ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
D1 September 2–8, 2016
Craft Beers The Next Frontier on D7
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An Indian Family’s
Spice Legacy
Assorted dishes from Cafe Spice, prepared at the company’s manufacturing facility in New Windsor, N.Y.
How the youngest Malhotra son fosters their dream of making Indian curry accessible to all Americans By Andrea Hayley | Epoch Times Staff
N
EW WINDSOR, N.Y.—Three generations of Malhotras can be credited with playing an instrumental role in putting Indian food on the map in America, most recently through the ubiquity of their retail brand Cafe Spice. See Cafe Spice on D2
The third generation of Malhotras continues to satisfy America’s taste for authentic Indian food.
Cafe Spice co-owner Sameer Malhotra and his wife, Payal Malhotra.
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Culinary Director Hari Nayak serves food to (L–R) co-owner Sameer Malhotra, Marketing Coordinator Stephanie Madoff, and Vice President of Operations Virgilio Felix at Cafe Spice’s manufacturing facility in New Windsor, N.Y., on July 25.
TUTTLE PUBLISHING
An Indian Family’s
Spice Legacy Cafe Spice continued from D1
A photo of patriarch Mulkraj Malhotra hangs in the entryway of Cafe Spice’s executive offices in New Windsor, N.Y.
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
The family has been an institution in New York since 1970, when patriarch Mulkraj Malhotra left the engineering profession to start a spice trading business after immigrating to the United States. At a time when Indian food in America registered merely as a blip characterized by overly spicy and low-quality buffet offerings, Mulkraj dreamed big. He imagined Indian food in every train station—Indian food everywhere—just like in the U.K., where chicken tikka masala was once dubbed “a true British national dish” by former foreign secretary Robin Cook. Mulkraj’s dream was infectious for his family. His son, Sushil Malhotra, followed in his footsteps, and Sushil’s son, Sameer Malhotra, now 37, has done the same. The family has made it their life’s work to make Indian food accessible in this country, and they can pretty well say they’ve achieved it, with distribution in places like the American heartland, where no Indian food previously dared to go. Unlike most Indian food brands in America, Cafe Spice is unique in that it is authentic Indian food designed for a Western market. As America’s taste for ethnic foods developed over the decades, Cafe Spice was there to satisfy our cravings for flavors like rich coconut curry, golden turmeric, sweet-and-sour tamarind, pungent green chiles, nutty cumin, and
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
South Indian Potato Naan Sandwich.
sweet cardamom. Today, Sameer runs what could aptly be described as a curry empire from his 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in New Windsor, New York. He works together with his wife Payal, the company’s vice president, and his father, the financial partner and mentor. A framed photograph of Mulkraj Malhotra graces the entryway of the executive offices. “Grandfather was the early visionary. He would be so excited if he were around today,” said Sameer. The upstate New York facility turns out Cafe Spice-branded prepared meals like Channa Masala, Chicken Vindaloo, and of course, their most popular seller by far, Chicken Tikka Masala. The vibrant dishes packed inside bright packages can be found in grocery store refrigerators across the nation, including at ShopRite, DeCicco’s, Gourmet Garage, HEB, Fresh Thyme, Natural Grocers, Price Chopper, Whole Foods, and Earth Fare. The company expects to sell more than 2 million retail units this year, and this is just one piece of the business. Many of the same curry dishes they sell in retail are also sold in bulk, where they are served to consumers in hot buffets as a valueadded feature at supermarkets, as well as at corporate and other institutional cafeterias. Expanding the company’s offerings, as well as deciding how to handle incoming inquiries for Cafe Spice to manufacture prepared food for private labels, are among the company’s most vexing tasks these days, according to Sameer, who estimates his business is growing at a yearly rate of 15 to 20 percent. The privately held company declined to disclose its annual sales numbers, saying it did not want the publicity, but a Bloomberg news article put the company’s yearly sales at $20 million in 2012. A back-of-the-envelope estimate based on the current retail sales numbers suggests food service sales make up a significant part of the business. Supermarket food is not highlighted very often, because it’s a relatively small category, but the 8.9 percent growth of fresh, prepared food in the grocery aisle is faster than any other segment in the food industry, with the exception of online, according to Technomic, a research firm. Sameer said the company has developed a specialized distribution channel that allows it to handle fresh prepared food. A nitrogen flush packaging system gives the product weeks of shelf life in the refrigerator, and items shipped to the West Coast are shipped frozen.
“The Cafe Spice Cookbook” by Hari Nayak, Tuttle Publishing, 2015.
Moments That Matter How Cafe Spice transitioned into its retail and food service business can be attributed to a series of great luck, or genius on the part of Sushil, depending on how you look at it. It all started with Sushil’s restaurant business. After working with his dad importing spices, in 1976 he opened a fine dining restaurant on Park Avenue in New York named Akbar. After struggling for a few years, the restaurant became an overnight success with the help of a favorable review in The New York Times. Sushil then moved on to open two very successful restaurants by the name of Dawat, one in New York and one in Westchester County (where the family lives), as well as a number of Cafe Spice Express spots. Dawat gained fame when the family won the endorsement of Madhur Jaffrey, who was at the time like the Julia Child of Indian cooking. Both Sameer and Payal credit Sameer’s mom for this break. Jaffrey was reportedly timid about the idea of associating herself with Dawat. Despite Sushil’s great success with Akbar, a celebrity attaching her name to a restaurant was a relatively new concept at the time. As the story goes, Jaffrey had invited the family over for dinner, but while cooking had gotten distracted and left out one of the spice ingredients while accidentally adding double of another. Sameer said his mom identified the mistake right away. “Your palate is exactly on,” Jaffrey told Sameer’s mom, according to Sameer. “I want to work with the restaurant as long as Mom oversees the day-to-day kitchen.” The family made it so, and Dawat went on to be a smash success, attracting famous diners like Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Anthony Hopkins. The young Sameer, who as a child had slept on a banquet in the back of the restaurant, and later worked as a coat check boy, was nearing college age. “Fine dining was really exciting,” recalled Sameer, who thought he would just keep working there after school. But his dad had another idea. Dawat was the result of 35 years of hard work, Sameer remembers his father telling him. “The real joy is in starting something from scratch and watching it grow,” Sushil told Sameer. The sentiment was a precursor of what was to come. As Sameer headed off to Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, for entrepreneurial studies, Sushil was having trouble at home getting visas for enough Indian chefs to make the quality and authentic Indian food that characterized the family’s brand.
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RECIPE LEMON RICE WITH PEANUTS (HULI ANNA) Prep Time: 10 minutes plus 40 minutes for soaking Cooking Time: 15 minutes Servings: 4
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Lemon Rice is a very popular everyday dish in the south of India. It can be eaten hot and tastes equally good at room temperature or cold alongside a spicy pickle. At Cafe Spice we dish out lemon rice with most of its mainstream entrees. In fact, the lemon rice recipe that the company uses, is as old as the company itself! The peanuts add an extracrunchy texture and sweetness to the rice.
• • • • • • • •
2 cups (420 g) uncooked basmati rice 8 cups (2 L) water 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons oil 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds 3 dried red chili peppers 2 teaspoons dried chana dal (yellow split peas) • 6–8 fresh curry leaves • 1 cup (100 g) unsalted peanuts • Juice of 2 lemons, plus more if needed
• Lemon wedges, for serving
DIRECTIONS Soak the rice for 30–40 minutes. Carefully pour out the soaking water and wash the rice in several changes of water, until the water runs clear. Leave it to drain in a finemeshed strainer for about 15 minutes. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the water to a boil with the turmeric, rice and salt. Lower the heat and simmer for 10–12 minutes, partially covered, until cooked. Drain the rice thoroughly in a fine-meshed strainer and return the rice to the saucepan. Set the pan aside, off the heat, covered. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and, when they start to pop, add the dried red chili peppers, chana dal, curry leaves, and peanuts. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly or until the chana dal and the nuts are lightly browned. This technique is known as tempering. Pour the contents of the skillet into a mixing bowl. Add the rice, lemon juice, and salt; mix well until incorporated. Taste for lemon and salt, and adjust according to taste. Serve with lemon wedges. From “The Cafe Spice Cookbook” by Hari Nayak, Tuttle Publishing, 2015 COURTESY OF TUTTLE PUBLISHING/PHOTO BY JACK TURKEL
At Cafe Spice’s manufacturing facility (clockwise from top L): Bags of spices; Channa Masala ready to be packaged; potato samosas; and chilies.
