This Modern World Scares and Confuses Me October 6, 2008
Posted by KG in Food.1 comment so far
Last night at dinner a friend ordered something called a “Chinese Cheese Dosa,” which turned out to be a dosa, stuffed with lo mein noodles, topped with white cheese, served with coconut chutney and sambar.
I’m still unclear as to how to react to the existence of such a thing. It’s a lobster stuffed with tacos. A flying Studebaker. A giant sign that says PROGRESS, in a sans serif font, shining purple argon light down on the silver clad citizens below. At some point, the future came and left me. Or, at the very least, someone spilled Chinese food all over India.
A little scary, a little sad, a whole lot strange. And according to my friend, a whole lot of delicious. That said, I’m not about to try it… at least not anytime soon.
Working on my Mahodara September 10, 2008
Posted by KG in Food, India, Mumbai.3 comments
The Ganesh festival is in full swing here. To celebrate, a group of us went to see what we’re told is the richest Ganesh idol in the city, probably putting it in the running for richest worldwide. The idol isn’t the one pictured above. That’s one I saw a few weeks earlier, when I took an impromptu and unplanned tour of an idol factory.
After seeing the idol, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice vegetarian dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. There, praying for all obstacles to be removed, I singlehandedly ate a giant dosa.
If you can’t tell, it was about four feet long. And six inches in diameter when rolled. Eating it took an hour, and I’m not quite sure when I’ll be able to look at a dosa again.
A Short Story June 23, 2008
Posted by KG in Food, Mumbai.1 comment so far
There’s a restaurant down the street from our apartment called Tavaa. It’s not the fanciest place in the world — the decor is faux-rustic, with most of the seating outside on cane chairs, under ceiling fans. We’ve been meaning to eat there for some time and finally made it over there tonight.
The food was pretty tasty, if a bit on the surprising side. The menu was mostly Rajasthani/desert food — grilled meats, biriyani, warm flatbreads, that sort of thing. The chicken biriyani was a bit spicy for the wife, but tasty, and very good with the fresh naan and rumali roti. The grilled mutton had an interesting texture and was mildly spiced. Dessert was mango in sweetened curd (aam rabdi), which I liked but the wife wasn’t 100% in love with.
While we were eating, auto rickshaws and various cars sped by, separated from us by a dark wood fence. Workmen pushed wheeled carts. The expensive jewelery store across the street closed around 8. I drank mineral water out of a copper cup; she had a Coke. We eventually realized that the mutton had a weird texture because when the waiter said “grilled mutton chest” he most likely meant “grilled mutton heart.” Through the meal, the restaurant’s sound system was silent. Then, right as we were enjoying dessert, someone put on some music, Mims’ “This is Why I’m Hot.“
This city is ridiculous.
No, Really: How Are You? April 23, 2008
Posted by KG in Etc., FS Life, Food, fitness.2 comments
Reunited with the wife, left my old job, currently in training, organizing our lives together, preparing to move to Mumbai for our new jobs, still getting used to collective pronouns, managed to take a week off from the gym and preserve my sanity, the Concept2 rower is an evil machine, rockfish and Ethiopian food remain delicious, constantly expecting to wake up and have to say goodbye but happily have not had that happen, the Radisson Lord Baltimore is a lovely hotel, did you know that in Mauritania the Arabic “bint” becomes “mint?”, Rosslyn will always be a wasteland, it feels strange to be together again but I’m loving it, how are you?
Two Pot Soup February 21, 2008
Posted by KG in Food.add a comment
Last Saturday a craving for non-sushi Japanese took hold of me and wouldn’t let go. Given where I was at the time, my options were slim, so I decided to be creative and make my own. Now, I’ve never cooked Japanese, not even your basic teriyaki. One of the many gaps in my knowledge is how to prepare lighter, less Chinese influenced East Asian food. This was a welcome chance to branch out of my spicy/salty routine and try my hand at something a bit more gentle. Whole Foods provided a number of ingredients I figured (based on watching Iron Chef) would work, like bonito flakes and soba noodles. A forewarning: this recipe is based on little research, so the ”authenticity” is questionable. But it’s a quick and easy soup for a chilly night, with the added benefit of being very satisfying and easily scaled. The numbers reflect a single serving.
