Archive | Asia RSS feed for this section

Mmm Masala Chai

by Wei Su on 2011/05/12 in Asia, North America, World Recipes and Ingredients

As the weather continues to flip-flop here in Toronto, a lovely Saturday sitting by the docks with an ice cream cone in hand has now turned back to avoiding a windy night snugged in at home with a hot beverage watching re-runs of old shows that I am way to0 ashamed to admit to enjoying :) Anyways, let’s re-wind. Earlier that night, prior to the dated and uninspired television marathon, I had a massive craving for spiced tea! Since it was so unbearably cold out, instead of a quick visit to my local barista, I opted to whip up a batch myself. The end product was a delicious masala chai latte!

To us Westerners, “Chai” is a type of spiced tea, and a “Chai Latte” (yum-o!) is a spiced milk tea that is sweetened. However in India and in other countries, chai (which comes from the Chinese word cha) simply means tea. Masala chai on the other hand, is the spice blended tea that we routinely call “Chai”, therefore Chai Tea literally means “Tea tea” (and now, the etymology lesson is over). Masala Chai in India is what Coffee is in North America; many consume on average of four cups a day. Chai Wallahs, chai street vendors, sell this popular drink to pedestrians in the droves. Originally created as a cleansing and balancing beverage following the principles of Ayurvedic philosophy, Masala Chai also has many beneficial and healing properties.

Masala chai is prepared by brewing tea leaves and spices over heat (instead of our common practice of steeping tea in pre-heated water). All families in India have their own special way of preparing Masala Chai using a variety of spices. Let’s take a peek at some of the common spices used and how you can re-create the deliciousness without the help of your local barista (and minus the extra sugar & non-pleasant additives!) You can find big bags of these spices at your local grocery store (approx. $1.99-3.99 per 100g bags), or spend an adventure filled afternoon exploring House of Spice in Kensington market… they literally have every spice possible.

Cinnamon Bark or Cinnamon Sticks: To get the most flavour out of your pot of masala chai, use cinnamon bark or sticks instead of the more commonly found ground cinnamon. Gently crush your cinnamon stick before immersing it your pot. Cinnamon is not only delicious, but also healthy. Research has shown that cinnamon can help reduce LDL cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and can relieve pain from inflammation.

Cloves: Before cloves turn brown from being dried, they are actually a pink flower bud that grows from the clove tree. Cloves, which are added whole to infuse Masala Chai, give the beverage a sweet flavour. Cloves are high in vitamin C, K, and rich in dietary fibre. There is also some evidence that Eugenol, a chemical component of clove oil, is an effective anti-fungal.

Cardamom: Cardamom seeds come in a green or black variety. For the purpose of making Masala Chai, choose green cardamom seeds as black seeds are more commonly used in savory dishes. Crush the seed gently to let out the full flavour. Cardamom seeds are a natural breath freshener and help with digestion.

Once you have your spices on hand, follow these easy steps to make your own Masala Chai.

Ingredients: Serves 2

2 cups of milk (preferably organic and 2%)
2 cups of water
2 cinnamon sticks
8 cardamom pods
6 cloves
2 tsp of honey or brown sugar
4 tsp of any black tea (for a decaffeinated version, try rooibos tea; if using green tea, do not seep tea for more than 3 minutes or tea will become bitter)

Method:

1) Add water and milk in a pan and turn heat on low.
2) Add cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves, and allow herbs and liquid to infuse and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
3) Add sugar and tea leaves, allowing concoction to seep for approximately 5 minutes.
4) Strain the tea into pretty mugs
5) Serve to yourself and a special someone, and enjoy :)

PS. There are a ton of other spices you can add to your infusion – pepper, ajwain, allspice, coriander seeds, fennel, licorice root, nutmeg, vanilla bean, etc. So get creative and try out different combinations!! I would love to hear in the comments below how your Masala Chai turned out, and which spices you choose!