Sushil’s solution was to open a commissary to make the foundational sauces and marinades for the cuisine, and then supply it to his restaurants where any cook could heat and serve. His commercial kitchen in Long Island City was operational when he saw a newspaper article about a new Whole Foods location that had opened up at Columbus Circle in New York City. The article said Whole Foods was serving hot Indian food daily in its in-store buffet. When Sushil arrived, he saw the cooks struggling to keep up with customer demand and the complexity of the cuisine. He handed them a business card and told them about his commissary. It took about two days for Whole Foods reps to show up in Long Island City to see the facility, said Sameer. The buyers ended up calling their supplier of natural chicken on the spot to extend a line of credit to Cafe Spice. It was the expansion into more Whole Foods locations that provided the impetus for the company to make the move to New Windsor about eight years ago, where a much larger, former USDA-approved sausage factory got a curry makeover. Realizing the Dream When he was in college, Sameer dreamed of opening up Cafe Spice Express locations in every college town in the country. Indian food is a cuisine that is not easily
replaceable if you are used to eating spicy, flavorful food, and Sameer found living without it “eye-opening.” After Cafe Spice entered the retail market, however, the capital cost of opening quick service restaurants lost its appeal and Sameer dropped that idea. There are seven Cafe Spice Express locations in operation today. Many New Yorkers will know of the one at Grand Central Terminal (a potent realization of his grandfather’s dream), and there are locations at Roosevelt Field Mall, MIT, Georgia Tech, and so on. Sameer explained that college students nationwide still aren’t without their curry fix, because Cafe Spice food is sold in convenience stores on college campuses, where it can be taken back to the dorm and heated. It’s also offered in cafeterias nationwide through a partnership with institutional food provider Sodexo, which supplies colleges, corporate offices, hospitals, and museum cafeterias. For the latest generation of Malhotras, manufacturing is a better solution than running a large restaurant chain, because it’s easier to scale and much more efficient than brick and mortar. Sameer even jokes that Cafe Spice has grown the Indian food category in the United States so much that he welcomes competition, saying it only helps growth. Now that is confidence!
夏のメニュー
SUMMER PLATES AT DONGURI A sampling of our summer menu
Sweet Corn Tempura Grilled Black Cod Marinated with White Miso Traditional Clear Soup Mochidoki Ice Cream Matcha Green Tea, Salted Caramel, Passion Fruit
See Cafe Spice on D6 SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Donguri Located on the Upper East Side, the 22-seat intimate Japanese restaurant Donguri offers an extensive menu with items from land and sea. Chef Yamasaki's Omakase (tasting menu) is a must-try.
Chef Yamasaki
RESERVATIONS (212) 737-5656 309 E.83rd Street, New York, NY. (Btw 1st and 2nd Ave) Beetroot Rasam.
Chef’s Tasting Kaiseki Menu Always Available, $150
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stuff to eat and drink around nyc
MADISON SQUARE EATS The 2016 Mad. Sq. Eats fall market will return to Worth Square outside of Madison Square Park. This season, favorite vendors like Melt Bakery (ice cream sandwiches), Roberta’s (pizza), and The Cannibal (meat-heavy dishes) are back, while Amali Mou (Greek cuisine) and Mr. Bing (Chinese-style pancakes) are setting up shop for the first time, joining the more than 20 vendors open daily. Saturday, Sept. 10–Friday, Oct. 7 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Worth Square Fifth Avenue (between 25th & 26th streets) UrbanSpaceNYC.com
COURTESY OF JAPAN SOCIETY
SAKE AND WAGYU TASTING AT JAPAN SOCIETY
ERIN KESTENBAUM
As part of a series introducing Japanese culture, the Japan Society will present a program on the culturally rich Gifu prefecture in central Japan. Featuring about 30 different sakes produced in Gifu, a tasting reception will pair the rice wine with wagyu Hida beef, also from the region. A talk about Gifu will be followed by a traditional kabuki performance. $19 per person. Thursday, Sept. 8 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Japan Society 333 E. 47th St. (between First & Second avenues) JapanSociety.org
Wagyu Hida beef.
LIZ CLAYMAN
TASTE TALKS BROOKLYN
Chefs who participated in last year’s All-Star BBQ.
Hong Kong Street Cart’s bubble teas. ERIN KESTENBAUM
JANE BRUCE
The three-day symposium and food festival is back with a focus on Southern cuisine. It starts with chef Sean Brock and the team at Mission Chinese Food preparing a low country boil, featuring Southern and Chinese Sichuan flavors, served family style. The following day offers a series of panels, discussions, cooking demos, and tastings, with highlights including chef Enrique Olvera of Cosme giving a talk about chilies and mole; chef Joseph “JJ” Johnson of The Cecil and Suvir Saran of Tapestry leading a discussion on translating the heritage of traditional cuisines; José Ramírez-Ruiz of Semilla giving a veggie cooking demonstration; and in the evening, chefs David Santos (Louro), Matt Jennings (Townsman), and Lisa Giffen (Sauvage) preparing a Southern-inspired oyster and bubbly dinner. On the final day, an all-star barbecue will be prepared by top chefs like Jean-Paul Bourgeois (Blue Smoke), Sohui Kim (Insa), Matthew Hyland (Emily & Emmy Squared), Phillip Gilmour (Momo Sushi Shack), and more. $49 to $495 per person. Friday, Sept. 9–Sunday, Sept. 11 Participating locations Williamsburg, Brooklyn Brooklyn.TasteTalks.com
Patrons at Madison Square Eats.
Pies N Thighs’ chicken and waffles.
PIG ISLAND More than 20 New York chefs are cooking up their specialty pork dishes, with meat sourced from local farms. Featured chefs and restaurants will include Roxanne Spruance (Kingsley), Michael Jenkins (Butter), Fletcher’s Brooklyn Barbecue, The Piggery, Hudson & Charles, and Ends Meat. Craft beer, cider, New York wine, whiskey, and mezcal will be served. $85 per person.
Saturday, Sept. 10 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Erie Basin Park 1 Beard St., Brooklyn PigIsland.com
JOE CAVALLINI
HAUTE PRIVATE EVENTS There are private events in Manhattan, and then there are private events at Cava Nerai. Head downstairs to our new romantic stone wine cellar— born from the idea to provide you with the finest setting possible for private events.
CLAY WILLIAMS
The crowd at last year’s Dîner en Blanc.
Whether you’re having a business meeting with partners, entertaining those special clients, or throwing the perfect baby shower, Cava Nerai has the customizable space you need—and an excellent wine selection sure to make the occasion memorable.
DINER EN BLANC 55 E 55th St. New York, NY 10022 NeraiNYC.com
212.759.5554
The all-white dinner party held in 70 cities worldwide is back in New York. Guests bring their own picnic fare (or order a curated dinner by chef Todd English) as well as bring their own tables, chairs, tableware, and table decor. The grand event is expected to draw about 5,000 New Yorkers. Saturday, Sept. 15 Undisclosed location DinerEnBlanc.info
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2016 VENDY AWARDS
OYSTERFEST This festival on Hoboken’s waterfront not only showcases oysters from Long Island and the Pacific Coast, but also features a lineup of popular musicians, including Icona Pop, Plain White T’s, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Wyclef Jean. A full bar and craft beers will be available to attendees. $53.75 to $100 per person. Saturday, Sept. 17 Noon–10 p.m. Pier A 100 Sinatra Drive Hoboken, N.J. OysterFest.me
The Vendys recognize the best of the city’s street food, as voted by food experts and the public. Serving their signature dishes at the event will be award finalists like Harlem Seafood Soul, Puran Dhaka (Bengali cuisine), Sisig City (Filipino cuisine), Raindrop Cake (see-through “water” cakes), and Delmy’s Obleas (caramel-filled South American wafers). This year, a new vegan category includes contenders such as Bamboo Bites (Southeast Asian), Jerk Shack (Caribbean), and Yeah Dawg (American comfort food). $100 to $145 per person.
