Different cultures have different tastes.....here we goooo....amazing Asian Food culture!!!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Spicy Food In Asian
How to Make SPICY FOOD?
Ingredients 2 cups fresh orange juice 1 cup canned pineapple juice 2 tablespoons orange zest 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 2 tablespoons minced green onions 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup mirin 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes 3 quarts peanut oil, for frying 10 pounds chicken wings, separated at the joints, wing tips reserved for another use 2 cups cornstarch Crushed red pepper flakes Salt 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
Directions
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Taste of Vietnam: Northern, Middle and Southern Food Gallery
Firstly, we sampled Pho Cuon - tender pho flavoured beef strips with lettuce, onion and coriander rolled in freshly steamed rice paper rolls. Meltingly soft and flavourful, they are truly a must for any Pho (yes, ‘fur’) fan. They were Asian‘s favourites, too.
We then moved on to the other signature dish, Banh Xeo – paper thin egg pancake stuffed with prawns, pork, bean sprouts and vegetables. Served with fresh herbs and lettuce leaves as well as its own special sauce, the idea is to wrap your own using lettuce leaves as the skin. A great dish for those who’d like an extra serving of greens in their diet without compromising on other flavours and yummy godness inside.
Since this was a pre-opening tasting, we couldn’t go past the three more substantial tasting plates. First up on our journey through Vietnam, the Taste of Saigon which is also the restuarant’s signature dish and includes a sample of Goi Cuon – prawn and pork rice paper rolls with a Southern peanut sauce and Chao Tom – juicy grilled prawn paste wrapped around sugar cane skewers served with vermicelli, herbs, lettuce and roll your own rice paper wraps.
Next up the Taste of Hue, home of Last Emperor where there were many food created specially for our King before. The platter comes with the usual trimmings of vermicelli noodles, lettuce, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs to accompany a serving of Nem Nuong – grilled pork meatballs, which are moist and have a wonderful barbecue flavour. A generous serving of Banh Cuon Tom – finely shredded prawn wrapped in freshly steamed rice paper completes the dish.
My personal favourite though, is the Taste of Hanoi. This is also our capital city, my hometown- Northern of Vietnam. Home to the historic and alluring capital, Northern Vietnam cuisine retains many French influences from a by-gone era. The platter consists of Banh Cuon – mushroom and minced pork steamed rice paper roll with freid shallots. It’s melt in your mouth perfection of flavours and textures and by far my favourite dish of the day. I’m a big mushroom fan but my fellow diners tend to agree that the rolls are something else! The other part of the Hanoi experience is Cha Nuong Ha Noi – grilled marinated pork skewers served with the wrap your own trimmings. They taste fresh and are a good serving of all meat for those who prefer their protein in the form of meat.
My close second favourite of the day was Goi Ngo Sen – lotus stem and mix vegetable salad with grilled pork and prawn. Crunchy and fresh with a wonderful blend of lime juice, fish sauce and peanuts in the dressing. It’s a side salad, but it’s big on flavour and generous in serving – I would happily order this as my “main” and be completely satisfied. Oh and it comes with a handful of prawn chips on the side, that’s always a bonus.
To round up the experience we also tried one of the few fried dishes on the menu, the Cha Gio – lightly fried spring rolls of crab, prawn, pork, egg mushrooms and vegetables, and Cuon Roi – a vegetarian tofu and vegetable steamed rice paper roll. While the spring rolls were nice, I am probably the last person who should be commenting on them because I’m not a big fan of fried foods, but those who tried them enjoyed them very much. The vegetarian tofu roll, on the other hand, has easily made it into my top 3 favourite dishes. Lightly smoky and really fresh, wrapped in soft rice paper pastry.
The food was super fresh with generous amounts of herbs, lettuce and pickles to balance the flavours of meat, extremely flavourful and each dish had its own characteristic flavour, which was nice to see. The menu is easy to navigate and you can order by numbers, as well as practice your Vietnamese as all dishes are spelled out phonetically as well. And yes, Pho = fur.
The absence of preservatives and a healthy serving of fun with every meal will definitely have me going back for more. A great concept and fine execution. And a place where grown ups can play with their food.
We then moved on to the other signature dish, Banh Xeo – paper thin egg pancake stuffed with prawns, pork, bean sprouts and vegetables. Served with fresh herbs and lettuce leaves as well as its own special sauce, the idea is to wrap your own using lettuce leaves as the skin. A great dish for those who’d like an extra serving of greens in their diet without compromising on other flavours and yummy godness inside.
Since this was a pre-opening tasting, we couldn’t go past the three more substantial tasting plates. First up on our journey through Vietnam, the Taste of Saigon which is also the restuarant’s signature dish and includes a sample of Goi Cuon – prawn and pork rice paper rolls with a Southern peanut sauce and Chao Tom – juicy grilled prawn paste wrapped around sugar cane skewers served with vermicelli, herbs, lettuce and roll your own rice paper wraps.
