to the mélange and keep stirring for another minute.  If you’re anything like me, at this point, the scent alone has you salivating.  Now add the cauliflower and make sure you get as much of it coated in the spicy-goodness as you can.  Let the mixture cook through another two minutes or so.

Now add the chickpeas, coating them in the spice mixture, followed by the tomatoes, water, and a TSP. of salt.  Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat.  Once it begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium (a gentle simmer), and throw the cover on.  Let the flavors meld and congregate for a good 10-15 minutes, stirring everything occasionally.  I let mine go for slightly longer than 15 minutes, to make the sauce just a little bit thicker and more robust.  Of course, as always, cook to your liking and preferences.  Want the sauce thinner?  Stick closer to the 10-minute recommendation; just make sure that the vegetables, especially the cauliflower and potatoes, are tender enough when all is said and done.

Once everything is cooked nearly as you like it, add the coconut milk and the frozen peas, stir everything up again, and let it cook through another two minutes or so.  From here, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve this stomach-stuffing, palate-pleasing curry dish over a bed of Jasmine rice (or any white rice will do).

This recipe definitely is more than enough for two people, so invite a few people over and share a fantastic meal with friends, or pack it with any leftover rice for a rich lunch that anyone with a capable nose will instantly envy.

잘 먹겠습니다 

P.S.  I apologize for the formatting.  It looked completely normal as I typed it up, but something got lost in translation....

Recipe From: http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/detail.php?docid=8313

Curried Carrot Soup

I'm checking in to drop off a quick and easy recipe that utilizes the curry powder I made last week, which results in a rich and delicious soup.  I make it all the time--but prime carrot season is typically summer and fall.  My only addition to the wonderful recipe from Martha Stewart and Co. is a dash of  extra curry powder, and halving both the broth and the water amounts.  It results in a richer, thicker soup, which is how I prefer it, but by all means, experiment with the liquids and fight what works for you.  Pair the soup with a grilled cheese, and you have yourself a simple dinner.  The leftovers also make for an easy to reheat lunch--especially on these frigid February days.

Curried Carrot Soup--Care of Martha Stewart

Boun Appetito!

Let's Make Curry Powder!

I'm going to start this post by taking a half-step back.  I will not be making a curry based sauce to begin with, but the actual curry powder that would flavor a curried dish.  In the past, I have usually just bought a container of curry powder off the shelf, giving little thought to it's providence, but this blog demands that I start from scratch, and so I will!

To do as I have done, you're going to need to make a trip to the grocery store for the appropriate seeds ands spices.  Most of these items can be bought prepackaged at most grocery stores, but an easy way to save money is to find a store that sells the items in bulk, such as certain Whole Foods, or other specialty food-stores.  And yes, I do mean actual seeds, and not the prepackaged, ground up variety that is conveniently already manufactured for you.  Working with seeds will require a piece of specialty equipment:

A mortar and pestle.

These two implements are used to finely grind our seeds, and can be found in just about any store that sells or specializes in cookware.  You might be able to jerry-rig another mechanism by which to grind your seeds, and if you manage it, kudos! Every other piece of cookware necessary to make your own curry powder should already be found in your home.  These include: a set of measuring spoons, a large, heavy-bottomed pan, and a stove.

The Ingredients:

-2 TBSP.     Coriander seeds

-1 TBSP.     Cumin seeds

-1 TSP.       Fennel seeds

-1 TSP.       Mustard seeds

-1/2 TSP.    Black peppercorns

-1 TSP.       Turmeric powder

-1/2 TSP.    Red Chili powder

-1 TSP.       Ginger powder

Now I spent close to $30 on what you see here, which sounds like a lot, and frankly is a lot, but the hit on your wallet can be made easier if you tell yourself that this assortment of seeds and spices will allow you to make several batches of curry powder--not to mention, most of them have many other uses, and are staples in their own right.

The Process:

Take that pan and put it over the burner on low, low heat.  After giving it a few seconds to warm up, dump your seeds into the pan, set your timer for 10 minutes, and then start stirring.  It's not necessary to stir for the full 10 minutes, but unattended seeds may start to burn, smoke, and due to their oils, stick to the pan, so it's important to keep an eye on them.  This is undoubtedly the best step of the process, in my opinion, because the scents bloom over the heat of the burner, which filled my kitchen with wonderfully exotic smells.  Though my nose is not the greatest, I detected the strongest notes from the fennel and cumin, like black licorice and spice.

Once the scent has taken over your kitchen, and the seeds have achieved a bit of a golden glow from their roasting, remove them from the pan and place them in an even layer on a plate to cool.  I let mine sit for 10 minutes, which was enough time.  Now into the mortar with it!  

Are you ready to exercise?  I timed myself, and it took me a solid 10 minutes, and a concerted muscular effort, to grind those seeds down.  There is a reprieve, though; the smells become even more intense as you fully release the oils from the seeds  When you set down the pestle and wipe your brow, this is what the ground down seeds should look like:

With the hard work through, all your left with is to add the remaining spices.  Shovel them in there and mix them well.  You're final product should look something like this:

The red-orange coloring is owed to the earthy turmeric, and red chili powder.  Pack this milled gold into an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place, and add to you favorite curry dishes when the occasion calls for it.  Or try putting it in non-traditional dishes and see what dimension it adds.  

Next week I will be using my fresh-made curry powder in a either a traditional Indian dish, or an Indian-inspired recipe that has been tempting my eye for some time.  Stay tuned...

Bon Appetit!

Recipe from: showmethecurry.com

The Journey Begins:  India

The first leg of my culinary journey begins in India, and when I think of Indian food, I of course first think of Chicken-Tikka Masala, Britain's national dish.  But Masala is an anglicized take on Indian cooking traditions, which vary widely by region, and I want my first dish to be as authentic as I can verify it to be (short of carting myself of to a small, Indian village to have it made in front of me).  So, with this in mind, I will be first attempting a curry, of which there are numerous varieties.  I have attached a link that goes into the history of curry, the assemblage of spices, as well as the word itself (which may be purely English in origin).  I found it to be a fascinating read--though the page looks like it might have been designed in 1997.

The History of Curry

Humble Beginnings...

Hello Fellow Eaters!

I want to begin this blog with a bit of a mission statement cum explanation of what I hope to do here.  A few years ago, my fiancée and I decided to split the kitchen duties; I became the cook, she became the kitchen cleaner and dish doer--I'm pretty sure I got the better of her.  Ever since this fateful arrangement, I have been in search of interesting recipes that are both budget conscious, and more or less, designed for two people (waste not, want not!).  I now hope to apply this ethos to this, my novel blogging endeavor.  In the future--on this very blog! -- I hope to post a variety of recipes from all over Asia; share my experiences shopping for any exotic ingredients; and my trials, tribulations, and (maybe, just maybe) successes in recreating them.  Interspersed with all that goodness will be interesting facts about the regions I am culling recipes from.  I hope all this sounds at least mildly intriguing to anyone with a taste for culinary adventure.  If so, I hope you find my insights and experience worth tuning in for!  Until next time!

Bon Appétit,

Ross