Ah Ma, my father’s mother, made the most delicious acar.  She learned from her nyonya mother-in-law, Ah Chor, the lady we thought looked like the little old lady in the 1960′s sitcom, Beverly Hillbillies, in a kebaya!  Ah Ma’s acar is so well pickled, it could have lasted for months if we didn’t devour it all in a week!  Her trick was to wring the blanched vegetables real dry.  I never really appreciated the nyonya heritage in my dad’s family until much later when I got interested in cooking and realized that my grandmother was probably one of the best nyonya cooks around.  Since then, it’s been an endless effort to recreate many of her recipes from the memory of taste.  This is one of them.

Chef’s tip: Use a salad spinner to remove as much water as possible from the blanched vegetables.  Pack acar tightly in a glass jar and keep refrigerated.  Like kimchi, it will keep for several weeks.

Spice Paste:
10 dried long Asian chilies, rehydrated in water or fresh Fresno chilies, seeded
2 stalks lemongrass, sliced thinly
2 slices galangal
1 piece fresh turmeric, about 1 Tablespoon, sliced
8 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 Tablespoon roasted belachan
4 candlenuts

Vegetables:
2 carrots peeled
¼ head cauliflower
1 Japanese Eggplant
½ small savoy cabbage
12 Chinese long yard beans
1 English Cucumber, seeded

½ cup canola oil
1 cup white vinegar
½ cup of sugar
1 Tablespoon kosher salt

1 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted

1. In a food processor or blender, grind chilies, lemongrass and galangal till fine. Add remaining spice paste ingredients and process till smooth. Add a little water if needed. Set aside.
2. Cut all vegetables into 1 inch juliennes. Cut cauliflower into small florets.
3. Blanch vegetables. Blanched carrots, cauliflower and eggplant till tender, about 3 minutes, and cabbage and long beans two minutes. Spin and squeeze vegetables very dry. Add in cucumber.
4. Heat oil on medium high. Fry spice paste till fragrant, red and oil has separated, about 7-10 minutes. Add vinegar, sugar and salt. Fry till fragrant about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Remove from heat.
5. Mix in vegetables and toss to mix. Add peanuts and sesame seeds and mix to combine.  Let it sit for at last 30 mins for flavors to come together.  Can be prepared in advance.  Serve room temperature or chilled.

Serves: 6

The “Sam Poh Tong” temple between Ipoh and KL is a popular spot for KL folks that  stop by to buy the monks’ vegetarian specialty – the Chat Thye – a tightly rolled log of fresh yuba skin.  Some people call it mock chicken, mock goose, whatever.  It’s delicious and high in protein.  Makes a great snack.  It’s always a trick to try to slice it as thinly as you can.

Chef’s tip:  There’s only one place in the Bay Area that you can get fresh yuba skin – Hodo Soy in the Ferry Building, or at farmers’ markets in Berkeley and Palo Alto farmers.  The owner, Minh Tsai, is a true visionary in bringing Asian-style tofu products made from are non GMO, organic soy beans which just taste much better than the ones you find in your Chinese grocery stores.   Well, if you can’t get fresh ones,  reconstitute dried yuba by soaking in warm water for 10 minutes, and then pat dry.

4 large sheets fresh yuba (bean curd skin) about 15 inch diameter, cut into half
½ cup vegetarian broth
2 Tablespoons light soy sauce
1 Tablespoon roasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon cayenne / chilli powder
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 small piece of star anise

Cheesecloth

Kitchen twine

1. Mix the broth, soy sauce, sugar, sriracha and star anise in a small saucepan and gently simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove star anise and add sesame oil.   Let cool.  Set aside.
2. Spread a 12 x 8 inch piece of fine cheesecloth over a baking tray. Place a half-sheet of the fresh yuba on the sheet
3. Brush the yuba with soy sauce mixture. Cover with another piece of yuba and brush. Repeat until half the yuba and half the sauce is used.
4. Roll the stacks of yuba tightly, taking care to snug in the edges to make a uniform compact cylinder and wrap it in the cloth.  The finished yuba log should be about 6 inch X 2 ½ inch diameter.  Quickly tie the log with kitchen twine.
5. Repeat with remaining yuba and sauce.
6. Brush logs with remaining sauce, and place on a metal/glass plate.
7. Bring a wok of water to boil with a steamer.  Steam the roll, covered, over boiling water for 10 minutes.
8. Let yuba logs cool to room or cool temperature, let it sit at least 30 minutes. Unwrap and sliced into 1/3 inch thickness.

Serves: 6

Every culture has its own favorite fried dumpling. This is India’s.  Samosas are typically stuffed with spiced potatoes.  It makes a great snack, and for me, a good breakfast, too.  Especially with a hot cup of sweet chai.

Chef’s tip: You will need to make the dough fresh to make it easier to fold the samosa.  Using a food processor to make the dough makes it really easy.  Some folks use wonton skin or phyllo dough to avoid making the dough.  I think it’s more fool proof when you make it from scratch.  Really.

Cilantro-Mint Chutney:
1 bunch cilantro leaves
1 bunch mint leaves
1 Jalapeno, seeded
1 Tablespoon ginger, peeled, grated
1 Tablespoon tamarind or lime juice
1 Tablespoon shallot, chopped
1/2 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 – 1/2 cup water, enough to blend easily

Dough
4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons ghee
3/4 – 1 cup ice water (more or less, enough to make a pliable dough)

Flour for kneading

Spice
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon tumeric powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 teaspoon ajman seeds (or a mixture of thyme and oregano)

Filling
2 Russet potatoes, about 1½ lb
2 Tablespoons ghee
½ small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
1 Serrano chile, deseeded, chopped finely
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

6 cups canola oil

Making the chutney
1. Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse till smooth.  Set aside.

Preparing the dough:
2. In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt to mix.  Add the ghee and pulse till breadcrumbs form.  Add water, a little at a time, until the dough comes together as a ball.  Transfer the mixture into a floured surface and knead dough for 5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave to stand for 30 minutes.

Preparing the filling:
3. Boil potatoes in their skin until tender, about 15 minutes. Peel and cut into small cubes.  Let cool slightly.
4. In a saucepan, heat the ghee under low heat, add the cumin and coriander seed and fry for 15 seconds.
5. Add the chopped onion and ginger fry till golden.  Add the remaining spices, peas, Serrano chile, salt and potatoes.  Remove from heat, and stir in the chopped cilantro and lemon juice.  Mix well.  Let cool.

Assembly:

6. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 1 minute. Divide into 2 equal portions and roll each into a 1/2-inch thick rope. Cut each into 8 equal parts and roll into smooth balls. Place each ball on the floured surface and roll into a thin circle, about 6-inches in diameter. Cut each circle in half (2 semi-circles).
7. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each semi-circle. Brush the edges with water and fold the dough over the filling. Press the edges together to seal. Place on a baking sheet.

Frying the samosas:
8. Heat the oil 350F.  Deep fry the samosas until golden brown.  Drain on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet.
9. Serve with chutney.

Serves: 32 pieces

Perhaps the most popular Asian dessert.  Sticky, chewy, sweet, salty, sour.  Truly a great texture + flavor combo.  If you can find black glutinous rice, it makes for a dramatic presentation.  And it’s so simple to make.

Chef’s tip: You would ask, why is there salt in this dessert recipe?  Salt brings out the full flavor of coconut.

