Don't Shy Away from "Chai"

Made this one hot and steamy this evening!

We had damp weather throughout the long weekend here in Montreal, and today Monday, didn't feel any warmer. We started wearing our socks again. Women wearing socks at this time of year is not a sign of summer being just around the corner. But for hot tea lovers, like myself, a warm and steamy Chai Latte hits the spot and breezes away my Monday blues.

A Chai tea is a lightly spiced tea that truly warms you up and tastes really good. The combined taste of warm and sweet spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and black pepper infused in a nice ginger tea or english tea, makes me want to snuggle under a warm duvet. Can't believe I'm using these words in mid-May! Then again, who doesn't enjoy those warm moments, whether it be summer or winter.
As much as I like to stay away from big coffehouse chains, like Starbucks, I must say that their Chai Latte is quite tasty. In fact, when I don't have time to make my own Chai, I buy one at Starbucks whenever I can. And it's really the only thing I'll get there, because I think everything is so expensive at Starbucks.
But look at the picture on the left of Starbuck's Chai Latte, and the one I prepared above. Looks the same, but the homemade version tastes better. Here's a great Chai Latte recipe that you can prepare in the comfort of your own home, in your own time. Fairly easy too.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Recipe "au pif":
1 tea bag ginger tea or English Breakfast tea (if you can find Darjeeling tea, even better)
1 small cinnamon stick
5 caradomon pods, gently crush and shells discarded
5 cloves
3 black peppercorns

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup skimmed milk (or whole milk - optional)
1 tbsp raw cane sugar (or granulated sugar) - or more to taste

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan.

Remove from heat and add in the tea bag,cinnamon, caradomom, cloves, nutmeg and peppercorns.

Let infuse for 5 minutes.

Pour through fine strainer set over bowl, rinse suacepan and place the teabag back into saucepan.

Add the milk and sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Serve hot.

Tilapia Spiced with Fish Masala and Basil

Last Friday, I had a most enjoyable and tasty dinner at my friend SAB's place. If one tasted her food, one would be surprised to know that although she loves eating good food as much as I do, she isn't as passionate about cooking as one would believe. On the menu, she had a perfectly baked and seasoned Tilapia served with a sidedish of spicy baked potatoes. Oh, and to start, she prepared two different types of salads, which were both so appetizing. I'm a huge meat eater and less of a salad fan, but these two were highly pleasing to my taste buds. One was drizzled with a fantastic Ceasar salad dressing made of anchovy paste, and the other had perfectly ripe avocados with a dash of lemon.
The show stealer was the fish which was simply seasoned with a spice I wasn't familiar with, called Fish Masala. It's slightly hot and not too powerful, which is perfect for fish. Fish is delicate in texture and taste that I think it shouldn't be seasoned and cooked in overpowering spices that just take away the taste of the fish. This spice can be purchased in any local indian/arab grocery store.

What I love about eating at SAB's is that I enjoy eating just about anything she makes, and I know that it's always simple to make. Just like many of us, she has an extremely busy schedule and only has time to make quick and easy meals. Funny thing is, she doesn't realize what a great cook she is!

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Preparation time: 5 minutes, Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

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Recipe "au pif":

4 fillets of Tilapia (or any other white fish like seabream, sea bass, cod..etc.)

1 tsp Fish Masala spice

1/4 tsp coarse sea salt (or any other flavoured salt of your choice)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp finely minced garlic.

Finely chopped basil leaves to garnish

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Preheat oven to 350F.

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Lay fish fillets in a large baking dish. Season with Fish Masala, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle garlic on top of fillets.

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Drizzle with olive oil.

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Cover baking dish with aluminium foil and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until fish is cooked. To check if fish is cooked, use a fork and prick the flesh to make sure flesh is white and not translucid/grey.

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Remove from oven and garnish with basil.

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Serves 4 people.

Beef Tonkinese Soup (Pho Bo) Made Easy

Despite the old rumours that beef Tonkinese soup (Pho Bo) is time-consuming and complicated to make, it's actually very easy. In fact, the longest part and the best part in making Pho Bo is the broth. Being vietnamese, I have to admit that I've become incredibly picky when it comes to eating the tasty and deliciously aromatic soup. I have my share of favourite spots to savour Pho Bo one of which is Pho Zen (near my place) on which I had written a short article last November. That post received numerous hits that I got myself to finally post the recipe of the most popular soup eaten and served around the world.

The recipe normally calls for hours of simmering the soup, but I'm going to cheat a little by giving you a short-cut to the highly-seeked recipe, which will still result in an authentic tasting Pho Bo. The short-cut....

... the Pho Bo broth cube...

This cube will cut the simmering time in half. It's a time saver for those who don't want to spend time cutting different types of beef parts and bones, like me!

