Chaos and Cuisine!!

Follow the adventures of Sean and Katrina as they save the world, battle evildoers, and explore world cuisine!

Friday, December 31, 2010

Akira

Natto

The scariest of Japanese foods might be natto. Natto has relatives, like tempeh and tofu, but natto is whole soybeans fermented. Somehow, the process makes them gooey, and when you stir it with your chopsticks it forms long, gooey strings, like mozzarella on hot pizza slices.

But it doesn't taste like mozzarella. It tastes like bad tempeh, an overpowering aroma of soy attacking your nostrils, prying open your olfactory nerves, and rushing to your brains.

Overall, it's not that bad.

If you bury it in soy sauce.


Thursday, December 30, 2010

Chapter 11 : Japan


It was November when we reached the countryside of Japan, a unique archipelago whose cuisine is entirely unlike the rest of Asia's, or even the world. Without access to spices, or even the methods being used across the world for hundreds of years.

The Japanese are a strange people, but we felt right at home.

Japanese Pickles



Pictured: Eggplant, Radish, Daikon, Cucumber, and Umeboshi.

Japanese pickles tend to be sweet and intense, and are well matched with rice. There's no shortage of vegetables preserved this way, frequently found refrigerated in sealed packages.

Umeboshi are the best known. These are small ume (Japanese plums) pickled and extremely sour.

Legend has it, in times of famine, the poor would only have rice and umeboshi. And in extreme famine, they would put their umeboshi on top of the rice, and only think about eating it, and then eat the rice, so they might save their umeboshi for the next day.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Dragonfruit

Where: Central and South America

The dragonfruit is a curious bizarrely shaped fruit with a red and green petaled shell. The edible interior, pictured here, is creamy white with black, crunchy seeds like a kiwi, and a clean, cool taste that is delicious, though easily overpowered. The fruit is deceptively moist (though not as much as a prickly pear or watermelon).

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Kashmir Ki Kali

If one dish showcases the unique aromas of mustard oil and asafoetida, this peculiar dish is it. The original recipe called for peeling the potatoes prior to deep frying them. while probably traditional, I'd hardly call it necessary.

Dama Oluv
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 1/2 hours
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
2 lbs small red potatoes or fingerlings
1 cup mustard oil (possibly more for deep frying)
3 cloves
1 tsp cumin
1 pinch asafoetida
2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp aniseed powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp mixed black pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon powders

Cooking:
Clean the potatoes thoroughly, with a potato brush if you have it. Then boil them, skin on, until they are soft. Drain them, and prick them all over with a fork.

Deep Frying:
Heat the mustard oil in a small pot, and then deep fry the potatoes in the mustard oil until they become light, and most of the moisture has been forced out of them. Be patient! This step will take a while.

And More Cooking:
When finished, let the oil cool, and then pour 1 cup of oil into a large pot. Heat the oil, and then add cloves, cumin, and asafoetida. Stir it, and then add the chilli powder, turmeric, and 1 tbsp of water. Keep stirring until the oil begins to separate.

Add the yogurt, aniseed, and ginger powders, and stir until the yogurt is mixed in. Add the fried potatoes, stirring them until they are covered in the spice mixture, and then add enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a simmer, and cook for at least an hour, until the oil separates.

Add the garam masala, and the mixture of pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon powders. Mix gently, and serve!


The recipe takes both time and patience, but it is very unique and delicious!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Sikandar

Fenugreek probably isn't a spice you're familiar with, nor is it used in western cooking. You have tasted it, since the seeds provide the "imitation" maple flavor in pancake syrup. It is one of the oldest spices/herbs used, and you may find it in import stores. The Indian terms menthi and methi are the most common alternate terms.

Methi Maaz is a unique mix of lamb, mustard oil, and fenugreek.

Methi Maaz
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless lamb, cut into chunks
2 lbs fresh fenugreek, chopped
1 cup mustard oil
1 tsp ginger powder
2 tso fennel powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 pinch asafoetida
2 cloves
4 brown cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup milk
3 tsp dried fenugreek
salt to taste

Cooking:
Put lamb cubes into pot in 3 cups of water and boil until they are semi-tender. Remove the meat from the broth, and save the broth.

In the broth, add ginger powder, fennel powder, cloves, brown cardamom pods, cinnamon, turmeric, and milk and boil the stock for ten minutes. Then remove from heat and set aside.

Heat mustard oil and add adafoetida and salt. Using your hands, crush the fenugreek and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the meat and fry for a couple more minutes. Add the broth and simmer until it reduces to a gravy.

Sprinkle dried fenugreek on top, and serve with rice.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Veer Zaara

Rogan Josh is a popular lamb and spice dish. I found it on this page. I've adjusted the terminology and ingredients based on what you'll find out here (the midwestern US for newcomers). This is absolutely delicious.

