Treat Yourself To the Flavors of the Asian Palate (Part 2)

Indian Cuisine

Indian cuisine or Indian food encompasses a wide variety of regional cuisines native to India. Given the range of diversity in soil type, climate and occupations, these cuisines vary significantly from each other and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables and fruits. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religious and cultural choices and traditions.

Indian cuisine has been and is still evolving, as a result of the nation’s cultural interactions with other societies.

Staple foods of Indian cuisine include pearl millet (bajra), rice, whole-wheat flour (atta), and a variety of lentils, especially masoor (most often red lentils), toor (pigeon pea), urad (black gram), and moong (mung bean). Lentils may be used whole, dehusked—for example, dhuli moong or dhuli urad—or split. Split lentils, or dal, are used extensively. Some pulses, such as channa (chickpea), Rajma or kidney beans, lobiya are very common, especially in the northern regions. Channa and mung are also processed into flour (besan)

Many Indian dishes are cooked in vegetable oil, but peanut oil is popular in northern and western India, mustard oil in eastern India,  and coconut oil along the western coast, especially in Kerala. Gingelly (sesame) oil is common in the south since it imparts a fragrant nutty aroma.In recent decades, sunflower and soybean oils have become popular across India. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, known as Vanaspati ghee, is another popular cooking medium. Butter-based ghee, or desi ghee, is used frequently, though less than in the past.

The most important and frequently used spices and flavourings in Indian cuisine are whole or powdered chili pepper (mirch) (introduced by the Potruguese in the 16th century), black mustard seed (sarso), cardamom (elaichi),  cumin (jeera),  turmeric (haldi),  asafoetida (hing), ginger (adrak), coriander (dhania), and garlic (lehsun). One popular spice mix is garam masala, a powder that typically includes five or more dried spices, especially cardamom, cinnamon (dalchini),  and clove. Each culinary region has a distinctive garam masala blend—individual chefs may also have their own. Goda masala is a comparable, though sweet, spice mix popular in Maharashtra. Some leaves commonly used for flavouring include bay (teipat), coriander, fenugreek, and mint leaves. The use of curry leaves and roots for flavouring is typical of Gujarati and South Indian cuisine. Sweet dishes are often seasoned with cardamom, saffron, nutmeg, and rose petal essences.

Let’s try a modern Indian dish.

Indian-Spiced Grilled Chicken Breasts

Serves 6 to 8; Prep Time 15 minutes, plus 4 to 8 hours marinating; Cooking Time 8 to 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 kilo skinless chicken breast fillets

1/2 cup plain yogurt

3 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 table spoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayene pepper

2 handfuls cilantro, chopped

Procedure:

1. Place chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag.

2. In a bowl, combine yogurt with spices. Pour into the bag over the chicken. Lock the bag and rub marinade all over the chicken. Keep in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or p to 8 hours if you wish)

3. Grill or broil chicken over medium heat until cooked. Rest for a few minutes before serving.

4. To serve, arrange on a plate and top with cilantro. Serve with raita on the side.

Try having the chicken with some raita, a simple salad. Cop some tomatoes and cucumbers into cubes, and stir it into yogurt with a pinch of cumin and some chop cilantro. This side salad works with lamb, too.

Treat Yourself to the Flavors of the Asian Palate (Part 1)

Let us explore intriguing flavors in simple dishes from neighboring Asian countries.

Let’s start with a dish from Thailand. Thai cuisine gives emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. Thai cuisine, as a whole, is extremely varied and features many different ingredients and ways of preparing food. Thai food is known for its enthusiastic use of fresh herbs and spices. Common herbs include cilantro, lemongrass, Thai basil and mint. Some other common flavors in Thai food come from ginger, galangal, tamarind, turmeric, garlic, soy beans, shallots, white and black peppercorn, kaffir lime and, of course, chilies.

The ingredients found in almost all Thai dishes is nam pla, a very aromatic and strong tasting fish sauce. Nam pla  sauce is slightly different in taste from the local patis (Filipino fish sauce). You can easily find it in the supermarket together with other Asian condiments.

Thai Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Pork and Basil

(Serves 6 to 8; Prep Time 10 minutes; Cooking Time 10 to 15 minutes)

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons oil

12 whole shallots, halved

2 bird’s eye chilies (siling labuyo), seeded and chopped finely

1 kilo lean ground pork

1/3 cup packed brown sugar (dissolved in 1/4 cup lime juice)

1/4 cup Thai fish sauce

2 cups firmly packed basil leaves

1 pack flat rice noodles, soaked in water for 10 minutes

Procedure:

1. In a skillet, heat oil over low heat and cook shallots and chilies. Increase the heat to medium and add the ground pork. Saute until lightly browned.