KANGAROO LOIN AT FLINDERS LANE Australian restaurant Flinders Lane’s kangaroo loin has returned to the dinner menu after a brief hiatus this year. Chef Chris Rendell serves it with beets, chickpea falafel, lemon myrtle yogurt, pickled red onion, and a parsley salad. $32. Flinders Lane 162 Avenue A (between East 10th & East 11th streets) FlindersLane-NYC.com
Saturday, Sept. 17 12:30 p.m.–5 p.m. Governors Island VendyAwards.StreetVendor.org
COURTESY OF IDENTITA GOLOSE
COURTESY OF DAVID BURKE FABRICK
IDENTITA NEW YORK AT EATALY The international chefs forum Identità Golose will bring top Italian chefs to host master classes at La Scuola Grande, Eataly’s cooking school. Chefs Franco Pepe, Lidia Bastianich, Massimo Bottura, and Matthew Kenney will be among the instructors. The event culminates in a multicourse, dinearound dinner that will move from restaurant to restaurant within Eataly showcasing dishes from six top chefs. $125 per master class, $190 for dine-around dinner. Tuesday, Oct. 4–Thursday, Oct. 6 Eataly 200 Fifth Ave. (between West 23rd & West 24th streets) Eataly.com
Chef Massimo Bottura (L) at Osteria Francescana. Summer Roll.
COURTESY OF KOKUM
SOUTHERN INDIAN MENU AT KOKUM Chef Hemant Mathur is serving a new menu of unique dishes from four regions of southern India: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. Some of the offerings include Chicken Kothumalli, with coconut and fresh coriander; Meen Polichattu, cod roasted in banana leaves and served with green masala; and Kori Gassi, a spicy coconut chicken curry. For lunch, Kokum has launched a new selection of thali platters, with a choice of curry served with rice, lentils, side dishes, and dessert.
LATE SUMMER MENU AT DAVID BURKE FABRICK Enjoy the fresh produce of late summer at David Burke Fabrick. Executive chef Michael Franey’s creations include the Chilled Cherry Gazpacho with Bing cherries, lobster, salsa verde, and Spanish olive oil; the Union Square Greenmarket Salad with grilled corn, asparagus, cherry tomato, cucumber, arugula, radicchio, frisee, and dill vinaigrette; and the Summer Roll with crab, sorrel, watercress, popcorn shoots, mango, carrot, and cayenne vinaigrette.
Kokum 106 Lexington Ave. (between East 27th & East 28th streets) KokumNY.com
David Burke Fabrick at the Archer Hotel 47 W. 38th St. (between Fifth & Sixth avenues) DavidBurkeFabrick.com
Meen Polichattu, cod roasted in banana leaves and served with green masala.
DENVER MATTOS
BBQ Sandwich. DENVER MATTOS
Recipe from Patsy’s Italian Restaurant.
BAKED CLAMS Makes 4 appetizer servings
Bubby’s Five and Ten menu.
FIVE AND DIME HAPPY HOUR AT BUBBY’S Bubby’s is launching a new weekday happy hour menu featuring food and drinks priced at $5.10—an homage to the five and dime stores of yore. Some new items on the menu are Jerk Chicken; the Five and Ten Burger with Velveeta cheese, housemade sauce, and pickles; and the Spiritual Punch, with spirits, lemon, spice, and sparkling wine.
Monday–Friday 4 p.m.–7 p.m. Bubby’s 120 Hudson St. (at North Moore Street) 73 Gansevoort St. (at Washington Street) Bubbys.com
Compiled by Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff
Here’s a recipe for juicy clams topped with crisp crumbs that has been served at Patsy’s since the first day that Grandpa opened the doors. Scognamillo family lore says that these were the first seafood that I ever ate. (I can’t argue with my mother’s memory, although I bet it was fried calamari.) Even though these are called baked, they are really broiled. Unless you have someone in your life is an experienced clam shucker, buy the clams on the half shell the day you plan to cook them. • 24 littleneck clams, shucked with the meat on the half shell • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs • 1⁄4 cup olive oil, for drizzling • 2 lemons, cut into wedges 1. Position a rack about 8 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler on High.
Our only location 236 W. 56th St. 212-247-3491 www.patsys.com
2. Season the clams very lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon the bread crumbs into the shells and smooth with the back of a spoon. Arrange the stuffed clam shells in a single layer in a broiler pan. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil to moisten the crumbs. 3. Broil until the bread crumbs are lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot with the lemon wedges. This recipe can be found on page 17 of my new cookbook “Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook.” A big, warm, beautiful Italian cookbook with full color throughout, Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook is a great book for those who know the restaurant and love classic Italian dishes.
✁
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COURTESY OF TUTTLE PUBLISHING/PHOTO BY JACK TURKEL
Potato samosas. SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
RECIPE CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA (MURG TIKKA MAKHNI) Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours for marinating Cooking Time: 20 minutes Servings: 4 Chicken Tikka Masala, or CTM as it is popularly known these days, is a No. 1 seller of Cafe. The CTM at Cafe Spice has a national popularity, and has been a well-guarded secret all this time. For the benefit of the readers of this book, here is how you can get closest to the recipe! Although at Cafe Spice we make the makhni gravy and the chicken is prepared separately, I have used an easier home-version in this recipe that makes the CTM equally tasty.
A bag of turmeric.
Cafe Spice Culinary Director Hari Nayak.
An Indian Family’s
Spice Legacy Cafe Spice continued from D3 The Chef Behind Cafe Spice Cafe Spice is on a mission to make Indian food accessible to Americans, and there could be no better choice than chef Hari Nayak to make that happen. He has been there every step of the way to make sure each dish’s authentic Indian flavors remain true, even in larger batches. Spices do not scale uniformly, says Nayak. The hands-on chef says he knows when he sees the vat how much turmeric or saffron to add to a 2,000-pound batch. Once perfected, it can be standardized as a recipe. There are no shortcuts. You need fresh ginger and garlic—not processed and not puréed. Local produce is favored when in season, and food is free of preservatives. Saffron needs to soak in hot water to bring out its flavor before going into the Saffron Rice. The chef also needs to understand details such as whether the chilies should be sliced, diced, or minced, because the way you chop them affects the level of heat in the finished product. Cafe Spice does it in-house to make sure it’s right. Products indicate the spice level on the package, and Nayak says this works for their customers. The company doesn’t get complaints about spiciness, even though there is a good, authentic kick to the flavors.
SO FRESH! WE NOW DELIVER!
