Mala BBQ Wings

Mala sauce originates in China's Sichuan province,which is known for its spicy cuisine. The name, mala, means numbing and spicy; and, in the context of this sauce, it refers to the use of chiles and Sichuan peppercorns. The sauce is typically prepared by combining those ingredients, along with tobanjiang, ginger, garlic, shallots, sesame oil, and other spices.  Once completed, mala is typically served alongside other dishes, as a condiment or dipping sauce. 

This rather unique sauce inspired me, as part of my Wings Around the World project, to create a mala wing sauce. This required more research, because the typical sauce would not work very well. It is more of a brothy type of sauce, which would have a hard time holding itself to the chicken wings. Moreover, some versions use oil, which, in my humble opinion, would not provide a very pleasant wing-eating experience. I am not a big fan of wing dripping in oil, even if that oil is so spicy that I would not know it because the Sichuan peppercorns had numbed my tongue. 

I eventually found a recipe for a mala barbecue sauce, which was served in connection with pork spare ribs (mala paigu). Obviously, barbecue sauces have the great texture for wings. Most restaurants that serve wings usually offer a barbecue sauce option. Yet, unlike a standard barbecue sauce, this mala barbecue sauce balances the five elements: salty (or han in the Sichuan dialect), sweet (tian), sour (suan), hot or pungent (la) and bitter (ku). (For more about the balance of flavors, check out my Laozi Iniative, which is part of The Mindfulness Foodways.) The sweet comes from the sugar and sweet wheat paste, the bitter comes from the black vinegar, while the hot or pungent comes  and Sichuan peppercorns and the doubanjiang, and the salt comes from the hoisin sauce and a little from the Shaoxing wine. 

I prepared the sauce (a picture of it is to the right). I placed the wings in a ziploc bag, added about 2/3 of the sauce and mixed the wings to ensure that they were covered. I allowed the wings to marinate for about 15 minutes or so (you can obviously go longer if you would like, but put the wings in the refrigerator if you do so). I then broiled/roasted the wings in the oven for about 30 minutes. Once they were done, I moved the wings to the bowl and tossed them with the remaining 1/3 of the mala sauce. 

In the end, I have to say that this sauce was not as spicy or as numbing as I had expected after reading many articles about Mala sauce. That is probably a good thing for everyone else, given my love for really spicy foods means that, if I found it spicy, it would probably be too hot for everyone else. It could also be the result of the balance of flavors that I mentioned above. This allowed the sweet and bitter, to shine as much as the spicy/numbing. These wings were very good. I count them as a success in my efforts to globalize buffalo wings. Until next time ....

MALA BBQ WINGS

Recipe from The Mala Market

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 12 chicken wings (drummettes and flats)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons doubanjiang (chile bean paste)
• 2 tablespoons tianmianjiang (sweet wheat paste)
• 2 tablespoons Chinese dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
• 2 tablespoons Zhenjiang black vinegar
• 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons Chinese roasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Sichuan pepper
• 2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. Prepare the sauce. Place the chile bean paste on a cutting board and mince it with a knife to break down any whole beans. Add it to a small bowl with the sweet wheat paste, vinegar, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, hoisin, sesame oil and ground Sichuan pepper and stir to combine. You could add all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth as an alternative. 

2. Prepare the wings. Place the wings in a ziplock bag. Add about 2/3 of the sauce to the bag and mix so that the wings are covered with the sauce. Allow the wings to rest for about 15 minutes, if you want to marinate them longer, place them in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. 

3. Cook the chicken wings. Heat a grill on medium high heat or the broiler of an oven. Rinse the chicken wings and pat them dry. Season with salt and pepper. Oil the grates of the grill (if using) and place the chicken wings on the grill.  Grill or roast for about seven minutes and then flip the wings, grilling them for about seven minutes more. 

4. Finish the dish. Once the wings reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, remove them from the grill. Add the wings to a large bowl and pour the rest of the sauce over the wings. Toss the wings to ensure that the sauce covers all of the wings. 

PEACE.

Mshakiki

It all began on a three-island archipelago nestled in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. That three island union is known as the Comoros. And, that is where the street food skewers known as mshakiki first originated. 

As I often do when I research about food, I try to picture myself where the food originates. This effort is often made more difficult by the fact that I have never set foot in Comoros. All I have are the pictures and descriptions that I come across whenever I research the food. It's a start, but it is never enough.  

