Mi Zhi Ji Chi Chuan

Behind every recipe there is a story or an image. That is certainly the case when it comes to Mi Zhi Ji Chi Chuan, which are chicken wing skewers. I struggled to tell that story or frame the image. Someone else has fortunately captured what I was thinking when I came across a recipe for these chicken wings. It is cook and author Lillian Chou, who wrote the following in an article for the food magazine, Saveur:

My favorite chicken wing joint, Kuan Dian, is set atop a shack in Xicheng district, near central Beijing. Here, a grill in a makeshift kitchen overlooks a maze of hutongs, the traditional alleyway dwellings unique to Beijing, and rowdy students clamor over chicken wings that have been smoldering over charcoal embers until the blistered skin resembles a crisp veil the color of mahogany. 

Lillian Chou, Fire in the Belly, Saveur No. 157 (June 6, 2013). Her words conjured up exactly what I was thinking: a small restaurant or food stall in or near a maze of alleys, with a cook standing over a grill, turning skewer after skewer of chicken wings.

The word "chuan" refers to a range of kebabs, from those made with proteins (like lamb, beef, chicken or pork) to those made with seafood or even vegetables. I have previously made Yangrou Chuan, lamb kebabs as part of my Kebab-apalooza challenge. When I prepared for that challenge, I researched a variety of chuan recipes. When I came across a recipe for Mi Zhi Ji Chi Chuan, I was immediately intrigued by the use of chicken wings. These wings were not the diminutive wings that are dumped in a deep fryer, tossed with a sauce and dumped into a basket like buffalo wings in the United States. This chuan requires full-sized wings -- marinated in a sauce that combines elements of sweet, spicy, and salty -- skewered and then grilled to perfection (or, in my case, as close to perfection as an amateur cook can get). 

A chuan vendor in Xinjiang.
(Source: Wikiwand)

And, as much as I love this recipe, it nevertheless conjures up another image, one that is far less enjoyable than a small makeshift kitchen overlooking a maze of alleyways in an old part of Beijing. This image is a much darker one, and, it is one that is currently unfolding. The many forms of chuan originate with the Uyghur people. They are the people of East Turkestan, now known as the Chinese province of Xinjiang. The Uyghur culture is the subject of a systematic attack by the Chinese government. This attack is all encompassing and, to say the least, very inhumane. I have previously discussed this matter at length. I won't repeat it here, except to say that the attack upon the Uyghur culture threatens the very source of beloved recipes or foods such as Mi Zhi Ji Chi Chuan. That is the darker image: a juxtaposition of the Chinese love for chuan and the cruel oppression of those who brought forth the recipes.  

In the end, every recipe has a story or conjures up an image. I stand corrected in that, some recipes may conjure up more than one story or image. Some may be good, while others are bad. The important thing is to ensure that all images can be seen and that all stories can be heard. Nothing should be hidden or repressed. Every person should know what truly lies behind what they eat.

MI ZHI JI CHI CHUAN

Recipe from Food.com

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce, divided
• 1/4 cup peanut oil, divided
• 1/4 cup Sichuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 teaspoons honey
• salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 scallions finely chopped
• 1 ginger, peeled finely chopped (2 inches)
• 2 pounds whole chicken wings, tips removed
• 6 12-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons hot sesame chile oil

Directions:

1. Marinate the chicken. Stir together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon peanut oil, half of the Sichuan peppercorns, black pepper, honey, toasted sesame oil, 2/3 of the minced garlic, scallions, ginger and pinch of salt in a bowl.  Add chicken wings and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. 

2. Prepare for grilling. Heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to high.  When hot, bank coals or turn off burner on one side.  While grill is heating up, remove chicken from marinade and working in batches, thread 2 wings lengthwise onto a skewer and set aside.

3. Grill the wings. Grill the wings on the hottest part of the grill, turning as needed until charred in spots and cooked through (about 12-15 minutes). If the outside starts to burn before wings are cooked, move to cooler section of grill until done. 

4. Finish the dish. Whisk remaining soy sauce, peppercorns and garlic, plus vinegar and hot sesame chile oil in a bowl and drizzle over wings on serving platter.

ENJOY!

