Asian Flavors

Friday, February 6, 2015

Baa….happy year of the sheep!

By Phyllis Louise Harris

February 2015

The Chinese Year of the Sheep starts February 19, 2015 and lasts until February 7, 2016. Michelangelo, Mark Twain, Barbara Walters and Orville Wright are a few celebrities born in the year of the sheep and so were you if you were born in 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, or this year after February 18.

According to legend, the sheep (or goat or ram as it is sometimes called) is an animal people like best because of its calm demeanor and association with good things. People born in the year of the sheep are polite, clever and live quietly. They may be cautious and economical, and all in all pleasant to be around. Lucky numbers are 3, 4 and 9; lucky colors are green, red and purple; and lucky flowers are carnation, primrose and Alice flower. Their zodiac sign compatibility is rabbit, horse and pig and at all costs they should avoid teaming up with someone born in the year of the ox or dog.

The Lunar New Year or in China the Spring Festival is the most celebrated of all Asian holidays. There are traditions galore and a multitude of lucky foods. Fortunately for the sheep, lamb is not one of those traditions.

Long noodles are among the luckiest foods promising long life. Oranges with their bright color close to gold are also good luck as is a whole fish (prosperity), and yuanbao (jiaozi or dumplings) filled with pork and cabbage promising prosperity. Shrimp and lobster with shells that turn pink are also lucky because of their color (red brings good fortune). Peanuts and lotus seeds are also considered lucky foods and often served to guests.

Celebrate the New Year at your favorite Chinese restaurant or at home with a menu of lucky food. It certainly makes February a lot more fun!

David Fong’s traditional Lion Dancers

In the Twin Cities celebrating the Lunar New Year is especially festive at David Fong’s Cantonese and American Cuisine in Bloomington where the Fong family continues its 50-year tradition of Lion Dances. This year the dancers perform February 19, 20, and 21 at 7:00 pm and on the 21^st also at 8:30 pm. There is a special New Year menu along with the restaurant’s regular offerings. They have a full bar and plenty of free parking in the restaurant’s own lot at 94^th and Lyndale. Reservations are required and there is already limited space left. Call 952-888-9294. Start the New Year of the Sheep with one of the happiest celebrations in town!

Jixiang Ruyi (May good fortune be according to your wish.)

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Read more about Asian food in Minnesota and try more than 160 recipes in Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875, now in bookstores and on amazon.com.

Buy online: Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875

Watch the EMMY® award winning “Asian Flavors” television show based on the book on tpt MN. Check local TV listings for broadcast times or view the show streaming online at: http://www.mnvideovault.org/mvvPlayer/customPlaylist2.php?id=24552&select_index=0&popup=yes#0

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Learn to cook Asian food from the experts

Phyllis Louise Harris

January 2015

Some of the most memorable moments of my life were spent in the kitchen learning to cook traditional Chinese cuisine. The kitchen was run by the amazingly talented Florence Lin and whether it was in the training kitchen at the China Institute in America in New York City or Florence’s tiny kitchen in California, I learned something new and delicious every time.

You, too have the opportunity to learn about cooking Asian food even if your grandmother did not come from Asia. (Or even if she did and you forgot to get her recipes.) The Twin Cities has a wealth of cooking class opportunities covering everything from kimchi to sushi to Thai curries and more. Here are just a few:

Sushi at Coastal Seafoods

Who else would you turn to but this well-known seafood importer who sells to top restaurants and markets in the Twin Cities. Coastal was among the first to offer sushi classes and continues to provide the basic training for sushi at home. Classes are $60 and fill up quickly. Dates begin January 15, then February 19 and once a month through October in Coastal’s Minneapolis store at 2330 Minnehaha Avenue S. For more information go to www.coastalseafoods.com/classes or call 612-724-7425.