Authentic & Delicious Tacos Huaraches Chile Relleno Chilaquile Rojos Made to order
Come enjoy cuisine from the most savory region in Mexico...Puebla! 60 E. Third St. (between First & Second avenues) 646-692-9268 • eldiablitotaqueria.com
And when it comes to spices, Nayak says whole is always the freshest, and that is why he insists on grinding spices. It is a full-time job for two people, the “heart and soul of the kitchen,” and a corner that will not be cut for the sake of saving a dollar, says Nayak. Nayak has a gentle, humble demeanor that touches the heart. It is obvious that he loves his profession. When growing up in Udupi, in south India, Nayak developed a fascination for Indian street food. He attended hotel and restaurant management school, and then worked for the prestigious ITC hotels in India. From there he went on to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where he graduated at the top of his class. He was consulting for institutional food service provider Sodexo when he was discovered by Cafe Spice. Nayak’s five cookbooks tell the story of his career beautifully. His first, released in 2007 to critical acclaim, was a fresh take on his native cuisine. “Modern Indian Cooking” deconstructed Indian food to make it look more like Western cuisine, reflecting what he had learned at culinary school. Nayak soon got the desire to research his own cuisine more. “So I started diving deep into learning more about traditional Indian cooking, and suddenly I started falling in love with learning more about it,” he said in a recent interview. “My Indian Kitchen,” his second book, is an in-depth look at Indian cuisine. “Easy Indian Cooking” came next, followed by “The Cafe Spice Cookbook.” Nayak’s next cookbook will be called “Spice Trail.” It showcases the global recipes he most loves to eat, such as tacos or fried chicken, using the Indian spices in his pantry. “The chef in me is being very creative,” he said. “Spice Trail” coincides with an exciting development at Cafe Spice—their recent expansion into Mexican and Thai food options. Sameer Malhotra, co-owner of Cafe Spice, said the company is working to address menu fatigue by offering its customers a choice of ethnic cuisines. Nayak is up for the challenge. He said the Thai coconut curries are a healthier alternative to cream-based dishes like Chicken Tikka Masala. He is also working on a South Indian curry dish with coconut and more offerings from his native south India.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
1/3 cup (80 ml) thick, Greek-style plain yogurt or sour cream 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon paprika 2 teaspoons ground coriander 3 teaspoons Garam Masala 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste 1 1/4–1 1/2 pounds (600–750 g) skinless, boneless chicken pieces, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes Nonstick cooking spray or oil, to grease grill pan 2 tablespoons oil 1 large red onion (about 1/2 lb or 250 g), minced 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) tomato purée 2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed 4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) 2 tablespoons softened butter (optional)
DIRECTIONS In a large mixing bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the yogurt or sour cream, 2 teaspoons of the paprika, 1 teaspoon of the ground coriander, 1 teaspoon of Home-Style Garam Masala, and half of the Ginger-Garlic Paste. Add the diced chicken and mix until the chicken pieces are well coated. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Heat a grill pan over medium heat and grease with nonstick cooking spray or a little oil. Place the chicken cubes on the grill pan and cook all sides until well browned, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of the Ginger-Garlic Paste and cook until the mixture turns golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of paprika and 1 teaspoon of ground coriander. Mix well and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the tomato purée, tomato paste, and salt, and cook, stirring constantly, until the oil separates from the masala, about 2 minutes. This technique is called Bhunao. Remove from the heat. Transfer the onion-tomato mixture to food processor or blender and process to a smooth paste. Add little water if the mixture gets too thick. Pour the tomato-onion purée back in the skillet and set over medium heat. Whisk in the remaining yogurt or sour cream, making sure it is well blended. Add the chicken and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pan and allow the chicken to simmer until it is completely cooked, about 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of the Home-Style Garam Masala, the fresh coriander leaves, and the butter, if using, and mix well. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Serve hot. From “The Cafe Spice Cookbook” by Hari Nayak, Tuttle Publishing, 2015
SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
Packaged Chicken Tikka Masala.
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Craft Beers The Next Frontier By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
The Nuaa
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1122 1st Ave. (btw 61st and 62nd streets) • 212-888-2899 • thenuaa.com
LM UR
PH Y IV
The Beer: Key Lime Pie Brewery: Short’s Brewing Company, Bellaire, Michigan Retail Price: $12.99–$13.99 for a six-pack; available in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania Noteworthy Ingredients: Fresh lime, milk sugar, graham cracker, and marshmallow fluff Inspiration: Head brewer Tony Hansen’s wife makes a delicious key lime pie from a recipe passed down from her grandmother. So Hansen set out to make a beer that tastes just like it.
The Beer: Beer for Breakfast Stout Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, Delaware Retail Price: To be released nationwide in November Noteworthy Ingredients: Scrapple, a quintessential Delaware breakfast dish of pork scraps, cornmeal, and spices Inspiration: Back when Dogfish Head was still in its planning stages and founder Sam Calagione was brewing beer at home, he thought of making different breakfast-themed stouts. The Beer for Breakfast is his latest take on these.
A new standard for Thai food.
CH
COURTESY OF DOGFISH HEAD
Traditional and modern, combined.
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New Flavors Much like chefs, brewers are creating complex flavor profiles, balancing the bitterness of hops against fruity, tropical, herbal, or spicy notes. Craft breweries are experimenting with unconventional ingredients. Sun King Brewing in Indianapolis, Indiana, makes a popcorn pilsner out of the state’s main agricultural product, while Beaver Creek Brewery in Montana makes a wheat ale with wild, local chokecherries. Last year, Ninkasi Brewing Company launched a limited edition beer from brewer’s yeast that was carried into outer space in a rocket. Here are some quirky beers out on the market today.
Move over, pumpkin. Here comes seaweed.
RED_SPRUCE/SHUTTERSTOCK (BEER)
Pumpkin, chocolate, and coffee beers used to be considered novel. Now they’re commonplace enough to have become regular categories at the annual Great American Beer Festival awards. Although America’s beer industry is relatively young compared to its European counterparts, American creativity has been fueling the craft beer boom. The country’s beer scene is dominated by small, independent brewers experimenting with bold flavors, said Julia Herz, craft beer program director of the nonprofit Brewers Association, which promotes craft brewing in America. In 2015, there were 4,269 craft breweries in the United States, compared to 537 in 1994, according to the Brewers Association’s statistics.
Authentic Japanese GMO FREE
When you taste the Japanese food at Momokawa you will know it is the real thing. Each ingredient and every detail ensures the most authentic experience.
Momokawa Prix Fixe Menu Small Course (service for two or more) • Appetizer • 2 kinds of Sashimi • Choice of Sukiyaki or Shabu-Shabu
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The Beers: Thai Style White IPA and Belgian-Style Blonde Ale Brewery: Upslope Brewing, Boulder, Colorado Retail Price: $8.99 for a six-pack. IPA available in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, Texas, Montana, and New Mexico; Blonde available only in Utah Noteworthy Ingredients: For the IPA, coriander, ginger, Thai basil, lemongrass, cinnamon, and other Asian spices; for the Blonde, pink guava Inspiration: For the IPA, founder Matt Cutter wanted to capture the spiciness and aroma of Thai cuisine. For the Blonde, head brewer Sam Scruby wanting to create the ultimate session beer, low enough in alcohol to drink over a long period of time. He thought the sweetness of pink guava melded well with Belgian yeast. “We spent lots of time field-testing the beer in the sun, on the patio, and in the mountains. Light but not thin, this beer is a great companion for any and all adventures year-round,” Cutler said.
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(Sauté meals cooked at the table)
COURTESY OF PINEY RIVER BREWING
The Beer: Black Walnut Wheat Brewery: Piney River Brewing, Bucyrus, Missouri Retail Price: $7.99 for a four-pack; available in Missouri and Arkansas Noteworthy Ingredients: Local handharvested black walnuts Inspiration: Black walnut trees are found all over the Ozark mountain region, where the brewery is based. Owners and wifehusband duo Joleen and Brian Durham thought an American-style dark wheat ale would complement the fruity notes found in the nuts.
COURTESY OF ROGUE ALES
The Beers: Prop Stopper Seaweed IPA and Beach Plum Gose Brewery: Blue Point Brewing, Patchogue, New York Retail Price: $7, draft only; available in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, and Connecticut) Noteworthy Ingredients: Four types of North Atlantic seaweed in both beers; beach plum from Long Island for the Gose Inspiration: Head brewmaster Dan Jansen was inspired by the seaside plants growing in Long Island. The savoriness of the seaweed in the Prop Stopper cuts through the hops’ bitterness; in the Beach Plum Gose, it brings out the tartness of the plums, Jansen said in an email interview.
The Beer: Beard Beer Brewery: Rogue Ales, Ashland, Oregon Retail Price: $6.99 for a 22-ounce bottle; sold online and nationwide Noteworthy Ingredients: Yeast from the brewmaster’s beard Inspiration: Brewmaster John Maier has been growing the same beard since 1978. While trying to look for a new yeast strain, Maier decided to put his beard to the test, using the yeast from his beard hair to brew up, you guessed it, Beard Beer.
$48/per person A L SO AVA IL A BLE: DA ILY LUNCH SPECI A L S (12 P.M.-4 P.M.)
Momokawa 157 East 28th Street | 1466 1st Ave (btwn 76 and 77) (212) 684-7830 | momokawanyc.com
Redefining Traditional Spanish Cuisine • Fine dining experience inspired by the distinctive culinary-rich regions of Spain. • Top-quality ingredients expanding on the rich, healthy profiles of the Mediterranean diet. • Seasonal menu reflecting the bounty of fresh, local ingredients. • Exciting selection of Spanish wines, cavas, and cocktails.
246 E. 44th Street AlcalaRestaurant.com • (212) 370-1866
2nd Location
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September 2–8, 2016
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Laut is Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai food, located at 15 E. 17th St.
