วันจันทร์ที่ 30 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
Get a Taste of Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai is the northern most province in Thailand and a famous tourist spot for its natural wonders and the remnants of an ancient civilization. Situated at a height of about 2000mts above sea level, Chiang Rai is one of the best places to visit in Thailand for nature enthusiasts and eco-tourists. The hilly region is also popularly called the ‘Golden Triangle' as it sits in the border regions of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. Chiang Rai is a great place to experience the colorful and serene part of the Thai culture. Visitors staying at a great Chiang Rai hotel can view Nature parks and cultural centers, indulge in activities like trekking, mountain biking or experiencing Chiang Rai's vibrant nightlife, while holidaying can work up quite an appetite. Chiang Rai offers a scrumptious spread of some of the most original Thai cuisine, to pamper your taste buds.
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 29 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
Spicy Chicken and White Bean Soup
http:www.ChefEvelyn.com Check out my take on the classic "Chicken and Noodle Soup" I think this version is seriously stylish. Let me know what you think, Chef Evelyn Follow me on Facebook www.Facebook.com Follow me on Twitter: www.Twitter.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY7QjgNQ7lw&hl=en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY7QjgNQ7lw&hl=en
วันพุธที่ 25 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
Spices in Indian Curry
India - long identified for its spices more than anything else, still stands as a signal post for all that relates to spice today. In the past, many a country gave in to the lure of spice and did their best to invade this country. It is this very lure of spice that led to the discovery of the Americas as well. Rather than go into the ‘spice’ history, I have decided to do a short article on some of the major spices of India with a few relevant details.
Spices, something that none of us can go without these days, have ruled over the minds and hearts of men and women for quite a while now. Even today, spices would be perhaps one of the foremost things that most of the world would associate with the sub-continent.
Here is my list of some of the top 10 spices from India.
1. SAFFRON :
Saffron is one of the most delicate spices in the whole world. It is derived by drying the stigma of the flower Saffron Crocos . This spice is used both as a coloring as well as a seasoning agent. This spice is also one of the most expensive ones and is valued greatly for its coloring abilities more than anything else.
Usage - Saffron is mostly used as a coloring agent in sweets as well as Kheers. It lends the Kheer a quaint yellow color and also imbibes it with the flavor as well. A few strands of Saffron are first taken and then grounded up in a bow with a small amount of milk. When the milk turns light orange, then it is ready to be added to the Kheer.
A special point of interest in Indian cooking, Saffron is always added at the end of the preparation of a dish. This is in contrast to the European dishes like the Paella, where the Saffron is added either at the beginning or half way through.
2. BLACK CARDAMOM :
Black Cardamom also known as “Bada Elachi” (Big Cardamom in Hindi) is well defined by the smoky aroma. It is widely used as a flavoring agent like its green cousin. The black Cardamom is widely used in cooking all the way from India to China and has found its place in a variety of dishes ranging from the erstwhile Biryani to the noodle soup.
Usage - Black Cardamom is defined by its smoky aroma and is not used in Sweets like the green cardamom. Instead, it is used primarily in the preparation of Dals, Curries and Biryanis. It has a strong pungent aroma which is better suited for the preparation of curries than a kheer. It is stored in the same way as the green cardamom and the pods are released just before adding it to the dish. The black cardamom is also used in the preparation of the famous Garam Masala, a popular blend of Indian spices, used in several North-Indian dishes.
3. GREEN CARDAMOM :
Green Cardamom is a small seed pod with black seeds in the shell. This is used primarily for flavoring anything from drinking water to a cup of Chai (Indian Tea). It is small in size compared to the other cardamom variety but packs quite a nice aroma inside its pod. The green cardamom is also used in medicine to treat infections of the teeth and the gums.
Usage - Green cardamom is used mainly as a flavoring agent and it is best stored in its pod itself. Typically the pod should be opened just before the green cardamom is to be added to the dish be it a Kheer or a glass of Chai. To get the best optimum effect, it is better to just crack the pod and add the whole thing into the dish.
4. CINNAMON :
Cinnamon is a spice derived from the bark of an evergreen tree. Cinnamon is native to India and as such, its uses range from that of a flavoring agent to a medicinal agent. Cinnamon oil can also be prepared from this bark. The Cinnamon is used both as a condiment as well as a flavoring agent and is light-yellowish brown in color.
Usage - Cinnamon stick is used in Indian cooking for the preparation of Pulao (also spelled Pilaf at times), Biryanis and certain curries. While using it to cook Pulao, one should sauté the Cinnamon stick in a little bit of oil until one can feel the aroma wafting high. Cinnamon is also used in traditional medicine to treat toothaches as well as bad breath.
5. GINGER :
Ginger a perennial plant that adds its own bite to the food and is more of the stem than the root as is commonly believed. Ginger is found all over India and it has a pungent taste that is unmistakable. Ginger besides adding flavor to ones food is also known for its medicinal properties as well. Their medicinal uses range from being used in the preparation of many an Ayurveda drug to the ever famous 'Ginger tea'.