Rogan Josh
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time 2 hours
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
3 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
1 1/2 lbs leg of lamb, cut into bite-sized chunks
16 oz can crushed tomatoes
4 tbsp yogurt
cilantro (optional)

Cooking:
Heat oil in a large pot until hot, and then sautee onions until soft, then add the garlic and ginger and fry for a couple of minutes.

Add thesalt, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, cumin, and chilli powder, and fry until aromatic. Then add the chunks of lamb and cook for five minutes, until meat has fully browned. Then add the can of tomatoes, and cook for five minutes.

Add the yogurt, and then bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Take off heat and add fresh cilantro leaves to taste. Serve with naan or rice.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Chapter 9 : India - Kashmir

Half a century ago, India won its long-fought "peaceful" war of independence against Great Britain, onlyto split into two countries, India and Pakistan. One part of India, Kashmir, is precariously cut between the two, with India controlling a larger portion of this land.

Kashmiri food is similarly divided, between the vegetarian and non-vegetarian. The Kashmiri cuisine of the Muslims uses meat, lamb being the most popular, while the Hindus survive on a variety of vegetables, and both using India's amazing array of spices.

Butter Ghee

Butter Ghee is common across India for its rich flavor.

Mustard Oil

Mustard Oil mis common for flavoring and deep frying in Kashmiri cuisine. It's pungent aroma might seem daunting but it adds a wonderful flavor to recipes.

Asafoetida

Asafoetida is a spice whose aroma is so powerful, one can smell it sealed and frozen through plastic wrap. It smellls of rotten onions and garlic, and a pinch can flavor a dish.

And it tastes... wonderful. Sure, it might stink up your spice cabinet so badly it's all you smell when you open it, but once fried up in some oil the miasma of rotten onions vanishes and the flavor comes out.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Odyssey

I can't rave enough about how fantastic this soup is.

Lemon Chicken Soup
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 8-12

Ingredients:
8 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 tbsp chicken base
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup white flour
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup diced, cooked chicken meat
16 slices lemon
8 egg yolks (you don't need to white for this, go make some meringue or something)

Cooking:
In a large pot, combine the chicken stock, lemon juice, carrots, onion, celery, and chicken base, and bring to a boil, then lower and simmer for twenty minutes.

Produce a Roux:
Melt the butter in a pan over very low heat, and mix in the flour. Cook very slowly, stirring constantly. There's an art to this, and it takes patience. If you burn it, throw it out and try again. In about five minutes the mixture will be peanut butter colored. This mix, known as a Roux (pronounced "roo") will thicken your lemon chicken soup.

Add it Together:
Gradually mix the roux into the soup, and simmer it for 10 minutes more. Then beat the egg yolks seperately, and slowly pour a few spoonfuls of soup into the mixture, stirring constantly. Slowly bring the yolks up to temperature this way, and then mix them into the lemon chicken soup. Add the rice and the chicken.

Garnish with lemon slices.

Monday, December 6, 2010

300

Fava, you might think, would be made out of fava beans. On occasion, it is, but also lentils. I'd be lying if I claimed I knew the origins of the dish, but it is a delicious, blended yellow lentil soup.

I must admit, this recipe comes out not entirely unlike hummus, but it is thoroughly enjoyable.

Fava
Prep Time: 30 minutes (soaking the lentils)
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
3 cups yellow lentils
5 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Cooking:
Soak the lentils for 30 minutes, then rinse. (This step is not strictly necessary with lentils, but will improve the flavor a bit)

Cover the lentils with 5 cups water, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Skim the foam off with a spoon, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and put the mixture through a blender, mixcing in the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Serve either hot or cold. You can garnish it with chopped onion or capers.


Sunday, December 5, 2010

The Legendary Journeys

Let's be honest about this- Gyros are street food, and normally I try to put up recipes that they might actually make at the country I'm covering. But this recipe, modified to use pork (like they do in Greece) is certainly delicious.

Of course, real gyros are formed into a cylinder of meat on a spit, turning slowly near a heat source, and then shaved. But you know what? This will still taste good.

Cucumber sauce, sour cream, or even Greek Salad are great condiments for this.

Gyros
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp lemon juice
pita bread

Preparation:
Combine pork, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, and lemon juice in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Shape into oblong patties.

Cooking:
Grill patties until thoroughly cooked, around 8 minutes turning once.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Clash of the Titans

Now, a "Greek salad" in the US is an iceberg lettuce salad with a little romaine, topped with green peppers, tomatoes, feta cheese, and kalamata olives.

By contrast, an actual Greek salad is just those ingredients, with olive oil, and lemon juiced mixed in. By itself it's delicious, or you can use it to top sandwiches, like gyros, but I'll post those up later.

Greek Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/4 red onion, sliced into rings
1/2 cucumber, seeded and sliced into chunks
1/2 green pepper, julienned
4 oz feta cheese
16 kalamata olives

Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper into a dressing. Seperately, toss the tomato wedges, onion, cucumber, green pepper, and feta cheese. Pour the dressing over the top and add the kalamata olives.