On reading this recipe it may seem like you may need four pots. But if planned well, cleaning as you go, this soup only requires two (hence my title). Judicious washing on-the-go is your friend. Embrace it!
8 medium shrimp, raw, shell on
1 skinless chicken thigh
2 cups bonito flakes
1 tablespoon miso powder
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Green onions, to garnish
Gently boil the chicken thigh, whole, and the shrimp, unshelled, in three cups of water until the shrimp is just past translucent. This should take no more than four to five minutes and will not fully cook the chicken, just firm up the meat to make it easy for de-boning. Strain the water into a second pot and keep at a simmer.
Shell the shrimp, debone the chicken thigh, and add the shells and bone to the water along with the bonito, miso powder, and fish sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes. The broth should start to smell rich and, well, umami-y. While the broth simmers, cook a batch of Japanese style noodles, enough for one serving. I used Eden Foods mugwort soba noodles, which were perfect. Strain the noodles and place in a large soup bowl.
Strain the broth into a pot, keeping at a simmer. Discard the bonito, shells, bone, etc. Roughly chop the chicken and return to the broth. Cook at a simmer for 5-7 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through. Throw the shrimp in the broth, simmer for a moment, and pour the broth, meat, and shrimp over the noodles. Garnish with diced green onions and enjoy.
Someone Find Me a Quince February 13, 2008
Posted by KG in Etc., Food.add a comment
Kumquats. They were prominently displayed at Whole Foods for $2 a box. And of all the fruits and vegetables in the produce section, they were one of the few I had not eaten before. Honestly, who can resist that sort of temptation? Not me.
The only thing I knew about kumquats was that they were some sort of fruit with a funny sounding name that could score you 72 possible points in Scrabble. And that’s about all there is to know until you eat one. Then, if you’re as strange as I am, you become utterly captivated by a peculiar fruit that doesn’t seem to make any sense. For one: they look like teeny little oranges. And yet you eat them whole, rind and all. The flesh? Ridiculously tart, while the rind (which I thought would be bitter) is almost too sweet. That makes the experience of eating a kumquat rather different then other fruits, a progression from a quick hit of sweetness to overwhelming sourness and then, just when your lips are pursed from the citric acid, back to sweet.
I’ve been through the entire container of kumquats at this point, popping them one at a time randomly (having too many at one time ruins the fun). And of course I went on a furious Googling spree to come up with other ways to serve them, like pickling. That led to the inevitable side roads, where I learned that along with ketchup, kumquat is one of the few loan words to English from Cantonese (who knew?).
Produce: fascinating if you let it be.
Delayed Book Thoughts December 3, 2007
Posted by KG in Books, Food.add a comment
While tossing some arugula into a tupperware this morning (lunch), I realized that I hadn’t commented on one of the better books I’ve read recently, The United States of Arugula. Unfortunately, it’s been about a month since I finished it and though I had some well-developed thoughts put together, my lack of follow-through means I’ve lost most of them.
What I remember: this whole local-regional-fresh-organic approach to American food is old news. Locally sourced, seasonal ingredients have been popular with food-types since M.F.K. Fisher, and before her time – pre-WWII – it wasn’t the preferred way to eat, it was the only way. It’s interesting to see that as the idea of thinking about food as more than simple fuel has spread to common consciousness, a rusty old idea has been polished to look new.
Soup, A-, Soup Photos, C+ November 26, 2007
Posted by KG in Food.1 comment so far
Above: my Sunday dinner.