Culinary wise, Ginger has a place of its own. It is predominantly used in the grounded form in Indian cooking. It is used to flavor North-Indian curries as well as the South-Indian favorites - Rasam and Sambar.
Usage - Ginger is used as both fresh and dried forms. It is the fresh ones that give the bite to one's food. Ginger is utilized both in cooking and medicine. In cooking, Ginger is first grounded up and then used but there are a few Indian dishes where thin silvers of ginger are added up to the dish. Ginger is also predominantly used in Chinese foods as well.
6. CORIANDER POWDER:
Coriander also known as Cilantro is a herb with a fresh, sweet aroma. The Coriander powder also known as Dhania powder is an essential item in almost every single Indian household. It is used as a flavoring agent in dals and curries. It imparts the dish with its unique aroma of freshness. The coriander seeds are first dried up, grounded into a powder form after which they are stored in dry packets.
Usage - The coriander powder is used in Curries, Rasam and Sambar. One of the unique abilities of this spice is to make the dish seem 'lighter'. The Coriander powder is used in the beginning of the preparation of the dish so as to impart is flavor to all the ingredients of the dish, whereas, Coriander leaves are usually sprinkled as garnish or finishing on top of prepared dishes.
7. ASAFOETIDA :
Asafetida also known as 'the devil's dung' is known for its pungent odor. It originated in the Americas but, in the recent past, seems to have made its home in the sub-continent. Asafetida is prepared from the sap of a plant which is later dried into a grayish resin like substance. Asafetida is quite hard and often has to be broken down with the help of a hammer or any other substitute.
Usages - It is used as a condiment and flavoring agent in cooking. It gives that special flavor to the Rasams and Sambars of Southern India. Generally it is sautéed in oil or ghee and then added to the dish, be it a Dal or a Rasam. One should take care to store Asafetida in air tight containers to avoid your kitchen from smelling like the Devil's dung.
8. CUMIN :
Cumin is widely used in Indian kitchens, mainly as a flavoring agent and as a condiment in certain dishes. Evidence of Cumin usages have been found to date from the second millennium B.C.
Usage - All Curries and Dals have cumin in them in small quantities. Cumin gives these dishes an aroma that serves to enhance the dish further. It is used in the beginning of the preparation of the dish and as the flames heat the cumin seeds, it starts to give off its flavor. Cumin can also be used in the powdered form but for stronger aroma, it is best to use the seeds as they are.
9. PEPPER :
Pepper is known as the 'King of all spices' and with reason. This is one of the spices that were responsible for making Indian spices famous during the medieval times. Pepper is derived from the berries of the pepper tree, and they come mainly in two varieties, black pepper and white pepper.
Usage - Black pepper is slightly different in taste from White pepper, one hits the tip of the tongue where as the other one hits the back of the tongue. The black pepper is the dried berry, whereas the white pepper is just the seed alone. They are used to flavor a variety of dishes from soups to the main courses.
10. CURRY LEAF :
Curry leaves are as essential to Indian cooking as bay leaves are to European ones. The curry leaves as well as the oil that is obtained from are highly prized not just as a flavoring agent but also for the medicinal properties of the oil. You might find it interesting that Curry leaves have nothing to do with the colloquial word 'curry' that is widely used in the western world as a generalization for spicy Indian dishes.
Usage - Curry leaves are used as a flavoring agent mainly in Southern India. These aromatic leaves are best used when they are fresh. They are generally used to flavor a dish right at the end of the preparation. The leaves are crushed by the hand to help release the flavor.
Hope you find this listing helpful. Here's a piece of trivia for you to end this article - Did you know that India also has the only known 'Spice exchange' in the world? In fact, in the town of Kochi in Kerala, along the south-west border of the country, there is an exchange market that deals with one spice alone - Pepper. Trading goes on pretty much every day and it's quite interesting to watch. So the next time you are in Kerala, take a breather and pay a visit to their Spice Exchage.
Happy cooking!
Spices, something that none of us can go without these days, have ruled over the minds and hearts of men and women for quite a while now. Even today, spices would be perhaps one of the foremost things that most of the world would associate with the sub-continent.
Here is my list of some of the top 10 spices from India.
1. SAFFRON :
Saffron is one of the most delicate spices in the whole world. It is derived by drying the stigma of the flower Saffron Crocos . This spice is used both as a coloring as well as a seasoning agent. This spice is also one of the most expensive ones and is valued greatly for its coloring abilities more than anything else.
Usage - Saffron is mostly used as a coloring agent in sweets as well as Kheers. It lends the Kheer a quaint yellow color and also imbibes it with the flavor as well. A few strands of Saffron are first taken and then grounded up in a bow with a small amount of milk. When the milk turns light orange, then it is ready to be added to the Kheer.
A special point of interest in Indian cooking, Saffron is always added at the end of the preparation of a dish. This is in contrast to the European dishes like the Paella, where the Saffron is added either at the beginning or half way through.