Make Epoch Taste Even Tastier
Openings around NYC COURTESY OF ORWASHERS
COURTESY OF CAVA GRILL
Cava Grill Fast-casual restaurant Cava Grill has opened its first location in New York City, in Union Square. The restaurant chain has 18 locations, most of them located in the D.C. area. The customizable menu consists of Mediterranean-inspired fare, with items such as Crazy Feta, Spicy Lamb Meatballs, and Cauliflower Quinoa. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and soy-free ingredients are available. The 38-seat restaurant sources lamb from Border Springs Farm, greens from Satur Farms, and cookies from Brooklyn’s Ovenly bakery.
Orwashers Artisan bakery Orwashers is celebrating 100 years of baking in New York this year with a recently opened bakery on the Upper West Side. The new, 1,200-square-foot bakery carries artisan breads like the Ultimate Whole Wheat, made with 100 percent organic, local, stone-ground hard red spring wheat, and the Cabernet Rustica, made with Cabernet starter from a Long Island vineyard. This new location also carries new items including sourdough bagels, sandwiches, salads, and a full coffee menu. It features counters for dining inside and a 24-seat sidewalk cafe. On Tuesday, Sept. 13, the first 100 customers to arrive at the bakery’s two locations (on the Upper West Side and Upper East Side) will receive a gift.
440 Amsterdam Ave. (at West 81st Street) 646-461-7929 Orwashers.com
Union Square 143 Fourth Ave. (between 13th & 14th streets) 646-416-6440 CavaGrill.com
Sweetgreen Two more locations of the fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen will open on Sept. 7—one in Lenox Hill, the other in Gansevoort—adding to the recently opened location in Astor Place.
1321 First Ave. (at East 71st Street) 32 Gansevoort St. (between Greenwich & Hudson streets) Sweetgreen.com
Compiled by Channaly Philipp/Epoch Times Staff
We want to get to know you and your taste buds better, so we can continue to delight your senses.
MORGANE IONE YEAGER
Are You a Smart Restaurant Owner?
From Masala Chai to Rose, A few of Malai’s flavors: (clockwise from top L) Rose With Cinnamon Roasted Almonds, Lemon Cardamom, Sweet Corn Saffron, and Salted Browned Butter Pecan.
Malai Takes Its Inspiration From the Indian Pantry By Crystal Shi | Epoch Times Staff
A new restaurant opens every day in New York City,
HOW DO YOU STAND OUT? Do what our fabulous clients did and partake in our smorgasbord of offerings to grow your customer base!
We have increased sales and we’re getting new customers. Mie Okuda, owner and chef, Momokawa
Interested? GET IN TOUCH!
advertisenow@epochtimes.com 212-239-2808
Epoch Times • 229 W. 28th St., Floor 5 • New York, NY 10001
Malai, a newcomer to New York City’s diverse ice cream scene, is already proving its worth. The company crafts luscious, artisanal ice cream in Indian-inspired flavors as delicious as they are unique. Take the customer favorite, Rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almonds. It’s delicately sweet, intensely fragrant, and lightly spiced—and comes in a lovely pink hue, for good measure. Then there’s the strong and spicy Masala Chai, with notes of ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper warm enough to make its frozen form seem paradoxical, and the complex and cardamomscented Turkish Coffee, the taste of coffee lingering long after the last bite. Other flavors to choose from include Sweet Milk, Golden Turmeric, and Palm Sugar With Tamarind Caramel. Pooja Bavishi, the NYU Stern School of Business graduate behind Malai, churns out these inventive concoctions at culinary incubator space Brooklyn FoodWorks. She draws inspiration from the spices in her cabinet—the same South Asian staples she grew up eating in her parents’ cooking. “It’s always inspiration from my childhood, with added curiosity,” she said. Some of her
creations are translations of family dishes, like Sweet Corn Saffron, which is based on her aunt’s corn pudding. Others are a mix of childhood flavors and experimentation, like Orange Fennel, her citrusy twist on a classic Indian spice. Bavishi’s ice cream is bold, aromatic, and delectably rich and creamy. At the same time, an eggless base lends a surprising lightness, giving each bite a clean and refreshing finish. Her choice of base has an added bonus: it puts the flavors front and center, undiluted by the taste of egg. “I wanted it to be just the flavor of the spices, so people would know exactly what they were having,” she said. Her other secret: whole ingredients. “The natural ingredient in its truest form has the purest flavor,” she said. So instead of essential oils and powders, she reaches for whole, naturally potent spices—ginger, cardamom, and other aromatic powerhouses—that are free to shine in all their glory. Each spoonful of Malai ice cream is a burst of color and creativity, where the flavors announce themselves at once and linger long after the last bite. Available at Smorgasburg and Foragers Market, and online at Malai.co (for limited pick-up anddelivery in Manhattan and Brooklyn).
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September 2–8, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
Grilled Skirt Steak Gets a Kick From Salsa and Black Beans By Elizabeth Karmel If you ask a chef what his or her favorite steak is, chances are the answer will be rich, beefy skirt steak. Skirt steak is often associated with Tex-Mex tacos and fajitas, but I grill it year-round and pair it with everything. It is prized for its flavor, but must be cut against the grain of the meat or it is hard to chew. Many people marinate the skirt steak, but I like to grill it over a medium high heat, about 550 degrees, seasoned with nothing but olive oil and kosher salt so that I taste all of the natural beef flavor. Each cow has two skirt steaks—the inside and the outside, which is the most flavorful. Most grocery stores simply label their skirt steak “skirt,” but if you can find a butcher who offers both, be sure to ask for the outside skirt. This recipe is a nod to skirt steak’s humble roots. The simple tomato and corn salsa cuts the richness of the beef and adds a freshness to the dish. The beer-braised black beans are coarsely mashed with onion and garlic and doused with fresh lime juice
CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE
just before serving. And the tortillas are optional. You can use whatever tomato you like for the salsa. If it is a regular tomato, cut it into a small dice. If you have small cherry tomatoes, cut them in quarters. The shucked corn is brushed with oil and seasoned simply with salt and placed on the grill to char and blister. Once the corn is marked, it is cut off the cob and added to the tomatoes to make a salsa that really doubles as a side. You can grill the steak and the corn together and assemble the salsa while the meat is resting. Br sure to make the beans before you start the salsa and the steak, or else the steak will get cold while the beans finish cooking. Elizabeth Karmel is a barbecue and Southern foods expert. She is the chef and pit master at online retailer CarolinaCueToGo. com and the author of three books, including “Taming the Flame.”
at el Pote
Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain
Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria Rich Paella Valenciana Fresh Lobster Bisque Juicy Lamb Chops
From The Associated Press
Grilling Method: Direct/medium-high heat For the Skirt Steak • One outside skirt steak, about 1 pound • Kosher salt • Olive oil For the Beer-Braised Black Beans • Olive oil • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 1 small white onion, chopped • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • Two 15-ounces cans black beans, rinsed and drained • One 12-ounce Mexican or domestic beer • Juice of one lime • Zest of one lime • Chopped fresh cilantro to taste For the Blistered Corn and Tomato Salsa • 2 large ripe garden tomato, chopped, or pint grape or cherry tomatoes, washed and cut into quarters • 2 ears of corn, shucked and blistered on the grill • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish • Juice of one lime • Kosher salt • Tortillas, optional
DIRECTIONS For the Beans About 45 minutes before you want to eat, heat about two tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, and cumin. Saute until onions begin to brown. Add beans and beer to sauteed vegetables and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Coarsely mash beans with the back of a fork.
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Prep & Cooking Time: About 1 hour Servings: 4
pepper. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Sprinkle with lime zest and cilantro. Serve with the skirt steak and salsa (see below).
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For the Salsa Heat grill with all burners on high and reduce heat to a mediumhigh direct heat.
Celebrate with Us May Wah Vegetarian Market 21st Anniversary
Brush corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place corn directly on the cooking grates and grill for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn corn occasionally to roast and blister all sides. Remove from grill to a clean platter. When the corn is cool enough to handle, remove the corn from the cob by standing the cob on end and running a sharp knife down the cob to remove the kernels. Wash and chop the tomatoes into halves or quarters, depending on the size, making sure to reserve all juices. Put tomatoes and juices into a large glass bowl and set aside. Cut blistered corn and add it to the tomatoes, add lime juice a little at a time, tasting and adding until you think the balance of the tomato juice with the lime is right. Basically it should taste good without too much of a citrus flavor. Season with salt, stir, and toss in the chopped cilantro. Let sit covered out of the refrigerator until ready to serve. Do not make too far in advance or you will lose the flavors of the fresh cut tomatoes. For the Steak Brush steak with olive oil and season steak with about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt just before placing on the grill.