[Picture courtesy of miansari]

Comments { 0 }
japanese-curry

Japanese Curry (カレー karē) – One of Japan’s Most Popular Dish

by Jing on 2011/04/05 in Asia, Featured Article, World Recipes and Ingredients

japanese-curry

I was first introduced to Japanese curry at a very young age during a play date with my Japanese friend. I instantly fell in love with it and insisted that my mother make it for me. Ever since, it’s become a common bulk-food staple for my family to serve week after week. Thankfully that doesn’t happen anymore, and since my curry urge with last week’s Thai Green Curry, I wanted something with curry but very different.

The Japanese are actually obsessed with this dish, and it’s becoming almost a national dish that’s been served since the early nineteenth century thanks to British naval fleets. It’s so popular that instant sauce mixes have been available for decades and can be bought almost anywhere. There are a lot of varieties, but the most basic Japanese curry contains onions, carrots, potatoes, and any meat stewed in a thick and creamy curry sauce. Served over Japanese short grain rice, it becomes a satisfying saucy mix where each spoonful contains a nice amount of curry and rice. And for those intolerant for spice, not to worry, there’s only the merest hint.

japanese-curry-mix

Glico has always been the go-to family brand, but lately I’ve tried a “newer” brand extension from Glico I found in the supermarket: Zeppin.  Of the two, I prefer the original maybe because I was brought up by it. But Zeppin provides a really rich curry taste compared to Glico’s lighter curry mix. Of course, there’s a large variety of Japanese curry mixes out there that’s dominated by three main brands: House Foods, S&B Foods, and Glico. House Foods sold it first in powdered form and has since remained the dominant brand. Ironically, I like the smallest brand for Japanese curry!

When cooking Japanese curry, you can use any type of meat; I typically use chicken, but in Beijing I had it over over katsu (fried breaded pork cutlet) which adds an interesting crisp to it. Even if you can’t read the Japanese directions, it’s very easy to make: slightly cook your veggies and meat, pour in some water, mix in the Japanese curry sauce block, let simmer, and presto – delicious Japanese style curry! I prefer to serve over Japanese short grain rice, it just provides the right texture for the creamy curry sauce as opposed to stickier rice versions… but whether paired with udon noodles or bread, this dish is delicious!

Comments { 5 }

Basking under the Bali sun and Eating Seafood on the Beach

by charlene on 2011/03/15 in Asia, Featured Article, Food and Travel, Foodie Guide

bali-indonesia-jimbaran-beach

I love Bali. The $9USD massages by the beach, the seafood barbecues, and the feeling of bliss that you are away from the stresses of home. Before talking about the foodie dream beach, I would like to relate my experience with my driver in Bali, Indonesia.

Upon arriving in Bali, I went through a throng of drivers who were waiting for their arriving passengers to find my designated driver, Nyoman. Upon finding him, I thanked and tipped my luggage carrier who was also called Nyoman. I thought it was a strange coincidence but it wasn’t. What I discovered (from Nyoman the driver no less) is that the people in Bali generally have the same names. There are a ton of people called Nyoman, Putu, and Made. The system is such that if you are a first born and male or female, you get called “Putu”, “Wayan”or “Negah”. If you are second born you are called “Made” or “Kadek”. In case you are wondering, “Nyoman” is the third child. Nyoman commented on how lucky we were to get him. He’s usually busy with important delegates and today he decided to take a break from them. He’s supposedly driven Bill Clinton, the Sultan of Brunei, UN leaders, and various important CEOs. He even offered to have a police escort for us when we leave the hotel. Ever been driving on the road and suddenly you have to move to the side because the police are coming with someone important? He offered that experience for a day, for a mere $300 USD.

Anyway, Nyoman suggested that we visit Jimbaran beach which is a dream for any Food Trotter. It’s widely known for its fresh seafood kiosks along the stretch of the beach. Who doesn’t like barbecued seafood on one of the cleanest beaches in Bali? Sadly, he did not recommend a good restaurant to try because to him they all have the same standard. We went into one of the restaurants in a rush so I did not take down the name, but I assure you that it has the same standard as other seafood restaurants in Jimbaran. They all sell similar foods! There’s literally 20-30 seafood restaurants on Jimbaran so take your time to look through.

bali-indonesia-jimbaran-beach-2

Initially when I entered the restaurant, I was slightly disappointed. It looked empty inside so I thought it might not have been good. It was only when I went outside that I realized that most customers prefer to stay outside to enjoy the setting sunset. One tip about Jimbaran is that you should go around 5 to 6pm so that you can enjoy the sunset while you eat. There is plenty of fresh seafood at the entrance of the restaurant so you know that you are getting quality cuisine. My waiter brought me to the front where I could choose which lobster, fish, and crab I wanted.