2. BLACK CARDAMOM :
Black Cardamom also known as “Bada Elachi” (Big Cardamom in Hindi) is well defined by the smoky aroma. It is widely used as a flavoring agent like its green cousin. The black Cardamom is widely used in cooking all the way from India to China and has found its place in a variety of dishes ranging from the erstwhile Biryani to the noodle soup.
Usage - Black Cardamom is defined by its smoky aroma and is not used in Sweets like the green cardamom. Instead, it is used primarily in the preparation of Dals, Curries and Biryanis. It has a strong pungent aroma which is better suited for the preparation of curries than a kheer. It is stored in the same way as the green cardamom and the pods are released just before adding it to the dish. The black cardamom is also used in the preparation of the famous Garam Masala, a popular blend of Indian spices, used in several North-Indian dishes.
3. GREEN CARDAMOM :
Green Cardamom is a small seed pod with black seeds in the shell. This is used primarily for flavoring anything from drinking water to a cup of Chai (Indian Tea). It is small in size compared to the other cardamom variety but packs quite a nice aroma inside its pod. The green cardamom is also used in medicine to treat infections of the teeth and the gums.
Usage - Green cardamom is used mainly as a flavoring agent and it is best stored in its pod itself. Typically the pod should be opened just before the green cardamom is to be added to the dish be it a Kheer or a glass of Chai. To get the best optimum effect, it is better to just crack the pod and add the whole thing into the dish.
4. CINNAMON :
Cinnamon is a spice derived from the bark of an evergreen tree. Cinnamon is native to India and as such, its uses range from that of a flavoring agent to a medicinal agent. Cinnamon oil can also be prepared from this bark. The Cinnamon is used both as a condiment as well as a flavoring agent and is light-yellowish brown in color.
Usage - Cinnamon stick is used in Indian cooking for the preparation of Pulao (also spelled Pilaf at times), Biryanis and certain curries. While using it to cook Pulao, one should sauté the Cinnamon stick in a little bit of oil until one can feel the aroma wafting high. Cinnamon is also used in traditional medicine to treat toothaches as well as bad breath.
5. GINGER :
Ginger a perennial plant that adds its own bite to the food and is more of the stem than the root as is commonly believed. Ginger is found all over India and it has a pungent taste that is unmistakable. Ginger besides adding flavor to ones food is also known for its medicinal properties as well. Their medicinal uses range from being used in the preparation of many an Ayurveda drug to the ever famous 'Ginger tea'.
Culinary wise, Ginger has a place of its own. It is predominantly used in the grounded form in Indian cooking. It is used to flavor North-Indian curries as well as the South-Indian favorites - Rasam and Sambar.
Usage - Ginger is used as both fresh and dried forms. It is the fresh ones that give the bite to one's food. Ginger is utilized both in cooking and medicine. In cooking, Ginger is first grounded up and then used but there are a few Indian dishes where thin silvers of ginger are added up to the dish. Ginger is also predominantly used in Chinese foods as well.
6. CORIANDER POWDER:
Coriander also known as Cilantro is a herb with a fresh, sweet aroma. The Coriander powder also known as Dhania powder is an essential item in almost every single Indian household. It is used as a flavoring agent in dals and curries. It imparts the dish with its unique aroma of freshness. The coriander seeds are first dried up, grounded into a powder form after which they are stored in dry packets.
Usage - The coriander powder is used in Curries, Rasam and Sambar. One of the unique abilities of this spice is to make the dish seem 'lighter'. The Coriander powder is used in the beginning of the preparation of the dish so as to impart is flavor to all the ingredients of the dish, whereas, Coriander leaves are usually sprinkled as garnish or finishing on top of prepared dishes.
7. ASAFOETIDA :
Asafetida also known as 'the devil's dung' is known for its pungent odor. It originated in the Americas but, in the recent past, seems to have made its home in the sub-continent. Asafetida is prepared from the sap of a plant which is later dried into a grayish resin like substance. Asafetida is quite hard and often has to be broken down with the help of a hammer or any other substitute.
Usages - It is used as a condiment and flavoring agent in cooking. It gives that special flavor to the Rasams and Sambars of Southern India. Generally it is sautéed in oil or ghee and then added to the dish, be it a Dal or a Rasam. One should take care to store Asafetida in air tight containers to avoid your kitchen from smelling like the Devil's dung.
8. CUMIN :
Cumin is widely used in Indian kitchens, mainly as a flavoring agent and as a condiment in certain dishes. Evidence of Cumin usages have been found to date from the second millennium B.C.
Usage - All Curries and Dals have cumin in them in small quantities. Cumin gives these dishes an aroma that serves to enhance the dish further. It is used in the beginning of the preparation of the dish and as the flames heat the cumin seeds, it starts to give off its flavor. Cumin can also be used in the powdered form but for stronger aroma, it is best to use the seeds as they are.
9. PEPPER :
Pepper is known as the 'King of all spices' and with reason. This is one of the spices that were responsible for making Indian spices famous during the medieval times. Pepper is derived from the berries of the pepper tree, and they come mainly in two varieties, black pepper and white pepper.
