D1 April 24–30, 2015 Check out Confabulations with Elizabeth Falkner.
D3
At
Malaysia’s Table
a Gathering of Cultures
For hundreds of years, many cultures—from Portuguese to Chinese to Indian—have converged on Malaysia, bringing their spices, aromatics, and culinary knowledge.
hristina Arokiasamy grew up the daughter of two doctors in Malaysia. Her father was a naturopathic doctor, and her mother was known as “Doctor Masala,” a spice merchant who would hand prescriptions of spices along with her wares.
Arokiasamy, a chef, an author, and also Malaysia’s food ambassador to the United States, recalled, “She never just dished out the spices. [She’d say] ‘You’ve got to have this because ginger is good for you, it’s got antioxidants, it’s going to help you with cholesterol.’ I think she read a lot of my father’s naturopathic books.” See Malaysia on D10
COURTESY OF MALAYSIA KITCHEN USA
Visit Us. Follow Us. Share Us. Eat snacks! Visit our new website at EpochTaste.com And talk to us! Email us at EpochTaste@ EpochTimes.com, or follow us @EpochTaste
Epoch Taste
D2 April 24–30, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Hickory-smoked brisket burnt ends, served by chef Elizabeth Karmel. COURTESY OF WOMEN CHEFS & RESTAURATEURS
Elizabeth Karmel serves bites of burnt ends to revelers at the opening party of the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs conference, held at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in Manhattan on April 19. SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
It’s like having a trampoline every time you feel ready to fall. It bounces you back up.
Chefs Elizabeth Falkner and Janine Booth (R), presenters of the WCR Food Games, exchange a hug.
COURTESY OF WOMEN CHEFS & RESTAURATEURS
Dana Cowin, editor-in-chief, Food & Wine, on the power of relationships Tyla Fowler (L) and chef Gabrielle Hamilton plate samples of marinated trout.
SEEN AND HEARD
Women Chefs Take a Bigger Bite
(L–R) Dana Cowin, editor-in-chief of Food & Wine; Kat Kinsman, editor-in-chief of Tasting Table; Melissa Clark, food columnist at The New York Times; and Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation.
at the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs conference SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Be decisive, create goals that inspire you, be an irrational optimist.
Orange upside-down cake with shoyu caramel and whipped ginger ganache by chef Melissa Denmark.
Susan Ungaro, president, James Beard Foundation
Pastry chef Jennifer Yee (R): “In terms of young women chefs, my advice would be to not look at yourself as a woman chef, to just look at yourself as a chef, because at the end of the day you’re there to put out the best product that you possibly can and you’re there to be successful.”
FINESSE
Ancient principles of Greek cuisine combined with modern techniques, yield a harmonious balance of flavors in every dish, at Nerai.
55 East 54th Street New York (646)844-2275 www.nerai.nyc
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Tunes from ABBA to Adele were being spun at the Studio 54-themed opening party of the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs conference.
Epoch Taste
D3 April 24–30, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
The fabulous Elizabeth Falkner.
Confabulations #Confabulations
We’re talking with: Elizabeth Falkner About: Women chefs, fear, and why waste matters
Fabulous conversations with fabulous people
Occupations: Culinary instigator, celebrity chef, artist, author, president of Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Lives in: Brooklyn
By Channaly Philipp Epoch Times Staff
You’re the president of Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR), which connects women together in the culinary arts. It has been in existence for more than 20 years. How would you say the challenges for women in the food industry have evolved? Elizabeth Falkner: Certainly [WCR] has evolved because the founders had a different set of hurdles and discrimination that is not as widely spread today. Our labor laws have changed so much over time, what people used to get away with in old school kitchens. People could just say, “Oh, you’re just a woman. You’re not going to have a job here.” You can’t say that anymore. You might still get some effects of that but we’ve certainly passed that hurdle. It does exist in all
Channaly and Elizabeth enjoy a moment at the WCR Conference.
industries, not just the food industry. I would say, still one of our biggest hurdles is the financial piece of it, to be able to walk in as a female and get the backing you need from whoever that is, whether it is a bank or an investor. It’s not like women can’t get backing but you’ve got to be as aggressive as anybody and smart and do your homework to get there. It’s our bigger message: of course women can do it. It may not come as easy to you but it’s possible.
What has been your own experience with financing? Ms. Falkner: I feel I was very lucky in San Francisco [where she lived for 25 years]. I had a good support system of private investors. The real estate part of the equation, which is definitely part of that financial side of it, has been for me
one of the toughest hurdles as a business owner. And the more famous or celebrity that you get the more people end up using that to get higher rent [from you]. The fame and the fortune doesn’t always equate in this industry.
A theme that emerged out of one of panels was about overcoming fear. It was a very frank discussion and one that you don’t hear about in public from men. Ms. Falkner: The expectations growing up male or female are just different. It’s not like males don’t have that fear. You are taught as a little boy that you have to be fearless, you’re like a gladiator, you’re going to be a football player, you can handle anything. That might not be true on the inside but you have to appear that way. That is part of the equation though. Sometimes as a female you get told you’re going to meet Prince Charming, someone is going to take care of you. Well, that’s not really always true—and it probably is a bad way to think about going ahead in life. “Someone’s going to take care of me” or “surely someone will discover me.” That’s definitely part of women’s psychology in a lot of different ways. It’s OK to feel afraid and have stage fright and to feel like it’s risky, and that’s normal to know it’s part of the way to grow and learn and progress is to actually kind of face that fear. When you get to the point of “Well,
Women in the food and dining industry at the opening party of the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs conference on April 19.
PRIME STEAKS. LEGENDARY SERVICE. Fine Wine • Private Dining • Exceptional Menu
that wasn’t that hard, you go through that a few times, you can look back on times like, “Why was I so scared of that?” Facing it is the hardest part of it. The thing about cooking, you’re so afraid about doing something wrong, so you do it wrong and you’re like, “Well I can fix it,” or you see someone fix it, you’re like, “It’s not the end of the world so I don’t need to beat myself up too much about it.” People are always hard on themselves. But once you’ve gone through that drill so many times you actually become a master at fixing and resolving and dealing and facing that fear. I remember what it twas like to be a young cook. I am quite fearless at cooking competitions now but that’s because I have been doing it for so long. But at the beginning I just wanted to do it the way someone expected me to do it—not my way, not “how great am I” yet. It’s listening to that discipline and tradition and eventually growing from there.
Morton’s World Trade Center
It’s the first time the conference has featured international women chefs talking about their journeys. How does the United States compare to the rest of the world? Ms. Falkner: There was a chef from Panama, a chef from Denmark, a chef from Greece, and a chef from Istanbul, and they were saying it is already so much better in the United States compared to Europe (our kitchen systems come from Europe when you think about it). There are some very progressive areas in Europe and to say Europe as a whole
See Confabulations on D8
is kind of obnoxious, it’s like saying the United States in general. There are some parts of France or Spain where there are really killer female chefs but when you think about it a lot of them don’t get the attention either like the male chefs do. So I think there’s still a lot of similarities but they feel in general there are many more prominent female chefs in the United States.
