Mango Salsa - Food Pyramid | From The Aisle – The Food Pyramid Blog

This is a great recipe that can be used with fish, chicken, lamb, or pork.

INGREDIENTS

2 large, ripe red mangoes 2 Roma tomatoes 1 red pepper 1 small red onion 3 medium-size garlic cloves ¼ cup cilantro Juice of 4 limes ½ teaspoon Kosher salt ¼ teaspoon coarse, black pepper 2 tablespoons sweet Thai chile sauce (in Asian food aisle) 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

METHOD

Cut the fleshy sides off of the mango and scoop out the meat. Cut mango into ¼ ” square pieces and place in a small bowl. Dice tomatoes, red pepper, and onion into same size pieces and add to bowl. Mince garlic and add to mangos and vegetables. Add remaining ingredients and toss to mix thoroughly.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011 at 2:09 pm and is filed under Chef-Inspired Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

View the original article here

Star anise - 3.5 oz

Certain Thai curry pastes and soups that use star anise, and authentic Thai ice tea uses this as a flavorant. This is a classic Chinese spice that, in Thai dishes, is added primarily to soups. For the soup, add the whole seed pod instead of grinding it up. The anise should not be eaten whole, but it looks pretty in the dish and imparts are wonderful aroma. Star Anise is also used very effectively in making aromatic pot pourri, and many international dishes call for it. We offer a fresh, highly aromatic product that can be found in specialist spice stores for $7.50 per quarter ounce! We feel this is a great price, and the quality is excellent. Product of Thailand. Anise is one of the key ingredients in Chinese 5 Spice. We also offer star anise powder.

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

Pakistan in London: South <b>Asian “food</b> streets” of London – Visit <b>...</b>

British-Pakistani blogger Mariam Sheikh, a London-bred communications specialist and food enthusiast joins our World in London challenge, to talk about the joys of savouring Pakistani cuisine in London.

Where can you find Pakistan in London? Well, with the Office for National Statistics stating there are around 180,000 Londoners of Pakistani descent, the answer to that question is “just about anywhere!”

Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest are where you can find the largest Pakistani communities in the city. Pockets in West and South London such as Tooting and Wembley are also home to thriving Pakistani communities.

Like other Londoners of South Asian decent, considerable numbers of Pakistanis have set up their own businesses, including grocery stores and newsagents, as well as myriad restaurants offering tantalising and mouth-watering Pakistani cuisine.

Pakistani cuisine is not all that different from Indian cuisine (it was once the same country after all) and restaurants in London have often marketed themselves along the lines of the traditional Indian curry house. But there are slight differences; Pakistani cuisine is likely to have lots of barbequed and grilled meat, with some – but less – sauce dishes than other South Asian restaurants and hardly any fruit or coconut used in curries.

Today there are many Pakistani restaurants that are gaining confidence to break the mould of the “curry house” image; some market their food specifically as Pakistani and most offer a modern, contemporary and affordable dining experience. Areas in London have developed where entire streets are full of South Asian restaurants, and many of the most popular ones offer Pakistani cuisine.

Some of my top Pakistani restaurant picks are:

Biriyani, masala fish, seekh kebab, tandoori lamb chops and falooda are all typical on a Pakistani menu and are sure to have your lips smacking at their appetising aroma. So next time you’re in these areas be sure to make your way down to the nearest Pakistani restaurant and savour the delectable flavours for yourself!

http://www.myspace.com/mariamsheikh

What’s your experience of Pakistani culture in London? Tell us in the comments below.

You can follow any comments on this entry through the RSS feed.
You can skip to the end and leave a comment. Pinging is currently not allowed.

View the original article here

Eddie Huang Part 2: <b>Asian Food</b> Stereotyping, Momofuku, and the <b>...</b>

?Yesterday, we spoke with Baohaus' Eddie Huang about everything from gua bao and Yelpers to Kenny Shopsin and Orlando, Florida. Today, we bring you the second half of our interview with Huang, in which he holds forth on subjects as diverse as Momofuku, his worst customer interaction, Asian food stereotyping, and the frat boy mentality surrounding spicy food.

Can you talk a bit more about the blog post you wrote about wanting to discourage Yelpers and certain customers from coming back to Baohaus, and about some of the businesses that you feel are destroying the Lower East Side?

The guy [Daniel Maurer] at Grub Street wrote a post that was like, "Eddie Huang hates his customers." But I have a really great core following that I love. I see them at the gym, see them walking their dogs. I like them and genuinely care about them. I don't feel like my job is done after I sell you the bun. I didn't mean for that to rhyme, but you should have a responsibility to the community. You shouldn't destroy the fucking block.

After some customers complained, I paid $15,000 for a hood vent; I listen to everything people say. With [the Grub Street post], it pisses me off when somebody's being dishonest. I can't win a battle if you're not going to be reasonable. They should be more responsible in understanding the context of what I said. When I saw these customers on weekends, they'd suck. There is a problem in the Lower East Side where people are losing their neighborhood -- as someone from Florida, I see how beautiful this place is. The first apartment I had in 2005 was on Orchard Street. I thought, this is a really cool neighborhood, and then Libation came and it was over...I don't want to become the guy who hates on stuff because I really do love a lot of things. It's not about the Lacoste shirts or stereotyping people. I think that was the mistake I made, stereotyping people, but people from the outside come in and treat everyone here like we work for them, and we don't.

What's the worst interaction you've had with a customer?

