"asian food" news and stories

If you're planning a fantastic Chinese feast this weekend for Chinese New Year, don't fret one bit if you're a little (or a lot) rusty with chopsticks. You could, of course, go the way of stabbing your dumplings and winding your noodles of long life with a fork, but we have a better idea. How about some chopsticks are a little easier to use?

Now, if you're a already a professional, then you might just need your own personal set of portable chopsticks. These aluminum chopsticks slide out of a fabric pouch and snap together. Not only are they pretty, but this keeps away the problem of disposable chopsticks creating waste! ThinkGeek also has a pair that screw together.

For an even more "green" Far East feast, the Bird's Eye Maple chopsticks are perfect, which are also fastened together with their very own chopstick rest. They are available from Porterhouse Crafts for $23 for two pairs.

The idea for a bulgogi burger came to me last summer when I was thinking about entering a burger grill-off/competition. Little did I know that the "Bulgogi Burger" is already a standard menu item on fast food burger joints in Korea. I was slightly disheartened, since my idea wasn't original, and scrapped it for the competition.

But I never forgot about making it myself. I've never actually tried a bulgogi burger in Korea (it's been about 15 years since I've been there), and decided that I didn't want to know how it is made in tha' Motherland. I wanted to come up with my own. Besides, someone also told me that many "Bulgogi Burgers" are not burgers at all - they are real pieces of bulgogi slapped between the buns. Who knows? I didn't care.

I have no idea why I'm reading Men's Health. Regardless, the magazine has an article that encourages men to cook these seven dishes from around the world at home, to keep them lighter than the restaurant versions that are always loaded with too much pasta, rice and potatoes. Men's Health says that the "secret isn't tiny, Frenchman-like portions; it's a redistribution of nutrients." Hey, if it makes you look like Mr. Cooking Guy in the photo, I'm all for it! 

The recipes are for:

1. Curried Shrimp Kebabs with Basmati Rice (Indian)
2. Sausage and Pepper Pasta (Italian)
3. Steak and Bean Burrito (Mexican)
4. Pork Fried Rice (Chinese)
5. Teriyaki Salmon Bowl with Broccoli (Japanese)
6. Cajun Chicken Fingers with Sweet Potato Fries
7. Broiled Lamb Chop over Cucumber Tomato Salad (Greek)

The recipes are for one portion though. I'd double it, and make dinner for yourself and your date!

If you're becoming more and more into Asian foods, or are new to Asian foods, then I've just come across a cool site that serves as a decent resource, www.asiafood.org. The site has recipes, links to other Asian food resources, feature articles as well as restaurant reviews (though they seem to focus only on a few sleect places like NYC). However, the greatest information is AsiaFood's glossary. It doesn't have pictures, and the definitions are brief, but for quick information, it seems to do the drink. For example, maybe you need to find out what gamboge is. Well, it's an acidic fruit from southern India and Sri Lanka! 

AsiaFood's glossary helped me out a little today when I was trying to figure out what the heck grass jelly is.

I love baby bok choy. Regular bok choy tastes great, but I think I am beginning to have this fascination with all things teeny tiny cute and miniature. Of course, baby bok choy tastes a little different - they're sweeter and more tender.

Cut baby bok choy lengthwise into quarters, rinse, and dry off. (You can rinse before you cut, but it's easier to get any sort of nasty stuff that's caught between the leaves if they're sliced open). In a saute pan with high sides, bring about ¼ c. water or vegetable broth to a boil (The bok choy will give off some water later, too). Add 2 Tbsp. Korean ggoh-choo-jahng (spicy red pepper paste), 2 Tbsp soy sauce, and about 4-5 cloves chopped garlic. Reduce to simmer, and add bok choy. Let braise until bok choy are tender.