Midtown 551 Fifth Avenue 212-972-3315
World Trade Center 136 Washington Street 212-608-0171
Great Neck 777 Northern Boulevard 516-498-2950
Hackensack One Riverside Square 201-487-1303
White Plains 9 Maple Avenue 914-683-6101
mortons.com
Epoch Taste
D4 April 24–30, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com BRICK & MORTAR
HUGE GALDONES
George Mendes Oers Rustic Portuguese Fare at Lupulo Lupulo, which means “hopsâ€? in Portuguese, opens this Friday, April 24. The name gives a clue to its inspiration. The breweries of Portugal inspired George Mendes to open a relaxed 80-seat spot and enjoy his traditional comfort food. Among the offerings: salt cod casse-
Any Roast. Any Brew. Always the way you want it.
OUR COFFEE IS CRAFTED FROM
SEED-TO-CUP
BRAZILIA CAFE is an authentic seed-to-cup
coffeehouse. Using coffee beans sourced from the company’s own Brazilian plantation in the tropical mountain slopes of the Sul de Minas region, Brazilia offers the highest quality coffee experience in New York City.
Our Coffee Concierge can serve up a single cup using your choice of brewing method or a sampling of each Aeropress, Chemex, French Press or Hario Pourover.
role for two, shrimp porridge (Acorda de Camarao), grilled 60-day aged beef ribs, and young chicken charred over embers with piri piri sauce. Our mouths are watering already. Pair with some craft beer or wine and you’ll likely be transported to Lisbon. Open for dinner.
Lupulo 835 Avenue of the Americas (at 29th Street) 212-290-7600 LupuloNYC.com Chef George Mendes.
Try our amazing Açaà super-food bowls!
BRAZILIA CAFE
COURTESY OF MARIEBELLE
Our specialty doesn’t stop with coffee. We have an exciting menu that will enliven your pallet!
Coffeehouse, CafĂŠ and Marketplace
684 BROADWAY, NY 10012 (646) 852-6348 BRAZILIACAFE.COM
From the juice bar to the salad bar, our foods and desserts are meticulously planned and prepared.
Cacao Market opened this week, offering chocolate lovers a destination in Greenpoint. Maribel Lieberman sources cacao from her native Honduras, turning it into fanciful confections. Takes on hot chocolate alone include spicy chipotle Aztec King Hot Chocolate, Snow White Chocolate with Madagascar vanilla, and Havana White Chocolate with rum. Swiss-style raclette makers will melt not only cheese but also bricks of chocolate to use as toppings for anything from crèpes to churro-style waffles. Among the packaged products there are ingenious finds like the Saucisson au Chocolat, a delicious mÊlange of dark chocolate, dried cranberries, roasted Spanish almonds, caramelized cashews, salted crunchy pretzels, and sun-dried raisins—all disguised as a Frenchcured dry sausage (we recommend the version with candied orange peel). Cacao Market also shows off Lieberman’s latest creations, a line of fine Êclairs, in 15 flavors such as lavender, passion fruit, and champagne.
A Turkish Feast You’ll Always Remember
Cacao Market by MarieBelle in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Cacao Market by MarieBelle 67 Guernsey St., Greenpoint, Brooklyn 718-388-5388 CacaoMarketNYC.com Authentic Mediterranean Turkish Cuisine 2 Delicious Specialty Kebabs & Pides 2 Zucchini Pancakes 2 Decadent Homemade Specialties and Desserts 2 Catering Available
Seven’s Mediterranean Turkish Grill Rating on Trip Advisor Rating on Open Table
158 West 72nd St. NY (212) 724-4700
MEDITERRANEAN TURKISH GRILL
www.SevenTurkishGrillNYC.com
Harlem’s New Kid on the Block: Blujeen American restaurant and wine bar Bluejeen recently opened in Harlem, offering creative comfort food based on traditions of soul, Southern, and classic American comfort fare. Think Bacon-Wrapped Veal Meatloaf with smoked carrots and rosemary fingerlings; Black Bass & Dirty Grits with andouille sausage
We are proud to have been voted
A Haven for Chocolate Opens in Greenpoint
COURTESY OF REBELLE
Scallop With Sea Urchin, Ginger Crème, Cabbage, and Mint.
and creamed collards; and Root Beer Jerk Chicken. Lance Knowling, the Kansasborn owner and chef, specializes in barbecue and contemporary soul, and won acclaim for his restaurants in northern New Jersey, Indigo Kitchen & Bar in Maplewood, and Indigo Smoke in Montclair. COURTESY OF BLUJEEN
BEST DINER IN NYC
COURTESY OF REBELLE
Rebelle on the Bowery.
Blujeen recently opened in Harlem.
by residents and businesses in lower east manhattan %
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Rebelle 218 Bowery (between Prince and Spring streets)
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917-639-3880 RebelleNYC.com
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Beet Salad With Pistachio-Crusted Goat Cheese.
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Rebelle on the Bowery
$10 Beer & Burger Monday to Friday Special 3-7pm.
Remedy Diner Open 24 Hours 245 East Houston Street New York (212) 677-5110
RemedyDinerNyc.com
Blujeen 2143 Frederick Douglass Blvd. (between 115 & 116th streets) 212-256-1073 BlujeenNYC.com
The 90-seat Rebelle opened on the Bowery this week. Behind the project are Branden McRill, Patrick Cappiello, Alessandro Zampedri (of Pearl & Ash), Daniel Eddy, and Andrea Venturelli. Eddy, the executive chef is formerly of Spring in Paris. His menu references classic French dishes, market-fresh ingredients, as well as his time at Spring. Dishes include Leeks Vinaigrette with soft-boiled egg, Dijon, parsley, and leek ash; the vegetable-based Beet Bourguignon with carrots, pearl onions and mushrooms; and Sweetbreads with crayfish and eggplant. The wine program features from France and the United States uniquely, with 1,500 selections available, including established producers as well as new winemakers.
Compiled by Channaly Philipp, Epoch Times Staff
Epoch Taste
D5 April 24–30, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com AROUND TOWN MEGAN SWANN PHOTOGRAPHY
West Village Presents
Breakfast - 7:30 am Brunch - Sat & Sun Lunch - Mon to Fri Dinner - 4pm to Close Oysters Cocktails Wine - Sangria Live Music -Thur & Sun Private Dining Room
Last year’s Taste of Nation.
NYC Taste of the Nation Help fight child hunger by joining some of the city’s finest chefs, sommeliers, and mixologists for Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry, a night of dining in support of No Kid Hungry’s work to end childhood hunger in America. Guests will mix, mingle, and enjoy
food and drink prepared by more than 60 top chefs and bartenders. Participating restaurants include Balthazar, Maharlika, Tuome, The Clam, Levain Bakery, and Talde; bars and bartenders include Please Don’t Tell, Death & Co, and Raines Law Room.
23 Wall St., Tickets $350–$750. Monday, April 27, 7 p.m.
37 Barrow St. New York, N.Y. 212-255-5416
LOCAL, SEASONAL, MARKET FRESH FARE
Ce.Strength.org
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Citi Field, 123-01 Roosevelt Ave., Tickets $99–$139. Saturday, April 25, Brunch Session 12 p.m.–3 p.m. or Evening Session 7 p.m.–10 p.m. BaconAndBeerClassic.com
WE WELCOME YOU TO RESTAURANT You will love our warm atmosphere and our expertly prepared menu. We pay the utmost attention to every detail of your visit. From the hand crafted cocktails and specialty wine list, to our thoughtfully planned, market fresh and in-season dishes. Every dish, every cocktail is prepared from scratch and every detail is carefully thought out. We are always happy to customize any of your dining requests.