The worst one was the lady from the West Village. She was a very, very uppity lady. I
didn't know she was pregnant; she didn't look it...She said, "Do you have a bathroom?" We do have one, but legally, we're not allowed to let people use it -- they can't walk through the kitchen because it's against code. But this is the mistake of being honest. I told her we do have a bathroom, but we can't let people use it, and she says, "You're going to tell a pregnant woman she can't use the bathroom?" I told her that I would tell any woman, but unfortunately I'm telling a pregnant woman you can't use it, and you should bring it up with Mayor Bloomberg. She said, "Are you being smart with me?" and threw her hot tea on me and said, "This is bullshit service, what kind of fucking restaurant doesn't have a bathroom?"...She left, and her husband nodded "sorry" at me, and I'm, like, standing here with hot tea all over myself in the middle of service...There's a strange sense of entitlement to the food.

My dad's favorite restaurant in Taiwan growing up was this little old guy who'd rigged up a hot dog truck to sell this kind of Taiwanese chicken noodle soup. He had a bunch of bowls, and once his bowls were done, he was done. He didn't wash his bowls, but said if you want a bowl, wash it and bring it back -- if you want the food, help me out. It's a great story, but it wouldn't fly here because there's a feeling that the customer is always right. I think people would enjoy it a lot more and get better food at more reasonable prices if they didn't treat us like slaves.

Speaking of prices, you've written about how everyone expects Asian food to be cheap, but don't hesitate to pay $3 for a cupcake, which costs very little to make.

Melissa's Cupcakes, that's highway robbery, the worst deal in the city -- you pay $1 for a cupcake the size of your thumb. I think [the expectation of cheap Asian food] is a stereotype -- it's not even a racial thing. In every culture you have to deal with these stereotypes and expectations. Part of breaking it is to support people like myself who are breaking the mold. I'm selling Niman Ranch pork. You don't have to go to Momofuku to get it, you have it below Houston and I'm going to charge you a dollar less than them and it's probably better. I don't know if I should say that, but I'm being honest.

View the original article here

Chinese Burmese Chili Chicken

Almost every omnivore in the U.S. goes wild for chicken wings. Juicy meat, glistening skin that can be roasted, grilled or fried...what's not to love? Yet very few of us seem to feel the same about chicken thighs or chicken legs. Last July, when every store in my Brooklyn neighbordhood was out of chicken wings, I had no trouble finding abundant supplies of fresh, organic chicken legs for less than $2 a pound. 

A recent article in Slate about the U.S. needing new markets for exporting dark chicken meat  made me ponder (again) why we are a nation of wings and chicken breast lovers who toss or export the rest of the bird. You can't find more polar opposites, as far as chicken parts go, than wings and chicken breast. One is all skin and rich dark meat that oozes flavor, the other is lean and frankly, rather bland on its own.

While I like chicken breast in chicken noodle soup and some stir-fries, it's rather boring compared with dark meat and shines only when paired with tastier ingredients. You can't just rub a skinless chicken breast with olive oil and pepper and salt, stick it in the oven, and call it good. 

I guess wings get a free pass because it's bar food, party food, or summer cook-out food, often eaten while chatting with friends or watching a game on TV. But for entrees, subject to more scrutiny, we seem to steer overwhelmingly toward chicken breast. Is it health concerns? Skinless dark meat has only a smidgen more calories and fat than chicken breast. Is it ease of preparation? Many stores sell skinless and boneless dark meat, and you can stir-fry or braise it with ease. And maybe it's just because I live in New York, but chicken breast also seems to cost about three times as much as chicken legs or thighs.

Chicken breast can be great in a number of things (heck, I have a good handful of recipes on this site that call for it). But I'll make it my mission today to be a cheerleader for dark meat. Please, have it for dinner some time this week! Your taste buds, wallet, and eventually the American poultry industry (including the small producers), will thank you. 

One dish you can make, a very easy stir-fry that I also recently tried, is the Chinese Burmese Chili Chicken from Grace Young's Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge. It's a great cookbook focusing on stir-frying techniques that's easy enough for beginners and in-depth enough to keep more experienced cooks entralled. What drew me most to the book is that Grace includes cross-cultural recipes such as Chinese Trinidadian Stir-fried Shrimp with Rum and Peruvian lomo saltado, which show how stir-frying has infiltrated every country that has become home to a large number of Chinese immigrants. 

Although the recipe can be made with both boneless chicken thigh or breast, using dark meat produces a noticeably juicier finished dish. I love the use of cumin, paprika, and chili, which add a smoky dimension that reminds me of a combination of Xinjiang and Hunan cooking. (I substituted a jalapeño pepper for Anaheim chili because it was easier to find, which also increased the spiciness.) And zucchini! The zucchini soaks up the sauce like a sponge and becomes as tender and flavorful as the chicken.

If any dish will convince you of how well dark meat works in stir-fries, this will. 

____________________________________

Chinese Burmese Chili Chicken

Adapted from Stir-frying to the Sky's Edge by Grace Young

Serves 4

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil, for cooking
1 medium yellow onion, cut into large dice
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and each half thinly sliced

For the marinade:
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Marinate the chicken: in a medium bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Add the chicken and coat well with the marinade mixture. Let stand while you prepare the other ingredients.

2. In a small bowl mix the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1/3 cup of cold water until the cornstarch is dissolved.  In another small bowl combine the paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper.