Usage - Black pepper is slightly different in taste from White pepper, one hits the tip of the tongue where as the other one hits the back of the tongue. The black pepper is the dried berry, whereas the white pepper is just the seed alone. They are used to flavor a variety of dishes from soups to the main courses.
10. CURRY LEAF :
Curry leaves are as essential to Indian cooking as bay leaves are to European ones. The curry leaves as well as the oil that is obtained from are highly prized not just as a flavoring agent but also for the medicinal properties of the oil. You might find it interesting that Curry leaves have nothing to do with the colloquial word 'curry' that is widely used in the western world as a generalization for spicy Indian dishes.
Usage - Curry leaves are used as a flavoring agent mainly in Southern India. These aromatic leaves are best used when they are fresh. They are generally used to flavor a dish right at the end of the preparation. The leaves are crushed by the hand to help release the flavor.
Hope you find this listing helpful. Here's a piece of trivia for you to end this article - Did you know that India also has the only known 'Spice exchange' in the world? In fact, in the town of Kochi in Kerala, along the south-west border of the country, there is an exchange market that deals with one spice alone - Pepper. Trading goes on pretty much every day and it's quite interesting to watch. So the next time you are in Kerala, take a breather and pay a visit to their Spice Exchage.
Happy cooking!
วันจันทร์ที่ 23 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
Travel to China - Local cuisine of Suzhou
Most of Suzhou's local food is snacks or Xiao chi (small eats). They originated in little stands or stalls located on sides of the road. Many locals and visitors to Suzhou enjoy walking down the street and stopping at the individual stalls to buy one or two items, eat as they continue their walk, and pick up some more of the tasty local dishes further on down the street. For visitors who do not like spicy food, most dishes can be prepared without chili.
วันศุกร์ที่ 20 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
How to accomplish accurate wok-fried me goreng
Singaporean celeb chef Sam Leong walks us through how to make wok-fried me goreng, a traditional spicy noodle dish with shrimp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjUrM3PPUB8&hl=en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjUrM3PPUB8&hl=en
วันอังคารที่ 17 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
dukbokki (hot and ambrosial rice cake)
"dukbokki" is a popular snack in Korea. see the full recipe on my site: www.maangchi.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUmBqvMv89E&hl=en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUmBqvMv89E&hl=en
วันจันทร์ที่ 16 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
Great Appetizer Tasting Chili Fish
A fish chili recipe is great tasting food and easy to prepare. A nice change from ground beef, fish chili recipes usually double well and can be a crowd pleaser. Serve it with fresh bread you will have a terrific meal. The common denominator with these easy fish recipes is taste.
This fish recipe can be made outdoors on the barbecue, or you can pan-fry the fish indoors. You'll love the tenderness of the fish combined with this fantastic, taste-bud-awakening sauce, which can be made anywhere from mild to extra spicy to suit your taste. And nearly any whole "white-fleshed" fish can be used for this recipe. Seafood is a source of protein in many diets around the world.
Chili fish make a great meal or a great appetizer. An excellent sauce for fish cooked on the barbecue. Feel free to substitute different, larger pieces of fish and the taste will still be fantastic. I think it's the sesame oil, when added to the chili/lime that really lifts it out of the ordinary.
This is a very simple, quick and easy recipe to make, you can have it on the table in about 35-40 Min’s and that time is only because, of the longer cooking time for the rice. It tastes very good, I serve mine with a yogurt sauce, which I will list ingredients below, but you can serve as is or with whatever is your preference.
A fish chili fish recipe is great tasting food and easy to prepare. A nice change from ground beef, fish chili recipes usually double well and can be a crowd pleaser. For seafood lovers, we feature the most trusted companies with the greatest variety of seafood favorites and regional specialties who sell seafood online. The combination of creamy mash, salty salmon and tasty lime and chili make these patties a fave. Please purchase online www.indomunch.com in NewYork city.
This fish recipe can be made outdoors on the barbecue, or you can pan-fry the fish indoors. You'll love the tenderness of the fish combined with this fantastic, taste-bud-awakening sauce, which can be made anywhere from mild to extra spicy to suit your taste. And nearly any whole "white-fleshed" fish can be used for this recipe. Seafood is a source of protein in many diets around the world.
Chili fish make a great meal or a great appetizer. An excellent sauce for fish cooked on the barbecue. Feel free to substitute different, larger pieces of fish and the taste will still be fantastic. I think it's the sesame oil, when added to the chili/lime that really lifts it out of the ordinary.
This is a very simple, quick and easy recipe to make, you can have it on the table in about 35-40 Min’s and that time is only because, of the longer cooking time for the rice. It tastes very good, I serve mine with a yogurt sauce, which I will list ingredients below, but you can serve as is or with whatever is your preference.
A fish chili fish recipe is great tasting food and easy to prepare. A nice change from ground beef, fish chili recipes usually double well and can be a crowd pleaser. For seafood lovers, we feature the most trusted companies with the greatest variety of seafood favorites and regional specialties who sell seafood online. The combination of creamy mash, salty salmon and tasty lime and chili make these patties a fave. Please purchase online www.indomunch.com in NewYork city.