Bacon and Beer Do you like bacon? Do you like beer? Are you a baseball fan? If you answered yes to any or all of the aforementioned questions, the Bacon and Beer Classic is your future. Taking over the Mets stadium, the Bacon and Beer Classic will be a bacon and beer heaven featuring an all-star lineup of chefs from over 50 restaurants and 50 breweries. Chefs are challenged to bring their most inventive bacon-inspired dishes, and breweries will be serving their most coveted craft selections.
NEW! Chef ’s Seasonal Tasting Menu
East Village Pizza.
A Craving for Pizza
East Village Pizza & Kebabs, 145 First Ave. (at East Ninth Street), 212-529-4545.
Who says you can’t get anything for $5 anymore? East Village Pizza is celebrating its 18th birthday. Hand over a Lincoln and get two of their regular slices and a 16-ounce soda.
Ongoing.
Compiled by Rowena Tsai & Channaly Philipp, Epoch Times Staff
By Rowena Tsai Epoch Times Staff A new section of L’Ecole Valrhona Brooklyn grand opened in style on Monday, April 20, flying out pastry chefs from around the world for a two-day symposium. We sat in on Michelin star-studded pastry panel, where pastry chefs Ghaya Oliveira (Daniel), Joe Murphy (Jean-Georges), Thomas Raquel (Le Bernardin), Stephanie Prida (Manresa), and Anna Bolz (Per Se) shed some light on what the life of a fine-dining executive pastry chef entails. As with all things in life, becoming a successful pasty chef entails hard work, unwavering commitment, and being insatiably passionate about what you’re doing. You must love what you’re doing everyday to be willing to spend the majority of your waking hours at work. And this was the quality that all five chefs embodied:
love for the art and craft that is pastry. Anna Bolz believes that what you decide to do with all your time ultimately becomes your life. And in that definition, when your work is your life, it becomes “less of a question about balance and more about getting enough sleep” every night. She also lives by the advice given by a colleague, “Your only limitation is your imagination.” When a problem arises, get creative and imagine your way out of it. Ghaya Oliveria skipped the sugar coating and said flat out, “It’s a big sacrifice. It’s not easy at all.” Joe Murphy agreed, adding, “What we do is a way of life. ... My wife gave up her [career] so that I could do what I do.” Thomas Raquel said, “It’s not ‘just’ cooking. It’s our passion. It’s our career. It’s what we do. It’s who we are.” He’s constantly thinking, “how much further can I push myself? How can I be better than I was yesterday? In life, sometimes you have to give up things,
Located in Flatiron New York City
CountyNyc.com
(btwn Park and Broadway)
212.677.7771
Solera’s Spanish Food & Wine Pairing
EastVillagePizza.Net
ROWENA TSAI/EPOCH TIMES
A Passion for Pastry
34 East 20th Street
Rufino Lopez, of Solera Restaurant and Patrick Mata, of Ole Imports pair together their special collection of Spanish dishes and wine. They will be taking you on a culinary journey for the next few weeks... 53rd Street and 3rd Avenue 51th Street and Lexington Ave
(212) 644-1166 SoleraNy.com
(L–R) Pastry chefs Ghaya Oliveira (Daniel), Joe Murphy (Jean-Georges), Thomas Raquel (Le Bernardin), Stephanie Prida (Manresa), and Anna Bolz (Per Se) at the L’Ecole panel.
and my personal life is what I gave up.” For Stephanie Prida, “proving [her] parents wrong” was the biggest triumph in her career. The vision for L’Ecole Valrhona Brooklyn is to serve as a creative coworking space for chefs to collaborate, experiment, and get innovative. There will also be professional pastry classes, along with intimate workshops for amateur gourmet enthusiasts.
Pairing 1
Epoch Taste
D6 April 24–30, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com COURTESY OF ST. MARTIN’S PRESS
RECIPE
Eggplant Rollatini Makes 4 to 6 servings These are a specialty of my mom Rose. She learned to make them from my grandparents, who served them on the original menu as eggplant involtini, the Italian word for “roulades” (stuffed and rolled food). Rollatini is an entirely American word. Call them what you wish, they are wonderful. Especially when made with love by my mom for one of our family get-togethers. E 1 small glove eggplant (about 1 pound), trimmed, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/3-inch half-moons E 1/3 cup all-purpose flour E 4 large eggs E 3/4 cup oil, as needed E Salt and freshly ground black pepper E 2 cups shredded fresh mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces) E 1 cup ricotta cheese E 2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons freshly grated ParmigianoReggiano cheese (about 3 ounces) E 3 cups Patsy’s tomato sauce Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Spread the flour on a wide plate. Beat 3 of the eggs in a shallow bowl. Place the plate and bowl near the stove. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels and place near the stove. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over mediumhigh heat until the oil is shimmering. Working in batches, dip the eggplant into the flour, coat with the egg, and add to the oil. Cook, turning occasionally, until the eggplant is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the eggplant to the paper towels. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Beat the remaining egg in a medium bowl. Add the mozzarella, ricotta, and 2/3 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and mix to combine. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly oil a 10-inch by 15-inch baking dish. For each involtini, place a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture on the short end of an eggplant slice, roll it up, and place smooth side up in the dish. Pour the tomato sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons Parmigiano cheese. Bake until the sauce is simmering and the cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Eggplant Rollatini.
(Recipe from “Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook” by Sal Scognamillo, St. Martin’s Press, 2015)
BETWEEN THE LINES By Orysia McCabe Epoch Times Staff
& Tradition From Patsy’s
HAPPY HOUR Mon & Tues 4-8 pm
2 for1
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Catch the game on our 40” TVs
BUILD YOUR OWN BURGER at Joy Burger Bar
1567 Lexington Ave, New York (212) 289-6222
JoyBurgerBar.com
I had the pleasure of browsing through the newest cookbook “Patsy’s: Italian Family Cookbook,” by Sal J. Scognamillo. Sal is the third generation of Scognamillos to welcome patrons to Patsy’s restaurant. The book is truly more than just a cookbook. It is an insight into the family that for more than 70 years has welcomed and fed New Yorkers of all stripes and celebrities from across the country. In fact Patsy’s has stood at the same address on West 56th Street near Broadway since its inception in 1944. And the cookbook is not only about recipes—it is about tradition. Just as New York City is steeped in the traditions of the immigrants who built it, so Patsy’s is a reflection of that very tradition. The cookbook tells the story of an immigrant family coming to America to build a dream. Integrity, quality, and connections are the heartbeat of the restaurant. From the early days, movie stars like Cary Grant, Sammy Davis Jr., Carroll O’Connor, Tony Bennett, and of course Frank Sinatra, to the more current celebs like George and Amal Clooney and Sean “Diddy” Combs to name but a few have enjoyed dining at Patsy’s. They all came and keep coming for the good food and family ambiance. In his introduction, Scognamillo refers to Patsy’s as a “red sauce” restaurant. All that means is that American-Italian cooking is the choice of the establishment and generally the dishes are of pasta or meat with a tomato base. So as I read through the recipes I looked for dishes that were more traditional Italian-American. I started with the Eggplant Rollatini. This is a delicate blend of ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses, eggs, and seasonings, all wrapped up in slices of eggplant and blanketed in the most delicious tomato sauce. Using eggplant instead of pasta made the dish a lighter fare. And when I brought in samples for my colleagues to try they all agreed it was just amazing. I found it light yet satisfying, and the tomato sauce didn’t overpower the dish. And preparation time was minimal.