3. Heat a wok over high heat and swirl in the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the onions and stir-fry for 1 minute, until the edges of the onions begin to crisp. Push the onions to the sides of the wok and add the chicken, spreading it evenly in one layer. Allow the chicken to sear undisturbed for 1 minute. Stir-fry for another minute, until the outsides have turned white. Add the ginger, garlic, and paprika mixture and stir-fry for 30 seconds, or until the aromatics are fragrant and the chicken is well-coated with the spices. 

4. Add the bell peppers, zucchini, and chilis. Drizzle in the fish sauce and the 1/4 teaspoon of salt for the sauce. Restir the cornstarch mixture and pour it into the wok, stirring until everything is well-coated. Stir-fry for another minute, until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate and serve. 

____________________________________ 

More Chinese chicken recipes:

General Tso's Chicken

Three Cup Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken

Honey Soy Chicken Wings

Lemon Chicken

Sichuan-Style Chicken Noodle Soup

View the original article here

Vita Life Matcha (Green Tea Powder) Value Pack Bonus Pack - 6 Boxes (63.48 Oz)

Each tin box can be used to make about 141 fifteen ounce (450 mL) servings. Come with measuring spoon!
----
Green tea contains the highest levels naturally-occurring compounds called polyphenols that have powerful antioxidant properties. these polyphenols may help prevent certain types of cancers, lower the risk of heart disease and help ward off colds and flu. There is even evidence that when used as an ingredient in sunblock lotions, green tea may inhibit some types of skin cancers. When steeping tea leaves some of these beneficial compounds are extracted from the leaf, but you can never extract 100%. However, with Matcha, you get 100% of these beneficial compounds, as you are actually consuming the whole powdered leaf.

===========

Directions:
Here are a number of ways that you can enjoy this
healthy and delicious product:
-Mix 2g of Green Tea Powder with:
-8oz. of cold or lukewarm water (~60 C)
-A cup of frozen yogurt
-A glass of orange, apple, tomato, or pineapple
juice
-A bottled water(convenient for traveling and
working out)

Green tea powder can also be included into your
own fine cooking, use with your toothpaste,
shampoo, and facial cleaner.

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

Char Siu Pulled Pork Banh Mi with Asian Slaw | <b>Asian Food</b> Recipes <b>...</b>

We’ve been guilty of it many times. Guilty of staring through the windows of Chinese BBQ’s with our mouths watering at the red, glistening, long pieces of barbecue pork hanging by the dozens–watching each droplet of pork fat fall, as if in slow motion, from their charred tips.  We would subconsciously lick our lips as the scents of five spice, soy sauce, hoisin, and charred pork fat reached our noses. And it’s these primary flavors along with the sweetness of maltose that gives it that unmistakable sheen and makes char siu pork so tantalizing to the senses.

The image of Char siu (also called cha siu, char sieu, or chashao) pork hanging in the windows of small Chinese BBQ’s can be seen across America and is synonymous with Chinese style barbecue.  Char siu pork can be enjoyed in a variety of ways including in a bun (char siu bao) on dum sum carts, in noodle soups such as in egg noodles or ramen noodles, or simply over plain jasmine rice.

A few weeks ago, we catered a baby shower and to feed a large crowd of 40, we decided to use char siu as the main flavoring agent for a slow cooker pulled pork and paired it with a clean and crisp Vietnamese cabbage slaw.  We made about 9 feet of char siu pulled pork banh mi (3 full length baguettes) along with a 5 lbs of pork shoulder and not a single trace was left.  The char siu seasoning is not that complicated and in fact, quite easy to make at home using Metlting Wok or Rasa Malaysia’s recipes. Or you can buy store bought char siu sauce– Lee Kum Kee brand is a good option. We’ve adapted the recipe for a more managable 3 lbs of pork, but feel free to adjust accordingly.Char Siu Pulled Pork Banh Mi with Vietnamese Slaw3 lb pork shoulderkosher saltfresh cracked pepper1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut in 1/4 inch rings1 1/2 cup char siu sauce (we made our own using recipes above)1/2 head green cabbage, thinly shredded1/2 head red cabbage, thinly shredded1/2 cup of rau rau (coriander leaves) coarsely chopped1/2 cup of mint, coarsely chopped1/2 cup of thai basil, coarsly choppedfried shallots4 tbs nuoc mam chamoptional diced hot chili pepperLine your slow cooker with the onions. Lightly rub the pork shoulder with small amount kosher salt and pepper and place on top of onions. Brush on a generous layer of char siu sauce, coating evenly. Turn the slow cooker on low and leave on overnight or high, roughly 4-5 hrs.In large bowl, combine the cabbages, rau rau, mint, basil and toss well. Season with nuoc mam cham to taste. For best results, allow the slaw to marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.  The slaw can also be made a day ahead of time. The longer the slaw marinates, the more liquid it releases–toss well and just drain excess liquid before serving.When the pork is done, it will easily fall apart with gentle pressure–remove the pork into a large mixing bowl and pull using tongs or forks. The pork will release a lot of fatty juices in the slow cooker which you can discard–but we like to keep a small amount to mix in the pulled pork. Now add char siu sauce, 1-2 tbs at a time and coat the pulled pork well.  Don’t over do it–we like to keep extra char siu sauce on the side those who want more.

Add the pulled pork to the toasted baguettes and drizzle additional char siu sauce if desired. Generously top with slaw and garnish with fried shallots.Combining the finger licking sweet char siu with the crisp and clean slaw in a toasty baguette will have guests craving for more.  Also, the slaw can be served as a side–many guests loved the fresh tart flavors of nuoc mam cham based slaw compared with the mayonnaise laden traditional coleslaw, so be prepared to have extra ready!With 40 satisfied guests with minimal effort, this char siu slow cooker pulled pork banh mi recipe is a keeper!