Kimchi, Chinese and Japanese cooking at Minneapolis Community Education Adult Classes, Southwest High School

Learn to make the delicious Korean pickled vegetable, kimchi, along with its German counterpart sauerkraut on February 11 at Southwest High School. Or create Chinese tamales, zongzi sticky rice dumplings, on February 5, or Japanese cuisine on March 5 – all at Southwest High School. Just three of the Asian cooking classes offered through the Adult Class schedule. Or try a 3-part course in Southern Chinese Cooking January 27 – February 10. Classes run from $24 to $46 plus ingredient fees. Discounts are available for seniors. For more information go to www.mplscummunityed.com or call Tom Neiman, 612-668-3100. Registrations are open and it is first come, first served.

Supatra’s Thai Cuisine

One of the area’s most talented and prolific Thai cooks, Supatra Johnson, offers cooking classes in her St. Paul restaurant, Supatra’s at 967 West 7^th Street, St. Paul. The next class is Sunday, March 1 from 12 – 2 pm, for $65 including beer or wine. Enjoy and learn to make Thai egg rolls and pad Thai with chicken. You can also pick up a copy of her most complete Thai cookbook, “Crying Tiger: Thai Recipes from the Heart” at the restaurant or at Kitchen Window. In the meantime, check out her website for some of the most complete information available on the cooking and ingredients of Thailand – www.supatra.com.

Kitchen Window

With a variety of Asian classes Kitchen Window in Calhoun Square, Minneapolis, offers a continuing array of learning experiences. Among them is Thai World of Fried Rice on April 29 at 6:00 p.m. Chef Joe Hatch-Surisook offers a variety of fried rice dishes that will challenge any taste bud. How about basil fried rice with ground pork, long beans, chilies and fried egg? Cost is $75 and includes participation and tastings. Also, check out Kitchen Window’s series of sushi classes. For more information go to www.kitchenwindow.com or call 612-824-4417 or toll free 1-888-824-4417.

Thai cooking at Sawatdee by Supenn Harrison

The founder of the area’s well-known Thai restaurant chain, Sawatdee, is also an avid teacher. Supenn Harrison offers two series of classes during the winter to give you the basic skills for making delicious Thai cuisine. Series 1 is held February 21 and 28 and Series 2, March 21 and March 28 at the Washington Avenue Minneapolis restaurant. From 1 – 3 p.m. Supenn demonstrates basic Thai cooking techniques for egg rolls, spring rolls, toam yum soup and chicken and coconut soup plus salad, curry and noodle dishes. Cost is $110 per series or $60 per class and includes some hands-on experience plus a copy of the Sawatdee Cookbook. And, of course, it includes tastings. Classes are limited and fill up fast so go to www.sawtdee.com/classes.html or call 612-338-6451 for registration and information.

Cold winter days are a great excuse to spend time in warm kitchens and learn more about Asian cooking. With so many delicious opportunities in the Twin Cities it is time to get out and explore them all. They will give your home cooking a whole new dimension.

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Tuesday, December 2, 2014

The wonderful world of tea

Phyllis Louise Harris

December 2014

Legend has it that somewhere around 2850 BCE Chinese emperor Shen Nung stopped by the side of the road to rest near a Camelia sinensis plant and built a small fire to heat the water he was about to enjoy. When a leaf from the plant fell into his cup making a most fragrant and refreshing libation, the emperor became the first person in the world to sip a cup of tea.

Today, tea is the most popular drink in the world next to water with more than 3000 kinds to choose from. While much of it comes from China, tea plantings were smuggled out of China into India in the 1840s and now India is the second largest tea producer in the world. All of this well-known to Bill Waddington, founder and owner of TeaSource and perhaps one of the world’s most enthusiastic tea drinkers and suppliers. As he does every year, Bill went in search of new tea sources last spring, trekking through the mountains of Assam, into the foothills of the Himalayas in Darjeeling, over the Blue Mountains of Nilgiri, and through the plains of Bihar. He visited large plantations with automated equipment handling massive amounts of leaves and small farms using hand tools to produce the precious tea, tasting every tea along the way and talking with and learning from the people who produce it.

While all tea comes from one plant, the Camelia sinensis, tea varieties are formed by differences in geography, growing conditions, cultivation, and processing. Then there are tea blends adding even more varieties until the choices seem endless.