Rice:
2 cups sweet glutinous rice, soaked overnight
4 pieces of pandan leaves*
2 ½ cups coconut milk
¾ cup coconut milk, reserve
¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Fruit:
3 large ripe mangos
2 limes, zest only

Preparing the rice:
1.  Wash the rice and cover with water.  Set aside at least 6 hours to overnight.
2.  Prepare a large pot of boiling water with steamer.  Line steamer with cheesecloth.
3.  Drain rice.  Place rice evenly on the cheesecloth.   Place a knotted pandan leaves in the rice.
4.   Steam for about 20 minutes.  Test for doneness ie rice is tender and cooked through.
5.  In the meantime, combine sugar and salt with the coconut milk and bring to boil until sugar is dissolved.  Make sure you don’t over boil the mixture.
6.    When rice is done, quickly transfer to a serving bowl.  Pour the coconut mixture into rice mixture and stir.  Leave to stand 10-15 minutes.

Preparing the fruit:
7.   Peel the mango and cut the flesh into slices.
8.   Using a rind peeler or a peeler with a knife, make fine lime rinds strips.

Serving:
9.   To serve, place the fresh mango on top of a scoop of rice, drizzle the reserve coconut milk and garnish with lime strips.

Serves: 12

Not your mom’s little brother but the chewy wheat gluten aka seitan.  I think all the modern seitans you get at health food stores these days that are braised in a soy-based sauce has its roots in this classic Shanghainese appetizer.

Chef’s tip:  To simplify the recipe, you may skip the deep fry (steps 3 and 4).  The deep frying lends a more complex flavor to the dish.  It also balances the sauce that is soaked in the gluten.  The gluten, as the most absorbent item, is intensely flavored.

2 pieces star anise
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup peanuts, peeled, raw
2 cups water

4 oz fresh wheat gluten, torn into bite size pieces
2 cups canola oil

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced thickly
2 cups wood ear mushrooms, reconstituted from 1/2 cup dry, trimmed of hard stems
1 cup lily buds, reconstituted from 1/2 cup dry, trimmed of hard stems, knotted
1 cup bamboo shoots, rinsed, sliced

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1. Place star anise, soy sauce, sugar, water, peanuts and water in a pot and bring to boil.  Turn low to simmer 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, soak what gluten in hot water, rinse.  Repeat.  Squeeze very dry between tea towels.
3. Bring oil to 350F.  Deep fry gluten pieces till golden brown.  Drain on a cookie rack on a sheet pan.
4. Plunge cooled gluten into a big bowl of room temperature water.  Give it a few good squeeze.  Squeeze dry.
5.  Add mushrooms, lily buds, bamboo shoots and gluten to the sauce mixture and bring to boil.  If the sauce does not cover the ingredients, add a little more water.  Turn heat to low and simmer till almost dry, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
6. Drizzle with sesame oil.  Toss to mix.  Chill and serve cold.

Serves: 4

My family eats this dish for lunch on the first day of Chinese New Year for the “opening of the year” meal.  It’s all vegetarian, so I guess it’s to set us up for good karma for the year for not killing any animals, even if it’s only one meal a year.  Well, if that >1 billion Chinese all over the world skip meat for just one meal, that’s a lot of animals not killed.  In non-Asian places, the dish is aka Buddha’s Delight – although it really has nothing to do with the Buddha, but it sure is a delightful dish despite its somber colors!  Anyhoo, this chye choy is very delicious with a mix of mushrooms and soy derivatives, and makes a great vegan offering.

Chef’s tip:  The “fatt choy” are those little black strands you see in the picture.  (no worries, its not hair!  We do respect food safety standards.)  It’s a kind of seaweed.   But with a name like “fatt choy” like in Kong Hee Fatt Choy, eating it brings you good luck!  Happy year of the Tiger.

8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced or halved
4 oz Nameko mushrooms, whole, trimmed
4 oz crimini, halved
1 cup cloud ears mushrooms, fresh or reconstitute ½ cup dried
1 cup tiger lily buds, fresh or reconstitute ½ cup dried
1 cup enoki mushrooms

3 Tablespoon canola oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups Napa cabbage, sliced

8 cubes fermented bean curd
3 Tablespoon canola oil
1 cup water

2 cups fried tofu puffs
1 large piece yuba, fresh or reconstituted, cut into 2 inch strips
2 oz gingko nuts, shelled
2 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 oz mung bean noodles, soaked
1/2 cup “fatt choy” seaweed

1. Soak dried mushrooms (if not using fresh) and lily buds in hot water for 15 minutes.  Trim hard ends off lilies.  Tie a knot through each bud.
2. Thinly slice shiitake and cloud ears.
3. Slice napa cabbage.
4. Heat a large wok.  Add 1 Tablespoon oil and 1/3 of the minced garlic and fry till it sizzles.  Add cabbage, fry for a minute until wilted.  Remove and set aside.
5. Add 1 Tablespoon and remaining garlic and fry till it sizzles.  Add fermented bean curd.  Add the shiitake, and the remaining mushrooms, except for the enoki.  Saute until mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes.  Add water and bring to boil.
6. Add tofu puffs and yuba and gingko nuts.  Cook 1 minute.  Add soy sauce to taste.
7. Add mung bean noodles and seaweed, bring to boil, or until noodles are translucent.

Serves: 6

Nothing beats a classic mac and cheese.  I like to use Gruyere for its nutty flavor, but you can use any good melting cheese like a sharp cheddar or for a milder flavor, to wean your child from Kraft’s box mac ‘n cheese, a Monterey Jack.

Chef’s tip: The key to making a bechamel sauce is making a good roux, followed by tempering the milk into the roux.  Heating the milk and adding it a little at a time will ensure a smooth sauce.

Mac and Cheese:

1 lb macaroni or pasta shape of choice
1 Tablespoon butter

4 cups whole milk (for richer flavor, use half & half or heavy cream)
6 Tablespoons (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
6 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

4 cups (12 ounces) Gruyere or a sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Some butter to grease a 13X9X2 baking dish or 8  1 large ramekins
1 cup coarse, good quality breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated

Preheat the oven 350°F
1. Preparing the pasta:  Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add 1 Tablespoon kosher salt.  Add macaroni and cook at a rolling boil until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and toss with 1 Tablespoon of butter.
Preparing the sauce:
2. Bring milk/ cream to just about simmer or when steam begins to form.  Set aside.
3. Make a roux:  In a heavy saucepan, melt 6 Tablespoons butter over medium heat.  Do not brown the butter.  Remove from heat, sprinkle in flour and stir with a whisk or a wooden spoon then return to medium heat, while stirring continuously for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Make a bechamel sauce: Add the hot milk to the flour mixture, in small batches and whisk well.  Add salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg.  Return the pan to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens and smooth, about 5 minutes.
Assembling the mac and cheese:
5.  Add macaroni to the sauce, add half the shredded cheese mixture and toss well to coat.
6. Butter a oven-proof baking dish or ramekins.  Pour the pasta mixture into the baking dish.  Distribute remaining shredded cheese on top, followed by the breadcrumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
7. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.  Remove from oven.
8. Place the dish under the broiler, 4 inches from the heat, for 2 minutes, or until top is golden brown and bubbly.

Serves 8.

The last in our series on Zongzi, please refer to the first post on the series for wrapping and boiling instructions.  Happy wrapping!