View the original article here

In Syracuse, more Southeast <b>Asian food</b> is coming to Carousel <b>...</b>

Copyright 2011 Comstock Images

Syracuse, NY -- Your options for Southeast Asian-style eats in Carousel Center’s food court are growing exponentially.

Scheduled to open today: China Master, filling a spot that’s long been empty — so long I’ve forgotten what was there. To locale has occasionally played host to a seasonal coat-and-package-check station.

China Master is next to Carousel News Stand and, well, two other Southeast Asian-style food stands, China Max and Japan Café Grill. Across the way is Cajun Café, which, some have said, is more Chinese than Cajun.

Whatever floats your wok, yes? What’s diff about China Master so far is the look. It has the new-signature Carousel food court touches — stone and brick demise columns — plus its own customized storefront. So generic, it’s not. (We’ll try to fill you in on how Carousel’s food court is getting some touches of its relative, Palisades Center, after a targeted visit soon).

If you’re more in the sit-down restaurant mood and still going for Asian-style food, here comes Koto Japanese Steakhouse. Talk about your customized build-out. It’s all hidden now, but inside is wow. It’s scheduled to open in early March, perhaps the week of March 7, says Rob Schoeneck, Carousel Center mall’s manager.

Express checkout

Also at Carousel Center mall: the new Francesca’s Collection, which opens Saturday, but I’d hazard a stroll over there today just in case.. You’ll find Francesca’s on the mall’s second level, between J.C. Penney and the Center Atrium.

The unique Houston-based retailer has one other store in New York state, in Victor, near Rochester. Francesca’s Collection prides itself on what it calls “fashion-forward styles” of women’s clothing, accessories and gifts, and the stores aren’t cookie-cutter. This one won’t look the same as Rochester’s.

And you’re now seeing the storefront of Carousel’s coming White House Black Market, another upscale women’s clothing boutique. Scheduled opening: Thursday, as in next week, but I’m thinking soft opening before that day.Speaking of Rochester, that’s where you’ll have to go to get in touch with Body Shop soon. The last Onondaga County Body Shop is closing soon in, well, ShoppingTown Mall. Carousel’s bailed a while back.I know you like some SuperCuts in the Fairmount area. Customers are being told it’s moving across West Genesee Street into Fairmount Fair’s flashy newish outparcel.Speaking of which, the newest additions to FF, Dress Barn and Famous Footwear are hovering. This may make the reclaimed shopping center at or pretty darn close to capacity. Great comeback story via Benderson Development.Our friends from Canada, the Tim Hortons cafes, are doing random acts of coffee — through Sunday. Some folks are being handed packets of Hortons’ mouture fine — Canadese for “fine grind” — packets of coffee. Timmies calls them a Random Act of Kindness, and encourage receivers to brew up a batch and share it with a friend. Friend me.

View the original article here

The Flavorful <b>Asian Food</b> in an Easy and Delicious Way

Feb 10, 2011: Just Moved! Sorry for the dust!….in several days I hope having the new theme installed, as well as most of the functions, up and running.

I didn’t import, yet, all the comments coming from IntenseDebate; I'm waiting an answer from them and then, I'll import the ID comments. I know in some cases the importation didn’t work….at all…

I've updated my new feed to Feedburner and it posted former articles as new ones - I don't know why. Hope it was only once :) I'll return posting as soon as WP/posts/functions are settled properly!
Thanks for the visit!

View the original article here

Three Ladies Spring Roll Rice Paper Wrappers (Round 22cm 3pks)

Preparation: Soften rice paper by quick evenly dipping in cold or warm water for 2-3 seconds. Lay flat on a plate and is ready for wrapping your favorite stuffs...like vegetables, herbs, meat, shrimp, rice stick noodle...etc. For better taste, eat with some dipping sauce (Mixed fish sauce or hoisin sauce). Ingredients: rice flour, tapioca starch, water & salt.

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

Bull-Dog - Vegetable &amp; Fruit Tonkatsu Sauce 10.1 Fl. Oz.

Bull-Dog - Vegetable & Fruit Tonkatsu Sauce are dark, rich, sweet-savoury brown sauces made with vegetables and fruit that go fantastically in curries, on meat, okonomiyaki, omelettes, tonkatsu and simple plain rice. This Vegetable&Fruit Tonkatsu Sauce is perfect for tonkatsu (cutlet) meat! Eat with your fried meat pieces, shredded cabbage and rice. Deee-licious! Of course it is also perfect for using in other dishes. Great value again from Japan Centre

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

Nissin the Original Cup Noodles Chicken Flavor Noodle Bowls Twenty-four 2.5 Ounce Cups

Nissin the Original Cup Noodles Chicken Flavor Noodle Bowls Twenty-four 2.5 Ounce Cups Delicious Chicken flavored Cup of Noodles Since 1958, the world's leading brand in ramen noodle soups 24 2.5 Ounce Cups Per box.

Price: $24.00

Click here to buy from Amazon

Sun-Bird Sweet &amp; Sour Seasoning (.87oz Packet)

Blend seasoning mix with boneless pork, corn starch, soy sauce, oil, sugar, catsup, pineapple chunks & fresh produce.

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

Street Food Cooking Recipes

Use your Facebook login and see what your friends are reading and sharing.

I don't have a Facebook account

Already have a Scribd account?