Next up the Taste of Hue, home of Last Emperor where there were many food created specially for our King before. The platter comes with the usual trimmings of vermicelli noodles, lettuce, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs to accompany a serving of Nem Nuong – grilled pork meatballs, which are moist and have a wonderful barbecue flavour. A generous serving of Banh Cuon Tom – finely shredded prawn wrapped in freshly steamed rice paper completes the dish.
My personal favourite though, is the Taste of Hanoi. This is also our capital city, my hometown- Northern of Vietnam. Home to the historic and alluring capital, Northern Vietnam cuisine retains many French influences from a by-gone era. The platter consists of Banh Cuon – mushroom and minced pork steamed rice paper roll with freid shallots. It’s melt in your mouth perfection of flavours and textures and by far my favourite dish of the day. I’m a big mushroom fan but my fellow diners tend to agree that the rolls are something else! The other part of the Hanoi experience is Cha Nuong Ha Noi – grilled marinated pork skewers served with the wrap your own trimmings. They taste fresh and are a good serving of all meat for those who prefer their protein in the form of meat.
My close second favourite of the day was Goi Ngo Sen – lotus stem and mix vegetable salad with grilled pork and prawn. Crunchy and fresh with a wonderful blend of lime juice, fish sauce and peanuts in the dressing. It’s a side salad, but it’s big on flavour and generous in serving – I would happily order this as my “main” and be completely satisfied. Oh and it comes with a handful of prawn chips on the side, that’s always a bonus.
To round up the experience we also tried one of the few fried dishes on the menu, the Cha Gio – lightly fried spring rolls of crab, prawn, pork, egg mushrooms and vegetables, and Cuon Roi – a vegetarian tofu and vegetable steamed rice paper roll. While the spring rolls were nice, I am probably the last person who should be commenting on them because I’m not a big fan of fried foods, but those who tried them enjoyed them very much. The vegetarian tofu roll, on the other hand, has easily made it into my top 3 favourite dishes. Lightly smoky and really fresh, wrapped in soft rice paper pastry.
The food was super fresh with generous amounts of herbs, lettuce and pickles to balance the flavours of meat, extremely flavourful and each dish had its own characteristic flavour, which was nice to see. The menu is easy to navigate and you can order by numbers, as well as practice your Vietnamese as all dishes are spelled out phonetically as well. And yes, Pho = fur.
The absence of preservatives and a healthy serving of fun with every meal will definitely have me going back for more. A great concept and fine execution. And a place where grown ups can play with their food.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Spicy Food in Asian
Hot Pot in Si Chuan Province
Hot Pot is but another Sichuanese institution – like teahouses and foggy skies – without which the locals would slowly wither and die. In fact, the overcast Sichuan sky and the damp conditions of the Sichuan basin make hot pot, chili peppers andhua jiao peppers a necessity.
Hot Pot is but another Sichuanese institution – like teahouses and foggy skies – without which the locals would slowly wither and die. In fact, the overcast Sichuan sky and the damp conditions of the Sichuan basin make hot pot, chili peppers andhua jiao peppers a necessity.
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Basically, hot pot is a combination of water, oil, and fiery hot peppers into which you dip bits of meat, vegetables, and tofu, fondue-style. The meat’s sliced very thin so it cooks up in a flash. My father-in-law chose ten types of protein-laden goodies ranging from the pedestrian (chicken, pork, lamb) to the somewhat bizarre (at least by wimpy American eating standards): pig livers, duck tongues, and tripe.
Hot Pot in Chongqing
Chongqing is the birth place of the hot pot in China. Once upon a time, it was a seasonal food designed to protect against the low temperatures and frigid windsof the winter. People would sit around a table, eat hot pot, and revel in the instant warmth that would flood their bodies. Hot pot has become more and more popular today, and it is widely enjoyed by people and regardless of seasons and regions.
Hot Pot in Cheng Du
The dirty truth about Chengdu Hot Pot is not just that restaurants might recycle their oil or even use oil intended for the sewers, but the unspeakable fact that so-called Chengdu or Sichuan hot pot originated in Chongqing. Chengdu Hot Pot is actually chuanchuan, which is a pot of hot spicy oil filled with skewers of vegetables and meat. The pot of oil is used by all customers, the only thing that is ordered fresh are the skewers, which might help to explain why the taint of recycled “Cancer Oil” did not really put a dent in the city’s hot pot business. Lines still stretch out every day at famous local hot pot restaurants because, for a lot of local people, recycled oil means flavorful oil.
How to make a professional hotpot?