Normally I hate choosing live seafood… I feel overwhelming guilt for those that I’m about to eat. The lobster in question stared me down with its beady eyes, with pincers ready to hurt if I decided to steam it. (Sorry, Lobster!) There are a variety of sauces to choose from: the traditional bali sauce, black pepper, chili, and so on. I ordered chili crab, lobster in traditional bali sauce, and steamed fish. To add on this tropical experience, I ordered a coconut.

bali-indonesia-jimbaran-beach-3

A tip, do not order the coconut. It’s not a small sweet coconut, but rather a huge and sort of bitter in taste coconut.

The cuisine was enjoyable. The lobster was full of meat and one can taste the charcoal used to barbecue the meat. The chili crab was pretty good too but it really depends on your taste; I loved it but my parents did not enjoy it because they did not like the flavour. The steamed fish was fresh and delicious.

However, the highlight of the night was the grilled corn located in a small stand outside the restaurant and by the beach. Costing about $1-$2 per corn, it is a small price to pay for a taste of heaven. Sweet, salty and buttery with smell of it being delicately roasted in the charcoal grill made me want to buy a few more to eat. Sadly, my stomach couldn’t digest anymore food.

When you come to Bali, do take a stop over to Jimbaran for an good meal after a long tiring day of… resting at the beach.

[Pictures courtesy of Charlene, Aidil & Shaz, Emily in Singapore, Travel Living Bliss, cute8833, and mbiru]

Comments { 4 }

Tasting The Fruits of Gold (Chinese New Year Citrus)

by Nancy Huynh on 2011/02/24 in Asia, Featured Article, North America

citrus fruits mosaic

Final celebrations, such as humorous special variety shows streaming out of Taiwan and Hong Kong for local and diaspora audiences all over the world, signal that Chinese New Year festivities have officially come to an end (Feb 17th this year, which is the 15th day of the lunar calendar). But, it doesn’t mean the food comes to an end.  Some of us might be still working our way through leftovers, fruits, and candies our mums have packed for us, especially those mandarins, pomelos, and oranges.

Even if you don’t celebrate Chinese New Year, you may have noticed that it is indeed citrus season, pretty much all over the world.  During Chinese New Year, it is customary to bring citrus fruits to friends and relatives when you visit their homes.  Citrus fruits, with the golden and bright colours, represents fortune (read: gold), which we wish upon all of those who are dear to us.  Not all citrus fruits, however, are traditionally gifts, but I like to break with tradition go all out with all the (interesting) citrus I can find.

Pomelos are shaped like a bell, and have a greenish-yellow hue.  They are quite a large fruit with a very thick peel, and tastes closest to a grapefruit, but far less bitter.  This is one of the key Chinese New Year fruits, and they can be found in Asian grocers leading up to and shortly after Chinese New Year.  If you’re reading this out of citrus fruit season, you can get approximate the taste of pomelo by mixing gin and ginger ale.

Mandarin Oranges, in my opinion, are one of the cutest citrus fruit.  They are basically small sweet oranges with a deep orange peel.  For a show of freshness, they are sold with a few leaves intact, which makes them even more beautiful.  During Chinese New Year, large families will order these by the box for gifting purposes.  Mandarins are grown predominantly in China, and exported globally.

Seville Oranges as indicated by their name, they are from the Mediterranean region, and are sometimes referred to as “bitter orange” or “sour orange” — and with good reason! I shall warn you now that you do not want to eat these straight up!  (A mistake that I made last week during my citrus tasting session… no fear readers, I’ll take one for the team!)  On the other hand, Seville Oranges are great for making marmalades due to their higher pectin levels than other oranges; just remember to load up on sugar.

Tangelos are a peculiar Florida hybrid citrus that were cultivated by crossing tangerine and pomelo.  Taking its bell shape from the pomelo and colour from the tangerine, it’s a bit smaller than a navel orange. They essentially taste like tangerine, and retain none of the pomelo flavours.