On this trip Bill also tasted Indian milk tea with milk straight from the cow. It is made by boiling the milk, adding sugar, mixing with spices and tealeaves. Spices may include cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, pepper, ginger and cloves with recipes varying by family and region. For a recipe for chai see TeaSource’s newest catalog available in all three stores – Highland Village, Eden Prairie and St. Anthony. Or go to teasource.com and read more about Bills travels and the wonderful world of tea.

Also look for TeaSource tastings at Cooks of Crocus Hill on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, Saturday, December 6 at 12:30 pm; at the TPT Downton Abbey celebration at Northrup Auditorium on the University of Minnesota campus on Saturday December 13; at the Mississippi Market on 7^th street in St. Paul, Saturday, December 20 at 11:00 am and Wednesday, January 14 at the Selby Avenue location, 11:00 am. Also look for tea classes at all TeaSource stores after the holidays.

Or visit one of the TeaSource stores on Tuesdays and Thursdays for Sample Day where 5 different teas may be enjoyed for just $3.50. Coming up are new Assams December 9; Shou Puer December 11; Oolongs December 16; gift teas December 18; teas for all winners December 23; dark tea December 30. Featured teas are available at 20% off on sample days.

I hope your holidays are filled with all the joys of the season made all the better with a soothing cup of hot tea.

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Monday, November 3, 2014

Thanksgiving Green Beans with Chinese Flavors

By Phyllis Louise Harris

November 2014

I have never been fond of green bean casserole with canned soup and canned onions. But green beans are a good vegetable choice with the other rich foods at Thanksgiving and here is a recipe that makes the beans a real standout….plus everyone loves them!

For 6 – 8 servings start with 1 pound of fresh green beans that are available at most markets in November. Remove the ends, wash and boil them in water to cover until they are just tender – 5 – 8 minutes. Strain them and plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking and refresh their wonderful bright green color. Drain the beans and pat dry with paper towels. Set beans in a large bowl or refrigerator container.

In a small bowl slowly combine 2 teaspoons of dry mustard powder with 1½ teaspoons cold water, adding the water ½ teaspoon at a time and slowly mixing with the dry mustard. After the last water has been absorbed by the powder you should have a very potent mustard paste. If the aroma is not strong it means you have added the water too quickly. Throw out the paste and try again. Once you have a very aromatic paste add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon Chinese light soy sauce, 1½ tablespoons distilled white vinegar and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Stir together and taste the sauce by dipping one green bean into it. The tangy mustard sauce on the mellow green bean provides just the right flavor contrasts to go with other Thanksgiving staples. Add 1 tablespoon finely shredded ginger to the beans and toss with the mustard sauce. Cover and refrigerate up to six hours. It will keep longer but the mustard will start to dull the bright green color of the beans. Serve cold or at room temperature. It is also travels well if you are the one designated to bring vegetables. You can also double this recipe. If you need larger quantities, mix the mustard dressing in batches of double amounts until you have the amount you need. Mixing too much dry mustard at once makes it more difficult to achieve the desired potency.

This is recipe along with more than 160 others can be found in Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875 at your local bookstores or at amazon.com. It is filled with wonderful recipes that will brighten your family dinners. It was also the basis for the EMMY award winning TV show on tpt “Asian Flavors.” Have a happy holiday!

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Thursday, October 9, 2014

Indian Cooking Unfolded TV series underway by author, chef and culinary expert Raghavan Iyer

By Phyllis Louise Harris

October 2014

Based on his most recent cookbook, “Indian Cooking Unfolded” published last year by Workman Publishing, Raghavan Iyer is currently working on a 13-part TV series designed for airing on public television stations around the country in 2015.

“I want to bring the memories of my childhood in India along with its fabulous home cooking into kitchens everywhere,” Iyer said. “We will visit some of the places and taste some of the food I grew up with,” he added. Then the shows will come back to Minnesota where Iyer will demonstrate how easy it is to create the wonderful flavors of India at home.