This little fellow can be found in any asian grocery stores.

The rest is easy, sliced sirloin or flank steak on the left, and cooked and sliced round beef/brisket.




Clockwise starting from top left, to make the broth:

Star Anise pods, fish sauce, yellow onion and ginger. And again, the Pho Bo flavoured cube.


Dried string-like rice noodles

Coriander and scallions to garnish

Preparation time: 30 minutes, cooking time: 1 h 30 minutes

The broth can be prepared during the weekend to be served during the upcoming busy week. It can also be frozen for later cravings.

Recipe "au pif":

1 lb round beef or beef brisket

1 lb flank steak or raw beef sirloin, thinly sliced

1 large yellow onion, peeled

1 cube Tonkinese soup broth (Pho bo flavoured cube)

3 star anise pods

1 whole fresh ginger root (about 2 1/2 inch), rinsed and mashed in mortar

3L (12 cups) water

1 tbsp fish sauce (nuoc mam)

1/2 lb string-like rice noodles (bun)

small pinch of ground white pepper

Garnish and accompaniments:

1 cup bean sprouts

2 sprigs of scallions, sliced

2 finger-length red chilies, deseeded and sliced

2 limes, cut into wedges

sprigs of mint leaves

sprigs of coriander leaves

bottled chili sauce or chili paste

Clean round beef/brisket with 2 tsp salt

In a large pot, bring the water, round beef/brisket to a boil, skimming off any foam that floats to the surface. Add the ginger, onion, star anise and the "pho bo" cube. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 1 hour until the beef is tender. Remove from heat.

Remove the beef from the stock. Slice the beef brisket into thin slices and set aside. Strain the stock and return the clear soup to the pot. Season with the fish sauce and ground white pepper, and keep the soup hot over very low heat for about another half hour.

Bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and boil until soft, about 5 minutes or longer as needed. Remove and rinse with cold water, then drain.

Transfer the rice noodles to large soupe bowls and top with bean sprouts, onion, beef brisket slices and the raw sirloin/flank steak slices. Pour the hot soup into each bowl. The flank steak will partially cook (best when medium rare - a bit red/pink) in the hot stock. Garnis with scallions, coriander and mint.

Serve hot with chili sauce, sliced chilis and a zest of lime juice.

Serves 4 to 6 people.

Staying Thin with Beer

It's a secret most Bretons in France have kept for generations. They consume beer and they stay thin. The crêpes, I mean.

That would be the day, wouldn't it, to drink as much beer as you'd like and not get a beer belly. Especially this time of year, it's hockey season and the Montreal Canadiens have made it to the playoffs. So, most guys AND gals in Montreal are cheerfully rooting for the Habs this year rallying every week either at the Bell Center for a live game or gathering at local sports bars to watch the game on the big plasma TVs, with a jug of beer. Quite intense. Having said that, I hope I'm not jinxing their chances of winning the cup this year. Go Habs Go!

So, moving along with the recipe which, by the way, is really good. It started when I tasted these amazing crêpes made by a friend of mine who is originally from the Republic of Cameroon but whose cooking influences are mainly French. Her crêpes were spongy and buttery. She mentioned that a touch of beer in the batter can make wonders to your crêpes. My eyebrow raised. Beer? First thought that popped in my mind was, what would that taste like? She told me the beer wouldn't alter the taste, but make the crêpes fluffier. Curious, I was looking for more information on the internet and cookbooks. To me, this was newly discovered information, but apparently it was a very well known tradition with the more established cooks and the French for years. Another friend of mine who is of French and Italian descent (we're a mix of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds here in Montreal) replied with enthusiasm "Of course! Beer makes crêpes fluffier and lighter", or "plus légère" as she explained more precisely.

It made sense, the yeast in the beer causes the batter to expand and form pockets or bubbles. When the batter is cooked it "sets" and the pockets remain, giving the crêpes a soft and spongy texture. Plus, the beer creates a thinner batter.

On weekends, I like to prepare the crêpe batter the night before, let it rest overnight and make a fresh batch in the morning.

See how thin and spongy they are...mmmh

Preparation : 5 minutes (let sit 1 hour or overnight), Cooking time: 30-40 minutes (depending on how quickly you get a handle on it)

Recipe "au pif":
2 cups all purpose flour (500g)
pinch of salt
6 eggs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp Cointreau or Rum
2 cups (roughly 1 can of beer)
2 cups milk (1%)

1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)

1/4 melted butter and oil (half and half) for cooking

Put in flour in a big mixing bowl.

Make a small well in the center and add in the oil, Cointreau/Rum, eggs and sugar (optional).

Whisk until you reach a thick paste. Gradually add in the milk and the beer and whisk until you reach a light, velvety and silky texture.

Let it sit for an hour or overnight in fridge, covered.