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 15 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
Malaysian adventures_ipoh 04
More scenes of my Malaysian adventure. Duck soup and noodles, durian and rambutan fresh from the tree. Colors of Malaysia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcxT0whtOQ4&hl=en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcxT0whtOQ4&hl=en
วันศุกร์ที่ 13 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
Freakin' Hot Noodles.
Me and my friends eating ridiculously hot noodles in Tsim Sha Tsui (尖沙咀)... You can see the snot coming out of Jeff's nose... Wow!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nczpezrJx5Y&hl=en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nczpezrJx5Y&hl=en
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 12 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
How To Serve Singapore-Inspired Noodles
Have you ever wanted to get good at stir fry recipes, spicy, main dish recipes, cheap recipes, noodles, less than 1 hour, shrimp. Well look no further than this advice video on How To Serve Singapore-Inspired Noodles. Follow Videojug's professional experts as they steer you through this instructional video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLE_7KwVxAM&hl=en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLE_7KwVxAM&hl=en
วันเสาร์ที่ 7 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
"What's The Matter, Too Spicy For Ya" Alasdairm's photos about Phanom Rung, Thailand
A TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow of a travel blog to Phanom Rung, Thailand by TravelPod blogger Alasdairm titled "What's The Matter, Too Spicy For Ya!". TravelPod is a company of TripAdvisor™. Alasdairm's travel blog entry: "Phanom Rung, or Prasat Hin Khao Phanom Rung as it is known in Thai, is an ancient Khmer temple complex near Buriram, a sort of mini Angkor Wat. It sits atop an extinct volcano or mountain to the locals but merely a hill to most other people with the flat Issan paddy fields stretched towards the horizon below with the mountains of Cambodia visible to the south. This was our destination for today with Pen and Watchara coming along for the ride, ok so Pen was driving and was taking Watchara and I out for the day but enough of the technicalities. The ruins have been pretty well restored with a long promenade leading up to the temple itself topped off with a bunch of steps at the far end to tire out those with shorter legs than most (not referring to anyone in particular of course!). Twice a year when the sun is in the correct position in the sky the sun light fills the corridors and 15 door ways which are all aligned to face the sun in the morning although the only thing filling the doorways today was a number of wide-load tourists. Heading back down the road we stopped for some grub at a local noodle place with the chef speaking a range of Thai, Lao, Khmer and enough English to ask how spicy I wanted the noodles. Either my reckoning of spicy food was off ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUWbaHXVEW4&hl=en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUWbaHXVEW4&hl=en
วันศุกร์ที่ 6 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
Ching's Chinese Food in Minutes-Spicy Sichuan aubergine
Ching's Chinese Food in Minutes www.chinghehuang.com itunes.apple.com www.amazon.co.uk Spicy Sichuan aubergine This spicy dish is a winter favourite bursting with heat and flavour and has a delicate savoury tang from the black rice vinegar Spicy Sichuan aubergine Preptime:10 minutes, cooking: 12 minutes This spicy dish, also known as Yu Shiang Cie Tze, is bursting with heat and flavour and has a delicate savoury tang from the black rice vinegar. This is definitely a winter favourite. serves 2-4 to share groundnut oil for deep-frying 1 large aubergine, sliced lengthways into 2cm/æ inch wide x 4cm/1* inch long, chunky batons 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2.5cm/1 inch piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 medium red chilli, with seeds, sliced into rings 2 tablespoons chilli bean paste 200ml/7fl oz hot vegetable stock 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 tablespoon Chinkiang black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar 2 pinches of brown sugar 1 tablespoon cornflour blended with 2 tablespoons cold water 1 spring onion, finely chopped egg-fried rice to serve 1. Heat a wok over a high heat, then fill the wok to one-third of its depth with groundnut oil. Heat the oil to 180ºC/350º For until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface. 2. Pat the aubergine dry and, using tongs, lower each piece into the oil and deep-fry for 3 minutes until slightly golden, the skin slightly wrinkled and the flesh soft but still retaining its shape ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu6KvgQar4M&hl=en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu6KvgQar4M&hl=en
วันพุธที่ 4 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
Japanese Chilled Soba Noodles
Jaden Hair of steamykitchen.com shares a recipe for Chilled Soba Noodles, with How-To provided by David Lawrence of goodbite.com. It's a grown-up Ramen noodles!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otqptOGbs2M&hl=en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otqptOGbs2M&hl=en
วันจันทร์ที่ 2 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
Where To Find The Best Thai Bamboo Bistro
A couple months passed between our visits to Thai Bamboo Bistro, and this time, on our third stop, we knew a little more.
Sometimes, a little more information is dangerous and just enough to convince you not to return to a restaurant.
Not this time.
Our first visit was on a summer Monday. We were a little ahead of the lunch rush, our 2-year-old was a little subdued, and so we took a chance on a place we'd noticed in the new Quail Hill Village shopping center in Irvine, not far from where the San Diego (I-405) and Santa Ana (I-5) Freeways converge in central Orange County, California.