Beer Within Steps of History

Recently, it seems that vacations have been hard to take. So many things have conspired to occupy our time that the Savage Boleks have not truly been able to relax. That changed when we took a trip to Colonial Williamsburg. We wanted to learn more about pre-revolutionary times, hang out around period actors, and enjoy some period eats at one of the taverns. 

And, with any trip that the Savage Boleks take, one can rest assured that, at some point, we will find ourselves in a brewery, taproom or brewpub. There are bonus points if it is a place that we have not been before. Those points were awarded this time because we found ourselves at the Virginia Beer Company, which was only footsteps from the history that motivated this particular vacation. 

We happened to visit the Virginia Beer Company when it was celebrating its sixth anniversary. Co-owners Chris Smith and Robby Willey started this craft brewery in an old C&P Telephone warehouse less than a mile from Colonial Williamsburg. The 10,000 square foot facility now houses a 30 barrel brewing and 5 barrel pilot system. The brewers have worked with over 300 recipes, with the motto of Beer - People - Purpose.

As part of its sixth anniversary, the brewers at Virginia Beer Company featured their "Waypost 2022." There were three beers, each of which was an Imperial Milk Stout. The first is the Cascara, which is stout aged in bourbon barrels with coffee and cherries. The second beer is the Mexican Chocolate, which I will save for a post on its own. The final beer is the Sidecar Waypost, which will become the subject of this post.  

A Sidecar is a cocktail whose origins date back to around the end of World War I. The first recipes, which appeared in 1922, call for the drink to be prepared with Cognac, orange liqueur (think Cointreau) and lemon juice. Once mixed, the drink has been described as a lighter, fruity whisky sour. If one were to watch the movie Star of Midnight, he or she would see William Powell play the role of Dazell, someone who downed several of those drinks, only to leave the tab to a Miss Donna Mantin, played by Ginger Rogers.

However, I am not William Powell and I don't drink mixed drinks. Nevertheless, Virginia Beer Company's Sidecar Waypost presents the flavors of a Sidecar for a beer drinker. The brewers start with Columbus hops, and Chiswick yeast, along with a variety of malts, such as 2-Row, chocolate and roasted malts, to brew an Imperial Milk Stout. The nod to the Sidecar comes first with the use of orange zest and lemon zest. However, it really comes through with the aging of the beer in Cognac barrels. 

It is the use of the Cognac barrels that sets this beer apart. I have had many a barrel-aged beer. Most are aged in bourbon barrels, which add a flavor that is easily recognized and, quite frankly, easily repeated. The flavor added by the Cognac barrels was distinctively different. It was smoother, and, if possible, a little boozier than the beers that I have had in bourbon barrels. That booziness was perhaps a little much, especially with the roasted malts, because it became a little difficult to try to ascertain the orange and lemon flavors in the beer. It took some effort, but I was able to discern them as I enjoyed the beer.

The Waypost Series were excellent beers and, if Virginia Beer Company produces these beers every year, it is definitely worth the trip down to the tap room. I think we'll be back again very soon. 

ENJOY!

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Portugal

"Portugal was the beginning, where I began to notice the things that were missing from the average American dining experience. The large groups of people who ate together. The family element."

- Anthony Boudain

I have never been to Portugal, although it is definitely on my culinary travel list. The country's relationship with food is a mixed story. On the one hand, Portugal had a key role in terms of the distribution of spices and other ingredients across the globe. At one point in history, the Portuguese had complete control over the African sea route, a long perilous journey around the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa to lands such as Kerala (in India), Malacca (in Malaysia) and, ultimately to the Moluccas (in present day Indonesia). On the other hand, the Portuguese were a colonial power, which propagated the inhuman and immoral practice of slavery in the New World and oppressive violence in its colonies.

Yet, the good and bad are inextricably intertwined to form the one history of Portugal as a people. Just as they used to say that the sun never set on the British empire, the saying also applies to a certain extent to the Portuguese. The country had colonies that stretched from South America (Brazil) to Africa (Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome & Principe, Angola, and Mozambique to Asia (Goa, Macao).  The Portuguese are well known for their role in bringing peppers from South America to Europe, Africa and Asia. And, I am a very big fan of that particular pepper -- the peri-peri or piri-piri.