Take, for example, the village of Vouvouni, which is located on the island of Grande Comoro. Descriptions speak of walking the streets, lined with buildings influenced by the architecture of the Muslim religion (98% practice Sunni Islam) and colonialism (the French controlled the islands prior to their independence). The sights for the eyes are complemented with aromas that tempt the nose. The aromas of street food, coming from the sizzling grills and spices used by cooks to prepare dishes that include biryani and, of course, mshakiki. 

Mshakiki is most often made with beef, but lamb is also a protein that could make its way onto those skewers. Some recipes are simply skewers of beef, marinated in a combination of spices, tomato, honey, oil and other ingredients that entice both the nose and the palate. Other recipes add to the senses with pieces of red and green bell pepper, creating colorful skewers that compliment both the aromas and tastes. One could double up on the grilled experience with a side of grilled breadfruit, bananas or cassava.

Although these skewers originated in the Comoros, their popularity has led to the spread of this street food onto mainland Africa. One can find mshakiki on the streets of cities in Kenya and Tanzania, where it may go by the name mishkaki.  There it would be served with bread or other sides. 

As I made this dish, it called for a sprinkling of cilantro at the end. I admittedly forgot to do that, because I pretty much wanted to eart them right away. I will save the cilantro for a future dish. 

MSHAKIKI

Recipe from Fork and Salt

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound beef tenderloin, cut in to 1 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 small red bell peppper, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 small green bell peppper cut into 1 inch pieces
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Cilantro, chopped

1. Prepare the beef. In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, minced garlic, grated ginger, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Whisk until the marinade is smooth and well blended. Add the beef cubes to the marinade, tossing to coat each piece thoroughly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or prefrerably overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. 

2. Prepare the skewers. Remove the marinated beef from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before skewering. Preheat the grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. Thread the skewers alternating with the beef, red bell pepper and green bell pepper to ensure that each skewer has a colorful combination. 

3. Grill the skewers. Place the skewers on teh grill, cook for 2-3 minutes per side, turning occasionally until the beef is nicely charred and cooked to your desired doneness. Once cooked transfer the skewers to a plate and let them rest for five minutes for the juices to redistribute. 

4. Finish the dish. Arrange the skewers on a platter and sprinkler generously with chopped fresh cilantro before serving.

PEACE.

Cool Runnings

The name comes from a 1993 movie about the Jamaican national bobsled team's first Olympic competition at the 1988 Winter Olympics, which were held in Calgary, Alberta. The beer is inspired by Caribbean stouts or tropical stouts, which first emerged with the founding and production of strong, sweet stouts by the Walters Trinidad Brewing Company in 1908. 

I have to say that I don't come across to many Caribbean-inspired beers, let alone tropical stouts. So, when I saw one on the beer menu at Market Garden, a brewery in Cleveland, Ohio, I knew that I had to try it. With a description that included notes of vanilla, nutmeg, coffee, clove and sweet spice, then I knew that I had to try it. 

The Caribbean is known for lighter beers, usually pale lagers like the eponymous Carib beer. Yet, there is a dark streak that runs through brewing across the isles, that produces some very good stouts. Such beers can be found in Aruba, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and St. Lucia.

Jamaica also produces stouts, like Dragon Stout and Trouble Brewing's Stout. These beers, as well as other stouts up and down the Lesser Antilles, tend to feature more sweet elements, that are balanced with roasty and darker flavors.  The descriptions of the beers evoke (at least for me) the thoughts of Guinness stouts. This is an apropros reference given, for example, that Walters Trinidad Brewing Company was founded by an Irish entrepreneur, Richard Walters, who eventually sold his brewery to Carib in 1957. (Carib continues to produce the Royal Extra Stout, which is a nod to Walters Trinidad Brewing.)

The brewers describe this "Rum Cake Stout" as having "the holiday flavors of sweet molassess, home baked chocolate desserts and creamy caramel in this toasty, balanced Caribbean inspired brew." They add that there is a "harmonious medley of vanilla, nutmeg, coffee, clove and sweet spice" that grace the palate with this beer. 

I have to say that the sweet (chocolate, sweet spice) and bitter (coffee) come through on both the nose and the palate, but I was struggling a little to find the vanilla, nutmeg and clove. As it was those elements, in addition to the coffee, that sold me on buying a glass of the beer. There was a great balance between the elements, but I wish some of them came through a little more. It may have been that the beer was too cold; and, as this time of year would call for, if it warmed a little, those elements may have been more pronounced. 