Chef’s tip: For the full detailed instructions on how to fold the dumpling and boiling the dumplings, please refer to the Cantonese Joong recipe for the leaf template and step by step instructions.

Sweet Joong

4 ½ cups glutinous sweet rice, soaked, drained
4 ½ teaspoons baking soda. sifted (or 2 tablespoon alkaline “lye” water)

Red bean paste
1 cup of Adzuki red beans, soaked, drained
3/4 cup sugar or more to taste
3 pandan leave (optional), each tied into a knot
¼ cup of canola oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

4 pandan leaves, cut into 1 inch length
72 pieces bamboo leaves
24 pieces yard-long kitchen twine

Preparing the ingredients the night before
1.    Wash rice.  Cover with 2 inches of water over the top of the rice, and soak overnight.
2.    Pick over red beans, rinse, cover with 2 inches of water over the top & soak overnight.
3.    Soak bamboo leaves in hot water overnight.  Next morning, scrub with brush and rinse several times to remove dirt.  Leave leaves in water till ready to use.
Preparing the red bean paste filling
4.    Place beans in a pot with 2 pieces of the pandan.  Cover with 2 inches of water over the beans and simmer 1-1 ½ hours till beans have softened.  Add more water if needed.  Drain.
5.    Puree beans in a food processor.
6.    In a non stick pan, heat oil, add sugar and the pureed beans and 1 pandan.
7.    Constantly stir the paste. Cook for 10 minutes until the bean paste is dry.
Preparing the rice
8.    Drain rice, sprinkle baking soda over the rice and mix well, let sit 5 minutes.  Rice should turn slightly yellow.
Wrapping the dumpling (see detailed instructions section)
9.    Prepare bamboo cone.
10.    Place 1 tablespoon rice into the cone.  Make a slight well, then place 2 tablespoons of red bean paste and top with 1½ tablespoons of rice.  Pack all ingredients lightly as you add them.  Smooth the top with a clean wet spoon.
11.    Cover the rice with 2 pieces of pandan squares
12.    Complete wrapping and secure leaves with kitchen twine.
NOTE: Sweet dumplings are packed and tied loosely so that the rice will have space to expand and it will be soft
Cooking
13.    Bring a pot of water to boil.  Gently place the dumplings in and boil for 60 minutes over medium slow fire. Add water constantly to ensure the dumplings are always submerged in water.
14.    When cooked, remove the dumplings and place in a colander to dry.
15.    Serve with brown sugar or palm sugar syrup on the side, if you’d like.

Makes 24 pieces

* Note: The leftover cooking liquid (plus a little of the beans) makes an excellent Chinese dessert – “hongdou shui”.  Add sugar to taste.  Serve hot with a tablespoon of coconut milk.

This is an adaptation of Ubuntu’s Cauliflower in a Cast Iron Pot.  It’s a little less creamy, and  a little easier to accomplish and more accessible without the vadouvan while still accomplishing the creamy sweetness of the cauliflower.

Chef’s tip: Making brown butter is a two step process. First, melt the butter to separate the solids and moisture.  Then bring it to brown to a rosy hazelnut color.

1 head cauliflower
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, diced finely
1 Tablespoon Madras curry powder
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 8-oz ramekins

1. Trim cauliflower, and slice the cauliflower into 1/4 inch thick slabs.  Break them up with your hands into bite size.
2. Preheat oven 400F.  Toss 3/4 of the cauliflower with olive oil and salt.  Roast in the oven till brown bits form.  About 40 minutes.
3. In a small saucepot, melt the butter, removing the foam.  When butter begins to brown, add shallots and saute till golden brown.  Add curry powder, bring it to a sizzle and remove from heat.  Pour the butter mixture into a small bowl.
4. Using the same saucepot, add in the remainder 1/4 head of chopped cauliflower and the milk, and bring to a simmer, 15 minutes till the cauliflower is soft.  Using a handheld blender, puree the mixture.
5. When the cauliflower is roasted, toss with the spiced butter and the chopped parsley.
6. In a ramekin, rub on some of the spiced butter.  Layer in puree, roasted cauliflower, puree and top with roasted cauliflower.  Pop back into the oven to brown the top, about 5 minutes.
6. Serve with a hearty, robust bread.

Serves: 2

If you are in a bind trying to serve a main course that is both vegan and yet dramatic looking, look no further!  A tower of tofu and tomatoes!

Chef’s tip: To peel tomatoes, make a shallow “X” on the bottom of the tomatoes.  You want to just run the knife on the tomatoes, not make deep cuts.  Bring a pot of water to boil.  Blanch the tomatoes in the boiling water, for about 30 seconds, then immediately plunge them into a bowl of cold water. Using your fingers, gently slip off the skin starting from the X.

Ingredients:

1 box 12-oz extra firm tofu, drained
1 large yellow onion, sliced
3 small tomatoes, peeled
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Drain tofu and place on a flat plate.  Place another plate on op of the tofu, put a heavy can of beans on top of the plate to weigh down the plate and drain the tofu for 10 minutes.  Pour off any liquids.
2. Slice onions thinly and soak them in a big bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, drain.
3. Peel the tomatoes and discard skin.  Chop tomatoes coarsely.
4.  In a small saute pan, heat the olive oil.  When it’s warm, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and saute till they pop.  Add the drained onions, and saute for 2 minutes till it’s wilted but still light in color.  Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and cook for another 5 minutes until the tomatoes has reduced and coat the onion.  Adjust seasoning if necessary.
5. Cut the tofu block into half.  Slice each half into four pieces.
6. Build the napoleon by sandwiching the tomato-onion mixture between the tofu slices.
7. Drizzle the completed tofu napoleon with some olive oil and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

The chili padi or Thai Chili is a tiny pepper, but full of scovilles.  It adds an explosive punch to your food.  As such, pickling the peppers reduces the effect of the capsaicin, and you can enjoy the peppers all year round, too.  I love to slice up a couple of the peppers and mix it with soy sauce for a deliciously simple dipping sauce.

Chef’s tip: The capsaicin, the agent that provides the pungency, in a pepper, resides in the membranes of the placenta/core of the pepper.  When cutting a pepper, try not to touch the core.

Ingredients:

1 cup Chili Padi/ Thai Chilis
1 cup white vinegar

1. Remove the stem and sepal off the peppers.  Clean and dry them thoroughly.
2. Transfer the peppers into a clean, sterile jar.
3. Pour in enough white vinegar to cover the peppers.
4. Keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.  The pickled peppers will be ready to eat in 2 weeks and keeps for at least 6 months.

Serving: 1 jar

Using the same vinaigrette as the one for Lamb Tataki, the flavorful rosemary vinaigrette works just as well with these seared mushrooms.

Chef’s tip:  Select large king trumpets, save the top for other uses such as a mushroom ragout.  Use a high heat oil like grapeseed oil searing the mushrooms.  Sear in batches so as not to crowd the mushromms, maintaining a high heat environment, otherwise, the mushrooms will start to sweat.

Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup grapeseed oil or other nuetral flavor oils
1/2 tespoon dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 oz King Trumpet mushrooms, stems only, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
2 cloves garlic, skin on, lightly smashed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

To make the Vinaigrette:
1.  Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and whisk to combine well.  Set aside.
To make the mushroom coins:
2.  Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat.   Add the grapeseed oil and garlic and saute for 30 seconds until garlic is fragrat.
3.  Add the mushroom coins and sear the mushrooms until a caramelized crust forms and the mushroom is tender.   Transfer to a plate.
To Assemble:
4.  Drizzle with the vinaigrette, give it a few turns of black pepper from a mill and serve immediately.