Whisk again to blend all ingredients into a soft and silky batter.

Heat large skillet and grease it with about 1 tsp of butter-oil mix (I like using a silicone brush to grease the pan).

Ladle the batter and pour in hot skillet, starting with the center of the skillet and swivel the pan around until the pan is evenly covered with a thin layer of batter. Cook for 30 seconds. Flip over crêpe with spatula to cook other side for 30 seconds. Slide the crêpe out of the pan onto a serving plate. Repeat until you run out of batter.

Edges are even crispy...

Makes approx. 20 crêpes.

I usually cut the recipe in half to make about 10 crêpes for breakfast in the morning for 2-3 hungry people. Takes no more than 15 minutes to cook. Enjoy with more Cointreau, sugar, whipped cream, fresh berries, or just plain!

Tasty & Crunchy Asian Greens in 5 minutes

It's a busy time of year for me at work this month but I make sure that I don't let myself go in eating out too much. Sometimes, a good home-cooked meal really hits the spot. But when there isn't enough time in a day, or in a week for that matter, I like cooking Asian greens because it's simple and fast.

I don't have any particular story behind this recipe (and I don't really have the time to blog this week!), only that it's quick, easy and healthy. You'll also be surprised that it's not stir-fried, yet the veggies remain tasty and crunchy.

Recipe "au pif":
Your choice of Asian greens (Chinese broccoli, Chinese cabbage...etc.)
1 tsp finely minced garlic
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp ground white peppercorn (found in most asian grocery stores)
3 cups boiling water.
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Preparing garlic oil:
Lightly brown garlic in hot pan (make sure you don't overcook or burn the garlic as it'll taste bitter) for about 30 seconds.

Preparing the veggies:
Boil water in large sized saucepan. Add 1-2 drops of vegetable oil (this will keep the veggies vibrant in colour).

Blanch the greens in the boiling water for about 2 minutes. Drain and discard water and put greens aside on a serving platter. Blanching is an important step which will give the greens a great crunch and not wilted.

In a hot wok, add in 1 tbsp garlic oil, oyster sauce, white peppercorn and give it a stir for 30 seconds. Add in 1 tbsp water and stir for another 30 seconds. Pour the sauce over the greens and serve.

You won't taste better Asian greens than this. Enjoy!

Serves 4 people.

Shrimp Stuffed Crispy Tofu with Black Bean Sauce (Restaurant Style)

Tofu. Most meat lovers would cringe just hearing that word, like a vampire shrinking away from sunlight. I, myself, love eating meat and can’t seem to get enough of it. In my earlier years, I used to eat an entire plate of pork chops that would serve 4 people. My parents were so concerned for my health (not that I was overweight) that my mother would often prepare teenie weenie portions of meat, just so that I wouldn’t over dose my body with cholesterol. Thinking about it now, I must’ve had a relatively big void in my life to have such a huge obsession with meat. I still do. What would Freud say about this obsession??

Being of Vietnamese descent, I grew up with tofu to be part of my daily diet and I can’t get enough of it either. Anyone who was raised in an Asian family or who hung out a lot with Asians would most likely tell you that tofu is one of the greatest culinary inventions. And I’m not exaggerating. Sometimes we just love eating bland and tasteless food. Most vegans and vegetarians have grown to appreciate the taste of it. Although, it’s perceived as an uninspiring and boring food, sometimes I think less is more. It’s like water. At times, water can quench your thirst better than any other drinkable liquids (soda, beer, juice). Ever so often, esthetics can play an important role in making water look so appetizing. To most, a nice tall glass of water with ice cubes looks more tantalizing than a plastic bottle filled with water. I think this is the best analogy I can think of to best describe how tofu can be appealing to one’s taste buds. You just need to be creative with it in making it more sexy. Nowadays, there are thousands of tofu recipes out there that make this edible bite more appealing to any eating style.

I’m even trying to convince some of my friends that tofu is actually very enjoyable to eat. One of them is a friend who is Chinese and is as open as one can be about food. But tofu doesn’t seem to jive with him. I don’t get it, but life goes on...

One of my favorite tofu dishes is served in a local Chinese restaurant, near my place. It’s stuffed tofu (aka bean curd) with shrimps and black bean sauce. I love this dish because the tofu is very crispy and the shrimp stuffing is really savory. The shrimp stuffing freezes very well for later use if you have some leftover. I'm pretty sure after you've tasted this dish, you won't think of tofu the same way.

And what is the secret to making tofu crispy? Use firm tofu and remove as much water as you can with paper towel. Coat the tofu with a little bit of cornstarch and fry for about 2 minutes on each side in very hot oil, until brown.