About 10 minutes to peel and slice the eggplant and shred and grate the cheeses, and about 5 minutes to fry up the eggplant. And then 20 minutes in the oven. And voilà. My next choice was spaghetti with veal meatballs, for what would an Italian cookbook be without the staple of Italian cooking—and eating. I have my own recipe for spaghetti and meatballs but I wanted to give this one a try. So I followed the recipe exactly and I wasn’t disappointed. The spices brought out the flavor of the veal beautifully and the sauce only enriched the taste. A colleague of mine enjoyed the dish so much he went for seconds. I must admit here that I didn’t serve the meatballs and sauce over spaghetti but fusilli pasta. I loved the way the rich sauce clung to the pasta, giving us more to enjoy with every mouthful. Because I wanted to truly test the recipes I also made Patsy’s own tomato sauce. Since many sauces are better when they sit a day I made the tomato sauce the day before I made the others. My kitchen smelled just wonderful. And the sauce had a rich tomato flavor without being heavy. I have never cooked with San Marzano tomatoes before, and these tomatoes have a fuller tomato taste but sweeter and less acidic than Roma tomatoes. It’s the perfect accompaniment to any of the dishes at Patsy’s. Next I tried the Giambotta or vegetable stew. This was a medley for flavors for the taste buds as well as a wonderful blend of crunchy vegetables (green beans and red pepper) and softer ones (zucchini, peas, tomatoes, and potatoes). I enjoyed how not one vegetable overpowered the dish and how I could taste each vegetable come into its own in my mouth—a true delight for the palate. I gave colleagues of mine samples since they are both vegetarians. Overall they thought the dish was good, but one thought it could use more salt. I told her it was my doing since the recipe said only salt and freshly ground pepper and no amounts. I tend to be light-handed with salt. And the other thought the dish could use more potatoes since he really likes potatoes. While my cooking ended with these samples there are many more recipes to try out. In fact the book has over a hundred recipes. And while I know you’ll enjoy cooking and eating in the manner of Patsy’s be sure to take the time to read all bout the family and friends, and celebrities who have frequented the restaurant and offered their thoughts and shared there experiences. Grazie mille tanto Sal!
Just as New York City is steeped in the traditions of the immigrants who built it, so Patsy’s is a reflection of that very tradition.
“Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook” by Sal Scognamillo St. Martin’s Press, 2015, $29.99.
Epoch Taste
D7 April 24–30, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
RECIPE
Spaghetti and Veal Meatballs Makes 4 to 6 servings With no false modesty, I have often heard that Patsy’s has the best meatballs in New York. These tasty icons of Italian-American cuisine do have a secret ingredient: ground veal, which has more natural gelatin than ground beef or pork, and provides extra moisture. For a little while, my dad Joe tool them off the menu, believing that they were old hat. I argued that the customers demanded them. As an experiment, we put them back on the menu for two days to see how many orders we sold. Our meatballs will never leave the menu again. E 1 1/2 pounds ground veal E 2 large eggs, beaten E 2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese E 1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley E 1 garlic clove, minced
Bring the tomato sauce to simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and reduced the heat to medium-low. Cover the saucepan and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
E 4 cups Patsy’s tomato sauce (page 100 of the latest cookbook)
When the meatballs are added to the sauce, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the spaghetti and return it to its cooking pot. Add about half of the tomato sauce and mix well. Divide the pasta and meatballs among pasta bowls and top with the remaining sauce. Serve hot with the Parmigiano-Reggiano passed on the side.
E Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
(Recipe from “Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook” by Sal Scognamillo, St. Martin’s Press, 2015)
E 1 teaspoon salt E 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Line a platter or baking sheet with paper towels and place near the stove. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet and heat over high heat until the oil is shimmering (350° F on a deepfrying thermometer). Working in batches, without crowding, carefully add the meatballs and fry, turning occasionally, until they are nicely browned, 4–5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the paper towels. Reheat the oil to shimmering before adding each batch. Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
E 1/3 cup plain dried bread crumbs
Spaghetti and meatballs.
To make the meatballs: Combine the veal, bread crumbs, eggs, pecorino Romani, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix them together thoroughly. Roll into 12 meatballs and transfer to a plate.
E Pinch of dried oregano E 2 cups olive oil, for frying E 1 pound spaghetti
COURTESY OF PATSY’S
Pasquale “Patsy” Scognamillo.
Chef Sal Scognamillo cooking. COURTESY OF PATSY’S
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Over
The first-floor dining room at Patsy’s.
Sal Scognamillo (R) and his father Joe.
RECIPE
Our Tomato Sauce Makes about 7 cups Patsy’s is proud to call itself a “red sauce” restaurant. Our red sauce is as good as it gets: it’s based on the one that my grandmother Concetta used to make in a huge pot on her stove in Forest Hills, Queens. She would often use fresh plum tomatoes, but it is just as good— and easier—when made with high-quality San Marzano canned tomatoes. I suggest making a double batch and freezing some to have ready when you need it. Or just buy a jar of our tomato sauce. E 1/4 cup olive oil E 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped E 3 garlic cloves, halved E Two 28-ounce cans whole San Marzano tomatoes in juice E 2 tablespoons hearty red wine E 2 tablespoons tomato paste E 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil E 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley E Salt and freshly ground black pepper Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 3
minutes. Meanwhile, pour the tomatoes and their juices into a large bowl and crush the tomatoes between your fingers until they are in chunks. Pour into the sauce saucepan with the wine and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook for 35 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and continue simmering until the tomato juices have thickened, about 25 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, basil, and parsley, and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the garlic. (Now you know the secret to our sauce: It has garlic flavor, but no bits of garlic.)
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Variation Fresh Tomato Sauce: Make this when you come across beautiful plum (Roma) tomatoes at the market in the summer. Substitute 4 1/2 pounds of ripe tomatoes for the canned tomatoes. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Using a small sharp knife, cut the stem core out of each tomato. Working in batches, add the tomatoes to the water and blanch just until the skins loosen, about 2 minutes. Using a wire strainer, transfer the tomatoes to a large bowl of cold water. Drain well. Remove the skins. Coarsely chop the tomatoes. Using as directed above.
Meson Sevilla
(Recipe from “Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook” by Sal Scognamillo, St. Martin’s Press, 2015)
344 WEST 46TH ST. (BET 8TH & 9TH AVE.) • MESONSEVILLA.COM • 212-262-5890
Restaurant
Epoch Taste
D8 April 24–30, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com AP PHOTO/MATTHEW MEAD
Fabulous conversations with fabulous people
Confabulations #Confabulations
Confabulations continued from D3
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It’s the first time the conference has featured international chefs talking about their journeys. How does the United States compare to the rest of the world? ...Continued Maybe that’s because the media is talking about here more than in Europe. Let’s not forget women always had a very strong position in culinary or gastronomy. It might have been [chef] Diane Kochilas talking how restaurants in Europe, in Greece are trying to model the food that the mothers have always been responsible for making. Think about it. It’s true. The Ital-
ian restaurants that we all have this romantic notion of—that everybody has their nonna or mom or their grandma working int the kitchen. That’s very true. They are really the ones who are really the disciplinarians, they’re like “Sauce needs to be better, this hasn’t been done right.” They’re the ones who make the pasta, they’re the only ones who have hands and speed for it, while her son might be working the front.
