Asian Flavors

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Korean cuisine…delicious and familiar

By Phyllis Louise Harris

May 2015

If mandoo, bindaeduk, bulgogi, chapchae, banchan, and dolsot bibimbap with gochujang make your mouth water then Korean food is no mystery to you. If not, then you are missing some of the best food on the planet.

My introduction to Korean cuisine came about twenty-five years ago when a Korean co-worker and I went to dinner at Shilla on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul. Created by Korean native Won J. Cho, the restaurant was one of the earliest places for Minnesotans to try Korean food. Many of the flavors were new and wonderful while others reminded me of my grandmother’s cooking from her Iowa farm. Short ribs, cabbage, stew, pancakes and noodles are equally at home in Korea and Iowa, and all are on my list of favorites regardless of what they are called or how they are seasoned.

Food columnist and Korean native Mary Lee Vance reminded me of the wonders of Korean cuisine in the 2015 spring edition of Korean Quarterly. While she has lived in northern Wisconsin, Michigan, Montana and California (among other places), Mary Lee has always found a way to cook the food of her homeland and share it with others. But, now at Berkeley with its multitude of Korean restaurants nearby she continues to promote Korean cuisine by taking friends to some of her favorite haunts. In her current column Mary Lee takes the mystery out of the Korean menu and we are happy to bring some of her tips to you. For her complete “short course” see the current Korean Quarterly.

Mandoo are simply wonderful, meat or vegetable filled dumplings served with a soy sauce dipping sauce. They can be fried or steamed and are often considered appetizers on Western menus. Add a little vinegar or chili oil to the sauce and the dumplings take on more startling flavors. I like to combine them with a bowl of steaming soup for a wonderful, satisfying meal.

Another starter course could be bindaeduk, a mung bean pancake fried with a crisp outer crust. “Main courses” can include bulgogi, marinated beef, or the better known kalbi, seasoned beef ribs.

One of my favorites is dolsot bibimopab, a large, hot, sizzling stone bowl of vegetables and rice topped with a fried egg. It comes to the table absolutely crackling with wonderful sounds and aromas. Digging down through the layers of flavorful ingredients to the crisp rice at the bottom of the bowl is the best part of all. Add as much hot sauce or soy sauce as you like and combine bites with a variety of banchan (side dishes including kimchee) served in small bowls around the table. In this area, Sole Café on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul has one of the best bibimopabs served sizzling hot in its big stone bowl making the rice at the bottom a wonderful blend of crunchy, charcoaled, tender bites.

And then there are noodles. Chapchae made with sweet potato noodles and vegetables is a salad served at room temperature and a great introduction to Korean cooking. And, while many dishes can be made vegetarian, favorites include tieokbokki, rice cakes made with a spicy sauce and pajeon, green onion pancakes.

There are also seafood dishes on many Korean menus including squid (ojingo) or fish fillets. And, let’s not forget chicken. Sangyetang is a chicken stew served in a hot stone bowl with a whole Cornish hen stuffed with sweet rice, ginseng, jujubes, ginseng root, garlic and green onions.

Mary Lee recommends ordering a variety of dishes for a group of diners so that everyone can taste a little of each. What a great way to sample the cuisine of Korea and expand your culinary horizons. Search the web for a Korean restaurant near you. Or if you are feeling adventurous, go to Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesotans since 1875 and turn to the chapter on Korea to cook a few dishes at home. There are a variety of Korean food markets in the area that carry everything you will need.

_____________________________________

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

Friday, April 3, 2015

Thanh Do in Woodbury…Thom Pham’s newest endeavor

By Phyllis Louise Harris
April, 2015

When he was six years old, Thom Pham had already taken the first steps that would lead him to his lifelong passion – the business of food.

His grandmother Bo ran a catering business in Vietnam and put him to work at that early age scraping carrots. As he grew older other kitchen jobs were added to his repertoire as well as other aspects of the food business. His grandfather, a salesman who travelled throughout Vietnam, often took him along on his trips stopping at a variety of restaurants along the way. When he returned home, Thom had a long list of new dishes for his grandmother to show him how to make. So by age fourteen when he was sent to Minnesota to live with a sponsoring family, Thom was well schooled in the food profession.

Some people call cooking a trade. But, in Thom’s hands it is more like a profession that includes not only the quality and creativity of the food itself, but its presentation, the surroundings, the staff’s attitude and the whole dining experience. His first restaurant, Thanh Do in St. Louis Park, was a winner from day one with diners lined up outside the door even on cold winter days.