Meyer Lemons are a special variety of the everyday lemon, and let me tell you: the price for these little guys are special too. Smoother and rounder than regular lemons, Meyer lemons are also sweeter than regular lemons. Popularized by haute cuisine chefs, Meyers are a symbol of culinary sophistication, but in China where they originate, they are ornamental plants. Meyers found in North American grocery stores and restaurants are from Florida.

These are the five citrus fruits that I find particularly interesting (and can get my hands on), but this list can go to great lengths.  New citrus fruits are continually created through curious hybridization by cultivators.  What interesting citrus fruits have you come across and tried?

Comments { 0 }
yu-sheng-chinese-new-year

The $188 salad during Chinese New Year in Singapore

by charlene on 2011/02/15 in Asia, Featured Article, Foodie Guide

yu-sheng-chinese-new-year

My family doesn’t normally like to eat vegetables. At every gathering, we prefer to feast on scrumptious dishes of meat: pork, beef, lamb, chicken, fish… you name it, we eat it. But every Chinese New Year Eve, you’ll see my uncles rushing to toss carrot and cucumber strips while beseeching good luck and more money in the coming year. It can be an other-worldy experience…. but Welcome to a typical Chinese New Years celebration in Singapore!

The Yusheng dish was started in the Southern Song dynasty but has been given a modern twist by a Singaporean chef called Than Mui Kai (who is also one of the 4 heavenly great chefs in Singapore during the 1960s!) I wish I had been alive then if only to try their cooking because my older family members often lament about the food of the good old days.

Lets go back to Yusheng.

For many families in Singapore, the first item on the menu would be Yusheng. Literally translated, Yusheng means “raw fish”. It stands that it is a raw fish salad which is tossed for good luck and fortune. It consists of about 17 ingredients (a lot considering it’s just a salad), with each ingredient symbolizing some kind of good fortune for those who consume it.

yu-sheng-chinese-new-year-3

For example: eating carrots and daikon brings good luck and prosperity, sweet fruits such as pomelo and candied melon symbolize good fortune, and crispy crackers represent nuggets, as in golden nuggets for more money!!

Having Yusheng on the table is a ritual. This ritual is also referred as “lo hei” or toss up. The higher you toss, the more fortune you will get. First, the waitress will balance a large plate on one hand and serve it down swiftly in front of you. She smiles and wishes you Happy New Year before getting ready to prepare the salad. First she will start by dressing the salmon (or any other fish) with lime slices while reciting the phrase “nian nian you yu” (年年有余) or “every year has fish”, a Chinese proverb meaning “abundance throughout the year”. She then adds pomelo over the dish and says the phrase “da li da ji” 大力打击 meaning “luck and auspicious value”. This goes on until all the ingredients are added, one by one.

Next you will be served long chopsticks which are approximately the length of your arm. This is to enable you to toss your salad the highest you can. Generally everyone stands up to perform this because of everyone wants to toss it higher and higher up. Its also less messy this way. After tossing the salad, you are allowed to put a serving onto your plate.

yu-sheng-chinese-new-year-2

What does Yusheng taste like? It’s sweet and crunchy, and tastes of sweet plum sauce and crunchy peanut. It has come to my attention that those in the younger generation love Yusheng whereas the older generation generally don’t favour the taste. Personally, I’m crazy over it.

Yusheng has become quite the icon in Singapore and it’s safe to say almost no one celebrates Chinese New Year without it. However, the original version has since been modified in order to cater to different tastes and budgets.

The most basic and cost-friendly form of yusheng is ordering the dish without fish slices. However, many splurge and order with fish slices and from there, they can choose from salmon, tuna, or mackerel. Some places I recommend for this are Soup Restaurant (B1-07 ,290 Orchard Paragon) or Grand Shanghai (Level ground of Grand Corpthrone Hotel, 392 Havelock Road). Both restaurants are great for Yusheng but both offer very different ambiances. Soup Kitchen is tailored after the Chinese women construction workers that came in the early 1900s offering homey cuisine. Grand Shanghai focuses on the sassy songstress era of the 1940s in China’s busiest city. The prices are more steep at Grand Shanghai with its minimum price of $48 for Yusheng versus $38 for Soup Kitchen.