Some people say that men and women cook differently. In fact, do women and men cook differently, or is this a vast generalization? Ms. Falkner: It might be a generalized statement because I think there is masculine and feminine cooking today if we can talk about the contemporary restaurant kitchen. It doesn’t have anything to do with somebody’s exterior so much but there are both sensitivities that everybody has the capability of cooking with both sensibilities—masculine and feminine. And that the range of one extreme to the other—if you want to call them extremes—it could be from one end of the spectrum to the other. It’s interesting because Elizabeth Karmel—she cooks barbecue mostly with men. Mostly men seem to want to barbecue or to have taken on that role. She’s always found it frustrating because she doesn’t have any problems working with all the guys ... she speaks that language, she loves to get out there and cook the whole animal and make all the flavors that go with it, but I wouldn’t call her such a masculine cook. She has her own touch.
Then I think of someone like April Bloomfield who seems so tough on the exterior. Here’s a woman who wanted to become a cop who became a chef. You’d think she is absolutely going to be cooking very masculine food but in fact I find her food totally the opposite. It’s so feminine to me. It’s so representative of the places where she’s worked, but also it’s almost, I feel she’s soft-spoken, she just listens to the ingredients. I certainly find men who cook like that too. I feel Daniel Patterson is a very feminine kind of cook in a lot of ways. And it’s not emasculating him. It’s a very sensitive poetic style. I wouldn’t know if it was a male or female cooking it. And I feel the same way about Dominique Krenn in San Francisco. Female chef, so poetic, tasting menu. I wish, like Anita [Lo], that more women would be able to do fine dining and tasting menus but we’re in an era right now where the economy can’t support so much of that.
What do you think of the media’s coverage of women in the food industry? Ms. Falkner: I think we need to ask bigger questions with food rather than keeping it so gender[-oriented], of what it’s like to be a woman chef and “there’s not so many women in restaurant kitchens, why is that happening?” Somebody said cooking is political and we have a responsibility to cook for the planet and for the people. We need to look at that as a bigger issue. Who cares, male or female. I tried to give an example in this conference of describing exactly how many dynamic women there are in all parts of gastronomy. … Some of them are from small restaurants, some are from much bigger restaurants, some of them have traveled the world, some of them are just doing their own tinkering in their home labs. To see that diversity is what’s so exciting about what female chefs do how entrepreneurial they are and how much influence they have at other places besides restaurant kitchens. So to constantly throw statistics out about females and ask, “How come you’re not doing so good in this particular category?” It’s not really nice actually. What are women doing? Go out there and do the homework yourself and you know what? There’s someone doing organic production over here, there’s someone doing farming over here, and that food is going to this and how do they deal with the waste—that’s interesting stuff. That’s
the global stuff I’m talking about. That’s what we need to be talking about. We’ve been lazy as a culture for so long. It’s like we’ve been picking the flowers and not figuring out what we should do with the stems and the roots and pollen that come off it on everything. If you’re in a poor culture you figure out how to use everything. I’m perplexed living in New York when I see how much garbage goes in bags and out on the street. I wonder how much more of it can be recycled and reused, how much people throw away and just what they eat every night, like they make something and they don’t want to eat half of it and they throw it away. Dan Barber put [waste] into the limelight with some candles and some beautiful menus. That was on fire. I hope that becomes very trendy. Ten, 15 years ago, I loved the idea of chefs foraging. I don’t like the concept for everybody because it doesn’t make sense in a place like New York. But in the city, foraging needs to mean that you’re going to, like Dan [Barber], juice presses or Sullivan Street Bakery and getting all the bread crumbs and getting all the leftover stuff. If there was a market that was foraged stuff from all the manufacturing, that’d be amazing, and this is what you can do with it. I think that’s the next wave of food making.
It’s simple to make your own bitters.
Ready to Make Cocktail Bitters at Home in Under 30 Minutes? AP PHOTO/MATTHEW MEAD
By J.M. Hirsch Feeling bitter? Get in line. These days anyone who takes their drinking seriously is getting intimate with bitters. Fueled largely by the hard liquor and artisanal cocktail booms, bitters—those astringent, potent flavor enhancers added by the drop to cocktails— have become a big business. Ten years ago you’d have been challenged to find much beyond those ubiquitous Angostura and Peychaud’s bitters. Today, bitters are made with everything from celery and rhubarb to Mexican chocolate and Colonial-era spice blends. Yet even with this delicious abundance, it’s OK to want more. The good news is that custom bitters are easy to crank out in your own kitchen. But first, a bitter primer. Bitters are often described as the salt of the cocktail world. A drop added to a drink—and sometimes food—doesn’t just add flavor, it heightens, highlights, and ties together all the other ingredients, as well. Most bitters are made by distilling herbs, seeds, roots, and other ingredients. The result is a thin liquid with a— surprise!—bitter or bittersweet taste and a robust aroma. Many bitters—including
Many bitters —including Angostura— originated as medicines. Angostura—originated as medicines. We’ve mostly abandoned that idea, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some therapeutic value in a good cocktail. While the Internet abounds with recipes and methods for making your own bitters, I’ve found most of them unnecessarily fussy and tedious. So I started experimenting with basic techniques and recipes and soon discovered how simple it really is to make your own. I’ve since perfected two techniques, one that works in about 30 minutes, another that takes a few days. It really just depends on how much time you’ve got. Ingredients As the name suggests, at least one of your ingredients should have a bitter (or astringent) flavor. Citrus peel is ideal for this. I generally use just the thin zest layer of the peel from oranges or limes, though I once used whole kumquats. You also could use rhubarb, cranberries, fresh basil, or mint. Whole produce, such as kumquats, should be scored with a knife.
Bitters are often described as the salt of the cocktail world.
Next, pick something sweet. Usually, some sort of fruit is helpful here, such as lemon or lime slices, cherries, apples, berries, or mango. Anything large (such as an apple) should be chopped. Now, grab something spicy. Cinnamon, star anise, black peppercorns, cumin, and nutmeg are all delicious. If you like a little heat, consider adding a hot pepper. The important thing is that you select flavors and ingredients that you like and that you think will work together. It also helps if you have a cocktail or spirit in mind when making your bitters. I’m a fan of the classic old fashioned made with bourbon. I don’t add much sugar to my drink, but I do like sweetly fruity bitters, so I often go with flavors such as cranberryorange-cinnamon. Sometimes I add a vanilla bean. Finally, you need vodka. You will be using all of these ingredients to infuse the vodka, which ultimately will become the bitters. Don’t go top shelf for the vodka; just grab a jug of the cheap stuff. Slow Method Place your infusion ingredients—the bitter, sweet, and spicy ingredients you’ve chosen—in a glass quart jar with a tight-fitting lid. How much? Depends. For citrus, use the full zest of 3 to 4 pieces of fruit. For cranberries, rhubarb or herbs, use about 2 cups. The good news is that it’s really hard to use too much, so when in doubt, add more. Remember, the finished product will only be used a few drops at a time.