So, I always thought that when I got to the personal culinary challenge to make a main course from Portugal, that it would feature that pepper. However, as it turns out, the challenge ended taking a completely different turn.

The (few) followers of this blog may remember that I have recently grappled with how to prepare a challenge for a country that has regional cuisines, like Spain and Canada. I have taken to using a random address and then building the challenge from there. I thought about doing the same for Portugal, which definitely has regional cuisines as one travels from Porto to Lisbon to Lagos, and then beyond to the Azores or Madeira. That is when I had what I thought was a great thought - as one goes down the coastline of Portugal, the one thing that all of those regions have in common is that very coastline. Seafood comes with coastline. With this thought, I had the building blocks for my culinary challenge.

APPETIZER

I don't know what it is about the Iberian peninsula, but both Spanish and Portuguese cuisines have recipes that combine octopus with potatoes. For an appetizer, I decided to explore the Portuguese version of this dish. While I have always loved the Spanish version, which is available at almost every tapas restaurant that I have eat at, I have to say that I loved the Portuguese version much more. 

I have to admit that I departed slightly from this recipe. First, I did not pour the oil and the garlic from the roasted potatoes over the dish. I think this helped from making the octopus and potatoes seem "drowned" in oil. Second, while I like cilantro, I thought that parsley would work better.  Finally, I left off the olives because of the guests who got to enjoy this dish. They were not olive fans. 

POLVO A LAGAREIRO

Recipe adapted from Photos and Food

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2.65 pounds of octopus, either whole or tentacles
• 1 pound of fingerling or small white potatoes, with peel and washed
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt for boiling the potatoes
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt for roasting the potatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 1 dried bay leave
• 1/4 cup cilantro (or flat leaf parsley)
• 1/2 cup black olives (optional)

Directions:

1. Boil the potatoes. Fill a medium to large pot half-way with water, add the 1 tablespoon of salt, and boil the potatoes for about 15 to 20 minutes or until they become tender.  If using cooked octopus, skip to step 3, if using raw octopus, continue with the next step.

2. Prepare the octopus. Using your hands, wash the octopus under cold water, and boil the whole octopus for about 40 minutes or until tender (you should be able to insert a fork into the thickest part of the tentacle). 

3. Prepare the oven and grill. Preheat both the oven for broiling and the BBQ or grill at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Continue to prepare the potatoes. Once the potatoes are ready, pour out the water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan. Use the bottom of a glass or a mug to carefully press down on each potato until they slightly crack. Do not completely flatten them. Drizzle olive oil them.  Place the roasting pan with the potatoes in the hot oven on the middle rack and roast for 5 to 10 minutes.

5. Grill the octopus. Place the octopus on the BBQ or grill for about 5 minutes, flip and then let cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Finish the dish. Scoop the potatoes onto a serving dish. Cut the octopus into bite sized pieces. Place the grilled octopus over the potatoes. Drizzle the olive oil and garlic from the roasting pan over the potatoes and octopus. Garnish with olives and cilantro (or parsley).

MAIN COURSE

As I mentioned above, I decided to build the personal culinary challenge around the one thing that may unit all of Portuguese cuisine in one way or another ... seafood. I decided to make a Caldeirada de Peixe, which is the Portuguese version of a fish stew that goes by many other names throughout the Mediterranean. To be sure, there are regional variations of this dish, which vary based upon the available fish and ingredients. The regional variations cannot obscure the fact that this dish represents Portugal, and, provides an ever so slight nod to the country's history from the shores to the seas.

CALDEIRADA DE PEIXE

Recipe from Photos and Food

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white wine
• 3 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 pounds of fresh grouper cut into steaks (substitute conger or cod)
• 1 large cooking onion, sliced thin
• 5 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 medium tomatoes sliced into thin wheels
• 1 large bell pepper sliced into thin wheels
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 sprigs of fresh flat leaf parsley with most stem cut off

Directions:

1. Build the stew. In a measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the wine, tomato paste, and paprika until well combined. Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a large dutch oven or heavy pot.  Spread half of the sliced onions and garlic evenly over the oil and bottom of the pot. Place half of the fish steaks over the onions and garlic in one layer. Sprinkler 1/3 of the salt, cumin and cinnamon evenly over the fish.