2. Add the sugar-lime mixture and fish sauce. Add more sauce according to taste. When the mixture begins to simmer , add basil leaves and noodles. Toss to combine. Cook until noodles are done – they should be firm but chewy and a bit translucent. Serve at once, with some sliced limes on the side.

You can also use the flat rice noodles that are also used for that other popular Thai noodle dish, Pad Thai.

Food Preparation Tips

• When a recipe calls for adding oil, garlic, and onions to a pan, always add garlic last. This keeps it from burning and tasting bitter.

• Use a meat baster to make perfect pancakes every time.

                       

 

• To make the best and prettiest chocolate shavings, use white or milk chocolate; they are softer in texture and curl better.

• To help gelatin hold its shape when unmolded, add a teaspoon of white vinegar to the recipe.

• Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of cooked pudding or pie filling immediately after pouring to prevent a skin from forming.

• Before chopping nuts in a food processor, dust them with flour. This keeps the nuts from sticking to the processor.

• Cut a meringue pie cleanly by coating both sides of the knife lightly with butter.

• To make mashed potatoes fluffier, add a pinch of baking soda along with the butter and milk.

• Use flour tortillas for easy dumplings! Cut into strips and add to boiling broth, a few at a time so they do not stick together. Delicious!

• If you add a pinch of baking powder to powdered sugar when making frosting, it will stay creamy and not harden or crack.

• Substituting applesauce for half of the amount of vegetable oil called for in your baking recipes will reduce the fat content. (Or use all applesauce, which produces a low-cal, moist product!)

• Use a piece of plastic wrap the length of your pan for ease in pressing down those crispy rice treats, no more messy hands! (Try this with any bottom crumb layer to be pressed in a recipe.)

• When cooking oatmeal, coat the pan with non-stick cooking spray. It keeps the oatmeal from boiling over and sticking to the pan.

• You’ll find honey, corn syrup and molasses much easier to measure if you remove their lids and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds at 100% power. That’s for a 12-ounce bottle. Smaller amounts need even less time.

• If you’re out of brown sugar, try substituting an equal amount of granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses (light or dark) for every cup of white sugar. 

• When shrimp curl into a semicircle they’re done. When tightly coiled, they’re overdone.

• To slice mushrooms quickly and uniformly, use an egg slicer.

• If you use a food processor or blender to chop dried fruit, freeze the fruit first. It well be less sticky and easier to chop.

• Instead of salting gravy, enrich both the gravy’s color and flavor by using a little soy sauce.

• Bacon strips won’t stick together if you roll up the package like a jelly roll before opening it.

• Soup too thin? Prick a baking potato several times, wrap in a paper towel and microwave 5 minutes at 100% power until soft. Peel, mash and add the potato into soup.

• To prevent boil-overs, apply a thin coat of cooking oil around the top of the inside of pots.

• To keep a bowl steady while you mix or whip ingredients, place it on a dampened cloth.
• For uniform pancakes, use measuring cups designed for dry ingredients (a 1/4-cup medium-size, 1/3-cup for big ones). Grease the cups inside and out so the batter will slip out easily. To keep the batter from dripping en route to the griddle, scrape the bottom of the measure on the rim of the mixing bowl.

• When a sauce curdles, follow this procedure: Remove pan from heat and plunge into a pan of cold water to stop the cooking process. Beat sauce vigorously or pour into a blender and process until the sauce is smooth.

• When ice cream is rock-hard, dip the scoop in hot water to make scooping easier.
• To chop or grind nuts fine in a food processor without turning them into nut butter, add 2 or more tablespoons sugar from the recipe.

• You can easily adjust the position of your holiday gelatin mold or fancy frozen bombe on its platter by slightly wetting the platter before you unmold.

• Always cook pasta in salted water, but don’t add the salt until the water boils. You’ll need 2 tablespoons of coarse (kosher) salt for 1 pound of pasta. Salted water has a higher boiling point, so will take longer. Taste the pasta to determine if it is done. Perfectly cooked pasta should be “al dente,” or firm to the bite, yet cooked through.

• Another advantage to cooking pasta al dente, is that it preserves some of the vitamins and minerals that are lost into the cooking water with longer cooking times.

• If the pasta is to be used as part of a dish that requires further cooking, undercook the pasta by 1/3 of the cooking time specified on the package.

• The only time you should rinse pasta after draining is when you are going to use it in a cold dish, or when you are not going to sauce and serve it immediately. In those cases, rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process, and drain well.

• For perfectly clean-cut slices of cheesecake, briefly run a thin-bladed slicing knife through an open flame, then cut. Wipe the blade and reheat between cuts.

• You can thicken a soup without using flour and butter or eggs — just purée a portion of the soup and stir it back into the pot.