Once your ingredients are in the jar, lightly mash them with a wooden spoon, then add enough vodka to fill it. Screw on the lid, shake, then walk away. Whenever you think of it during the next three or four days, give it a shake. After the infusion has sat for that time, strain it, squeezing the solids to get as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Place the infused vodka in a small saucepan and simmer until reduced by half. Let it cool, then bottle it and refrigerate. Done. Use a few drops in your next cocktail. The bitters will keep in the refrigerator for a month. Fast Method Ready for fun with science? This is where we get to use the boiling point of alcohol—a low 176 F—to our advantage. First, heat a large pot of water to 176 F. Use a candy thermometer hooked to the side of the pot to monitor this. Now dump all of the ingredients outlined in the slow method above into a heatsafe plastic bag (the bags used by vacuum sealers are a good choice), pressing out as much air as possible. Submerge the bag in the warm water. In a few minutes (depending on the temperature of your ingredients), you’ll see the vodka in the bag bubbling gently. Let it do that for about 10 minutes. Remove the bag from the water and let it cool for another 15 or so minutes. Strain and reduce as described in the slow method. Done. Almost instant cocktail bitters. The bitters will keep in the refrigerator for a month. From The Associated Press
Taste Asia
D9 April 24–30, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com PETR SVAB/EPOCH TIMES
Shirley’s Coffee Shop
David Lai, owner, Shirley’s Coffee Shop, Guam COURTESY OF SHIRLEY’S COFFEE SHOP
By Rowena Tsai Epoch Times Staff We had the chance to chat with the owner of Shirley’s Coffee Shop, David Lai, about how to eat like a local at Shirley’s, which is one of the most popular restaurants with locals on the island of Guam. Located in the Pacific, Guam’s population is about half locals and half foreigners from surrounding Asian countries. Such diversification is why Shirley’s serves a combination of American, Continental, and Asian foods. Think of Denny’s or your local mom and pop diner, but better and with fried rice. As a chemical and nuclear engineer turned restaurant owner, Lai believes that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. And he is doing just that with Shirley’s Coffee Shop. We talked about Shirley’s joint venture with Spam, the story behind how his mother (Shirley) got into the restaurant business, and Spam tacos. Epoch Times: What is Shirley’s Coffee Shop known for? David Lai: The island people, people who live on Guam, would say Shirley’s Coffee Shop is best known for its fried rice. Epoch Times: What are some of the most popular fried rice dishes? Mr. Lai: For some reason, the local people are really into eating meat. The marinated pork chop and short ribs are the most popular. There’s also a Pork Chop Light option, which is eggs, pork chop, and pancakes. When you bring that to the table, the smell really, really brings out your appetite. Epoch Times: Pancakes. Could you tell us more about that? Mr. Lai: People initially come for the fried rice, but when they see the other items on the menu and try our pancakes they say, “Wow! That is the best pancake I’ve ever tried!” When you bite into our pancake, it just melts in your mouth. Whatever you order from the menu, be it from the beverage or food menu, we offer complimentary fried rice and
pancakes. For example, when you come in for bacon and eggs, you can have the choice of hash browns, toast, fried rice, or pancakes for the side. I would say that 70 percent of our customers order either pancakes or fried rice. Epoch Times: Oh man, my mouth is watering. What makes these pancakes so good? Mr. Lai: It’s mainly the ingredients that we put into the batter that makes the pancake really fluffy. Customers always ask me, “How do you make the pancake like this?” And I always say, “The only way I can tell you is if you come work for me in the kitchen.” [laughs]
The Hot & Spicy Spam fried rice became a hit on the island. David Lai, owner, Shirley’s Coffee Shop, Guam Epoch Times: Any other notable dishes? Mr. Lai: Because Guam locals are into eating pika, or spicy, foods, I’d say the spicy Spam fried rice is popular as well. Also Shirley’s Special Omelet. Epoch Times: We found that Shirley’s Coffee Shop is the only restaurant with a recipe on the back of the Hot & Spicy Spam, how did Shirley’s make that happen? Mr. Lai: A good eight, ten years ago, Hormel [Spam’s producer] found out that, per capita, Guam has the highest consumption of Spam. They came to us and said, “We want to launch a new item, Hot & Spicy Spam. We know you have the best fried rice on the island. We think the spicy Spam would work great with your fried rice.” We agreed to have a joint venture—a project, we called it. Hormel then asked if they could put Shirley’s fried rice on the back of the
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Hot & Spam. Initially we were a little hesitant, but we realized recipes can be found anywhere. The magic touch of how we make the dish at Shirley’s Coffee Shop, and how we put everything together, however, cannot be copied. So we decided to give out Shirley’s 20-something-year-old secret recipe. Epoch Times: What was the outcome like? Mr. Lai: Oh the Hot & Spicy Spam fried rice became a hit on the island. Once our recipe was put on the back of the Hot & Spicy Spam, our visitors and customers doubled. It was a win-win situation. Hormel achieved their marketing objective, reaching their target market, and Shirley’s Coffee Shop got brand exposure and drew in new customers. That’s what business is about. That was a great venture. Epoch Times: I would love to try this Hot & Spicy Spam one day. I must admit though, as someone who’s health conscious, I’m kind of turned off by the mystery ingredients. Mr. Lai: Some people will not eat meat. Some people decided to be vegetarian. It’s all personal choice. Put it this way, is the ingredient in Spam much different than hotdog? How many hot dogs are they selling in the U.S.? You go to the baseball game, and all they sell are hot dogs. If you say that I’m going to eat hot dog and Spam everyday, you may think twice. But if it’s a once in a while thing, it won’t hurt you. Epoch Times: Interesting perspective. What’s the craziest use of Spam you’ve ever seen? Mr. Lai: Spam tacos. They chop-chopchop-chop-chop and put it in the taco. Epoch Times: Is it good? Mr. Lai: It’s good! I like the texture. Epoch Times: Anything else? Mr. Lai: We have a popular local dish called kelaguen that is traditionally made with beef and chicken, but the spicy Spam variation is gaining popularity. You shred or dice the Spam, add yel-
low onion, and lime juice. It makes for a great appetizer. People on the island love bringing Spam kelaguen to potlucks. It is always the first to go. Epoch Times: Tell us a little bit about the story behind Shirley’s Coffee Shop. Mr. Lai: My mom first started Shirley’s to busy herself while her five kids left Guam to study in the States. She wanted to do something she was really good at, which happens to be cooking, to kill time so she opened the first Shirley’s. After my brother and I got invoveld in the Shirley’s Coffee Shop business, we went from 2 employees to about 150 employees over 32 years. The first Shirley’s Coffee Shop was about 800 square feet with a seating capacity of 40. We’ve opened two more Shirley’s that are about 7,000-8,000 square feet and each has a seating capacity of 250. We are very, very fortunate we’re getting local and tourism support.
Shirley’s shrimp fried rice.
Shirley’s omelette with pancakes.