View the original article here

Chaokoh - Coconut Milk 13.5 Fl. Oz.

Description : - Chaokoh Coconut Milk is made from pure coconut. This coconut milk can be used for making cakesm candies, cookies, ice cream, coconut jam,(kaya), curries and other preparations, where coconut milk is required. Suitable for vegetarians. Ingredients : - Coconut Extract, Water, Citric Acid (as antioxidant), Sodium Metabisulphate (as preservative).

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

Bizarre <b>Asian Food</b> in Austin – 10 Ways to Eat the Weird |

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of eating bizarre foods, and I’ll go out of my way to eat something just to say that I’ve had a taste of the weird. I’ve eaten strange stuff like crickets here in Texas, snake meat / venom / blood in Taiwan, and donkey in China. I ate blood sausage and beaver carpaccio in Argentina, and turtle in Cambodia. While I’m not quite as adventurous (or rich) as Andrew Zimmerman, I can hold my own when it comes to eating Bizarre Foods.

Most savvy Austinites know where to find Mexican bizarre foods like menudo, beef tongue, and deep fried pork intestines (check out El Taquito) so I’ll skip over those and focus on weird Asian delights, where I have some expertise.

While this isn’t a complete list of Asian delicacies – you probably can’t easily find any stinky fermented tofu, giant fish eyeballs, duck tongue, or scorpion (all things I’ve had) here in Austin – here’s a list of some crazy Asian foods from Austin restaurants that you probably haven’t had before.

Silk Worms (Beon degi) at Together Restaurant, Little Tokyo, and Han Yang Market
This Korean delicacy consists of stir fried silk worm pupae mixed with assorted veggies (pictured in the first photo of this post). You can also buy these in can form at the Han Yang market (ironically? in the SPAM aisle) on Lamar Blvd next to Austin Karaoke. These probably aren’t for the amateur bizarre food eater because they kind of explode in your mouth with juiciness. Supposedly they are much better in Korea where they are made fresh instead of from a can.

Pig Ears at Rice Bowl Cafe
These gelatinous yet firm delicacies are boiled then pickled with vinegar and seasoned with soy sauce. They are quite delicious and are a pretty accessible bizarre food, as far as taste goes. They are meaty in flavor, and yet, the texture is slightly off putting for some non-adventurous eaters. Rice Bowl Cafe serves up other slightly weird, tasty Taiwanese Treats such as pork knuckle, which is a bone in pig leg full of sinewy goodness.

Dimsum Chicken Feet @ Fortune & Shanghai
I consider chicken feet to be gateway drug of bizarre Asian foods. It’s easy to find at any dimsum joint around town and it doesn’t taste that weird. Again though, it does have that gelatinous texture that some find odd, a lot of bones, and it does sort of look like your food is giving your mouth a high five… errr high four.

Thousand Year Egg – MT Market or in rice porridge at dimsum
Thousand year egg is a black, fermented, slightly stinky egg that has been soaking in lime for months at a time. Although it doesn’t look that great, it is absolutely delicious. As with many other delicacies in this list, it does have an interesting jello-like consistency. These eggs can be eaten as is, or mixed in a rice porridge that you can get at any dimsum restaurant in Austin (see the picture of Fortune above in the left corner). Also called “century eggs“, these tasty treats have been around for more than a thousand years in Chinese cuisine.

Sea Squirts at ChoSun Galbi and Han Yang Market
Sea Squirts can be found frozen at the Han Yang market on North Lamar Blvd or in a prepared dish at Cho Sun Galbi called Agujjim, which is a saucy, slightly spicy bean sprout dish. Sea squirt is kind of bizarre – I would give it a 7 out of 10 on the weirdness scale. They are tough on the outside, but they pop in your mouth when you bite into them, suddenly sending a brine-y mixture of flavor juice into your mouth – sort of like fish eyeballs. You might have seen sea squirts in science class as a kid, they are a sac like filter feeder. According to Wikipedia, they are also called “sea pineapple” presumably so they sound a bit more edible.

Blood cake + intestines @ Mandarin House
Perhaps the stinkiest bizarre food on this list, the stewed pork Blood Cake with intestine dish at Mandarin House is borderline edible even for me. It’s hard for chefs to get rid of that distinctive intestine “gaminess” – and I’m not a big fan of it. Congealed blood cake comes from a pig and looks kind of like black tofu that tastes a bit like marrow. If you want blood cake without the intestine nastiness, order the hot and sour soup at Mandarin House on North Lamar.

Jelly Fish – Pao’s Mandarin House
Chinese people eat jellyfish that has been brined and mixed with vinegar. A slightly acquired taste, but you probably wouldn’t know it’s jellyfish unless someone told you. It kind of just looks and tastes like seasoned, pickled, crunchy radish. I would give this a 4 out of 10 on the weirdness scale in regards to taste. You do get a lot of bang for your buck on this one, as it does sound quite exotic to say you’ve eaten jellyfish. You most likely have to request a Chinese menu at Pao’s to find this dish.

Beef Tendons – Pao’s Mandarin House
Beef tendon is connective tissue that isn’t considered very edible by everyone. This dish is cooked then chilled and served cold with spicy oil drizzled over it. I think it’s only available on the semi-secret Chinese Menu at Pao’s. It tastes pretty much like beef, but has a firm jelly texture to it like so many other things on this list. I would recommend this as a slightly less weird bizarre food.

