When I think of Thailand, I think of food. When I arrive in Thailand, my eyes invariably grow bigger than my stomach. And so the feast begins.
Where to start? Pretty much as soon as you walk out of the hotel lobby. Food is everywhere and it’s available at all times. Thai street food is a marvel to the senses.
I am constantly amazed by the quality of food that’s whipped up on a small trolley cart on the side of the road, or in a tiny wooden boat floating down the Chao Phraya – the river that snakes through the South East Asian metropolis.
When faced with a multitude of feasting options, I can get a little overwhelmed and out comes the little piggy in me trying to cram as much eating into one hour as physically possible. To control these gluttonous inclinations, I scribbled out somewhat of an eating game-plan.
First stop: Chinatown. While the principles of Thai cuisine are quite unique, the Chinese have had a profound influence on aspects of it including cooking methods like stir-frying and the use of certain ingredients like noodles, roast pork and roast duck.
Bangkok's Chinatown is large and bustling. Small laneways crowded with food form tributaries to the roads that flow like rivers of traffic. It's a fascinating place full of strange sights, sounds and smells. You can buy pretty much anything from ingots of gold from one of the many jewellers, to dried seahorses or even some lethal-looking nunchuckers.Right about lunchtime, we passed a window full of roasted ducks belonging to the Hua Seng Hong Restaurant chain. And in we went.
Hua Seng Hong is no ordinary chain.
If only all fastfood chains were this good. Perfectly roasted duck -- delicately rich meat with crispy paper-thin skin, hand-made dumplings filled with plump prawns encased in wrappers so thin you could see through them, prawn, vermicelli and river shrimp hotpots infused with ginger, xiaosing wine and white pepper and delectable oyster ommelettes. These are just a few of the restaurant's Cantonese delicacies.
The menu is extensive and deserves to be explored, so we went back a second time only to order the exactly the same thing again -- the duck and prawn dumpling noodle soup. It was too good to pass up and I knew I wouldn't be eating anything like it again for at least another year or two.
Thai ducks are different from Australian ducks in that they don't have that rich layer of fat beneath the skin. But the absense of fat doesn't mean an absence of flavour. The dark, tender duck was divine and still makes my mouth water when I think about it.
Hua Seng Hong Yaowaraj
Charoeankrung Branch
438 Soi Charoeankrung 14 Bangkok 10100
Cool weather calls for piping hot bowls of chili. While I am of the carnivore persuasion, I take my chili, vegetarian-style.
It's a meaty dish of black beans and red kidney beans in an aromatic stew of juicy tomatoes, capsicum (peppers), garlic, onion and coriander spiked with cayenne, oregano, cumin and that magical ingredient: smoked paprika.
Served with grated Monterey Jack cheese and a generous dollop of sour cream, this vegetarian chili has been keeping the Australian winter blues away. Although in Australia, the winter blues mainly refer to the crisp blue skies!
It's a simple dish but infinitely satisfying, healthy (if you don't splurge on cheese and sour cream) and economical.
Now if you're meat-lover and don't think you'd cope with a bowl of beans -- I urge you to think again. The combination of the meaty beans infused with spicy, smoky flavours, juicy tomatoes and capsicums and fresh hit of coriander all make for a fantastic meal. Go on, give it a go!
Smoky vegetarian chili
(Serves 4)
Method:
After being away from Vancouver for a year, there's one thing I miss most, apart from friends of course, and that is, the wild salmon. There's nothing like it. And while Australia has it's fair share of delicious fish, nothing quite compares to the rich, delicate flesh of wild Sockeye.
Having only a week to spend in Vancouver, I was on a mission to fulfill my fish fix. Each night and day was taken up with visits to favourite food haunts: Kirin Restaurant (three times) for world class dim sum; Legendary Noodle for cheap & cheerful hand-pulled noodles; Granville Island Public Market for, well, everything, Kintaro for amazing shio ramen and Medina for Moroccan breakfasts and Belgian waffles.
The last stop was planned for Yuji's -- offering Vancouver's best Japanese tapas, aka izakaya, and melt-in-your-mouth wild salmon sashimi. As luck would have it, Yuji's was closed for the long weekend! Alas no salmon.