Serves: 4

There are 2 popular ways to eat pickled ginger.  In Chinese tradition, at the first full moon celebration of the birth of a baby, or in Japanese, gari is eaten with sushi.  I just love it as an everyday condiment!  Do note that the pink in the pickled ginger is a natural color.

Chef’s tip: Buy the young ginger, which has very thin skin, succulent flesh with little fibers.  Peel the ginger by scraping it with a spoon.

1  1/4 lb young ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
2 Tablespoons kosher salt

1 1/2 cup white vinegar
6 Tablespoons sugar

1. Peel ginger and slice with a mandoline as thin as you can, preferably less than 1 mm thick
2. Spread sliced ginger on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 7 minutes.  Rinse and spin dry.  Pat dry with paper towels.
3. In a non reactive bowl, dissolve sugar with the vinegar.
4. Pack the ginger into a glass container, then pour in the vinegared syrup.  Refrigerate for at least two weeks before consuming.  The ginger will develop a rose pink hue over time.

Serves: Makes 6 cups

Even though we are in October and technically in the fall, we still find lots of summer squashes in the market.  I like using a combination of the yellow crooked squash with zucchini in this deliciously light pasta.  You can whip up this meal in the same time in takes to boil the pasta.

Chef’s tip: To chiffonade basil, stack the leaves.  Roll tightly into a compact cylinder.  Using a sharp knife, slice thinly horizontally across the roll.  Fluff up the basil.

Ingredients:
8 oz dried spaghetti
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 yellow squash, grated coarse
1 medium zucchini, grated coarse
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1/2 cup basil, chiffonade
1/2 teaspoon long pepper, freshly ground

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Add pasta and cook till el dente, about 12 minutes or according to package instructions.  Drain pasta, reserving about a cup of the cooking liquid.
2.  While pasta is boiling, grate squashes.  Chiffonade basil.
3.  Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat, when the oil begins to ripple, add garlic, saute until light golden, about 1 minute.
4. Add the grated squash and zucchini and suate until limp, about 2 minutes.  Layer on salt as you cook.
5. Add back the pasta.  Remove from heat.  Toss to mix.  Add in some of the reserved pasta water if needed to make the pasta strands easier to mix.
6.  Toss in feta, half the basil and the long pepper.  Toss lightly and serve.  Garnish with remaining basil.

Serves: 4

Part relish, part salad, part pickle.  This side dish is tasty and colorful, and adds a lot of zing to your meal.   It uses the typical Indian spice pairing of fennel and nigella seeds.

Chef’s tip: To remove the skin from a ginger, peel with a spoon – it peels off the skin without cutting too deep into the ginger flesh, while being able to go around the knobs of the rhizome more easily than a knife.  Adding ginger earlier in the cooking process subdues its pungency.

1 pint cherry and grape tomatoes, cut into half
1 Serrano chile
1 sprig green onions, white parts only

2 small Italian eggplants, cut into small half inch cubes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon ginger, finely julienned
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon nigella seeds
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cilantro leaves

1. Toss together tomatoes, chile, green onions in a large bowl.
2. In a small saute pan under medium heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil.  Saute eggplant cubes till it’s tender.  Remove and add to the tomatoes mix.
3. Add remaining olive oil, ginger, garlic, fennel, nigella seeds and tumeric.  Saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
4. Add vinegar, sugar and salt.  Remove from heat.
5. Pour vinaigrette over the tomatoes and toss to mix.
6. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serves: 4

This quesadilla oozes robust, meaty wild mushrooms and is balanced by the rustic blue corn tortilla.  Served with a bright red tomato salsa, you can safely say you are eating your colors.

Chef’s tip: To grate cheese, pop the cheese into the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up the cheese before grating.  A regular box grater works best for grating cheese.  Zesting citrus, however, is best done with a microplane which only lifts out the colored parts of the citrus where the essential oils are, leaving the often, bitter pith behind.

Mushroom:
1 pound mushrooms, such as Shiitake, Chanterelle, Maitake, sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 Tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Filling:
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
3 Tablespoons cilantro stems, chopped
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
3 oz Cotija cheese, grated
3 oz Oaxaca, grated
2 oz aged, sharp Cheddar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, roasted and crushed

4 Tablespoons olive oil
8 small blue corn tortilla

Salsa:
3 vine-riped tomatoes or dry farmed Early Girls, diced
1 clove garlic, peeled, sliced
1 sprig green onion, light green and white parts only, chopped
1 Serrano chile, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cups cilantro, packed, including the stems
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
A few dashes of hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tespoon fresh black pepper

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Roasting the mushroom:
1. Preheat oven 400F.  Toss sliced mushrooms with olive oil, and garlic.  Season with the salt and pepper; roast till soft and mushrooms start to brown, about 12 minutes.  Set aside.
Preparing the filling:
2.  Combine the filling ingredients together in a large bowl.  Toss to mix.
Preparing the quesadillas:
3.  Lay a tortilla on a clean, flat surface.  Spoon in about 3/4 inch thick of filling, leaving a 1/2 inch rim uncovered.  Cover with another tortilla, press gently to compact the filling and place on a baking sheet.  Repeat till you have formed 4 quesadillas.
4.  Heat a flat frying pan with little oil over medium heat.  Using a fish spatula, transfer the prepared quesadilla onto the pan, cook for a few minutes, while gently pressing on the quesadilla.  Gently turn the quesadilla and cook the other side for a a minute or two more.
6. Cut each quesadilla into 6 and serve with a salsa.
Preparing the salsa:
5. Add all tomatoes and garlic into a food processor.  Pulse several times till the tomatoes are cut into small dice.   Add green onion, cilantro and serrano and pulse a few more times.  Remove from food processor and add in zest, lime juice, vinegar, hot sauce, cumin, salt and pepper.  If needed, balance the acid with a touch of sugar.  Finish with extra virgin olive oil.

Serves: 4

A tasty pesto with sharp herbal tones to match the robust, nutty taste of buckwheat noodles.

Chef’s tip: When making a pesto, don’t add the Parmesan till after you remove it from the food processor.  that way, the cheese won’t melt with the heat of the motor.  Also, always reserve some pasta water to add back to the pasta to create smooth, silky noodles.  Lastly long pepper is a fragrant, fruity peppercorn with a hint of sweetness and it’s the spice du jour.  Seek it out!

Asian Pesto:
2 cups Thai basil, stems removed
1/2 cup Rau Ram – Vietnamese coriander leaves
3 sprigs green onions, green parts only
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/2 teaspoon long pepper, freshly ground

1/4 cup Parmesan, grated

3 bunches dried soba, 1 inch diameter bunch

Preparing the Pesto:
1. Place all the herbs into the bowl of a food processor.  Process to chop up the leaves.  With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream.  Process till a smooth paste forms.
2.  Add in pine nuts, salt and pepper, pulse to chop and adjust seasoning if needed.
3. Transfer pesto to a bowl and mix in parmesan.  Drizzle on some olive oil to keep pesto green.
Preparing the soba:
4. Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Add the soba and cook at a rolling boil until el dente, about 3 minutes, or according to package instructions.  Drain, but save some of the pasta water.  Transfer to a heated large bowl.
5. Toss the pasta with the pesto, adding in some of the pasta water (about 1/4 cup).
6. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Serves: 4

This madeleine recipe is from my friend, Diane Quan, who is a very talented pastry chef.  Months ago, I tried my hand at madeleines – all the recipes I found were too complicated…one asked to leave the batter overnight in a refrigerator which resulted in the butter floating up and solidifying!  I even tried dusting off my very little knowledge of French and used a recipe book I picked up in Nice.  Tout ne success pas.  (I really think it was my rusty French not the recipe!  So much for remembrance of things past!)  Finally, I asked Diane to show me how, and she generously shared the recipe for this tender, yet moist cookie.  It has been a breeze ever since.