Beef Tripe – any Vietnamese Pho Restaurant or some Dimsum restaurants
Get the combination pho with everything in it to get a taste of tripe, or cow stomach. Tripe is from the Omassum stomach of the cow, which is generally less stinky than the honeycomb stomach found in menudo. Tripe is available at some Dimsum restaurants, but it’s a little bit less popular than other dishes. While I don’t guarantee you will find it there, I’ve seen it served at Shanghai before.

Weird offal awesomeness – My Thanh MT Supermarket
Just walk through the aisles near the meat counter for a culinary adventure. If you are a promoter of nose to tail eating, this is the place for you. While I’m a big fan of exploring supermarkets, there’s some stuff that I won’t even touch at MT such as rectum, kidneys, and various animal brains, but it’s always fun just to stroll through and window shop.

I hope you learned something new by reading this post, and are now inspired to try some of the bizarre foods in Austin on this list.

Happy Tasting,
Peter

View the original article here

Recipe: Samgyeopsal Ssam (Pork Belly Lettuce Wrap) — the heart of food

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

Low Calorie Dinner Recipes - A Traditional Asian Vegetable Recipe

Ingredients

- 1/2 cup carrot

- 1/2 cup baby corn

- 1 cup potato

- 1 cup tomato

- 1 cup lettuce

- 1 cup celery

- 1 cup cauliflower

- 1 cup onion

- 2 gloves of garlic

- 3 teaspoon peanut oil

- 1/4 cup water

- 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce

Process

Heat the wok to high, add oil. Wait for 1 minute, then add garlic. Reduce heat to medium high. Stir until garlic has its instinct odors. Add carrot, potato first and stir for 5 minutes. Pour water, sauce in the wok. Simmer for 2 minutes. Here comes to cauliflower, onion, baby corn, and celery. Stir for 3 minutes. At last, add the rest ingredients to the wok and stir for 2 minutes more. Serve hot.

This is simple, traditional Asian food. You can add any vegetable in the recipe such as broccoli, spinach, turnip, radish, pumpkin, okra. The alternatives are endless. As you probably vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Especially, vegetables are low in fat and calorie. In fact, the above recipes has only 80 calorie for each serving. A great idea for weight loss, right?

Here are just a dinner recipe. For breakfast, lunch, and snack recipes with under 500 calories, let us visit. I am sure that you would choose a suitable and scientific diet! Well, there is no reason for you to hum and haw. It is the right time to start weight loss journey!

View the original article here

How to Get a Cookbook Published

How to Get a Cookbook Published - Viet World KitchenViet World KitchenHomeArchivesRecipe IndexVWK StoreClasses + EventsFavorite SitesAbout MePermission and CreditWelcome to Viet World Kitchen where I explore the culinary traditions of Vietnam and the rest of Asia. Join me to learn, create, and contribute!

Andrea Nguyen
Author & Teacher

Send a messageMy Books

One of Cooking Light's 2010
Favorite Cookbooks!

Asian Dumplings
(Ten Speed Press, 2009)
Reviews & Press Release
Enhanced e-book due: 3/11/2011

Into the Vietnamese Kitchen
(Ten Speed Press, 2006)
Reviews & Press Release
E-book release: 5/11/2011

Recent Posts How to Get a Cookbook PublishedSriracha and Crab Rangoon Wontons RecipeHome Remedies for Winter Cough: Vick’s and Ginger BrewBest Banh Mi in America? Is Cheap Banh Mi Good?Pan-fried Tet Sticky Rice Cake Recipe (Banh Chung Chien)The Lazy Person’s Guide to Celebrating TetReivented Pho Roundup in DC: For real, just faux, or cool?Pot au Feu Recipe (Sup Thit Bo)Dog as Food in Americas 9,400 Years AgoA First Birthday Party after 70 YearsRecipesAppetizer and Snack RecipesBanh (Crepes, dumplings, cakes, bread) RecipesBanh Mi Sandwich RecipesBasic Sauces, Stocks and Garnishes RecipesChile Sauce RecipesClaypot (Kho) RecipesDeep-Fried RecipesDessert and Sweets RecipesDipping Sauces RecipesDrink and Beverage RecipesGluten-Free RecipesGrilled RecipesMain Course RecipesMeat RecipesNoodles RecipesOne-Dish Meals RecipesPho RecipesPoultry and Egg RecipesRice RecipesSalad RecipesSeafood RecipesSoup RecipesStir-Fry RecipesStreet Food RecipesVegan RecipesVegetable Sides and Pickles RecipesVegetarian Recipes Vietnamese RecipesNon-Vietnamese RecipesHandy InfoAsian IngredientsAsian MarketsBasic Vietnamese KitchenBook Reviews + moreCooking Tips and ToolsEssentials: Fish SauceEssentials: NoodlesEssentials: Pho Noodle SoupEssentials: RiceEssentials: Rice PaperGardeningHow to Find Asian Markets & IngredientsMama SaysTet New Year CelebrationTravelAwards + Praise
James Beard Foundation
Award Finalist
2007 Best Asian Cookbook

IACP Awards Finalist
2010 Best Single Subject Cookbook
2007 Best First Book
2007 Best Int'l Cookbook

National Public Radio
Best 10 Cookbooks of 2009

Cooking Light Magazine
Oct. 2009 "Editors' Dozen" Top Picks
2010 Editors' Favorite Cookbooks

CHOW.com
Winter 2009 Gift Guide

« Sriracha and Crab Rangoon Wontons Recipe |Main

February 20, 2011 How to Get a Cookbook Published

L. Chin emailed last week asking for advice on how to get a cookbook idea into print. I usually answer those queries privately but this time, I thought I’d present the information as a post because you may wonder how this stuff happens, and/or you have tips and experiences to share. 