I didn't give up that easily and remembered hearing about blue water cafe + raw bar in Yaletown. The highly acclaimed restaurant is famed for its west coast plates and seafood. I snuck in and asked to see the menu. There it was -- Beni sake Sockeye salmon sashimi. Three plates please. Oh and some oysters too.
Set in a converted heritage warehouse, blue water cafe + raw bar is big. The decor is eclectic, warm and inviting. On one side of the room, the fast and furious open kitchen is exciting to behold. On the other, the dazzling raw bar is home to sashimi master Yoshi Tabo.
I can see why Tabo has has a legion of followers. The salmon was exquisite. I realize I have the salmon to thank for it's perfection but the preparation and presentation of the delicate fish is of utmost importance. The same goes for oysters. Too many times their sea kissed liquor is thrown out. A terrible waste when the liquor holds so much flavour.
In my quest for sockeye sashimi I neglected to try anything else on blue water's menu. For next time.
blue water cafe + raw bar
1095 Hamilton St.
Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6B 5T4
@ Helmcken in Yaletown
Voice: 604 688 8078
Fax: 604 688 8978
Email: info@bluewatercafe.net
I promised the follow-up crab and barramundi ravioli and here it is! It was a cheat's version as I used store-bought egg-based wonton wrappers. It worked a treat and is a great shortcut for those of us who are time-starved... And hungry.
The filling was one I used in my last recipe for stuffed zucchini blossoms. It's a winner. The kind of filling you just eat straight out of the mixing bowl with a big spoon.
This is going to be a short post. Thank you for all your messages, comments and emails. Up next, a strawberries and cream crepe cake.
Crab and barramundi ravioli
(Serves 4 as entree or 2 as main)
FILLING
150g steamed crab meat1 packet of square, egg-based wonton wrappers
4 handfuls of wild rocket (arugula) for garnish
Good quality extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Method:
A few weeks ago as part of my cheffing course I did two days of work experience in a local Italian restaurant famed for it’s house-made pastas and bread and simple, rustic fare.
I was pretty nervous on my first day having no real restaurant experience and conscious of the fact that the kitchen was tiny and I’d more than likely be a hindrance than help.
Despite the size of the kitchen and the erratic environment the head chef was patient, attentive and a brilliant teacher. I walked away from my brief stint excited, inspired and dying to try out some of the dishes at home.
One of my jobs over the two days was to stuff the ravioli. Sounds a little dull perhaps but I reveled in the task. The filling was a mixture of blue swimmer crab, snapper, mascarpone and chives.
The paper-thin ravioli was served simply dressed with extra virgin olive oil and garnished with peppery rocket punctuated by salty shavings of dried mullet roe. Gorgeous.
I recently re-created the dish at home sans roe. And since my pasta machine is still in storage (yes, it’s been almost a year) I cheated and used wonton wrappers. A good substitute if you’re in a rush. It was divine. I’ll be sharing the recipe in my next post.
I made a little too much filling and decided to use it to stuff zucchini blossoms. A good decision. I used barramundi as opposed to snapper as it was half the price but beautiful nonetheless. The zucchini blossoms were coated in a light batter and then fried for about two minutes. It’s a wonderful appetizer but one that needs to be eaten straight away to appreciate the delicate crunch and oozing filling.
For a refresher on how to stuff and fry zucchini blossoms, click here.
Crab and barramundi stuffed zucchini blossoms
FILLING
150g steamed crab meat
150g steamed barramundi or white fish meat
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
2 Tbsp finely chopped chives
1/4 tsp sea salt
10 zucchini blossoms
2/3 cup & 1/8 cup of all-purposed flour
1 cup of soda water
1 1/2 cups of vegetable or canola oil
Method:
I haven’t had the pleasure of exploring Sicily yet however it’s on my ever-expanding list of places to visit.
When I do go, I’ll be eagerly seeking out ‘pasta c'anciova e muddica’ – anchovy pasta with toasted breadcrumbs.
I've recently introduced a new addition to the pasta -- the poached egg. And it's here to stay.