Epoch Times: Could you tell us your background? Mr. Lai: I’m currently operating Shirley’s as a chemical and nuclear engineer. I got my Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineer, and did my pro graduate study in nuclear engineering. I worked for the federal government refueling and defueling submarines. After a few years, my mom wanted the family’s younger generation to help operate and take over the business. I was looking for change and always curious about owning my own business so it seemed liked the right opportunity. Epoch Times: If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be? Mr. Lai: If you really put your energy to anything you truly believe in, anything can be possible. I always joke about how much easier running Shirley’s would be had I gone to school for business. If you look at me, a chemical and nuclear engineer, and my brother Richard, a mechanical engineer, two engineers who gave up our technical backgrounds to run a restaurant. So what does it tell you? If you put your energy into whatever it is that you do, you can achieve anything. If you never try it, the dream would never come true.
Shirley’s Special Omelette.
Taste Asia
D10 April 24–30, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com
Malaysia’s Table a Gathering of Cultures Contemporary Thai street food
NoodiesNYC.com 830 9th Ave Btw. 54th & 55th Street • 646-669-7828
Miyazaki Super Prime Wagyu Beef $120.00
RECIPE
Char Kway Teow Noodles D 1 pound fresh rice noodles (kway teow) D 3 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MALAYSIA KITCHEN USA
Malaysia continued from D1 The rubs and spices, from a culinary standpoint, were literally transformative and essential in turning out dishes like chicken tikka masala, chicken tandoori, and countless others. The food memories that stick with Arokiasamy are visual as well as olfactory: the mounds of yellow and red spices. She remembers the smells of drying spices permeating the air, especially the triad of cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, a combination often used together. Arokiasamy calls them “three big partners that always come to assist, revitalize, and ignite meat dishes.” She’s often asked: What is Malaysian food? Her answer is that Malaysia is all of Asia on a plate. There, cultures mingled throughout history. “It began many centuries, many hundreds of years ago during the 15th and 14th centuries, history tells us,” Arokiasamy said. “Before the Portuguese came and conquered this area, the Chinese ships, the Arab ships, the Indian ships, the Javanese ships, all came to converge. They bartered, and these people made Malaya at that time their home … So when you taste the food of Malaysia it’s as if you have taken a journey through Asia.” Each culture brought their respective contributions to kitchen and table: the Chinese their sauces, the Indians their spices, and the Malays their aromatics. “It’s the whole of Asia coming together sharing, making one dish. That’s high artistry,” she said. In a dish of Malaysian chili sesame prawns, for example, sesame oil and
D 4 garlic cloves, minced D 2 large shallots, sliced D 1 fresh red jalapeno chili, sliced D 8 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined D 1/4 cup soy sauce D 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce D 1/2 teaspoon pure chili powder D 2 large eggs, beaten D 1 cup bean sprouts
Christina Arokiasamy, Malaysia’s food ambassador to the United States.
soy sauce are mixed with curry leaves and aromatics like garlic. Like the dishes, the patchwork of gardens and single dwellings in Malaysia reflect the same kind of mingling. “It’s such a give and take among the neighbors,” Arokiasamy said. For example, “A Chinese family will never plant curry leaf. They will plant maybe lemongrass, they’ll never plant curry leaf because they know they can just come across your garden and pluck it. “With that knowledge, people grow enough to share,” she added. “We normally say, ‘Hello Auntie, can we have lemongrass?’ ‘Go ahead, help yourself,’ but we already have the basket ready in our hands,” she laughed. “We love sugar cane and we know only the Chinese have pandan and sugar cane in the garden, and you know what—so why bother planting it? Just go over and bring some back. “It’s fun. We love to cook and we love to eat especially. It’s vibrant that way.”
D 1/2 cup chives, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces Gently separate the rice noodle into individual strands as they are quite sticky. Set aside. Heat a wok or a large deep skillet over medium heat for 40 seconds. Add the oil around the perimeter of the wok so that it coats the sides and bottom. When the surface shimmers slightly, add the garlic, shallots, and chilies and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the noodles, soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, and chili powder. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the beaten eggs and cook, stirring until the eggs are fully cooked, about 2 minutes. The noodles will no longer appear wet from the eggs when cooked. Add the bean sprouts and chives and cook, stirring for 3 minutes until the vegetables are slightly wilted. Taste and adjust the flavors with soy sauce for desired saltiness. Remove from the heat. Serve immediately. (Recipe courtesy of Malaysia Kitchen USA)
Authentic Japanese food served with a touch of class
W
hen you taste the Japanese food at Momokawa you will know it is the real thing. Each single ingredient and each tiny detail ensures the most authentic experience. Momakawa—A genuine taste of Japan!
Momokawa Prix Fixe Menu Small Course
(service for two or more) eti er kin s of ashimi hoi e of ukiyaki or ha u ha u aut meals ooke at the ta le essert
$45/per person
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tra itional a anese a eti ers kin s of ashimi rille ish an a simmere ish essert $60/per person
Sake and Wine
Momokawa serves some of the finest quality sake and wine, paired especially for the dishes. Try our seasonal sake (draft), premium sake, all season sake (hot or cold) as well as
Ask about our sake tastings.
white or red wines.
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Celebrate with Us May Wah Vegetarian Market 20th Anniversary
RECIPE
Grilled Skewered Chicken Satay D 1 1/2 inch fresh galangal, chopped
Saturday, May 2nd Sunday, May 3rd 12 PM to 6 PM
D 2 stalks of fresh lemongrass, thinly sliced D 6 shallots, peeled and sliced D 4 fresh red bird’s-eye chilies
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D 1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder D 1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander D 3–4 tablespoons sugar )Largest frozen vegan distributor in NYC with over 200 vegan products available
D 1 teaspoon salt
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D 1 pound boneless/skinless chicken thigh or breast meat, sliced into strips
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D Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
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D 2 tablespoons oil mixed with 2 tablespoon Water for basting
Combine galangal, lemongrass, shallots, chilies turmeric, coriander, sugar and salt in a food processor and blend until fine. Add a little water to facilitate the blending to a smooth paste. Combine the blended paste with chicken, Mix well to combine and marinate for 12 hours or preferably overnight in the refrigerator. Thread pieces of meat onto each bamboo skewer ensuing the tip of the skewer is not exposed. For convenience, satay can be made up to this stage several hours ahead of cooking time—well covered with a foil wrap and refrigerated. Just before serving, grill satay over charcoal fire, basting lightly with oil and water mixture to keep them moist. Turn frequently to prevent the meat from burning. Meat should be slightly charred on the outside and cooked inside. Serve hot with peanut sauce, cubed cucumbers, sliced red onion and compressed rice cakes (Nona Ketupat). (Recipe courtesy of Malaysia Kitchen USA)
Taste Asia
D11 April 24–30, 2015
www.TheEpochTimes.com RECIPE
Beef rendang.
Beef Rendang
BANGKOK
D 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
STREET FARE
D 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
Heaven for Food Lovers
D 2 star anise D 2–3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2 inch-cubes across the grain
Yaowarat is one of Bangkok’s oldest neighborhoods, founded by East Asian traders in Siam over 200 years ago. It is a heaven for food lovers, blending the centuries old Thai and East Asian influences in an eclectic mix of street vendor cuisine. Experience the authentic taste of Bangkok street fare, at Sookk.