For those looking for something more upscale, say Yusheng with added gold dust and champagne jelly, I suggest trying out Jade restaurant (Fullerton Hotel, 1 Fullerton Square ). The price is $48 as well but for a much smaller portion compared to Grand Shanghai. Still, it’s worth it for those wanting to ring in the New Year right!!

YuSheng can go up to $188 which is quite a big sum for raw carrots. But hey, us chinese are known for being calculative with money so why not let loose once a year?

Comments { 1 }
chinese-new-year-food

Rabbits and Dumplings: Happy Chinese New Years

by Wei Su on 2011/02/02 in Asia, Featured Article

chinese-new-year-food

Legend has it that the animals for the Chinese zodiac were chosen long long ago when the Emperor of Heaven decided there should be a way to measure time. Thus, on his birthday, he announced that all the animals of the kingdom that there would be a race taking place. For the first 12 animals to make it to the finish line, they would each have a designated year of the zodiac named after them, starting with the rat and ending with the pig. Some believe that you inherit the personality traits and demeanor of the animal year you were born in, and many also follow that the happenings of each year is influenced by the animal of that particular year. The Year of the Rabbit, beginning on February 3rd 2011, is predicted to be a peaceful, quiet and positive year where personal development, family ties, friendships, and love lives will be strengthened. Here’s hoping that this prediction rings true for 2011!

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival (symbolizes the end of winter and beginning of spring as farmers begin to plant for the coming harvest) is one of the most important Chinese holidays celebrated. Chinese New Years falls on a different date each year, as the Chinese calendar is based on a combination of the solar and lunar calendar (i.e. very complex astronomical calculations): the day the second new moon rises after the winter solstice. Unlike North American New Years, Chinese New Year festivities go on for 15 days ending with the much anticipated Lantern Festival.

Today (February 2nd), is Chinese New Year’s Eve, a day where all family members come together for the annual feast or chu xi (reunion dinner) to give thanks for the year and prepare for a prosperous New Year. All the dishes served during Chu Xi are meaningful and usually eight dishes, which symbolizes prosperity, are served. They caution that only an even number of dishes are made in order to ensure that the family experiences “double happiness”.

I usually do not partake in this momentous feast since CNYE always happens to fall smack in the middle of midterms or during a busy work week, but here are some things that I will be missing tonight (my parents aren’t too in touch with traditions, and are fluttering their way through San Francisco as we speak, so they really cannot fault me for not coming home).

chinese-new-year-dumpling-fish-noodles

Dumplings – Growing up, my whole family would gather together during the afternoon and make dumplings from scratch. My dad would roll out the dough, while my mom, grandmother, and myself would wrap various fillings (e.g pork and chives, cabbage and shrimp) into the dough. Dumplings, which are shaped like ancient Chinese currency, are eaten in the midnight hours of CNYE because they represent bringing prosperity and good luck into the upcoming year. Last year, my girlfriends and I set up shop in my tiny apartment and carried out this beautiful tradition, although we did cheat and bought the dumpling shells pre made. Maybe next year we will be more ambitious.

Sticky Cake or Nian Gao – This delicious sticky cake made from glutinous rice and is extremely popular during Chinese New Year. The Chinese word “Nian” which literally means sticky, has the same sound as the word “Year”, and “Gao” meaning cake, sounds like the word for “high”. Therefore, by eating sticky cake, it symbolically means that you will be raising yourself higher in all aspects of life the coming year. Nian Gao can be made either sweet with red bean or lotus paste, or savory when stir fried with meats, onions, and vegetables. Nian Gao is very chewy, has a texture similar to Mochi (which I also love), and is one of my favorite CNY foods! Eat it while it’s hot though since the cake does tend to gets to get tougher/ less appetizing once it’s cooled.

Lettuce Wraps – More common in Cantonese culture, spicy diced chicken or pan fried minced pork, are often eaten wrapped in lettuce. Symbolically, the word for lettuce sounds similar to the words “growing good fortunes”, so you will most definitely see some type of dish featuring lettuce at your CNYE celebration.