The rustic recipe features in my household at least once a week. Even when I’ve run out of most basic of fridge staples like milk and bread, I know I’ve got jars or tins of plump anchovies, bread crumbs and chili flakes at hand.
I have to admit however that my love for the anchovies is rather recent. For many years, my feelings towards anchovies were dominated by teenage memories of my tongue being assaulted by the vile little fish often found scattered over other people's pizzas.
Now it’s hard to imagine my kitchen without them. Whether used in Sicilian pasta, a Caesar salad or a creamy mayonnaise, good anchovies lend that burst of sweet, salty pungency that’s hard, if not impossible, to substitute.
I read somewhere once that physically, anchovies can be treated much like garlic. They can be finely chopped and stirred into a vinaigrette or compound butter. Pounded into smooth paste to intensify a creamy risotto or sautéed whole with onions and garlic to form the delicious base of a pasta or stew.Good anchovies should taste of the sea but not be overly fishy. They come salt or oil-packed in jars or tins. After sampling many different brands, I have found the best-tasting anchovies to hail from the coast of Spain. I opt for fillets stored in extra virgin olive oil. They are more intensely flavoured without the piercing saltiness of salt packed anchovies.
Sicilian Anchovy Pasta with Toasted Breadcrumbs
(Serves 2)
2 room temperature eggs
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1/4 - 1/2 tsp of dried chili flakes
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
8-10 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
1/2 Tbsp of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Angel hair pasta for 2 (about 200g)
Good quality extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
1/4 cup of breadcrumbs
Salt for pasta water
Method:
Check out more anchovy recipes...
There are many ways to poach an egg. Some are more reliable than others.
If you’re like me, then you’ve experienced the miserable “egg soup" scenario. This is where your poached egg more closely resembles wispy threads floating in water than a delicate, coddled globe with a molten centre. But don’t despair. There are ways to avoid this unfortunate situation.
One of the constants in successful poaching is the quality and freshness of the egg. However, finding really fresh eggs on grocery shelves can be a challenge.
First, check the use-by date. Sounds simple but it can often be overlooked when you’re faced with a wall of eggs. There can be up to two weeks' difference in use-by dates between eggs sitting side-by-side on your supermarket shelf.
Secondly, look at the eggs. Choose eggs with a chalky surface over those with a smooth one – this is a sure sign of fresh eggs.
Once you have your fresh eggs, you need to know the best method for poaching them... Read on...
Happy New Year!
How to poach an egg
Poaching eggs can be hit or miss so don't expect to get it on your first go. Have a few spare eggs handy just in case and remember that you need:
Step 1: Have your fresh eggs at room temperature. If they've been in the fridge you need to "condition" them. This means putting them in a bowl of hot water (not boiling) for 5 minutes to warm them up.
Next, fill a saucepan with with water (about 8cm high) and bring it to the boil. Add about 1 teaspoon of white vinegar.
Step 2: Once the water has reached a rolling boil, turn it right down to low so there are barely perceptible bubbles bubbling to the surface. Take a spoon and stir the water in a circle to form a whirlpool. Have an egg ready next to you.
Step 3: Gently crack the eggshell and open the egg into the middle of the whirlpool.
Step 4: The whirlpool vortex will spin the egg into a delicate coddled shape. The addition of the egg will bring the water temperature down so you have to turn the heat up very slightly but not so the water bubbles. Poach the egg for 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the egg to a bowl of cool water while you cook the other eggs (if you are cooking more than one).
Step 6: Hold the submerged egg in one hand, keeping it in the cool water and then use your fingers or a pair of scissors to gently pull or cut off any straggly bits of egg white (pictured above, top right).
Just before serving you can dunk the poached eggs back into the saucepan of hot water to heat them up and then drain them on a kitchen paper towel.
Serve the poached egg on a slice of buttered toast with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Week four into the pastry module and I am well and truly on a butter high. Not exactly great for the cholesterol but I’ve only got two weeks left until the end of term.
One of our recent lessons included making sweet paste, also known as “pate sucree”.
Sweet paste is used for tart bases or shortbread cookies. There are several methods in which to make it with the ‘creaming’ or ‘rub in’ method resulting in a lighter and crumblier end product.