I looked for six packs at the brewery, but could only find it in a holiday 12-pack, that included the Festivus and other holiday beers. It is worth a try if you can find it. 

PEACE.

The Next Step on My Culinary Journey

Around this time last year, I announced -- or, more appropriately, confirmed -- a shift in my cooking and blogging toward learning, understanding and empathy through food. That shift took me to a path created by three individuals who I admire: Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern and Jose Andres. I will still walk that path, because I believe, as all three of them did, that food has the power to unite us if we open our eyes, free our minds and listen to others. 

Yet, I feel that, as I continue to walk that path, I need to do something for myself. I have always been attuned to the need to be in the present moment, something that I picked up with my learning and practicing Buddhist meditation. It even led me to start a project, The Mindfulness Foodways, where I incorporated Buddhist principles to improve my cooking. More recently, I have become aware of the impact of food on my health. This new awareness has opened my eyes and freed my mind in a different way, which provides me with an opportunity to take the next step on my culinary journey. 

That step is a figurative one, as I remain committed to walking my present culinary path. It involves a change in mindset, one that is brought about by a trinity of different individuals: Confucius, the Buddha and Laozi (or Lao Tzu). All three of them are represented in the Ming Dynasty painting above. 

There was a story about all three philosophers being asked to taste from a barrel of vinegar. It comes from Daoist teaching, so that gives some perspective as I recount it. All three philosophers were asked to give their opinions of the vinegar. Confucious went first, and, after a few moments of contemplation, he declared the vinegar to be sour, much like he found the world to be full of degenerate people. The Buddha went next, tasting the vinegar and declaring that it was bitter, like he found the world to be full of bitter suffering. Loazi went last. He tasted the vinegar and declared it to be sweet, just as he found the world. He found that there was a balance between harmony and beauty even with the sourness and bitterness. 

The story represents, not just three opinions about vinegar, but a much bigger picture. Yet, while they may not agree, the three philosophers wrote extensively about food, from its preparation to its consumption. For instance, Confucius once wrote, "eat only until seven-tenths full; control in portions promotes longevity." The Buddha also spoke similar words to a king, "when a man is mindful, knowing moderation in the food he eats, his ailments then diminish: he ages slowly, thus guarding his life." Those words are sage advice for which I need periodic reminders, especially when I am presented with a plate of something I love to eat. These words, as well as other advice will guide me as I walk my path going forward. 

But, it is the Daoist (or Taoist) view that will reshape my mindset the most. It is recognizing the "Dao" of cooking and eating, the balance of not just flavors, but processes and ingredients. This is a path that I have wandered down somewhat in the past, with my exploration of the five tastes, which is a concept that originated with Laozi's Dao de Jing (or Tao Te Ching). Much of my learning has focused on its application in Vietnamese cuisine, in which it is referred to as Ngu Hanh or Ngu vi.  But, now, I need to embrace a balance far greater than tastes or cooking processes. I need and overall balance in what I eat. 

This leads to the next step on my culinary pathway. I am opening my eyes, freeing my mind, and listening to new approaches. For example, I am working to incorporate Ayurvedic principles into my cooking. The goal is to build on what I have learned about balance in food to introduce new ingredients, with new flavors and textures, to improve the balance in what I eat. This includes ingredients that I previously would have dismissed as "sour" or "bitter." I am going to find the beauty and harmony in it all. But that is not all, my efforts -- all of which will become part of my Laozi Initiative within The Mindfulness Foodways -- will also incorporate other teachings that center around food as medicine, such as Yakuzen, or food as ways to improve health, such as Washoku. Both of these approaches come from Japanese cooking (although Yakuzen is based on Chinese medicinal teachings known as Yaoshan). 

I should have taken these steps much earlier in my culinary life, but my mind was not ready. I believe that it is now. This more spiritual and philosophical mindset will become my focus as I continue on my culinary journey. That journey will remain along the same path to which I have committed myself: one of learning, understanding and empathy through food.  

You can follow me by checking out The Mindfulness Foodways, where you can see both my Buddha Initiative (being more mindful when cooking) and my Laozi Initiative, which focuses on the balance in my cooking. It is truly a thousand mile journey, so feel free to visit periodically.

PEACE.