Whole Steamed Fish – Steamed fish is a popular Chinese dish that you will see on the menu of any restaurant. Usually, the steamed fish are fish with soft white meat such as carp (most common in China), tilapia, halibut, sole, grouper, etc. The fish is very fresh (think just out of the tank alive 30 minutes ago…) and topped with soy sauce, ginger, and scallions. Simple yet delicious. This dish is more important during CNY because it represents surplus and abundance because of the sound of the word for “fish”. To add more meaning, the fish is served whole (head, tail, you name it) to emphasize a good beginning and a good end to the year, and is usually served towards the end of the meal. Not all of the fish is consumed New Years Eve, since leftovers are expected to be eaten on New Years Day, signalling that the family will have abundance from the previous year brought into the new year.

Longevity Noodles - A variety of noodle possibilities are served during the Chinese New Year Celebrations. Noodles symbolize long life, which is also why noodles on your birthday is especially important. Chinese superstitions warn against cutting your noodles as this could represent cutting your life short. So eat really long noodles!

Whole Chicken –  Again, like the fish, the chicken is presented as a whole including head, tail, and feet. This represents completeness as well as prosperity.

Happy Chinese New Years Food Trotter’s! Gong Hey Fat Choy, Gong Xi Fa Cai — wishing you a prosperous new year! Just remember to avoid sweeping the floor or cleaning and washing your hair on New Years Day… you don’t want all your luck to be swept or washed away. Have a fantabulous Year of the Rabbit!

[photos courtesy of ulterior epicure, chinesenewyear, globalveggie, koreanpress]

Comments { 2 }

Congee – Is It More Worldly Than You?

by Nancy Huynh on 2011/01/27 in Asia, Featured Article

I’ve been under the weather for a few days and on the third day woke up with chills and a fever. I get sick like this once a year and I loathe this period with the fury of 10,000 feverish toddlers. As a toddler, my grandma, my PoPo, would feed me congee every time she thought I was coming down with something.

Congee can be eloquently described as silky rice in a savoury broth with ginger and scallions; it can also be simply described as watery-rice. What my grandmother made was watery-rice. There are many regional variations of congee, but the formula is essentially making rice with way more water or broth than you would normally use to cook rice. Most people are familiar with the Cantonese version of congee where it often comes with bits of barbecued or roasted meat, seafood, veggies, and the infamous ‘thousand year old egg’. As per the Cantonese restaurants, you are encouraged to order congee with a side of yao tiew / you tiao (油条) – deep fried dough fritter stick.

congee2

Because my PoPo was a Teochew migrant to Vietnam during the reign of Mao, she has her own special way of making congee. Understanding that she lived through two eras in which ‘the communist took-over’, wars ensued, and famines came, it stands to reason that my PoPo learned to cook with very little. Even after decades of living in Canada, her congee is simply watery-rice, with a side dish of pickled (read: salty) mustard leaves. Unfortunately for me, my mother learned to cook from my PoPo. In other Teochew households, I’ve eaten far more elaborate congees. Perhaps borrowing from the way Vietnamese would make it, it’s a hearty meal with shredded chicken or duck, small chunks of blood jello, pork offal, bean sprouts, scallions, and fish sauce to taste.

Congee was traditionally eaten by the young and the elderly (for it’s simplicity and easy texture), and during times of famine. Nowadays, it is traditionally eaten during one of the following times: breakfast, late night snack, or when sick. I like to eat it regularly, complementing it with fried noodles or dim sum, to give my stomach a good base for the greasier foods.

If you go to a Korean Hot Pot restaurant, you might get the option of turning your leftover broth into congee. I’ve only been to one place where this has happened, but it seems like a great idea. Why let the delicious broth go to waste?! Congee is a widely eaten throughout Asia, in countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Burma, The Philippines, Japan, Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. I speculate that it’s eaten in even more places around the world through migration of various diasporas. For the most part congee only makes it on the menus of Cantonese restaurants in Canada, but as a true foodie, you should know that congee variations are as (if not more) well-travelled than you are.