Ruhlman’s advice inspired me to devote most of my Saturday to making stock. But not turkey stock — ham stock, from a big, delicious hamhock my mother gave me. With some turkey bones thrown in for good measure. The task started around 1:30 pm with the bones, an onion, a head of garlic, some fresh oregano, and some thyme. It was finished 7 hours later with a rich, dark stock I seem to have made myself. Why so long? Because I can, that’s why.
The stock was the base for Sunday dinner, a version of Caldo Verde. My ongoing love affair with kale continues! The concept seems very similar to Italian Wedding Soup, but given the tweaks in this recipe, there’s no way to be certain.
The soup’s ingredients: the aforementioned stock, about two quarts; four cups kale (cut into a chiffonade); six ribs celery, one spanish onion, and one large carrot (diced); one pound fingerling potatoes (chopped); one pound chorizo (roughly chopped). Here’s my artfully arranged mise-en-place:
You’ll notice that the stock has a rather odd consistency. Even with all the fat skimmed off, it became gelatinous when refrigerated overnight. But reheated, it liquified. The finished soup hit that warming spot you expect from a hearty winter meal. I served it with a loaf of broa I picked up from the baker, completing the Portuguese theme of the evening.
Making stock is a perfect winter’s day activity. It takes a great deal of time, but the work is easy and very zen. If you haven’t done it before and are intimidated, don’t be — the skill involved is simple enough for even the most novice cook, and very rewarding.
Halloween Chocosurvey October 31, 2007
Posted by KG in Etc., Food.1 comment so far
A Lake Champlain Chocolate Hazelnut Praline Bar was divided and distributed amongst five individuals. Two describe themselves as enjoyers of candy who were not overly fond of chocolate, two describe themselves as chocolate lovers, and one (the writer) does not enjoy candy. Of those surveyed, the chocolate lovers reported that the bar in question was “outstanding,” (with one stating it was “the best American chocolate [she'd] had”) while the other three surveyed felt the chocolate was at best, “okay.” Though only tangentially connected to previous experiments, this makes me wonder: is the love of chocolate an innate thing, or at least something learned at an early age? Can someone who doesn’t like chocolate, and thus may not have been exposed to large amounts of “good” or “bad” chocolate, recognize the good stuff?
36-24-36 October 30, 2007
Posted by KG in Food, Wife.add a comment
What amateur, single cook doesn’t try to woo prospective partners through making dinner? I’m not ashamed: I’ve done it. Hey, it’s part of why my wife seems to like me so much. But I’ve never gone as far as preparing actual aphrodisiacs. Primarily because I don’t know how to shuck an oyster (the shame!) and can rarely remember what other foods stir the passions. Turns out there are plenty of books out there on that topic. But that’s not (exactly) what this is about.
Sunday evening I think I managed to woo myself with a side dish. The main course and veg (rosemary crusted pork medallions, lacinato kale sautéed in bacon fat) were good, but my mashed potatoes made me swoon. I had seconds and thirds — which is unusual for me, especially with starches. Like a beautiful woman, the key was in the proportions: 16 new potatoes, one head of garlic, 1/2 cup room temperature heavy cream, four tablespoons unsalted butter, one tablespoon fresh minced rosemary.
When planning my dinner aloud with my wife, she made her jealousy abundantly clear. She loves mashed potatoes more than most, and after the recipe turned out successful I elected to taunt her over email about it. She took it well, all things considered. At least better than I did. The labor put in to dinner Sunday night was atypical, a special occasion dinner, and I felt the absence of someone to share it with in… rather specific ways. My visceral reaction (”Damn, these potatoes are… sexy!”) brought some sub/semiconscious thoughts into focus. The wife would undoubtably have showered me with affection for that dish alone. And though I doubt I’ll have any need to prepare special meals for her as a seduction tool when we do live together, that potato recipe is one to remember. (Insert obligatory burning calories comment here.)
One last thought: seriously, why haven’t I been eating kale all my life? That stuff is delicious!
