I’m a big fan of soup—especially when the weather is getting colder—and Asian soups in particular because they tend to include a lot of spices and some serious flavor. Take a simple concoction like Tom Yong Gan, a favorite at Thai restaurants, for it’s strong taste of lemon grass, cilantro, and galangal and the meaty … Continue reading Pan Asian: Spicy Soup of Grilled Prawns (Tom Klohng Goong Pow) – Thailand
Korean comfort food gets no better than Galbi-Jjim, a braised short-rib dish and national favorite that has as many versions as the the number of cooks who make it. That said, I came up with my own recipe after doing a lot of online research and cobbling together elements from different recipes I came across. … Continue reading Pan Asian: Korean Braised Short Ribs (Galbi Jjim)
I must have been a Jamaican in a past life because I love Red Stripe Beer, I love Jamaican music (i.e. reggae and dub) and I love Jamaican food. And like Jamaicans, who love their food hot, laced with a plenty of Scotch bonnet peppers (aka habaneros), the hottest chili on earth before the discovery … Continue reading Pan Asian: Jamaican Curry Goat
Eggplant or brinjals (Vambotu in Sinhalese) was never a favorite of mine growing up. That is, until I tasted this dish at a dinner party given by some Sri Lankan friends. Ever since then, when we’ve gone to their house, I have to have it, and the hostess Aunty Manel always indulges my request. This … Continue reading Pan Asian: Aunty Manel’s Special Eggplant Curry (Sri Lanka)
Leave it to the Japanese to come up with a dish so quick, easy, healthy, delicious, and aesthetically pleasing that it was tailor made for Pan Asian. While it’s still scorching outside and you don’t feel like turning up the heat in the kitchen, this is the perfect dish to make at home and … Continue reading Pan Asian: Japanese Salmon and Noodle Salad
The Recipe 1 head of celery (about 1 pond) 4 scallions, white and green parts small handful of dried chilies (8-10) 1 lb. lean beef (flank steak) 1 tbsp. Shaoxing rice wine or medium dry sherry 1/3 cup peanut oil 2 tsp. Sichuan pepper 3 tbsp. chili bean paste 3 cups chicken stock 2 tsp. … Continue reading Pan Asian: Boiled Beef Slices In A Fiery Sauce (Shui Zhu Niu Rou) Sichuan, China
The Kingdom of Bhutan, a small landlocked state in South Asia, lies at the eastern end of the Himalayas, bordered to the south, east and west by India and to the north by China. Bhutan is separated from the nearby country of Nepal to the west by the Indian state of Sikkim, and from Bangladesh to … Continue reading Pan Asian: Spicy Chicken Stew (Bjasha Maroo – Bhutan)
South Indian food, like Sri Lankan, has the potential to be explosive on the palate–not just in terms of the heat factor but also as far as the combination of flavors involved. I especially like Chettinad food, which hails from a certain region of Tamil Nadu. In fact, I first had Chettinad food in Colombo, … Continue reading Pan Asian: Fish Kulambu (South India)
Burma, or Myanmar as it is known today, is one Asian country not often in the news apart from natural disasters like the devastating cyclone that rocked that country in 2008. That’s because the military dictatorship that controls the country is notoriously secretive and isolationist. Therefore, the announcement of the release of human rights activist … Continue reading Pan Asian: Mohingar – Fish Noodle Soup (Myanmar)
This quick and delicious Korean stir fry uses very few ingredients, but packs tremendous flavor. Be careful, though, because it is also very spicy—and this is coming from someone who loves it hot. Feel free to lower the amount of chili flakes and powder that you use. This was the first time I made this … Continue reading Pan Asian: Spicy Stir-Fried Squid (Ohjinguh Bokkum) – Korea
Rice & Curry 