I have adapted the recipe to fool-proofed it for my own sake.  I have adjusted it to my taste (yes, less sweet) and converted the measurements to grams for precision …thanks to my digital scale (a must have for any who wants to bake).  I prefer to weigh my ingredients when it comes to baking rather than to rely on cup measurements.  Cake flour, for example, as it compacts easily, asks you to sift the flour prior to measuring, so with weighing, you eliminate any discrepancies.  It is very important to stick to the type of flour specified because of the gluten content.  It will determine how tender your madeleines will be.  If you ever want to learn more about flour types and why, or any science related to food, get the Harold McGee bible On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen.

Chef’s tip: Butter, egg must be at room temperature to ensure a fluffy and light dough.  Also, use the silver madeleine pans (not the nonstick ones) for better heat distribution.   Just butter it with room temperature butter generously with your fingers, then sift in flour, tap it over the sink and voila, you will have a nonstick pan!  Amazon carries very good tin-sheet madeleine pans at a good price.  

6 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
140 g sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
95g cake flour
35g all purpose flour
2 “AA” eggs, room temperature
Zest of 1 orange, meyer lemon or tangelo
1 teaspoon cardamom, finely ground

2 Tablespoons butter for greasing the pans
Some flour

Preheat oven 350F
1.    Beat butter and sugar till very light.  Add vanilla.  Beat to incorporate.
2.    Sift together the flours.
3.    Beat in the flour in 2 batches, alternating with egg, into the butter mixture.
4.    Fold in orange zest and cardamom
5.    Grease 2 madeleine sheets (shiny ones)  well with butter.  Dust with flour and shake out excess flour.
6.    Using the help of an additional spoon, drop in 1 heaping tablespoon of the batter into the madeleine moulds – to fill about ¾ full.  Smooth out any peaks.
7.    Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are browned.  Turn out onto a cookie rack to cool.
8.    Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Makes: 24

If you see quince in the market, buy it.  And lots of it.  The start of fall through about Thanksgiving is the season for this highly recherche fruit.  I thank my lucky stars that our family friends, the Cardinauxs, who have a ranch in Petaluma, shower us with this yellow gold.  Quince looks like a mishaped apple, a mishaped Bartlett with a fuzzy skin and about 1.5X the size of an apple.  Quince has a floral fragrant like a combination of sweet apples, pineapples, and peaches.  The problem with quince is that you can’t just grab one and bite into it, it’s super hard and super tart.  Hence you don’t see it in your local Safeway. You can cook it into a fruit pastille, or a membrillo, and bake a wonderful quince crumble.

I first fell in love with membrillo in Rio where they served it with some sort of queso fresco. But served membrillo with a Manchego, and you’ll have a marriage made in heaven.  Making membrillo requires a lot of TLC and a very strong arm.  You have to stand there and stir the pot non stop for 1- 1 1/2 hours, and beware of flying hot lava coming out of the pot.  But the end result is well worth the effort.  It makes a beautiful gift, as MC says “priceless”.

Chef’s tip: If you’d like, you can skip the peeling and coring if you use a food mill.  The skin and seeds will be caught by the mill.

Ingredients:
Quince, at least 4 lbs to make it worth the effort
Equal amounts of sugar
Some water

1. Peel and core the quince.  Cut into 2 inch cubes.
2. Cover the quince cubes with just enough water.  Simmer for 30 minutes until it is soft.  Drain.
3. Put quince into a food processor and blend till a smooth paste.  or if you are using unpeeled quince, then pass through a food mill.
4. Measure equal amounts of quince puree and sugar and place them into a heavy bottom pot.  I prefer my membrillo less sweet, so I add a fruit:sugar ratio of 1.25:1
5. Cook under medium heat for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, stirring constantly, until the paste has thickened into a deep, orange, red color.
6. Transfer the paste onto a baking sheet lined with a lightly greased parchment, and bake in a low oven – 125F for about an hour.
7. Store in the refrigerator, tighly wrapped, for up to 6 months.
8. To serve, slice thinly and serve with sliced manchego.

Serves: Many

The picture below of Manchego with Membrillo was taken at a friend’s wedding reception catered by Gerard’s Paella of Occidental.  Just the most beautiful presentation of this marriage made in heaven.

This is dressed-up hummus.  Adding some vadouvan pops the flavors in this hummus, while still preserving the basic goodness of mashed chickpeas. Vadouvan is an Indian French mix of the Pondicherry curry – that has hints of roasted shallots and is mild on the heat scale. Tahini, an important element of any hummus mutes the acid of the lemon while binding in the pungency of the garlic.  The masala pita points make a great snack on its own!

Chef’s tip:  You can get vadouvan at Le Sanctuaire (315 Sutter, SF).  If you can’t find vadouvan, make your own quick, poor man’s substitute: saute some shallots, garlic and a little bit of ginger with some oil under very low heat for 20 minutes till the onion is caramelized.  Then mix in some madras curry powder, an equal amount of ground fenugreek, chiffonades of curry leaves and some ground urad dhal, salt and pepper and continue to saute a minute more till it forms small lumps. Spread it on a baking tray and bake under low heat for an hour (or what they do in sunny South India, sun for 3 days!) A more detailed version can be found in Gourmet.com

Masala Pita:
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon fennel
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorn
1/2 teaspoon paprika

8 pieces 6-inch pita
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Hummus:
2 cans chickpeas / garbanzo, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup water
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juice
2 Tablespoons vadouvan
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon long pepper, ground
1/4 cup tahini

Some extra virgin olive oil
Edible flowers or parsley for garnish

Making the pita points:
1. Toast the fennel and cumin in a saute pan until fragrant.  Let cool slightly and grind in a spice grinder together with the black peppercorns and salt.
2. Preheat oven 350F.  Cut each pita into 8.  Lay pita points on a baking sheet and brush the top side with olive oil.
3. Sprinkle on spice mix and bake in the oven till golden, about 10 minutes.
Preparing the hummus:
4. In a food processor, combine all ingredients (reserving half a can of garbanzo) and blend till smooth.  Add more water if needed until a smooth consistency the thickness of peanut butter forms. Add the remaining garbanzo and give it a few pulse to create a hand-mashed lumpy feel to the dip.
5. Place hummus in the middle of a large platter.  Make a small indentation in the middle and drizzle on some olive oil.  Next take the flat end of the pita points and insert into the hummus, forming a sun star pattern around hummus.  Garnish with edible flowers or chopped parsley.

Serves: 8

This vegetarian red curry sauce can be used with other vegetables such as eggplant, okras, zucchini, etc.  Again, I am using the store bought Thai curry paste, but supplementing it with additional spices and herbs.  I love the curry sauce with butternut squash, the sweetness of the squash complements the heat form the curry.

Chef’s tip: Do not let the coconut milk come to a vigorous boil or the milk will separate.  Always simmer on low heat, and stir occasionally.