When I started out wanting to write my first book, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, I didn’t know much. However, with some pluck, luck and lots of hard work, I placed the book with Ten Speed Press, one of the best cookbook publishers in the United States. I’m currently working on my third book with Ten Speed, due out in early 2012.

I don’t have a set game plan for aspiring cookbook authors but I’ve found certain things to have held true over time. Keep these eight (8) tips in mind, whether you aim to sell your idea to a publisher or self-publish, see your work printed on paper or in digital format:

1. Have something to say: Develop an idea that hasn’t been done before or a concept that improves on what has already been done. Do you have a different angle on a cuisine? Is there a sustainable culinary trend that deserves attention? Most importantly, do you have a point to make? What is it? The topic should stoke the fire of your intellectual and food interests. Feel it in your gut.

2. Get professional writing experience: Pitch ideas to print publications so you can work with professional editors, copywriters, fact checkers, recipe testers, and designers. Start at the local level and work your way up to pitching to regional and national publications.

Write for online publications too. Aim to get your ass kicked by the best editors out there. You will learn what it’s like to sell (and not sell) an idea. You’ll also benefit from the professional collaboration that creates excellent publications. Your writing skills will improve.

3. Meet people in the industry: No writer works alone. Join the professional food community to meet other writers as well as editors, photographers, stylists, and publishers. Meet chefs and corporate food people too. Consider participating in national organizations such as the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs.

Is there a local or regional organization to join? In Northern California, we have the San Francisco Professional Food Society (SFPFS) and Culinary Historians of Northern California (CHONC). Before joining, attend an event to see if there is a good fit, if you want to hang out with those folks. Also explore less formal organizations too, such as a supper or cooking club, because you never know who you’ll meet. if you want to hone your writing skills and network in an intense weekend of workshops and learning, attend the annual Greenbrier Symposium for Professional Food Writing (Greenbrier FB page).

You’re merely networking. Plus, professional food events are always fun. There’s usually good food and drinks!

4. Develop an online presence: I was once told that I could not sell my book project unless I was on the Food Network. That wasn’t true. Look at all the books authored by people without shows on TV. On the other hand, you need to have a ‘platform’ – people need to know who you are.  Along with the professional networking, aspiring authors will be more successful these days if they have a web presence – a blog, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.

You don’t need to have a ginormous following but being active and engaged on the web will help you convince publishers that your project is worthy. Writing online is great way to practice the craft of writing. It’s a regular intellectual workout.

5. Write a proposal like a business plan: Follow the usual outline but think of strategies for marketing and selling the book. With regard to Asian topic, publishers and their marketing/sales force may not be familiar with your topic. You may have access to potential audiences and media channels that they do not. Publishers want to make money off of a book and so do you! How can you work with the publisher to sell lots of books?

6. Find an agent or shop the book project yourself: Approach agents who have represented authors that you respect (check the Acknowledgements of a book). Cookbook agents are often member of IACP or WCR; they may attend the annual conferences. See if there’s a fit with the agent. He/she will tell you how viable your idea is. If needed, an agent will help you tweak or reshape your idea.

If you are willing to negotiate directly with an editor or publisher, then try to sell your idea yourself. It’s hard but a number of publishers, especially the independents, consider unagented proposals. (Btw, I current am not represented by an agent.)

7. Know the financial realities: Don’t expect money to rain from the sky. Few cookbook writers can live off their advances and royalties. Maintain a day job or ask your partner for his/her financial and emotional support. Really.

The payoff is that you have a magnificent asset for your professional calling card. You build your platform and career with the book. Your financial wealth may grow a bit but the pot at the end of the rainbow is filled with a different kind of gold.

8. Realize that the book will own you: Writing a cookbook is a full-time endeavor. Actually, it’s an obsession that I mull over while I sleep and wake up thinking about. The book does take up a major part of your professional and personal life so be prepared.

Lastly, there are few overnight successes. Successfully selling a cookbook idea to a publisher is tough but many people have done it. Why can’t you?

I hope these tips are helpful. If you have additional questions or information to share, chime in!

Related posts:

When is a cookbook deal too good to be true? (on justcookNYC.com, 2/20/11)Behind the scences of the Asian Dumplings photo shoot (on Asian Dumpling Tips, 8/05/09)Posted in Books | Permalink

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us |

Comments

You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Andrea:

Thank you for your advice, but frankly, I think luck is the most important thing in getting a book published.

The cookbook market is hard. Very hard and frankly, I don't know how publishers make a buck on any book even the best. For non-celebs, they must weight the sales across 20+ years to see if they can turn a profit from the cost of the promotions.

I wound up going the self-published route after being told by many publishers that they were reluctant to buy my book because it was, "unlike anything else out there," and that there was no "wake" to market my book in, because my book was unique - part history, part anthropology, part cookbook.

All that aside, there are benefits of being self-published - like never going out of print. My book was nominated for an award by the Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Awards, and sells well for a self-published tome.

So for aspiring writers who are confident in their product and who have done a lot of hard work but who still get a lot of rejection letters - please don't give up. Consider self or "subsidized" publishing.

Thanks,

Laura

Posted by:Laura kelley |February 20, 2011 at 01:41 PM

Great tips, and just as applicable to business writing, its an incredible calling card.