“Many people think Indian cooking is difficult with long lists of ingredients,” Iyer commented. “We will use recipes with three to ten ingredients and show how layering the seasonings creates those special Indian flavors.” Each show will feature different Indian locations where Iyer will talk with local food suppliers, home cooks and top chefs. Then he will demonstrate three to four recipes in his Minnesota kitchen showing how anyone can bring the culinary traditions of India into their kitchens as well.

“It’s all in the planning and knowing just how to combine the right flavors for the most delicious results,” offered Iyer. And, he should know. He has been teaching and writing about Indian cooking for more than thirty years reaching more than 30,000 students throughout the United States and in Canada. In 2004, The International Association of Culinary Professionals presented him with the Teacher of the Year Award of Excellence. His four cookbooks are in more than 100,000 kitchens. He has been a consultant on the food of India to dozens of top food producers and continues to help train culinary staffs across the country in India’s unique flavors. His leadership in the industry is evident in his election to the office of president of the IACP where he currently serves until mid-2015. He is the first American from India to be president of the IACP in its 36-year history. Raghavan is also a certified culinary professional and was host of the EMMY® winning TV show, Asian Flavors.

I met Raghavan more than twenty years ago when I covered one of his Byerly’s cooking classes for Asian Pages newspaper. I was intrigued with his style of teaching and even more impressed with the flavors of his cooking. One of the dishes he taught that day was Saag, an onion and spinach stir-fry with raisins and garam masala. It was so easy and tasty I cooked it at home quite often to the delight of my husband, who ordinarily would not eat spinach. Here it is –

Raghavan Iyer’s Saag

2 tbsp. peanut oil or ghee* ½ cup golden raisins

1 large red onion, peeled and sliced 12 oz. fresh spinach, washed and chopped

1 tsp. chopped garlic salt to taste

1 tsp. garam masala**

Heat oil in wok or sauté pan large enough to hold the spinach. Add the onions and garlic and stir-fry until partially browned, but not burnt. Add the raisins and sauté a few minutes. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach goes limp stirring occasionally to cook the raw leaves. Sprinkle with salt and garam masala; stir the spices throughout the mixture and serve hot.

*ghee is clarified butter so often used by Indian cooks in frying.

**garam masala is one of the most popular spice combinations used in recreating Indian dishes. It is a blend of at least six to eight spices and varies from cook to cook. It is available bottled in most supermarkets or make your own from a recipe in Indian Cooking Unfolded. It literally means “warm blend” since it contains dried chili.

This is just one example of how easy Raghavan makes Indian cooking for TV viewers everywhere. Raghavan Iyer’s Indian Cooking Unfolded TV series will be filled with many more easy, flavorful dishes. Sponsors interested in being part of this unique series should contact Gene Kinsella at Sponsoring Partnerships, g.kinsella@comcast.net.

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Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Little Mekong night markets offer a taste and experience of Asia, September 6 and 21

By Phyllis Louise Harris

September 2014

One of the most memorable experiences I had in China 30 years ago was a visit to the night markets in Chungking. Imagine narrow city streets filled with vendor booths and carts offering everything from food to clothing, to plants and animals. The sun had set and this mountain city was in complete darkness. The only lights were from bare electric bulbs hanging from wires strung on trees and poles. Despite the eerie look of the bright lights and pitch-black shadows, the place was packed with people looking for bargains or just meeting friends for snacks or dinner.

The closest thing we have to that experience is the Little Mekong Night Market on the Green Line on University Avenue from Dale to Marion in St. Paul. With more than fifteen restaurants nearby it is also a great place to enjoy some of the Twin Cities best Asian food.

In 2010, when construction began on the Green Line and University Avenue became a construction zone, businesses along the way were concerned about surviving the next four years with the decrease in customer traffic. To help overcome some of the problems eight business districts were created along the Green Line with special events, promotions, and anything that would keep customers coming to the torn up streets. Little Mekong was one of those districts.