Continue simmering until thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Keep warm while you grill the meat and make the salsa.
Place meat directly on the cooking grates and grill for 3-4 minutes. Turn steak once halfway through the cooking time. Grill a total of 6-8 minutes for medium rare meat. Remove from grill to a clean platter and let rest for 5-7 minutes before carving across the grain. Serve with the braised black beans and the salsa.
Just before serving, season to taste with lime juice, salt and
Recipe by Elizabeth Karmel
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Blueberries and Cream Ice Pops A Refreshing Summer Treat By Sara Moulton These days there’s never a time when we can’t find blueberries at the supermarket. But summertime is the season for the homegrown varieties. They’re abundant right now and can be used in all kinds of recipes. Blueberries can vary wildly in flavor and texture, even when they’re in season and locally grown. They can be very sweet or tart, large and soft, or small and crunchy. Occasionally, they can also be sort of bland. But even a bland berry can be pointed up with a few ingredients. All blueberries, bland or flavorful, benefit from sugar and lemon, which balance out the berries’ natural sweetness and acidity. If they’re extra-sweet, add more lemon and less sugar. If they’re extra-tart, increase the sugar and decrease the acid. Then taste them again after you’ve puréed the berries and adjust accordingly. Fruit pop recipes usually call for sugar syrup rather than granulated sugar because the latter doesn’t dissolve well in a cold liquid. To avoid having to make the sugar syrup—an extra step— I’ve called for superfine sugar, which dissolves easily because it’s so fine. If you don’t have superfine at hand, measure out 1/4 cup minus 1 1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and blend it in the blender until fine. Set aside 1/2 teaspoon for the cream, then add the blueberries and lemon juice and rock on with the recipe.
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•Largest frozen vegan distributor in NYC with over 200 vegan products available •No preservatives and made with NON GMO soybean •Shipping available to anywhere in the USA, $9.95 and up. •Membership available •NEW LOCATIONS Products available at most Foodtown and Food Bazaars in the city
877-668-2668 • 213 Hester St. (Chinatown, Manhattan)
RECIPE BLUEBERRIES AND CREAM ICE POPS Total Time: 20 minutes active • 1 pint blueberries (about 2 cups), picked over and rinsed • 1/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon superfine sugar or to taste • 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or to taste • 1/2 cup heavy cream • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS In a blender, combine the blueberries with 1/4 cup of the sugar and the lemon juice; blend until the mixture is very finely puréed and transfer the purée to a bowl. In a medium bowl with electric beaters, beat the cream until it forms soft peaks, then add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar and the vanilla and beat again until sugar and vanilla are just incorporated. Gently pour the whipped cream on top of the blueberry purée and with just a few stokes, fold the cream into the purée to form streaks. You don’t want the cream to combine with the purée, you want the two to remain as separate as possible. Spoon the mixture into ice pop molds leaving a 1/2-inch gap at the top and freeze them solid before serving (about 8 hours).
ZI A S H
Sara Moulton is the host of public television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals.” She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows, including “Cooking Live.” Her latest cookbook is “Home Cooking 101.”
sary Anniver 21st Year
Recipe by Sara Moulton
Colin Hagendorf, a New York native, sampled every slice of pizza in Manhattan for his blog. All 375 of them.
Pizza Suprema was voted the best. *
AS SEEN ON: The Rachael Ray Show, The Today Show, The Wall Street Journal, and Daily News. Come and try for yourself. We are just beside Madison Square Garden. Since 1964.
Pizza Suprema 413 8th Ave. New York, NY 10001 (212) 594-8939
Awarded One of the 10
BEST PIZZAS IN NYC
Diagonally across from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. *Slice Harvester 2011, selected for the plain slice.
D10
@EpochTaste
September 2–8, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
Labor Day
Spice Up Your Grilling Game
By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff Grilling doesn't have to always use the same old seasoning. This Labor Day, spruce up your barbecue feast with a Vietnameseinspired burger, featuring a patty of ground pork and ground beef; and some addictive, delicious Mexican grilled steak tacos. COURTESY OF SALAZAR
RECIPE BANH MI BURGER Servings: 2–3 For the Burger • 1/2 pound ground beef • 1/2 pound ground pork • 1 tablespoon fish sauce • 1 tablespoon chopped scallions • 1 clove garlic • 1 teaspoon sugar • Pinch pepper • 2 or 3 white wheat buns • 9 sliced cucumbers • 3 sliced jalapeño peppers • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise • Cilantro and mint for garnish For the Pickled Carrots and Daikon • 1 pound daikon • 1 pound carrots • 3 cups distilled white vinegar • 2 cups water • 2 1/2 cups sugar • 1 tablespoon salt • 1 tablespoon black pepper
into a bowl and mix with ground beef and pork. Form 2 to 3 loose patties and let the meat marinate for up to four hours in the refrigerator. Pre-heat the grill to high heat. Finish seasoning patties with a pinch of salt and pepper and place them on the grill. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until a nice char forms on the outside. Take off the grill and let the patties rest for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the inside to continue cooking (without overcooking). While the burgers are resting, toast the buns on the grill to get a nice char. Take buns off the grill and spread a layer of mayo onto both sides. Then, place your desired toppings (cucumbers, jalapeños, pickled carrots, and daikon) on top of the patty and bun, leaving the mint and cilantro last so they don’t wilt. For the Pickled Carrots and Daikon Shred the daikon and carrots.
DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, mix distilled white vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Place the carrots in sterile containers. Cover with the vinegar solution. Let it sit overnight. Repeat the same steps for daikon.
For the Burger Add fish sauce, scallions, garlic, sugar, and pepper
Recipe courtesy of Stephan Brezinsky, chef and owner, Soothsayer Vietnamese COURTESY OF SOOTHSAYER VIETNAMESE
RECIPE SALAZAR’S GRILLED STEAK TACOS Makes 20–24 tacos For the Guacamole • 3 avocados • 1 lemon • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon pepper • 1/2 onion • 1 Roma tomato • 2 ounces water • 1/2 bunch cilantro For the Salsa • 6 Roma tomatoes • 1 onion • 1/2 bunch cilantro • 2 garlic cloves • 2–3 teaspoons salt • 2–6 jalapeños, depending on preference For the Grilled Steak Tacos • 3–4 pounds skirt steak • 1 tablespoon pepper • 2 lemons • 1 1/2 tablespoons salt • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder • 20–24 flour tortillas
Grilling Goes Meatless— and It’s Delicious
Then, mash them together. Mince tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Then, put to the side in a separate bowl. Mix together avocado, salt, pepper, and water in a bowl to create an avocado paste. Then, squeeze lemon into paste. Add all the ingredients together and mix. For the Salsa Roast tomatoes and jalapeños in a pan on high heat until you have charred marks on the outside. Flip each 2 to 3 times until charred. Put tomatoes, jalapeños, onion, cilantro, salt, and garlic cloves in blender and blend slowly on the pulse setting. Blend to preference. For the Grilled Steak Tacos Combine pepper, salt, and garlic powder in a bowl. Coat one side of each flank with seasoning mixture and lemons. Let marinade in fridge for 2 hours. Put each over high heat on the grill for about 2 minutes. Then, flip to other side for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
DIRECTIONS
Let it rest for a few minutes. Then, dice and serve in taco with guacamole and salsa.
For the Guacamole Open avocados. Peel and gut them.
Recipe courtesy of chef Esdras Ochoa, Salazar
RECIPE JENNIFER BRODY
Don't let meat take all the spotlight at your Labor Day barbecue. The amazing flavors of vegetables and fruits will sing after some grilling treatment. Try some grilled artichokes, their flavor intensified by herbs and balsamic vinegar. Then, prepare a sweet treat with grilled figs.
GRILLED ARTICHOKES Servings: 2 These grilled artichokes are fragrant, crispy and packed with nutrition! This recipe comes from dietitian Sharon Palmer (SharonPalmer.com).