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash, about 1 1/2 lbs, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1 Tablespoon galangar, grated
1 Tablespoon Thai red curry paste
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, roasted then ground
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted, then ground
1 teaspoon black pepper corns, coarsely ground

3 cups coconut milk
5 pieces of kaffir lime leaves. chiffonade finely
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon palm / brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste

Some kaffir lime leaves, chiffonade finely for garnishing

1.  Steam butternut squash for about 15 minutes or until tender.
2.  In a medium saucepot, heat 2 Tablespoons of oil, then add garlic, ginger and galangal.  Fry till fragrant,  about 3 minutes.  Add red curry paste, tomato paste, coriander, cumin and black peppercorns, and saute another minute.
3. Add coconut milk and simmer for a 10 minutes
4. Finely shred kaffir lime leaves, reserves a generous pinch for garnishing
5. Add shredded kaffir lime leaves, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.  Simmer uncovered until gravy has thicken.
6. Add in the cooked butternut squash and toss to  Simmer 3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat.
8.  Garnish with kaffir lime leaves.

Serves: 4

Two Dog Farm’s Dry-Farmed Early Girls are back!  There is no better way to savor their sweetness than to generously drizzle the tomatoes with the best extra virgin olive oil you can get, a splash of balsamic, a sprinkle of Maldon salt, and some fresh mozarella or even better, a scoop of burrata.  Top with some fresh basil.

Chef’s tip: Burrata comes from Puglia and it’s pretty hard to find even in food-obsessed San Francisco.  A local brand called Gioia (I believe it’s made right here in the East Bay) is pretty good. Burrata is essentially cheese curds wrapped with sheets of mozarella. It’s highly perishable, so use it the same day you by it. Frankly, it’s really not that hard!

Chef’s tip: Do invest in the time in using fresh beans.  While it may take you a a 20 more minutes to shell, blanch and peel them, it’s like a whole different bean from those muddy brown dried or canned ones.

Ingredients

1 baguette, sliced 3/8-inch at a diagonal
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 lbs fava in the pod (yields about 2 cups)
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
3 basil leaves, chiffonade
A wedge of pecorino
1 lemon
Lemon oil – “O” Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

To make the crostini:
1.    Slice baguette into 3/8 inch thick pieces. Place bread slices on a sheet pan, brush one side with olive oil.
2.    Bake in a 375F oven for 7-10 minutes until golden brown. Immediately rub with a piece of garlic.
To pod and peel the fava beans:
3.    Break off the top of the pod, and then slide your thumb along the pod’s vein to split the pod into two. DO this over a colander to catch the falling bean.
4.    Now you will see a very white bean. You still need to peel this thick membrane. To do so, bring a pot of salted water to boil, blanch the beans (30 secs) and plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Drain. Pick up a bean, and make a small tear at the top of the bean – where it used to connect to the shell. Then gently squeeze /pop out the bright green fava bean. Set aside – refrain from munching on them.
To make the garlic confit and spread:
5.    Put the olive oil and whole garlic in a small pot and bring to a simmer. lower heat and gently roast the garlic for 20 minutes until the garlic is soft and tender.
6.    Place the fava bean, the garlic confit (oil and all) into a large bowl and gently mash with a fork. For a rustic texture, leave some chunks behind. Add basil and salt and pepper.
Assembling the crostini:
7.    Spread a tablespoon of the fava bean mash on the crostini. Using a microplane rasp, zest some lemon zest on top of the mash. Using a vegetable peeler, gently shave a thin slice of pecorino and place on top of the crostini. Finish with the lemon oil and a twist of black pepper.

Serves: 6

Nettle is a weed really, and you can find them in the fields if you just look. Don’t go picking them as its sting is quite painful. You need to protect your hands with a pair of rubber gloves when handling nettle. Hence, you will gladly pay for the $6/lb at the Ferry Building.

I grow my own nettle in my little urban “potager” on my balcony 271 ft above ground level (thanks Google Earth!). I took the washing liquid from a bunch of nettles I got from Star Route Farm and poured it onto a big pot of soil. Kept the soil moist and lo and behold, a few weeks later, tiny nettles began sprouting and they just grew and grew! Here’s a picture of my nettle “crop”. If you are planting nettles in the garden, do remember it’s pernicious and has a pretty potent sting, so you don’t want your dogs or toddler running into it!

Chef’s tip: Even tho its sting may intimidate you at first, just use a pair of tongs to handle it. Store-bought nettles are pretty sandy.  Rinse them in lots of water, shaking them with the tongs.  Nettle loses its sting when cooked even 1 minute in boiling water; its flavor is well worth the trouble!

Filling:
1 lb ricotta
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup finely grated parmesan

32 pieces wonton skin squares
Some rice flour for dusting

Pesto:
1 lb nettle
2 tablespoons butter/ EVOO
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1/2 cup pine nuts, roasted
Parmesan wedge for grating

To make the ravioli filling (Omit if using store bought cheese ravioli like the picture in this post!)
1.    Mix together ricotta, lemon zest, salt and parmesan for the filling.
2.    To fold the ravioli, lay out wonton skin squares, 4 at a time. Brush edges with a water (just slightly damp). Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each square and fold over to make a triangle shape, pressing edges to seal. Take the two corners along the long edge of the triangle and bring together to have both bottom sides meet (as if the raviolo is clapping with the back of its palms; the raviolo will look twisted) and press the tips to fuse together. Place finished raviolo on a baking tray dusted with rice flour. Repeat and set aside until pesto is done.
To make the nettle pesto:
3.    Rinse and wash nettles using rubber gloves and a pair of tongs. Drain and spin-dry with a salad spinner. Remove any large stems (they make great compost as they give out lots of nitrogen, no seeds nor flowers, though).
4.    Melt butter in a medium saucepot over medium high heat and add sliced garlic; sauté until golden brown. Add nettles, cover immediately to capture the aroma and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add cream and salt, let the liquid reduce to half; about 1 minute. Taste. (Make sure nettles are cooked before you taste them; they loose their stinging qualities once cooked.)  Finish with some black pepper.
5.    Using a handheld blender, puree nettle until smooth. Keep warmed.
Cooking the ravioli:
6.    To cook the ravioli, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Drop half the ravioli gently into the water, wait until all float to the top. Remove and drain. Repeat.
7.    Spoon the nettle pesto over the cooked ravioli. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve with some grated parmesan.

Probably one of the best ways to eat maitakes.  Using rice flour for the batter, deep frying the mushrooms to perfection at 375F gives the tempura a nice big crunch.  The woodsy, robust flavor of chicken-of-the-woods mushrooms works very well with the lime salt…..deep fried margarita, anyone?…I mean, maitake.

Chef’s tip: Sprinkling the maitake with some cornstarch absorbs any excess moisture, and allows the batter to adhere to the mushrooms better.