The center sprang up in the shadow of the Shady Canyon estates seemingly overnight. It's out of the way -- you don't just happen by.
It's in one of those new-generation neighborhood centers that has an all-too-familiar feel about it: anchor supermarket on one end, Starbucks on the other, generic fast-food and fast-casual restaurants between. This one was a little different -- some of the franchise names were not quite so ubiquitous, and it appeared that the Irvine Co. took a chance and leased to some non-franchise operators, too.
We ventured into the bistro, and within 10 minutes, the intimate place was packed. So packed, we quickly changed our sit-down order to to-go, hustled our now not-so-subdued little guy out and headed home to the most sumptuous take-out we'd had in months.
Jungle curry with chicken ($12) was mellow and smooth (we ordered the milder green curry; yellow and red are available). Spicy lemon grass chicken ($12) was zesty and fresh. Traditional pad thai ($11) -- my wife's standard -- aromatic and generously portioned with shrimp, egg, tofu and noodles.
So, we went back, this time for dinner, without the boy.
Again, the restaurant was full, though minus the maddening lunch crush. Again, our dinner was delicious: more green curry and pad thai -- we're creatures of habit.
We were struck by the cool, contemporary room, with its handful of bamboo decorative touches. By the briskly efficient service (though the meals can arrive at a more languid pace, testimony to the fresh cooked-to-order kitchen). And by the incredibly fresh ingredients, rendered in light sauces.
The chef markets almost daily, co-manager Jade Tam told me. Sometimes the grocery, sometimes a specialty store, sometimes a farmers market.
Then, well, life kept us away for a few months, until I spoke with manager Amy Lam.
As we chatted about the restaurant's expansion plans and presentation themes, Amy asked, ``Do you know Julie and Pat?''
Well, yes, I said, we're going to their wedding in a day.
``We haven't seen them in a while,'' Amy said, laughing. Julie warned they'd be absent for a while, something about pre-wedding fasting.
I know Julie's taste in food and restaurants just well enough that this little nugget of information -- that she and Pat are regulars enough to be on a first-name basis -- told me to get back in there, pronto.
We were again wowed by fresh flavors. We started with the Thai bamboo sampler appetizer ($14), a mix of four from the menu (spring rolls, summer rolls, chicken and beef satay, and gold bags -- crispy wontons tied up like little Gold Rush-era treasures).
Our shrimp in spicy mango sauce ($16) was sweet, but subtle. We upgraded from the standard pad thai, ordering the ``new edition'' version (egg noodles instead of rice noodles. $11).
It won't be such a long wait for our next meal here.
Sometimes, a little more information is dangerous and just enough to convince you not to return to a restaurant.
Not this time.
Our first visit was on a summer Monday. We were a little ahead of the lunch rush, our 2-year-old was a little subdued, and so we took a chance on a place we'd noticed in the new Quail Hill Village shopping center in Irvine, not far from where the San Diego (I-405) and Santa Ana (I-5) Freeways converge in central Orange County, California.
The center sprang up in the shadow of the Shady Canyon estates seemingly overnight. It's out of the way -- you don't just happen by.
It's in one of those new-generation neighborhood centers that has an all-too-familiar feel about it: anchor supermarket on one end, Starbucks on the other, generic fast-food and fast-casual restaurants between. This one was a little different -- some of the franchise names were not quite so ubiquitous, and it appeared that the Irvine Co. took a chance and leased to some non-franchise operators, too.
We ventured into the bistro, and within 10 minutes, the intimate place was packed. So packed, we quickly changed our sit-down order to to-go, hustled our now not-so-subdued little guy out and headed home to the most sumptuous take-out we'd had in months.
Jungle curry with chicken ($12) was mellow and smooth (we ordered the milder green curry; yellow and red are available). Spicy lemon grass chicken ($12) was zesty and fresh. Traditional pad thai ($11) -- my wife's standard -- aromatic and generously portioned with shrimp, egg, tofu and noodles.
So, we went back, this time for dinner, without the boy.
Again, the restaurant was full, though minus the maddening lunch crush. Again, our dinner was delicious: more green curry and pad thai -- we're creatures of habit.
We were struck by the cool, contemporary room, with its handful of bamboo decorative touches. By the briskly efficient service (though the meals can arrive at a more languid pace, testimony to the fresh cooked-to-order kitchen). And by the incredibly fresh ingredients, rendered in light sauces.
The chef markets almost daily, co-manager Jade Tam told me. Sometimes the grocery, sometimes a specialty store, sometimes a farmers market.
Then, well, life kept us away for a few months, until I spoke with manager Amy Lam.
As we chatted about the restaurant's expansion plans and presentation themes, Amy asked, ``Do you know Julie and Pat?''
Well, yes, I said, we're going to their wedding in a day.
``We haven't seen them in a while,'' Amy said, laughing. Julie warned they'd be absent for a while, something about pre-wedding fasting.