Baking Stores in Metro Manila

1. Chocolate Lovers It’s the big castle along P. Tuazon Blvd. Main Branch: 45 P. Tuazon Blvd. corner C. Benitez St.Cubao Quezon, City 1109 (use Benitez St, main entrance) Tel. nos. 411-7474 / 724-5752 / 724-4964

2nd Branch: Kitanlad St. cor. Quezon Avenue, Quezon City Tel nos. 732-8576 / 741-7487

2. Chef’s Nook Haven’t been to this place yet but some say the chocolates and nuts are cheaper than chocolate lovers. Address: 20 Pilar St., Addition Hills, Mandaluyong (it’s the corner street of the Honda showroom along Shaw, but you have to go around because Pilar is a one-way street) Tel no: 724- 5812

3. Sweetcraft Baking and Confectionery Supplies They sell KitchenAid 5 quarts mixer + KitchenAid Ice cream maker for Php27k. (as of May 2009). They also sell pans, nuts, glazed fruits, Valrhona chocolate bars, other chocolate brands, boxes, plastic containers and other baking supplies. Address: 373 Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong Tel no.: 532-1595

4. Ingrid’s Sweet Haven I haven’t been to this place yet but according to their site they sell ingredients, pans & supplies. Address: 363 Dr. Sixto Antonio Avenue corner Liwayway Street, Caniogan, Pasig Tel no.: 641-2561

5. The Cocoa Pantry. Address: 130 Katipunan Road, Saint Ignatius Village QC Tel: 4976957

6. Baker’s Depot. Branches: – San Juan: 188B N. Domingo cor Manzano st. Tel: 723-8810 – Waltermart North EDSA – Tel: 332-1281 – Waltermart Makati – Victory Mall, Caloocan City

7. Cooks Exchange.  Branches: SM Megamall, Shangri-La Plaza, Rockwell

8. Living Well.  Branch: Podium

 9. Gourdo’s Branches: The Fort, Trinoma, Gateway Mall

Have a Merry Feast!

It’s a Holiday Seasons once again. Christmas in the Philippines is one of the biggest holidays in the archipelago. The country has earned the distinction of celebrating the world’s longest Christmas season, with Christmas carols heard as early as September and lasting until Epiphany, the feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 or the Feast of the Santo Niño de Cebu on the third Sunday of January. The official observance is from 16 December with the beginning of the Simbang Gabi to Epiphany.

I will treat you to the flavours of delightfully delicious food for you to serve your family this holiday .

Let’s start with Filipino Dessert.

Making Filipino desserts is still a mystery until today. It is amazing how the old provincial folks could cook without measuring their ingredients and yet still come up with a homogeneous product. And they would almost taste the same anywhere! Most of these inherited recipes are based on tansiya or guesswork. Sure there is a basic template of ingredients to follow, but the quantity can be adjusted along the way. Sometimes we add more liquid to balance the starchiness of rice and root crops, or to create more yield out of the cream pressed from coconuts.

In Filipino desserts, the most common ingredients are starch from rice and root crops, coconut milk and unrefined sugar.

Kakanin comes from the Filipino word kanin, meaning “rice”. Most kakanin recipes call for coconut milk.

Most cream-based recipes, like leche flan, uses cow or carabao’s milk. When the American later invented canned food and brought with them evaporated milk and condensed milk, the canned milks became popular because of their extended shelf life. They soon replaced carabao’s milk in the recipes Filipinos inherited from the Spanish.

The funny thing is that Filipinos have been using banana leaves, palm leaves, and coconut husks to wrap our desserts. So if you’ll talk about environmental consciousness, Filipinos have been way ahead when it comes to biodegradable packaging.

Making Filipino desserts is a tradition and is considered a social event until today. The stickiness of our kakanin also signifies close family ties.

LECHE FLAN

Leche Flan is basically a Filipino version of the classic French custard dessert creme caramel. This famous Filipino dessert is made by baking or steaming (Filipino style of cooking the custard) the rich custard in a mold with caramel at the bottom. It is cooked until it sets and is then cooled, before the mold is inverted on to a serving platter to release the cooked custard and caramel.

BAKER’S TIPS:

When making leche flan, always set the heat to the lowest possible level while steaming the custard. Such technique will prevent bubbles from forming during the cooking period.

For the Caramel:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup water

•  Bring the brown sugar and water to boil until the sugar is completely dissolved and caramelized.
• Prepare 3 to 4 pieces of llanera (leche flan molds). Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the caramel into the molds.

For the Custard:

2  large cans condensed milk

1 1/2  cups fresh milk

10 egg yolks

Finely grated zest of 2 lemon lime (dayap)

1/2  cup refined sugar

• Combine all the ingredients for the custard, and gently beat them with a wire whisk until smooth
• Strain the mixture using a fine sieve or a cheesecloth. Pour the mixture into the prepared llaneras with caramel.
• Cook in the steamer over medium heat fro 45 to 60 minutes or until set.

Source: Baking Secrets by my friend Chef RV Manabat