Ingredients:
Zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoon Maldon sea salt

1 lb maitake or hens of the woods mushroom

Batter:
2 cups rice flour
1 egg yolk
2 cups club soda, chilled cold

1 cup of cornstarch
kosher salt
4 cups of canola oil
Lime, cut into wedges

Preparing the lime sea salt:
1.    Using a mortar and pestle, muddle salt with zest.  Salt can be stored in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.
Preparing the mushroom:
2.    Wipe maitake with a damp towel to clean.  Trim roots.  Break into small chunks about 2 inch square.
Preparing the batter:
3.    Whisk egg yolk, rice flour and club soda in large bowl until just blend.
Cooking the tempura:
4.    Heat canola oil in a deep fry pan till 375F
5.    Working in batches, sprinkle cornstarch on maitake to cover entirely, then dredge in batter and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Using slotted spoon, transfer mushroom to a baking rack over a sheet pan to drain.
6.    Sprinkle with kosher salt immediately
7.    Repeat for remaining maitakes, making sure temperature is maintained at 375F
8.    Serve with lime sea salt, and wedges of lime.

Serves: 4

Putting in more Vietnamese into Slanted Door’s Grapefruit and Jicama Salad, I have adapted the recipe and served the salad as a springroll. The tantalizing sweet, sour, salty and spiciness of the springroll will surely tintilate your tastebuds. The chewiness of the rice paper lets you savor the flavors slowly, as each flavor unfolds from the various herbs as you chew. And it’s a beautiful dish, too. It’s like serving a Garden of Eden, wrapped in rice paper.

Chef’s tip: If you have to prep this ahead, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and do not place into the fridge. The coldness will turn the rice paper hard.

Ingredients:

Candied nuts:
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups pecan halves
Nonstick vegetable oil spray and foil

Shallot oil:
1 shallot, sliced finely
1/3 cup of oil

Nuoc Cham Sauce:
1 tablespoon Sri Racha sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 Tablespoons sugar
5 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
4 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons fish sauce (sub with soy sauce for vegetarian option)
2 Tablespoons shallot oil (see above)

Filling:
2 oz rice vermicelli
1/4 head of red cabbage, thinly julienned, makes 2 cups
1/4 head of napa cabbage, thinly julienned, makes 2 cups
1 large carrot, thinly julienned
1/2 small jicama, thinly julienned, makes 2 cups
1 large ruby grapefruit, peeled, membranes and seeds removed
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chiffonade
1/2 cup scallions, chiffonade
1/2 cup Rau Ram – polygonum (Vietnamese Mint), chiffonade
1/2 cup of Thai basil leaves, chiffonade
5 small pieces of butter lettuce, ribbed and tear into 2×3 inch pieces
1/2 cup mint leaves, whole

20 round 8-inch Vietnamese rice paper

Directions

Prepare the candied nuts:
1. In heavy medium skillet over medium heat, bring sugar, olive oil and vinegar to boil until sugar melts and syrup bubbles, about 3 minutes.
2. Mix in pecans and stir until nuts are toasted and syrup coats nuts evenly, about 7 minutes. Turn nuts out onto greased foil. Using fork, separate nuts and cool completely till harden. Break nuts into small pieces.
Prepare the sauce:
3. Make the shallot oil by frying sliced shallots in 1/3 cup of canola oil till golden brown.
4. In a small bowl, whisk Sri Racha, garlic, sugar, rice wine vinegar, water, fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of shallot oil together. Set aside.
Prepare the filling:
5. Bring salted water to boil. Drop rice vermicelli in, bring to boil again. Remove from heat, cover and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and fluff.
Prepare the slaw:
6. Using a food processor, mandoline or a sharp knife, shred both cabbages (2mm); julienne jicama and carrots finely into shoestring strips.
7. Place vegetables in separate bowls and toss with a tablespoon of Nuoc Cham each.
8. Peel grapefruit, remove skin, pith, membranes and seeds.
9. Chiffonade cilantro, scallion, Rau Ram and Thai basil and toss together to mix.
10. Remove ribs from butter lettuce and tear into 2 x 3 inch pieces each.
Assemble the springrolls:
11. Line a baking sheet with a damp tea towel and have another damp towel ready to cover the rolls. Line a cutting board with a third damp towel. Have all spring roll filling and vegetables mise en place.
12. Fill a large sauté pan with 2 inches of water. Add 1 spoon of sugar, bring water to a boil, then turn heat to very low. Working with one sheet of rice paper at a time, dip half the disc into the hot water, holding one corner with your fingers or a pair of chopsticks. Let it sit for about 5 seconds. Quickly dip the other half and remove and spread out flat on lined cutting board.
13. Lay a leaf of lettuce over the bottom third of the rice paper. Lay a thin layer of rice noodles on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of grapefruit sacs, 1 tablespoon herb mixture and 1 tablespoon of pecans. Lay a small amount of carrots, red and napa cabbage on top of the lettuce. Place 3 pieces of jicama sticks and press together to compact. Lay 2 pieces of mint down on the middle third of the rice paper.
14. Fold the left and right side over the filling. Holding the sides in place, fold the bottom flap up and roll the roll up into a tight cylinder. You want the mint to show through the wrapping. Lay the rolls flap side down on the moistened towel and cover with another moist towel until ready to serve (or cover tightly with Saran wrap). Patch any broken areas with small pieces of soaked, rice paper.
15. Serve: Cut the spring rolls into half crosswise and serve with nuoc cham dipping sauce.

Makes: 40 pieces.

The origins of Flavor Explosions.  I re-created this recipe based on the memory of smell (oui, Rémy!) of the aroma in my late grandmother’s house as she roasted curry powder. My grandmother roasted curry powder in a wok 1-yard in diameter, over a charcoal stove, and had all of us – her grandkids – tightly packed the spice mix into recycled glass ketchup bottles which she then sells. Unfortunately, none of us documented her recipe so I created this concoction based on what I remembered from those hot afternoons in Malaysia 30+ years ago! And dedicate it to the memory of my grandmother.
Malaysian curry powder reflects the blend of South Indian, Sri Lankan and Peranakan flavors.

Chef’s tip: Store in a air-tight glass jar in a cool place for up to six months.

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons whole coriander
2 Tablespoons whole cumin
2 Tablespoons whole fennel
3 Tablespoons whole fenugreek
2 Tablespoons whole black pepper
1 3-inch stick cinnamon
2 Tablespoons rice
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon cayenne
5 whole dried red peppers, stems and seeds removed
4 cloves
1 star anise
5 tablespoon ground tumeric

Directions:
1. Over medium heat, dry-fry all whole spices (everything but the tumeric) in a wok or a skillet for about 5 minutes or until fragrant. Stir/ toss constantly to make sure the spices don’t burn.
2. Let cool slightly, transfer to a spice grinder and grind until it becomes a fine powder.
3. Mix in tumeric and bottle the curry powder.

Makes: 1 cup.

Also known as “Terong Belado” this is a yummy and beautiful dish. The juxtaposition of the fiery red of the sambal with the brilliant purple of the eggplant is a feast for the eyes as well.

Chef’s tip: The sambal can be used as a condiment for lots of other dishes. Try it with grilled salmon, or a bowl of laksa.

Spice paste:
10 fresh red Jalapeno
5 shallots
2 tablespoons roasted belachan, optional
1 stalk lemon grass
2 cloves garlic

Sambal:
1/2 cup of canola oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
1 tablespoon lime juice

5 small Japanese eggplant, cut into 2 lengthwise
Kosher salt
2 cups canola oil

Preparing the spice paste
1.    Grind together spice paste ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Set aside.
Preparing the sambal
2.    Heat ½ cup of oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat until just hot.  Stir in spice paste.   Add sugar and salt.  Cook, stirring constantly until it achieves a deep red consistency, about 10 minutes.  Mix in lime juice.
Preparing the eggplant
3.    Cut eggplant into half lenghtwise.  Salt generously and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Pat dry.
4.    Heat 2 inches of oil in a skillet until hot (360F) over high heat.  Divide the eggplant into small batches so that they do not crowd the pan. Deep fry the eggplant for about 5 minutes each or until golden and tender. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on a cooling rack over a sheet pan (line sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy cleaning).  Repeat with the remaining batches.  Pour off the oil and discard oil.
Assembling
5.    Spoon the sambal over the eggplant.