[Photos courtesy of StudioGabe, Atomische • Tom Giebel, JoeGray, food for four, and ahbern.blogspot.com]

Comments { 2 }
lamb-rendang

World Recipe: Indonesian Lamb Rendang (a Fusion of Bali and New Zealand)

by Julia on 2011/01/20 in Asia, Featured Article, World Recipes and Ingredients

lamb-rendang

Looks like this year is going to be quite an eventful year! First, I would like to send my thoughts and prayers to everyone who have been affected by the recent floods. We were pretty lucky here with just some minor floods in our garage and garden, but no major damage.

I am super excited to tell you that I’ve made travel plans to visit New Zealand and Bali in a few weeks and today’s recipe is a fusion what both countries are known for (rendang from Bali, and lamb from NZ). The original recipe comes from a really old recipe book I found at the market a few weeks ago called “Curries From the Burra Bazaar” by Doris Ady. It was published in 1983 and features all sorts of dishes from the Burmese and South-East Asia region. I’ve substituted the beef with lamb and replaced some of the ingredients that were hard to find.

Rendang originates from Indonesia and is also popular around Malaysia and Singapore. It is commonly made is beef and cooked in a spiced coconut liquid for hours until the meat is tender and the flavours are absorbed into the meat. The measurements are not precise and you can play around with the ingredients to taste. The point of Asian curries is to blend many ingredients together so that none predominates, but all subtly enhance each other. This recipe will take a while to make, but it’s worth the effort in the end.

lamb-rendang

Lamb Rendang

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg (2.2lb) lamb meat, cubed
  • 250g (about 4) onions
  • 1 piece of ginger about the size of your thumb
  • 5-6 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon powder
  • glug of oil
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander (cilantro) powder
  • 1sp ground cumin powder
  • 2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ chili powder
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, cut in half
  • 1 tsp ground fennel
  • a little less than ½ cup coconut cream
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 3 tbsp salt

Topping:

  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 lime or 1/4 lemon, juiced

Directions:

  • Heat oil and fry pieces of meat until brown on the outside. Remove from heat and keep aside.
  • Put the onions, garlic, ginger and cinnamon into a food processor and grind, but not to a pulp.
  • In a big saucepan, add a little bit of oil and fry up the onion mixture for 10 min, stirring often
  • Pour 1 cup of water and add the rest of the ingredients except for the remaining water
  • Put the meat back into the pot and add the rest of the water. Bring to a boil and then simmer it, uncovered, until nearly all the liquid has dried up and the meat is very tender. This will take about 3 hours.
  • Stir occasionally, but more so as the sauce starts to thicken. Take out the lemongrass stalks and mix in the sugar and lime/lemon juice before serving.
  • Serve with steamed rice, steamed or stir-fired veggies.
Comments { 3 }

Food Not Bombs! A Taste of North Korean Cuisine Outside the DMZ

by foodtrotter on 2011/01/06 in Asia, Food and Travel News

Ever wanted to cross the demilitarized zone (DMZ) to savor real North Korean food without the chance of being killed or held captive as a political toy? As a real foodie, do YOU take risks in eating things that may be hazardous to your health? What if the risks involve indefinite incapacitation like a bullet to the head? Though its unlikely you can cross to DMZ for a quick bite, you can now try North Korean cuisine at various North Korean restaurant chains found around the world in China, Nepal, Thailand, and Dubai. With best-known exports like conventional weapons of mass destruction, noodles and kimchi are now the next best thing.

north-korean-cuisine

Known as the Okryu-Gwan restaurant chain, an all-female staff serve Pyongyang cuisine to foreigners in colorful gowns and half-decent English. NPR’s Peter Kenyon describes his experience as a synthesized on-stage karaoke and an extensive menu list. Personally, I’ve always had a fascination with North Korea. Maybe its the belligerent behavior towards the West or the curious lifestyle of  “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-il. For now, I’ll err on the side of caution by avoiding a trip to North Korea and try my chances at an Okryu-Gwan restaurant chain. Most importantly, has anyone been to this North Korean restaurant in Dubai or elsewhere?!??! Let us know and I’ll personally write you a thank you letter addressed as Dear Leader!

For more info about the North Korean Okryu-Gwan restaurant, please visit Fast Company and NPR.