He found the Kowloon Chinese restaurant across from the Texa Tonka Mall the perfect place to try his version of Asian fusion where, he says, “Asian spice meets Minnesota nice.” The owner Jack Der was a former chef at the famous Nankin Chinese restaurant in downtown Minneapolis and had decorated his restaurant with items from the Nankin. His menu also included some of the popular Nankin dishes dating back to 1919. When Thom bought the restaurant he kept some of the menu items for longtime Kowloon customers and included some of the old decorations in the modern space he developed for Thanh Do. But, the rest was purely Thom Pham who took Minnesota’s bland walleyed pike and turned it into an Asian treat covered with spicy jalapeno and Thai basil sauce. Or the ubiquitous holiday cranberries and gave them a special place in curry sauce and cheese puffs. (“I hate cranberries,” Thom once admitted, so he decided to find a way to make them likable.)

In the fifteen years Thom has been running restaurants in Minnesota, he has garnered a following of fans including new ones in Woodbury. Opened in February, the newest Thanh Do is just down the street from the Woodbury Commons and Walmart, in the heart of this newly developed walking/living community. The space is modest, but open and cheerful, combining as he always does, the old with the new. The full bar offers a variety of original cocktails as well as happy hour specials.

Take a good look at the black lacquered wood and red vinyl chairs – they are originally from the old Nankin and fit perfectly into this modern suburban setting. The menu is purely Thom Pham with favorites such as Spanker Soup, Cranberry Puffs, Thom Yum, Vietnamese Coconut Curry, Korean Style Short Ribs, Rack of Lamb, Cedar Grilled Salmon and so much more. One of my favorite meals is the beautiful and delicious Wonton Soup in Thom’s homemade chicken broth with perfectly cooked fresh vegetables and flavorful pork wontons followed by Thom’s Banana Roll for dessert. It is a fresh banana wrapped in an eggroll wrapper, coated with cinnamon and fried then served with coconut ice cream – nutritious, decadent and delicious!

It has been 15 years since I first wrote about Thom and his original Thanh Do and found this young, enthusiastic, talented chef such a delight. I have written about each of his endeavors along the way and am so glad to see this new one is again a reflection of his eternal optimism and joy of life. But best of all it is a showcase of his ever evolving culinary pursuits that offer us a variety of new flavors and treats to enjoy. Go see for yourself.

_____________________________________

Monday, March 2, 2015

Best restaurant?!

By Phyllis Louise Harris

March 2015

The March issue of Mpls/StPaul magazine incudes its staff’s list of 50 best restaurants in the Twin Cities. Only two have Asian menus, Little Szechuan and Ngon Vietnamese Bistro. Considering there are about 10,000 restaurants in Minnesota, choosing just 50 to mention is a daunting challenge. And, choosing just two out of 1,000 Asian restaurants in the state is not nearly enough. The staff went on to select its top five restaurants in Minneapolis: Bar La Grassa, Manny’s, La Belle Vie, 112 Eatery and Butcher & The Boar; and top five in St. Paul: Meritage, St. Paul Grill, Pazzaluna, Heartland and The Strip Club.

As any food writer will tell you, eating in more than 100 restaurants a year in order to write a weekly or monthly column sometimes gets more tedious than fun. For the twenty years that I was food editor of Asian Pages newspaper reaching 70,000 readers in 7 states twice a month, I do remember the many restaurants I tried that did not make it to the newspaper’s pages…probably ten times more than the ones I did write about.

What makes a restaurant stand out from its competitor? Sometimes it is the décor. Sometimes it is a creative menu that offers new flavors. Sometimes it is the freshness of the food or a creative twist on old favorites. But, most of the time it is the restaurant owners themselves. The really good ones are at the door or in the dining room greeting clients and getting their feedback. Others train good people to do that job for them while they devote their time to the kitchen. But most of all, they love what they do and it shows.

Running a restaurant is one of the toughest jobs in the world. It is part accountant, part chef, part manager, part lover of food and a lot of showmanship. It takes a person who sees trends change and adapts quickly to the demands of diners without giving up the basics that drew the crowds in the first place. These are the restaurants you will find listed in the magazine as “Reader’s Poll Results.” They include Quang, Ngon, Pho, Rainbow, Little Szechuan, Grand Szechuan, Ghandi Mahal, India Palace, Dancing Ganesha, Gorkha Palace, Origami, Masu, Fuji Ya, Sawatdee, On’s Kitchen, and Sen Yai Sen Lek in the Asian categories. Unfortunately, the choice categories were not long enough to include so many more outstanding restaurants enjoyed by thousands of people every day.

We are very fortunate to have so many wonderful restaurants offering nearly every cuisine in the world. Find your favorites and support them with your business.

_____________________________________

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

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.)

_____________________________________

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.

______________________________________

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.

______________________________________

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!

______________________________________