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Everyday Food~~Chinese Garlic Chicken
Chinese Garlic Chicken
Chicken breasts are
seasoned with garlic and chile paste in this easy stir-fry.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
·
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
·
Marinade:
·
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
·
1 tablespoon dry sherry
·
Other:
·
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
·
2 green onions, finely chopped on the diagonal
·
a few drops sesame oil
·
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
·
1 tablespoon dry sherry
·
1/4 teaspoon chili paste
·
Oil for stir-frying
Preparation:
Cut the chicken
into bite-sized cubes. Place in a bowl, mix in the marinade ingredients and
marinate for about 20 - 25 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating, prepare the garlic and green onions. Combine the sesame oil, light soy sauce, sherry and chili paste in a bowl and set aside.
Heat wok and add oil. When oil is ready, add the marinated chicken. Stir-fry briefly on high heat, then add the garlic and green onion. Add the remaining ingredients and combine (total cooking time should be about 5 minutes). Serve hot with rice. Serves 4.
Cook's Notes: I make Garlic Chicken at home as a main dish, so the ratio of meat is higher than many Chinese recipes. I like to serve this dish with stir-fried baby corn and rice, and perhaps a bit of green onion and fresh tomatoes for garnish.
While the chicken is marinating, prepare the garlic and green onions. Combine the sesame oil, light soy sauce, sherry and chili paste in a bowl and set aside.
Heat wok and add oil. When oil is ready, add the marinated chicken. Stir-fry briefly on high heat, then add the garlic and green onion. Add the remaining ingredients and combine (total cooking time should be about 5 minutes). Serve hot with rice. Serves 4.
Cook's Notes: I make Garlic Chicken at home as a main dish, so the ratio of meat is higher than many Chinese recipes. I like to serve this dish with stir-fried baby corn and rice, and perhaps a bit of green onion and fresh tomatoes for garnish.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Everyday Food~~Fired Rice
Fired Rice---Basic Recipe
Ingredients:
·
1 - 2 green onions, as desired
·
2 large eggs
·
1 teaspoon salt
·
Pepper to taste
·
4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
·
4 cups cold cooked rice
·
1 - 2 tablespoons light soy sauce or oyster sauce, as desired
Preparation:
Wash and finely
chop the green onion. Lightly beat the eggs with the salt and pepper.
Heat a wok or frying pan and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the eggs. Cook, stirring, until they are lightly scrambled but not too dry. Remove the eggs and clean out the pan.
Add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the rice. Stir-fry for a few minutes, using chopsticks or a wooden spoon to break it apart. Stir in the soy sauce oroyster sauce as desired.
When the rice is heated through, add the scrambled egg back into the pan. Mix thoroughly. Stir in the green onion. Serve hot.
Heat a wok or frying pan and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the eggs. Cook, stirring, until they are lightly scrambled but not too dry. Remove the eggs and clean out the pan.
Add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the rice. Stir-fry for a few minutes, using chopsticks or a wooden spoon to break it apart. Stir in the soy sauce oroyster sauce as desired.
When the rice is heated through, add the scrambled egg back into the pan. Mix thoroughly. Stir in the green onion. Serve hot.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Everyday Food~ Almond Cookies
Traditional Almond Cookies
Chinese almond
cookies are a popular treat at Chinese bakeries.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
·
2 cups flour
·
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
·
1/8 teaspoon salt
·
1/2 cup butter
·
1/2 cup shortening
·
3/4 cup white sugar (can add up to 2 more tablespoons, if desired)
·
1 egg
·
2 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
·
1/4 pound whole, blanched almonds (one for each cookie)
·
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preparation:
1.Preheat oven to
325 degrees Fahrenheit (162.5 degrees Celsius).
2.In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter or margarine, shortening, and sugar. Add the egg and almond extract and beat until well blended. Add to the flour mixture and mix well. Note: The dough will be crumbly at this point, but don't worry - that is what it's supposed to be like.
3. Use your fingers to form the mixture into a dough, and then form the dough into 2 rolls or logs that are 10 to 12 inches long. Wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours (this will make it easier to shape the dough into circles).
4. Take a log and lightly score the dough at 3/4 inch intervals so that you have 15 pieces and cut the dough. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a lightly greased cookie tray, approximately 1 1/2 inches apart. Place an almond in the center of each cookie and press down lightly. Repeat with the remaining dough.
5. Brush each cookie lightly with beaten egg before baking. Bake for 15 minutes to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and store in a sealed container.
2.In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter or margarine, shortening, and sugar. Add the egg and almond extract and beat until well blended. Add to the flour mixture and mix well. Note: The dough will be crumbly at this point, but don't worry - that is what it's supposed to be like.
3. Use your fingers to form the mixture into a dough, and then form the dough into 2 rolls or logs that are 10 to 12 inches long. Wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours (this will make it easier to shape the dough into circles).
4. Take a log and lightly score the dough at 3/4 inch intervals so that you have 15 pieces and cut the dough. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a lightly greased cookie tray, approximately 1 1/2 inches apart. Place an almond in the center of each cookie and press down lightly. Repeat with the remaining dough.
5. Brush each cookie lightly with beaten egg before baking. Bake for 15 minutes to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and store in a sealed container.
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