D 1/4 cup tamarind water D 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder D 1 tablespoon chili or cayenne powder D 1 teaspoon cumin powder D 1 tablespoon sugar
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D 1 cup coconut grated coconut or desiccated coconut flakes D 1/4 cup coconut milk D Salt to taste Spice Paste D 6 whole shallots, peeled and quartered D 4 fresh red chilies, chopped D 4 stalks fresh lemongrass, outer layer peeled and chopped from the base or 5 tablespoons frozen D 3-inch piece galangal (lengkuas), chopped D 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped D 6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole First prepare the spice paste by placing shallots, chilies, lemongrass, galangal, ginger and garlic in the food processor together with ¼ cup of water and blend the spices to a smooth paste. If you need to add more water to facilitate the blending of the paste, do this in small increments while the motor is running. Process to a fine paste and set aside. Place a large Dutch oven pot or large pot over medium heat. Add the oil, and when
the oil is hot add cinnamon and star anise and stand back and fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the meat, spice paste and mix well to coat in the fragrant oil. Add the tamarind water, turmeric powder, chili or cayenne powder, cumin powder and sugar, mix well to incorporate the ingredients. Cover and cook on medium low heat until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally about 1 hour 30 minutes.
flakes. Place the coconut flakes in the blender and process to a paste.
While the meat is cooking, prepare the kerisik or grated coconut by heating a wok or frying pan over medium high heat. Add the dried grated coconut and dry fry stirring constantly until the coconut is brown, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
Place wok over medium heat for 30 seconds, pour hot oil around the perimeter of the wok. Add garlic and chilies and stir-fry until the garlic is golden in color.
Uncover the pot, add the grated fried coconut, coconut milk and salt and allow to simmer uncovered on low for 30 minutes until the liquids have evaporated. Taste, add more salt if needed. Remove serve hot or warm on a serving plate with steamed rice.
Put in tiger prawns into the wok, and stir-fry on high heat, pressing the prawns against the hot wok. Pour in the chicken broth, mix well and cook for 2 minutes over high heat.
Kerisik For quick and easy preparation you may use store-bought desiccated coconut
Bring Sookk to you! Catering and delivery available.
Traditionally kerisik is obtained by pounding the roasted coconut flakes in a mortar and pestle until smooth to release the oil from the coconut. Make the sauce by combining chili sauce, tomato sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and keep aside.
Add in the chili sauce mixture into the wok and mix well. Allow the sauce to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
SOOKK
2686 Broadway (Broadway & 103rd St.) New York, NY 10025 (212) 870-0253
Katsu & Sake
Add the cornstarch mixture and lightly beaten egg. Stir-fry for another 1 minute until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.
Signature dishes you won’t find in other Japanese restaurants
(Recipe courtesy of Malaysia Kitchen USA)
RECIPE
Malaysian Chili Sesame Prawn D 1/4 cup Lingham’s chili sauce D 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
Discover the Hidden Gem in K-Town The most special dish, reserved for special occasions across Japan. Try this amazing Pork Katsu at HanaMichi. Our unique preparation not only highlights pork, but also chicken, beef and vegetables! A dish worth gathering for!
D 1 tablespoon soy sauce D 1 teaspoon sesame oil D 5 tablespoons peanut or canola oil D 4 fresh garlic cloves, minced D 3–8 red chili, finely chopped
Pork Katsu
Tonkatsu Ramen
D 1 pound tiger prawns, cleaned and shelled D 1/2 cup low-sodium quality chicken broth D 1 tablespoon cornstarch or rice starch mixed with 3 tablespoons
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D 1 egg, lightly beaten
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D 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
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Make the sauce by combining chili sauce, tomato sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and keep aside. Place wok over medium heat for 30 seconds, pour hot oil around the perimeter of the wok. Add garlic and chilies and stir-fry until the garlic is golden in color. Add in the chili sauce mixture into the wok and mix well. Allow the sauce to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Put in tiger prawns into the wok, and stir-fry on high heat, pressing the prawns against the hot wok. Pour in the chicken broth, mix well and cook for 2 minutes over high heat. Add the cornstarch mixture and lightly beaten egg. Stirfry for another 1 minute until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve. (Recipe courtesy of Malaysia Kitchen USA)
She remembers the smells of drying spices permeating the air, especially the triad of cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, a combination often used together.
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Taste Asia
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CICI’S FOOD PARADISE
Tom Yum
A 10-Minute Recipe to Take You to Thailand By CiCi Li The daily Thai table is traditionally laden with dishes. But when I grew up Thailand, the center of attention when we went out was always the pot of steaming hot Tom Yum soup. My uncle would ladle the soup into small bowls for everyone. Some of us couldn’t wait and jumped on the soup immediately. Others of us sat still, mouths watering in anticipation. As for me, I would take a spoonful of the soup, blow on it, and make a “mmmm� sound. Tom yum is a Thai soup, characterized by the distinctly spicy and sour flavors and fragrant herbs used in the broth. The basic broth is made with stock and ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal, lime juice, fish sauce, and chilies. It’s also very healthy. A joint study by Thailand’s Kasetsart University and Japan’s Kyoto and Kinki universities has found that the ingredients in Tom Yum soup are 100 times more effective in inhibiting cancerous tumor growth than other foods. So earlier this week, I went to Sookk, a Thai
restaurant on the Upper West Side. I asked Dr. Seksan Narkwong, one of the partners behind Sookk, to teach me a Tom Yum recipe. Narkwong was dressed in a stylish black sweater and a pair of dark blue jeans, and possessed a tan complexion and slender figure. He is also deputy permanent secretary at the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports. He is in his early 60s, but he looks like a 40-year-old. “It’s the chilies,� He said, “They make me look younger.� He adores spicy food. Indeed, he includes chilies in every meal, including breakfast. He patiently showed me the ingredients used in Tom Yum. He explained that it’s hard to find some of the Thai ingredients here in New York City. It means having to replace certain items with local ingredients sometimes, but he thinks it still works and it doesn’t destroy the taste. I was surprised by how fast and easy the recipe is. The whole process takes less than 10 minutes. The Tom Yum soup is spicy, sour, and with many dimensions of flavors. It’s a taste of Thailand. I’m happy that this simple recipe took me back to Thailand, even just for a short second. ALL PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES
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CiCi Li makes Tom Yum soup with Seksan Narkwong, one of the owners of Sookk.
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RECIPE
Tom Yum Makes 2 servings Prep and cooking time: 10 minutes 2 2 cups chicken broth 2 8 shrimp 2 5 slices lemongrass 2 5 slices galangal 2 1 tablespoon roasted Thai chili paste 2 2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 2 wedges of lime 2 1/4 handful basil leaves Add chicken broth, lemongrass, galangal, chilies paste, fish sauce, lime juice, and shrimp to a pot and boil for about 5 minutes. Lastly garnish with basil leaves.
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(Adapted from Dr. Seksan Narkwong, Sookk, 2686 Broadway (between W. 102nd and W. 103rd streets), New York) CiCi Li hosts “CiCi’s Food Paradise� on NTD Television. She’s also a television producer, food writer, and chef trainee. Join her on her adventure and discover the endless wonders of “Food Paradise� at CiCiLi.tv