I am so happy you are working on book #3, and you may have mentioned it, but can you give us a sneak peak as to the topic of this new book?

Posted by:OysterCulture |February 20, 2011 at 03:39 PM

I would say forget about publishers. Self publish digital versions on Amazon Kindle's platform and the likes. Printed books are dying...

I have both of Andrea's books and there were times when I was at work and wanted to try a new dish from one the books, but I keep the books at home...Digital version would have solved the problem. I plan on buying book #3 digital version =) I see the Kindle version of book 1 & 2 are on pre order status =)

Posted by:Donkey Kong |February 21, 2011 at 01:27 AM

Thanks for the great advice. I would dearly love to create my own cookbook, food InTolerances are on the rise and I think it would have a healthy demographic to market too.

Posted by:InTolerant Chef |February 21, 2011 at 01:55 AM

Laura: Thanks for sharing your self-publishing experience. I totally concur and you're proof that "subsidized" publishing works! Love the term!

Oysterculture: No peaking till later this year. I havta finish the manuscript!

Donkey Kong: YES! You let the cat out of the bag. Digital version of book #1 and 2 are on their way.

InTolerant Chef: Keep your eyes on the prize. Work up a proposal and polish it over time for when you're ready to write.

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |February 21, 2011 at 10:40 AM

Love this information, thanks for sharing it! I agree -- much of this is applicable to writing in general.

Posted by:Michelle |February 21, 2011 at 09:31 PM

These are all really great tips. The truth is, there isn't a 'one size fits all' solution anymore, which is a good thing because people can self-publish and write on any topic they wish. Publishers reject a number of good books for reasons like you mentioned ("You don't have a show on Food Network") or the marketing team didn't like your idea. (Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child was rejected, too. And it sold 100k copies the first year.)

However the one thing that is a good idea is to have an editor, even if self-published. Hiring one can help you tune up your book, make critical suggestions that you might miss, and proofread the text. It'll be interesting to see the future of digital books, especially as iPads and other devices evolve.

Posted by:David |February 21, 2011 at 11:18 PM

This is really good advice, Andrea. I don't write cookbooks, but it applies to narrative as well.

I worked in publishing for a number of years--both at a publisher and a literary agency. I was the first person to see the proposals and decide which to reject out of hand and which to consider. It was always shocking how few people had put together a serious package and spent the time to research what agents and publishers might be a good fit for their project. In most cases people simply weren't doing their homework, which was a waste of everyone's time and hopes.

One of the earlier comments mentioned that it mostly comes down to luck, and I would have to disagree. Even though aspiring writers feel like it's impossible to break in (and it isn't easy), every agent and editor wakes up in the morning hoping to find the next great project. The key is to be smart, diligent, and creative. Andrea's a great example of this.

Thanks for getting such good advice out there!

Posted by:tea_austen |February 21, 2011 at 11:41 PM

Was the Kindle version suppose to be a secret? haha I was going to gripe about a non kindle version of the books because I didn't see it before. But I rechecked and saw that it's on the way :) Too bad we Kindle users don't get a deeper discounted price =( But I guess its up to the publisher to set those things.

Also I typed aboved that I wanted to try a dish at work...I meant to type, I wanted to plan a dish at work but didn't have the books on me. I work in a cubicle lol

Posted by:Donkey Kong |February 22, 2011 at 12:53 AM

Great tips! But I think I prefer digital books ;-)

Posted by:ShashaCatering |February 22, 2011 at 06:04 AM

@David: Right on about working with an editor when you're self-publishing. Good editors and proofreaders bring fresh perspectives to your words. Sometimes I spend too much time in the weeds to check out the forest.

@tea_austin: Thanks for the insights from the 'other side.' A book project is something that you want others to invest in. It's an artful business venture. It's hard to find a publisher who'll print your work just because they like you.

As for the digital frontier? Let's dive in and see what happens!

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |February 22, 2011 at 11:48 AM

Verify your Comment Previewing your CommentPosted by:  | 

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type: Your comment has been posted. Post another comment The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Post a comment Comment below or sign in with TypePad Facebook Twitter and more... You are currently signed in as (nobody). Sign Out (URLs automatically linked.)

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

Name is required to post a comment

Please enter a valid email address

Invalid URL

Be Connected Get news via RSS or email
 Get updates in Facebook
 Follow me on Twitter
Search VWK

Share Shots#flickr_badge_source_txt {padding:0; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif; color:#666666;}#flickr_badge_icon {display:block !important; margin:0 !important; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;}#flickr_icon_td {padding:0 5px 0 0 !important;}.flickr_badge_image {text-align:center !important;}.flickr_badge_image img {border: 0px solid black !important;}#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper {width:150px;}#flickr_www {display:block; text-align:center; padding:0 10px 0 10px !important; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif !important; color:#3993ff !important;}#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:hover,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:link,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:active,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:visited {text-decoration:none !important; background:inherit !important;color:#3993ff;}#flickr_badge_wrapper {background-color:#ffffff;border: solid 1px #000000}#flickr_badge_source {padding:0 !important; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif !important; color:#666666 !important;}www.flickr.comMore in Viet World Kitchen pool. Add yours!popular recipes

Viet World Kitchen | Copyright 2002-2010 by Andrea Nguyen | Privacy Policy document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js'%3E%3C/script%3E"));COMSCORE.beacon({ c1: 2, c2: "6035669", c3: "", c4: "http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2011/02/-how-to-get-a-cookbook-published.html", c5: "", c6: "", c15: ""});

View the original article here