• 2 large artichokes • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence (or any herbs you like) • Salt and pepper to taste
RECIPE
DIRECTIONS
GRILLED FIGS WITH THYME AND HONEY
Prepare artichokes by rinsing, then trimming 1 inch off tops and 1/2 inch off stems. Slice in half lengthwise. With a metal spoon, scoop out the inedible choke. Place artichokes in a medium pot with water and cook 10 minutes, until almost tender. Drain, then place artichokes in a baking dish. Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, herbes de Provence, and salt and pepper to make a vinaigrette.
Servings: 2 This is the perfect note to end late season barbecue on. Figs are grilled until soft and topped with savory thyme leaves and sweet honey in this simple dessert. This recipe comes from Jennifer Brody of the blog Domestic Divas.
• 2 cups figs, stems removed and halved • 1 tablespoon honey • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
DIRECTIONS Preheat the grill to medium-low heat. When the grill is heated, place the figs on a grill pan in one single layer. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly soft. Flip and grill another 1 to 2 minutes more on the other side. Transfer the grilled figs to a serving platter. Carefully place a few leaves thyme on each fig, drizzle with honey and enjoy! Recipes courtesy of Meatless Monday
JENNIFER BRODY
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the artichokes and allow to marinate for about 30 minutes. Place artichokes cut side up on hot grill (or grill pan) for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn over and grill 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately. SHARON PALMER
D11
@EpochTaste
September 2–8, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
Carrot and Quinoa Mini-Muffins Are Great for Breakfast or Snack By Melissa d’Arabian
decisions. Her reason? Because it was “cuter.” I have always loved the automatic portion control that comes with using a regular muffin tin—I bake up everything from scalloped potatoes to huevos rancheros muffin-sized. And mini-muffins are perfect for healthier muffin batters—the smaller size is more forgiving on the texture front, so you can load up batters with protein and fiber (think whole grain flours, nuts, seeds, shredded veggies) and they will still be tasty, while fullsized muffins can feel denser more easily. I make all sorts of flavors of mini-muffins, and keep them in my freezer in resealable plastic bags for last minute snacks and even breakfast on the go—they thaw in minutes on the counter.
The reason cupcakes took the baking world by storm a few years ago is because, in short, they are awesome. A sweet little package of moist, crumby goodness topped with a dollop of creamy, fatty frosting—I understand my four daughters’ (and America’s) obsession. For the healthy eater, cupcakes might seem like a non-starter, completely off the table. But my 10-year-old daughter, Charlotte, did something very wise that changed everything for me last year. At someone else’s party, she chose a mini-cupcake over a regular-sized cupcake, which frankly puzzled me, given the “more-is-more” tendency normally driving my children’s sugary-treat
From The Associated Press MELISSA D'ARABIAN VIA AP
RECIPE MINI QUINOA-CARROT CAKES Prep & Baking Time: 30 minutes, plus cooling time Makes 20 mini cupcakes For the Muffins • 1 1/4 cups finely milled almond flour • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1 teaspoon ground pumpkin pie spice (or ground cinnamon) • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted • 2 eggs • 1/4 cup sugar (agave or maple syrup could also be used) • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice (or other citrus) • 1 large banana, mashed well until creamy (about 1/2 cup) • 1/3 cup finely grated carrot (about one carrot), gently squeezed dry in a paper towel
DIRECTIONS Heat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, and set aside. In a small bowl, vigorously whisk the oil, sugar, eggs, almond extract, and orange juice until pale and creamy (about 2 minutes). Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until blended. Add the banana and carrot and mix well.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) light cream cheese • 1/4 cup powdered sugar • 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (or other citrus) • Orange zest, for garnish (optional)
Tomatoes Do Double Duty in Coconut Rice
Spoon into mini-muffin tin lined with paper liners (or sprayed well with nonstick spray). Fill about 2/3 full. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile make the frosting by whisking together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon juice until completely smooth. Cool cupcakes completely, and frost if desired.
Experience Firsthand the Romance of the Korean Dynasty South Korean top chef Sunkyu Lee cooks authentic Korean royal court cuisine Totally different and distinctive cuisines and interior designs on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors.
Recipe by Melissa d’Arabian
RECIPE TOMATO AND COCONUT RICE Prep & Cooking Time: 45 minutes Servings: 4
By Meera Sodha
Curry leaves add a lovely citrus and smoke flavor to the rice but can be tricky to find unless you live near an Asian supermarket. If you can’t find them, leave them out.
When Labor Day swings around, it’s the cue for a final summer food fling—one last late-night barbecue and a fond farewell to the garden’s seasonal bounty. Perhaps the saddest goodbye is to summer tomatoes. Although they’re available yearround, they never quite taste the same. Right now, they’re at peak deliciousness. I eat them in every way I can: I fry them for breakfast, slow-roast them for salads, add them to sandwiches, and make tomato chutney. But when big groups of friends come over, I love whipping up South Indian tomato and coconut rice. Tomatoes work in a couple of different ways in this recipe: They create a wonderful sauce alongside the coconut milk, which is used to flavor and cook the rice, then they float to the top to decorate the dish. The end result is a dish delicious enough to stand on its feet without the need for anything else but will also complement grilled meat or salad. As a side benefit, it’s inexpensive to cook a mountain of it and it requires just a single pot.
• 2 cups of basmati rice • 2 tablespoons canola oil • 12 fresh curry leaves • 1 cinnamon stick, approx. 2 inches • 1 large onion, finely sliced • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 2 green serrano chilies, finely sliced • 1 handful of cashews, unsalted • 12 ounces fresh baby plum or cherry tomatoes, halved • One 14-ounce can coconut milk • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt • 1 cup water
DIRECTIONS Wash the rice in a few changes of cold water until the water runs clear, then leave to soak in cold water. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. When oil is hot, add the curry leaves and cinnamon stick. Stir-fry for one minute, then add the onions. Cook the onions until they begin to turn golden brown and are soft enough to cut with a wooden spoon, then add the garlic, chilies, and cashews.
Meera Sodha is an Indian foods expert and author of “Made in India: Recipes from an Indian family kitchen.” From The Associated Press MEERA SODHA VIA AP
Cook for another two minutes, then add the tomatoes. Cover and cook for around eight minutes until the tomatoes are soft around the edges. Drain the rice and add it to the pan. Stir to mix. Then add all of the coconut milk, a cup of water, and the salt to the pan. Stir again and bring the mixture to a boil for two minutes, then cover and turn the heat to low. Cook for another 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Turn off heat. Keep covered for an additional 10 minutes before serving. Recipe by Meera Sodha
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Comfort Food Eat All’Amatriciana to Help Quake Victims By Vanessa Gera ROME—Food lovers and chefs in Italy and beyond are urging restaurants to serve up more pasta all’amatriciana in a move to support the quake-hit hometown of the hearty dish. The rustic food, made of tomato sauce with pork jowl and topped with pecorino cheese, comes from Amatrice, which was destroyed by this week’s earthquake and the idea is for some of the proceeds to go to help the devastated areas rebuild. Residents in the medieval hilltop town had been preparing to host a yearly food festival this past weekend dedicated to the dish. Instead, they will be burying the many dead men, women, and children killed before dawn Aug. 24 in the violent quake. Altogether, three towns were devastated, with 278 people killed, 218 of them in Amatrice. Now some food lovers hope that they can
Some food lovers hope that they can at least harness the symbol of the devastated town that lost the most for a good cause. COURTESY OF L’AMICO
Bucatini all’Amatriciana at L’Amico.