I know Julie's taste in food and restaurants just well enough that this little nugget of information -- that she and Pat are regulars enough to be on a first-name basis -- told me to get back in there, pronto.
We were again wowed by fresh flavors. We started with the Thai bamboo sampler appetizer ($14), a mix of four from the menu (spring rolls, summer rolls, chicken and beef satay, and gold bags -- crispy wontons tied up like little Gold Rush-era treasures).
Our shrimp in spicy mango sauce ($16) was sweet, but subtle. We upgraded from the standard pad thai, ordering the ``new edition'' version (egg noodles instead of rice noodles. $11).
It won't be such a long wait for our next meal here.
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 1 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2554
What are Heaty and Cooling Foods?
When a Chinese uses the terms 'heaty' or 'heatiness' to describe the kinds of foods he/she would like to have or avoid, most Westerners would probably have no idea what those concepts are or find them strange.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the notion of heaty (yang)(as opposed to cooling or yin) is related to the balancing of ‘yin’ and ‘yang’. To most people, especially the Chinese, in Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singaporeans, such concepts are very much part of the indigenous culture and are commonly used as a form of expressing certain set of symptoms or sensations often associated with emotional or physical reactions such as:
• Feelings of irritability;
• Short temper;
• Fever;
• Constipation;
• Flushed face or cheeks;
• Dark yellow urine;
• Sore throat;
• Nose bleed;
• Outbreak of pimples and acne;
• Rashes;
• Mouth ulcers;
• Indigestion.
Excessive “cold” energy in the body, on the contrary, will make us feel weak, lethargic, tired and restless.
The constitution of each person is influenced by congenital factors as well as the acquired lifestlye (e.g diet, stress level, amount of exercise and sleep, living environment), and this varies from person to person. In other words, different foods act upon the human body in different ways and affect our state of health. The body's metabolism, functioning of organs and organ structure all combine to determine our susceptibility to these heaty and cooling effects of foods.
Examples of cooling and heaty foods:
Cool (yin) Foods:
Bamboo shoot, banana, bitter gourd, clam, crab, grapefruit, lettuce, persimmon, salt, seaweed, star fruit, sugar cane, water chestnut, watermelon, lotus root, cucumber, barley, bean curd, chicken egg white, marjoram, oyster, pear, peppermint, radish, strawberry, tangerine, and yogurt, broccoli, cauliflower, zuccini, corn, tomatoes, pineapple, turmeric.
Neutral (balanced yin and yang) Foods:
Corn, abalone, apricot, beef, beetroot, black fungus, carp, carrot, celery, chicken egg yolk, cuttlefish, duck, fig, honey, kidney bean, lotus fruit and seed, milk, olive, oyster, papaya, pork, potato, pumpkin, radish leaf, red bean, plum, sunflower seed, sweet rice, sweet potato, white fungus, yellow soybean, brussels sprouts, snow peas, sweet potato, taro, dates, figs, raspberries, raisins, sage, rosemary, thyme, brown rice, apple.
Heaty (yang) Foods:
Pepper, cinnamon bark, ginger, soybean oil, red and green pepper, chicken, apricot seed, brown sugar, cherry, chestnut, chive, cinnamon twig, clove, coconut, coffee, coriander (Chinese parsley), date, dillseed, eel, garlic, grapefruit peel, green onion, guava, ham, leaf mustard, leek, longan, mutton, nutmeg, peach, raspberry, rosemary, shrimp, spearmint, sweet basil, tobacco, vinegar, walnut, jackfruit, durian, leek, shallots, spring onion, , apricots, blackberries, black currant, mangoes, peaches, cherry, mandarin orange, grape.
How a food is prepared also matters. E.g Beef is considered as neutral, but if you have it deep fried or grilled, it would be considered as heaty. In addition, there are some interesting broad guidelines to determine whether a certain food is heaty or cooling:
Heaty/yang foods:
• grow under the hot sun;
• are sweet;
• have lots of fats;
• rich in sodium;
• are hard, dry or spicy.
Cold/yin foods:
• grow in little sunshine;
• are salty;
• are lean;
• rich in potassium;
• soft and wet;
The heatiness and cooling effect of foods refer to their capacity to generate sensations - either hot or cold in our body. They do not refer to the state of the food but its effect on our bodies. For example, tea is a cooling food. This means that it generates cold energy in our body. To seek a balance in diet, we can classify food as predominantly yin or yang. Hence, if you eat predominantly yin foods, your body will be capable of producing only cold energy, in contrast, eating predominantly yang foods produces hotter energy. If a person suffers from cold rheumatism, eating foods with a warm or hot energy would be helpful. If a person's acne condition deteriorate due to consumption of fried foods, it is beneficial to eat cooling foods to counter heatiness and relieve symptoms. Hence, to strike a yin-yang balance in the diet, it's almost natural for the Chinese to have a glass of a lemon barley or winter melon (cooling) drink to go with a plate of (heaty) fried rice, or a bowl of (heaty) spicy noodle with some (cooling) fruits such as star fruits or water melon.