Serves: 10

A vegan favorite at the dim sum table. When you bite into the spring roll, you will feel several layers of textures – texture being an important element of Chinese foods. First you have the crisp from the deep fried spring roll skin, followed by the velvety shiitake inter-mingled with the stringy mung bean thread and the silky enoki. Finally, you will experience the crunchy cloud ears fungus. The aromatic ginger and garlic complement the woody, robust shiitake. The dipping sauce is a common Cantonese dipping sauce made from Lea & Perrins!

Chef’s tip: An important cooking tip is to make sure you keep the temperature of the hot oil at a constant high of 360F to ensure your spring rolls come up crisp and dry, and not soaked in oil, or burned. Always use a fry thermometer, and not fry too many pieces at a time to ensure optimal heat control.

Filling
20 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps sliced ¼ inch thick
¼ cup peanut oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 Tablespoons peanut oil
1 large shallot, diced
1 Tablespoon ginger, peeled, grated
2 Tablespoons coriander stems
3 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1 Tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
½ cup green onions, sliced
1 packet enoki, trimmed of roots, leave whole.
1 oz dried cloud ears, reconstituted or 6 oz fresh, hard underside removed, thinly sliced
1 oz bean thread noodles, cut into 3 inch pieces, soaked in hot water, 20 minutes, drained
1 Tablespoon sesame oil

30 Chinese spring roll wrappers (eggless), 4X4 inch square, thawed from frozen
1 large egg white beaten with 2 Tablespoons water (egg wash)
6 cups canola oil for frying
Sauce:
3 Tablespoons light soy sauce
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
4 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon ginger, finely shredded
1 small Fresno chile, seeded and finely chopped

Preparing the mushroom filling
1.    Wipe shiitake with a damp towel to clean.  Remove mushroom stems and slice into ¼ inch thick. In a large sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoon of peanut oil. When hot, add all the mushrooms, and cook over high heat, stirring, for 1 minute.  Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring a few times, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are tender, about 8 minutes.  Splash on Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, salt and pepper.  Uncover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes longer.
2.    In a small sauté pan over medium heat, add remaining peanut oil.  When hot, add chopped shallots and ginger.  Cook till shallot is soft, about 3 minutes, then add minced garlic and coriander stems and fry till fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.  Pour mixture into the mushroom mixture and toss in the sesame seeds, green onions, enoki, cloud ears and bean thread.  Finish with sesame oil.
Aseemblying the spring roll:
3.    Cut off one corner (about 1 inch) from the stack of spring rolls.  On a clean work surface, place 1 spring roll wrapper with the cut corner closest to you. Brush edges with egg wash.  Place 2 Tablespoons of the mushroom mixture on the lower 3rd of the spring roll, parallel to the cut end. Compact to form a log, Fold the left and right side over the filling.  Holding the sides in place, fold the bottom flap up and roll the roll up into a cylinder.  Place on an oiled baking tray rack on its seam
4.    Heat canola oil till 360°F.  Drop several spring rolls into the oil and fry till golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Immediately drain on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
Preparing the dipping sauce
5.    Mix all the sauce ingredients (soy, Worcestershire, vinegar, water, ginger, chile) together in a bowl and set aside.  Serve with hot spring rolls.

Serves: 30 mini springrolls

I first tasted Aushak at the Salang Pass restaurant in Fremont, a city where a lot of Afghan immigrants have settled. Aushak is proof that Marco Polo made his way through that part of the world (I mean through the Hindu Kush, not Fremont!) enroute back from China. Aushak is traditionally made with beef – it’s the Afghan version of ravioli with a meat sugo sauce, except that the Afghans use spices such as cardamon, sumac, coriander etc instead of herbs like oregano and basil.
I prefer the vegetarian version of Aushak, and instead of a flat dumpling, I make a “tortellini” shaped dumpling that can hold the sauce better.

Chef’s tip: In line with Mr. Polo’s “Chinese” influence, I recommend using wonton skin to make the dumplings. I think Marco Polo will agree.

Ingredients:

Tomato Sauce:
3 tablespoon Oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon ginger, peeled, grated
1 Tablespoon cumin seeds
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
4 Cardamom pods, ripped opened but intact
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon sumac
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ cups water

Yogurt sauce:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon salt

Leek filling:
3 leeks (about 4 cups chopped)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup finely chopped cilantro

Ravioli:
48 pieces square wonton wrappers
Some mint, chiffonade

Preparing the tomato sauce:
1.    Heat oil in a pan set over medium heat.  Add chopped onions, and sauté until translucent about 3 minutes.  Add minced garlic, ginger and cumin and sauté, 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until seeds are browned and oil is fragrant.
2.    Add tomatoes,  cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, sumac, salt, pepper and water.
3.    Simmer gently over low heat until sauce is redued by half and is thick.  Keep warn until aushaks are ready to serve.
Preparing the yogurt sauce:
4.    Mix all the ingredients together and adjust seasoning to taste.
Preparing the ravioli:
5.    Cut off the dark green hard leaves from the leek. Keeping the roots to hold the leeks together, halve lengthwise.  Fan out the leeks and rinse under the faucet to remove sand.  Slice finely cross, wise, discard the root..
6.    Microwave leeks until soft, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7.    Combine leeks with salt, cilantro and let it cool.
8.    Folding the dumplings: On a clean surface lightly dusted with cornstarch, brush edges of the wonton wrapper with a little water (just slightly damp).  Mound about 1 Tablespoon of the filling in the center of each wrapper.  Bring opposite corners together to make a triangle and press to seal, making sure to remove any air from the filling.  Make sure seams are well-sealed. Next bring the two corners along the long edge of the triangle to meet together and overlap them.  Press the two corners together to fuse them.  Place on a tray dusted with cornstarch.
9.    Bring a pot of water to boil.  Drop in about 12 dumplings in at a time, give it a stir so that the dumplings do not stick to the bottom.  Wait 2-3 minutes or until the dumplings float up.  Remove with a slotted spoon.
10.    Place dumplings in a plate, ladle over tomato sauce and drizzle with yogurt sauce.  Garnish with mint.
Serves 6

Goes really well with curries and hot foods. The tea is addictive! You won’t stop at just one cup.

Ingredients

Some cheesecloth and kitchen twine
15 cardamon pods
1 star anise
5 pieces cloves
2 tablespoons fennel seed
2 sticks cinnamon
7 1/2 cups water
10 teabags Orange Pekoe tea (Lipton, PGs, Tetleys or any other British brand teas)
3 cups evaporated milk
8 tablespoons sugar

Directions:
1. Place spices (except for cinnamon sticks) in a cheesecloth or a teaball and bundle tightly together with kitchen twine.
2. In a large pot, add water, teabag, spice bag and cinnamon sticks and bring to a gentle boil. When it boils simmer under a slow fire for about 20 minutes.
3. Remove spice bag, teabags and cinnamon sticks.
4. Mix in milk and sugar. Bring back to a boil.
5. Sieve into a teapot before serving
Serves: 10