COURTESY OF RIBALTA
at least harness the symbol of the devastated town that lost the most for a good cause. Italian food blogger and graphic designer, Paolo Campana, launched an appeal on Aug. 24, saying on Facebook that “we have to move fast.” “Pasta all’amatriciana is a symbol,” he told The Associated Press on Aug. 26. “So I decided to use this symbol to help.” He has asked restaurants to put the dish on their menus and donate 2 euros ($2.25) per dish sold directly to the Italian Red Cross, which is participating in relief efforts in the affected areas in the Apennine mountain region of central Italy. One euro would be donated by the customer and one by the restaurant. He says he knows it’s not a lot, but that if many people take part it could make a real difference. Since his appeal, other voluntary initiatives have been cropping up in Italy, even in regions where the dish is not typically eaten. The effort has also gone international. British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver said on Facebook on Aug. 27 that he and 700 chefs at his Jamie’s Italian UK restaurants, an international chain, will be serving up pasta all’amatriciana and donating 2 pounds ($2.65) per dish sold to help the rescue effort in Italy. Oliver told his Instagram followers that “this could really make a difference,” and that money will go to firefighters, camps, food, clothing, and medical assistance. “I think we can easily make thousands and thousands of pounds to help,” Oliver said. Carlo Petrini, founder of Slow Food International, which promotes traditional cooking with sustainable ingredients, has also called on restaurateurs worldwide “to put the symbolic dish of this devastated town on their menus.” The heart of the yearly pasta festival, called a sagra, was the local Hotel Roma, which had a restaurant that served the dish. Now the hotel is in ruins, and several people died under its rubble. “Let’s hope that it (Amatrice) will be reborn again,” Luca Palombini, the assistant chef at Hotel Roma, told the AP on Aug. 26, speaking from the San Salvatore Hospital in L’Aquila, where he was recovering from a broken foot. “Amatriciana will be even better, the Spaghetti all’amatriciana. I hope it will be reborn and that we will move forward, even better than before.” From The Associated Press
Wildlife and Wilderness Galore on New Zealand’s South Island GIOVANNA DELL'ORTO VIA AP
By Giovanna Dell’Orto CURIO BAY, New Zealand—As a chilly dusk fell on this tiny bay famous for wildlife and Jurassic-era fossilized trees, a white-coated figure waddled gingerly across tide-slicked rocks— me, trying to get out of sight to prevent scaring off yellow-eyed penguins I hoped would come ashore. A 2-foot-tall penguin popped out of the ocean, gave me a puzzled stare with its lemon-hued eye, and marched to its nest in the cliffs. Nearly four times closer to the South Pole than to New York or London, settled by Maori around 950 and by Europeans 900 years later, the southernmost part of New Zealand’s South Island is so pristine it’s a toss-up who feels most surprised in meeting, you or the wildlife. During an eight-day drive along the 380-mile, two-lane Southern Scenic Route, I watched some of the world’s rarest penguins commute home, sailed in fjords, rode horses across rivers where “The Lord of the Rings” was filmed, and hiked mountain trails among tree-sized ferns and moss-draped beech trees that looked like giant bonsais. I started in late June (winter in the Southern Hemisphere) in Queenstown, a buzzing ski-andoutdoors town on a turquoise lake, and ended in the stately Edwardian city of Dunedin, with a detour to its Otago Peninsula and up to Moeraki. In between, endless vistas opened up of swirling ocean and massive mountains in all hues akin to South Island’s precious pounamu, the greenstone that’s crucial to local Maori culture. From Queenstown to tiny Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland National Park, snow-capped ranges, corrugated by the ongoing collision of the world’s two largest tectonic plates, cascade to the horizon. Imagine mixing Hawaii with the Alps, then magnify it by a million: 3,000-foot ridges tumble into the still, dark waters of Milford and Doubtful sound, where it rains about 22 feet a year and waterfalls sprout everywhere. On Otago Peninsula, royal albatrosses soared on their 10-foot wingspans at Taiaroa Head, while at Sandfly Bay, sea lions plopped bellydown and wiggled their 700-pound-plus bulk in the sand like sunbathers. Just opposite the peninsula, in 19th-century Carey’s Bay Historic Hotel, I had the best dish on the trip: fresh green-lipped mussels, Otago clams, and scallops in white wine and cream.
A sheep at Katiki Point, about an hour’s drive north of Dunedin, New Zealand.
Imagine mixing Hawaii with the Alps, then magnify it by a million.
Runners-up were the homemade gnocchi with wild venison at Etrusco and the blue cod at Plato, both in Dunedin; “swine” burgers at Queenstown’s Fergburger; lamb roast at Te Anau’s The Ranch; and the fish and chips at Hampden’s Lockies. Of Otago’s wines, my favorite was the intense Felton Road Chardonnay Bannockburn. One late afternoon toward the end of the trip, I accompanied a surfer friend to Aramoana beach, 15 minutes from Carey’s Bay. After I had strolled to where the white beach ended in a rocky cove, he called out from the waves, asking about my wildlife sightings of the day: Had I seen any penguins? Sea lions? Seals? As I bellowed back successive “Nos,” a mustachioed head rose from the wet boulders next to me. There was no mistaking the message in the fur seal’s groggy eyes. Mumbling an apology, I walked softly away, while the seal settled back into its post-deepwater-fishing nap. IF YOU GO... New Zealand’s Southern Scenic Route: SouthernScenicroute.co.nz Getting There: Fly into Queenstown or Dunedin airports, then rent a car (left-side driving). Lodging: For immersion in local culture, a hopping hostel in Queenstown (Adventureq2. co.nz); a B&B run by a retired ranger in Te Anau (AvonHouse.co.nz); a sheep farm in the Catlins (SlopePoint.co.nz) Tips: Keep your distance from wildlife. Reserve fjord cruises (RealJourneys.co.nz), horseback riding (DartStables.com), and overnight hiking permits for “Great Walks” like Routeburn (GreatWalks.co.nz) in summer. From The Associated Press
Amatriciana Pasta at Ribalta.
NYC Restaurants With Amatriciana Specials By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff Here are some of the restaurants in New York City offering dishes with proceeds benefiting relief efforts in the aftermath of the recent earthquake in central Italy. Da Tommy Osteria Tomaso “Tommy” Roncari, the owner of Da Tommy Osteria, is donating $10 for every order of Pasta alla Matriciana purchased at $17. Available through the end of September. 14 Bedford St. (between Downing Street & Sixth Avenue) DaTommy.com Tarallucci e Vino Executive chef Cara Hermanson’s take on Spaghetti all’Amatriciana is offered for $21 and available at four of Tarallucci e Vino’s locations (NoMad, Union Square, the Upper West Side, and the East Village). For each dish, $10 will go to the Italian Red Cross. The special is available indefinitely. Multiple locations TaralluccieVino.net L’Amico For every plate of Bucatini all’Amatriciana ($22), $3 will be donated to the Italian Red Cross. Available through the end of September. Eventi Hotel 849 Sixth Ave. (between West 29th & West 30th streets) LAmico.NYC Ribalta Co-owners Rosario Procino and Pasquale Cozzolino are serving Amatriciana Pasta for $12, with $4 from each plate going to the Italian Red Cross. Available through the end of September. “We wanted to align ourselves with the movement that started in Italy and is now popping up around the world. We feel being one of the most represented Italian restaurants in New York, we really wanted to give back to the cause,” Procino said. 48 E. 12th St. (near Broadway) RibaltaPizzaRestaurant.com/NYC Eataly At all U.S. locations—in Chicago and in New York City—$5 of each Bucatini all’Amatriciana dish sold at Eataly’s La Pizza & La Pasta restaurants will be donated to the Italian Red Cross, through September. In addition, a fundraising dinner “Help Eataly Help Italy,” hosted by chefs Mario Batali and Daniel Boulud, will take place on Sept. 16, 6 p.m.–10 p.m., at the Osteria della Pace at the downtown Eataly location; 100 percent of the proceeds will go directly to the commune of Amatrice for relief efforts. The six-course dinner, priced at $1,000 per person, will include dishes such as Ravioli all’Amatriciana with Scallion Butter & Pecorino; Sea Scallop “Rosone”; Grilled Broccolini Chutney; Porchetta with Fennel Salad & Anchovy Emulsion; and Pasticcini (bitesized pastries). The dishes will be prepared by Batali, Boulud, Osteria della Pace chef Riccardo Orfino, and Eataly pastry chef Katia Delogu. All U.S. locations Eataly.com Mario Batali Restaurants All of Mario Batali’s restaurants are donating $5 to the Italian Red Cross for every Bucatini all’Amatriciana sold through September. In New York City, the restaurants are La Sirena ($24 for the Bucatini La Sirena), Lupa ($18), Babbo ($21), and Del Posto (as part of the tasting menu). All locations MarioBatali.com Felidia For the next year, Midtown’s Felidia will donate $5 for each dish of Chitarra all’Amatriciana sold (listed on the menu as “Un’ Amatriciana per Amatrice,” for $30). 243 E. 58th St. (between Second & Third avenues) Felidia-NYC.com