Preparation time: 20 minutes, Cooking: 30 minutes

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Recipe “au pif”:
6 - 8 medium sized cubes or triangles of firm tofu (about 2 1/2 inches wide on each side)

12 medium sized raw shrimps (shells and tails removed and deveined), coarsely chopped

1/4 cup ground/minced chicken

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp fermented black bean paste (found in most Asian supermarkets - I use the one from Lee Kum Kee)

1 tbsp garlic oil (browned garlic soaked in oil)

1/4 cup cornstarch and water mix (2 tsp cornstarch diluted in 1/4 cup water)

1/4 tsp hot chili paste

2 cups of vegetable oil to fry

1 tbsp chopped scallions to garnish

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To remove water from tofu, place a cutting board on top of the tofu cubes/triangles for about 15 minutes. Weight will squeeze water out. And then pat dry with paper towel.

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Scoop out about 3 scoops of tofu with melon scooper/baller from each cube.

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Shrimp stuffing:

Mix shrimp, white pepper, salt and sugar in food processor until you have a paste. Mix the shrimp paste with the ground chicken and cornstarch in a bowl, with your hands, until all well blended.

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Stuff the tofu with the shrimp mixture and coat each cube/triangle lightly with cornstarch.

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Heat oil in medium sized saucepan on high heat. When the oil is hot, add in 2 cubes/triangles at a time and fry 2 minutes until light golden brown and turn them over to fry the other side for another 2 minutes. Place on paper towel on a large plate. Repeat with remaining cubes/triangles.

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Black bean sauce:

Heat a medium sized saucepan on high heat and add in the garlic oil, the black bean paste, chili paste and the cornstarch water mixture. Stir well until you have a thick gravy-like consistency. Add more water if too thick.

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Lay the stuffed tofu on a serving dish and ladle the black bean sauce on tofu. Garnish with chopped scallions.

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Serve hot while crispy with steamed jasmine rice.

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Because this dish is usually eaten with other dishes, it can well serve 4 people.

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Enjoy!

Fruits and Nuts Yogurt Dessert with Saffron

If you enjoy rich creamy sweets like I do, you're going to love this popular dessert from India.

In fact, it reminds me of the french "fromage frais" which is a richer version of cottage cheese. I'm convinced that rich foods means healthier living. Proof, richer -> creamier -> yummier -> happier eater -> healthier soul. This heavenly dessert is anything but unhealthy:

1. Almonds and pistachio nuts keep your heart pumping at a sanely rhythmic level.
2. Cranberries are loaded with vitamin C (and saves you from embarrassing moments from W.C. discomforts).
3. Saffron which gives that extra lift in aroma and a warm yellow colour to a dish, is apparently an aphrodisiac (it is believed that Cleopatra would use saffron in her baths so that lovemaking would be more pleasurable!).
4. Yogurt is filled with calcium which helps your knees from 'cracking' loudly every time you crouch.
5. AND because it's yogurt and not ice cream, you won't feel an ounce of guilt eating this treat.

I think what most of you really want to know is, how long does it take to make this delicious dessert? Seriously?...roughly 2-3 hours.

Seriously (I must be missing Grey's Anatomy), the liquid from the yogurt needs to be drained off for a good 2-3 hours to get that denser and creamier "fromage frais" texture. Once the yogurt is ready, it doesn't take any more than 15 minutes to whip it up....unless you are slow at cutting and mixing. :)

Preparation time: 10 minutes (add 5-6 minutes if you're grinding the seeds from the cardamom pods in a mortar, if you can't find ready-to-use ground cardamom)

Recipe "au pif":

2 containers of about 750g (26 oz) greek yogurt or wholemilk yogurt (approx. 10% fat)

3 tbsp milk

1 tsp saffron, or to taste (found in any grocery store in the spices section)

1/3 cup icing sugar or to taste

1/2 tsp ground cardamom (found in any asian or arab grocery/spice stores)

4 tbsp coarsely chopped unsalted pistachios

4 tbsp sliced almonds

Dried cranberries or fruits in season (pomegranate is often used in this recipe) to garnish.

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Soak cranberries for 30 minutes in warm water. Discard water and put cranberries aside for garnishing.

Hang the yogurt in cheesecloth or kitchen paper towel for about 2-3 hours and drain off liquid.

Meanwhile heat the milk in a small saucepan (for about 8 minutes) or microwave and soak the saffron (for about 3 minutes) until the yogurt is ready.

When the yogurt is fully drained, combine saffron milk, ground cardamom, and icing sugar and add to the yogurt. Mix well until well blended.

Add in the chopped pistachios and sliced almonds.

Transfer into dessert cups or martini glasses, garnish with more pistachios, sliced almonds, and cranberries.

Chill for at least one hour.

Serves 4-6 people.

Not only is it delicious and refreshing, it's a great palate cleanser if you're preparing yourself for a second dessert!