The concept of heatiness is not meaningful or relevant in the western medicine paradigm. However, it is believed that there is some parallel to Acid (heaty) and alkaline (cooling) balance, or protons and positive charges (heaty) and cooling (electrons and negative charges). Medicine evolves. Conventional medical doctors in the west has long started to integrate and learn about alternative treatments or medicines and incorporate them into their practice. Today they believe that these new medical approaches are beneficial and effective in many ways.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the notion of heaty (yang)(as opposed to cooling or yin) is related to the balancing of ‘yin’ and ‘yang’. To most people, especially the Chinese, in Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singaporeans, such concepts are very much part of the indigenous culture and are commonly used as a form of expressing certain set of symptoms or sensations often associated with emotional or physical reactions such as:
• Feelings of irritability;
• Short temper;
• Fever;
• Constipation;
• Flushed face or cheeks;
• Dark yellow urine;
• Sore throat;
• Nose bleed;
• Outbreak of pimples and acne;
• Rashes;
• Mouth ulcers;
• Indigestion.
Excessive “cold” energy in the body, on the contrary, will make us feel weak, lethargic, tired and restless.
The constitution of each person is influenced by congenital factors as well as the acquired lifestlye (e.g diet, stress level, amount of exercise and sleep, living environment), and this varies from person to person. In other words, different foods act upon the human body in different ways and affect our state of health. The body's metabolism, functioning of organs and organ structure all combine to determine our susceptibility to these heaty and cooling effects of foods.
Examples of cooling and heaty foods:
Cool (yin) Foods:
Bamboo shoot, banana, bitter gourd, clam, crab, grapefruit, lettuce, persimmon, salt, seaweed, star fruit, sugar cane, water chestnut, watermelon, lotus root, cucumber, barley, bean curd, chicken egg white, marjoram, oyster, pear, peppermint, radish, strawberry, tangerine, and yogurt, broccoli, cauliflower, zuccini, corn, tomatoes, pineapple, turmeric.
Neutral (balanced yin and yang) Foods:
Corn, abalone, apricot, beef, beetroot, black fungus, carp, carrot, celery, chicken egg yolk, cuttlefish, duck, fig, honey, kidney bean, lotus fruit and seed, milk, olive, oyster, papaya, pork, potato, pumpkin, radish leaf, red bean, plum, sunflower seed, sweet rice, sweet potato, white fungus, yellow soybean, brussels sprouts, snow peas, sweet potato, taro, dates, figs, raspberries, raisins, sage, rosemary, thyme, brown rice, apple.
Heaty (yang) Foods:
Pepper, cinnamon bark, ginger, soybean oil, red and green pepper, chicken, apricot seed, brown sugar, cherry, chestnut, chive, cinnamon twig, clove, coconut, coffee, coriander (Chinese parsley), date, dillseed, eel, garlic, grapefruit peel, green onion, guava, ham, leaf mustard, leek, longan, mutton, nutmeg, peach, raspberry, rosemary, shrimp, spearmint, sweet basil, tobacco, vinegar, walnut, jackfruit, durian, leek, shallots, spring onion, , apricots, blackberries, black currant, mangoes, peaches, cherry, mandarin orange, grape.
How a food is prepared also matters. E.g Beef is considered as neutral, but if you have it deep fried or grilled, it would be considered as heaty. In addition, there are some interesting broad guidelines to determine whether a certain food is heaty or cooling:
Heaty/yang foods:
• grow under the hot sun;
• are sweet;
• have lots of fats;
• rich in sodium;
• are hard, dry or spicy.
Cold/yin foods:
• grow in little sunshine;
• are salty;
• are lean;
• rich in potassium;
• soft and wet;
The heatiness and cooling effect of foods refer to their capacity to generate sensations - either hot or cold in our body. They do not refer to the state of the food but its effect on our bodies. For example, tea is a cooling food. This means that it generates cold energy in our body. To seek a balance in diet, we can classify food as predominantly yin or yang. Hence, if you eat predominantly yin foods, your body will be capable of producing only cold energy, in contrast, eating predominantly yang foods produces hotter energy. If a person suffers from cold rheumatism, eating foods with a warm or hot energy would be helpful. If a person's acne condition deteriorate due to consumption of fried foods, it is beneficial to eat cooling foods to counter heatiness and relieve symptoms. Hence, to strike a yin-yang balance in the diet, it's almost natural for the Chinese to have a glass of a lemon barley or winter melon (cooling) drink to go with a plate of (heaty) fried rice, or a bowl of (heaty) spicy noodle with some (cooling) fruits such as star fruits or water melon.
The concept of heatiness is not meaningful or relevant in the western medicine paradigm. However, it is believed that there is some parallel to Acid (heaty) and alkaline (cooling) balance, or protons and positive charges (heaty) and cooling (electrons and negative charges). Medicine evolves. Conventional medical doctors in the west has long started to integrate and learn about alternative treatments or medicines and incorporate them into their practice. Today they believe that these new medical approaches are beneficial and effective in many ways.
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