From 5:00 – 10:00 pm the Night Market around Western and University is filled with guest artists performing dances, playing instruments, singing, drumming and offering a wide variety of Asian arts plus kids activities. Along with a variety of vendors and nearby restaurants, Little Mekong comes alive with opportunities for shopping, dining and just enjoying Minnesota’s cool autumn nights.

Here are just a few of the restaurants in the Little Mekong section of the Green Line on University Avenue starting at Dale Street and moving to Marion Street.

Al Hue Bakery & Deli, Vietnamese Pho Ca-Dao Restaurant, Vietnamese

Bangkok Cuisine, Thai Phuong Café & Deli, Vietnamese

Bankgkok Thai Deli & Supermarket Tay Ho, Vietnamese

Cheng Heng Restaurant, Cambodian Thai Cafe

Ha Tien (to go only) Trieu Chau Restaurant, Vietnamese

Lao-Thai Restaurant University Buffet, Asian

Little Szechuan, Chinese Wung Lee Supermarket Deli

Mai Village, Vietnamese

There are just two markets left this year, September 6 and 21. Take the Green Line to the Western station and you will be in the heart of the festivities. Help support those hardworking store and restaurant owners who survived the construction and are looking forward to meeting new customers the line will bring to the area.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Best pizza in the Twin Cities comes from a Korean pizzaiola

By Phyllis Louise Harris

August 2014

The current issue of Mpls/StPaul contains a list of their choice of 52 best pizzas and names Ann Kim of Pizzeria Lola creator of one of the top four Chef Driven pizzas. What exactly does that mean?

For one thing it means an immigrant from Korea who went to college in New York City and came back to Minneapolis to be near her family has created one of the best pizza restaurants in the Twin Cities. Who would have thought?!

But, she didn’t just come back and open an award-winning restaurant, she came back not knowing what she wanted to do and decided a pizza restaurant would be good because “most people like pizza” as she once said. Evidently not everyone likes all pizza because the first thing she did was taste the pizza in Minnesota and decided she did not like it at all. Instead she wanted the flavorful, chewy, thin crust pizza she found in New York City and to learn how to make it she went to the International School of Pizza in San Francisco. Not content with just going to school, Ann became so skilled at making the wood-fired artisan-style pizza she became one of only ninety certified pizzaiolas in the U.S. and was offered a chance to return to the school as an intern.

Instead, Ann wanted to open a restaurant. Here is where Lola comes into the picture. While Ann and her partner Conrad Leifur were walking their dog Lola in south Minneapolis near 56th and Xerxes they came upon a “for rent” sign in a window next to the French restaurant Cavé Vin. And, the rest is history? Well, almost.

For the next year she had to create a menu, test dozens of recipes, put together and train a team, furnish the space and order a special wood burning, brass pizza oven from France. Lola’s Pizzeria opened in November 2010 to rave reviews. Among the customers’ favorites was an odd pairing of flavors for Lady ZaZa pizza featuring Korean kimchi that Ann’s mother, Young Kim, makes every week and house-made Korean sausage. While some of her other pizzas have more traditional toppings Ann continues to test unusual combinations such as Korean barbecued ribs with arugula and sesame/soy-chili vinaigrette or the pizza topped with two sunny-side-up eggs. The menu lists 16 choices along with starters and desserts and wine and beer.

Business became so good they expanded dinner hours to include lunchtime and all through the afternoon seven days a week. Area critics continued to rave about her pizza with lots of “favorite” listings and she was featured on cable TV’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” Ann’s story is also included in “Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875” published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press and in the EMMY® winning television show, Asian Flavors now running on tpt’s MN channel. (See links below.) Business continued to boom and she opened Hello Pizza a few miles away in Morningside. Her concept is also in the Delta’s airport terminal with yet another pizza place.

It has been great fun to watch her idea take on a life of its own and become so successful. Congratulations to this hard working, talented lady who found a way to put her skills to work and give us an exceptional culinary experience. It is just one more example of what can happen when you set a goal and do everything possible to make it happen. I don’t think Ann ever thought her idea would be anything but a success. What would you do if you knew your idea would be successful?

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