[Photos courtesy of Fast Company,  Deli-Prince and NPR]

Comments { 2 }

Eating Osechi-Ryori during the New Years in Japan

by Jen Tsai on 2010/12/28 in Asia, Featured Article

japanese-osechi-ryori

With the holidays in full swing, there’s no better time to talk about foods you only see at this time of the year than now. Christmas is more of a western holiday and the Japanese tend to let it pass without much thought aside from their ‘traditional’ KFC and Christmas cake dinner; yes, this is what the Japanese think Christmas dinner consists of. However, one thing the Japanese population don’t skimp on is New Years!

For the average salaryman, they tend to start their winter holidays on December 30th and go back to work on January 5th. This gives the average household enough time to return to their hometown to visit family and their local temple or shrine at the start of the New Year. You’ll find all stores open on Christmas day, but the city is dead come New Years Day as nothing is open. By western standards this is a short winter vacation, isn’t it? But that’s how things roll here in Japan.

japanese-osechi-ryori-2

Just like in all other countries, shops tend to close for the New Year holiday — in most cases just on January 1st. But in smaller towns, stores can be closed for a longer period of time than in the big cities. This causes a problem when it comes to groceries. Japanese homes are fairly small by western standards, and the furniture tends to compliment the size of the home. This means that the household fridge is particularly miniature, about the size for a college dorm room! This also means that Japanese people go grocery shopping everyday!

With that in mind, many Japanese families tend to buy something they call osechi-ryori. This is the traditional New Year food here in Japan. First introduced during the Heinan Period, osechi-ryori is basically a bento (boxed lunch) prepared in advanced, stored in a cool place and reheated when it is to be eaten during the first three days if the new year. Nowadays, the typical Japanese housewife will purchase these osechi-ryori from a depachkia (the department store basements – I will explain this further down) up to one or two months in advance depending on how elaborate the food is in the bento. An osechi can set you back anywhere from ¥4,000 ($40) to ¥100,000 ($1,000). The reason why families go out and purchase these osechi is because it is considered a taboo to cook in the New Year.

Osechi-ryori is comprised of many different types of Japanese food with specific meanings to each dish – prosperity, health and good fortune. Along with the symbolic meaning to each component is the presentation. For the Japanese, presentation is very important. This is especially so with the new years osechi, where color and shape require special attention in regards to presentation. Some common components you will find in osechi are:

  • daidai – a Japanese bitter orange which symbolizes wishes for kids;
  • datemaki – sweet rolled omlette mixed with fish paste which symbolizes wishes for many auspicious days;
  • kamaboko – brolied fish paste, colored red and white, sliced and placed in a pattern which symbolizes the Japanese rising sun;
  • kazunoko – herring roe which is symbolic in that you will be gifted with many children in the New Year;
  • konbu – a type of seaweed that represents joy;
  • tai – red sea-bream which is symbolic for auspicious events;
  • tazukuri - dried sardines cooked in soy sauce which represents an abundant harvest.

There are many other different types of food offered in an osechi that I have not listed here.

japanese-depachika-department-store

As I mentioned above, many households would purchase their osechi-ryori from a depachika. Depachika literally translates to “department store basement food stalls.” This means that in most department stores in Japan, in the basement, you will find either one or two floors of just food shopping. Usually one floor is an actual grocery store (prices for items are higher here and you can sometimes find some international foods and ingredients), while the other floor is comprised of many small food stalls. These stalls can sell anything from cakes, baked goods to okashi (snacks) and omiyage (souvenirs) to give to others. It is on this floor where you can pre-order and buy your osechi.

As families purchase osechi, they also purchase osechi and omiyage for their families and friends they will see. Giving omiyage is a common practice here in Japan. The idea is if you were to travel somewhere for the day you would bring back an omiyage which is usually an okashi – cookies – to give to your co-workers. With this in mind, I have to buy at least 80 okashi-omiage for all the teachers in my school… yikes!!

For more great info regarding Japanese osechi0-ryori during the new year, visit KyotoFoodie

[Pictures courtesy of Tokyokawaii, Hostel64, Kyotofoodie, and photographersdirect]

Comments { 2 }