There are a few important points to remember when making sweet paste, especially if it’s for a tart base.
First, when mixing or kneading the dough, do so with a light, gentle touch. Overworking the dough develops the gluten strands and results in a tough and often dry crumb.
Secondly, when the recipe says ‘rest the dough’ – rest the dough. No shortcuts or shaving off a few minutes here or there.
Resting pate sucree means wrapping it in plastic cling wrap and allowing it to sit in the fridge for about 20 to 30 minutes. If you don’t let it rest, the dough will be too soft to handle and shrink if you try to bake it. A dismal thing if it’s ever happened to you but it's something that can be avoided by just being patient.
This strawberry tart took me a lot of time and patience to make. It's a scorching summer here in Sydney and soaring temperatures don't exactly make for perfect pastry-making conditions. Handling buttery pastry can be a difficult thing in the heat but I did it.
The tart was filled with a luscious dark chocolate crème patisserie and topped with fresh strawberries.
It was a funny moment when I'd finished taking photos of the tart. It was so lovely to look at. I stared at it for a while and realized with a slight twinge of disappointment that all there was to do now was to eat it.
I have found this attachment occurring throughout my pastry-making. And I'm not the only one. My classmates suffer from the same parental urges. We all hover protectively over our own danishes in class.
Ultimately, the eating always beats the looking.
Strawberry Tart
(Serves 6-8)
Tart Shell
250g unsalted butter, cubed
100g castor (berry) sugar
1 room temperature egg, beaten
360g plain flour, sifted
Chocolate Creme Patisserie (pastry cream)
1/4 cup & 1/4 Tbsp of cornstarch (cornflour in Australia)
3/4 cup sugar (divided use)
2 cups of whole milk (divided use)
4 large egg yolks, beaten
1/3 cup of dark, semi-sweet chocolate chips
A pinch of salt
15-20 medium strawberries of similar size, washed & hulled
Special equipment: 8-inch fluted tart pan with removable base, blind baking mix like ceramic beads, dried beans or rice, baking paper
Pastry Cream
Method:
Tart Shell
Method:
There’s something magical and fascinating about puff pastry and the way the buttery dough rises up to form crisp, golden layers of which there are anywhere between 513 up to 1459.
This week I’ll be learning for a second time in my life how to make puff pastry from scratch.
I first made it at the Pacific Culinary Institute in Vancouver. It was time-consuming work requiring what seemed like endless rolling combined with deft handling of the dough. And, then there was the butter. Oh so much of it, carefully and methodically rolled in between each layer.
It is thought that early puff pastry found its origins in Rome but was then re-introduced and perfected in the 17th Century by legendary French chef Marie Antoine Carême.
Carême, who likened the art of pastry to architecture, is credited with developing the ‘six turn’ method that resulted in unparalleled layers of light, flaky pastry.
Well that’s all well and good if you’re a master pastry chef. I’m most certainly am not. Yet.
For now I'll just stick to the store-bought kind, which for my purposes, is fantastic. While I’m not creating the kind of otherworldly delights found in Paris’ Poilane, I am winning friends nonetheless thanks to Careme pastry.
Unlike other ready-made pastry Careme is actually handmade using natural ingredients. Based in South Australia's Barossa Valley, Careme sells four types of artisan pastry including sour cream shortcrust and all-butter puff pastry which I used to make these berry and ricotta danishes.
Berry & Ricotta Danishes
(Makes 5)
Poached Berries
12 strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
1/2 cup of blueberries, washed
2 Tbsp of castor sugar
1/8 cup of water
Ricotta Filling
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1/4 cup of castor (berry) sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour
Glaze
4 Tbsp of icing sugar
3 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
Pastry
3 sheets of store-bought puff pastry
Equipment: 1 baking sheet lined with baking paper
Method:
8. Place the frames on top of the pastry bases on the baking sheet. See the diagram below.
9. Fill the middle of the frame with about 3-4 tablespoons of ricotta mixture. Top with several berries (reserve some for topping once the danishes are baked). Repeat process with remaining pastry frames.
10. Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the pastry puffs up and is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Top with remaining poached berries and sprinkle on a little icing sugar just before serving.