2. Continue to build the stew. Place the tomato and pepper sliced wheels evenly over the fish.  Spread the remaining half of the sliced onions and garlic evenly over the tomato and pepper slices.  Place the remaining half of the fish steaks over the onions and garlic in one layer. Sprinkler 1/3 of the salt, cumin and cinnamon evenly over the fish.

3. Continue to build the stew. Place the remaining tomato and pepper sliced wheels evenly over the fish.  Sprinkle the remaining salt, cumin and cinnamon over the tomatoes and peppers.  Add the two bay leaves.  Pour the wine mixture over the ingredients in the pot.  

4. Cook the stew. Place the pot on the stove and turn the heat up to medium high.  Once the liquid starts to bubble, cover the pot with the lid and reduce the heat to low.  Let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the fish starts to flake.  Turn off the heat, uncover the pot, and add the springs of fresh parsley over the cooked ingredients.  Serve with steamed/boiled potatoes, rice or a green salad.

*     *     *

Needless to say, I think I can chalk up another successful personal culinary challenge. The guests who got to enjoy both dishes certainly thought that I did a good job. It was just the morale boost that I needed as I contemplate some much more difficult challenges ahead. Until next time, 

ENJOY!

Catfish Curry

It seems that, in recent weeks, I have been making a lot of dishes influenced by Southeastern Asian cuisine. These dishes include Chengdu Chicken with Black Beans, Chiles and Peanuts and African Chicken, which draw from Chinese and Macanese cuisine. Other dishes include Vietnamese Grilled Clams with Oyster Sauce and Peanuts and Aromatic Chicken from the Shan Hills (in Myanmar).

I prepared all of these dishes from recipes, either found in cookbooks on my shelves or on the Internet. The question for me is whether I learned anything from making these recipes. Could I use the techniques, ingredients and inspiration embodied in these ingredients to make my own recipe? A Chef Bolek original?

The last Chef Bolek original recipe dates back to May 30, 2020, when I smoked a turkey breast. The time seemed right for a Chef Bolek original. This recipe for Catfish Curry emerged. 

Catfish had long been on my mind. It is perhaps one of my favorite fishes to eat (and I love to eat pretty much any kind of fish). When I was at the grocery store recently, I saw that there were "catfish nuggets" for sale. Some stores sell these nuggets, which are the pieces left over after the fish have been filleted. Rather than throw them away, the stores sell these catfish pieces, usually at a discount. It is a way to reduce waste and one that I accept in open arms. Catfish is catfish, whether in whole fillets or in nuggets. 

Turning to the recipe, I began by creating a garlic, ginger and chile paste, similar to what I had to create for the Aromatic Chicken from the Shan Hills recipe. I added that paste to the catfish, along with some wet ingredients (namely, fish sauce, rice vinegar and oil, all of which were inspired by the African Chicken recipe), and some dry ingredients (ground coriander and turmeric). I left the fish to marinate for a very short period of time, as is customary for some curries, like the Aromatic Chicken. Once I was ready, I sautéed the fish and added some garnishes, like lime leaves and cilantro. The dish was complete and served with rice. 

In the end, this dish represents an elevation beyond the Chef Bolek original recipes of the past. It represents an effort to apply something I learned while cooking to create something of my own. Perhaps it could be the start of my own Chef Table.  

CATFISH CURRY

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of catfish fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces, or catfish nuggets
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 Thai bird's eyes chiles, minced
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 bunch of scallions, whites and greens sliced
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• 8-10 lime leaves (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare the catfish.  Combine the garlic, ginger, chiles and salt in a mortar and pestle. Grind the ingredients until they become a paste.  Place the catfish in a large bowl, add the garlic/ginger/chile paste.  Then add the wet ingredients (fish sauce, vinegar and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil) and the dry ingredients (coriander and turmeric). Mix well to ensure that the catfish is well coated. 

2. Sauté the catfish. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the scallion whites and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the catfish and continue to sauté, stirring occasionally to ensure that the catfish is thoroughly cooked.  Add the lime leaves and cilantro after about 5 minutes.  Cook the catfish for about 10 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove from the heat.

3. Finish the dish. Serve the catfish with rice, garnish with the scallion greens.

ENJOY!

Blackbeard's Breakfast (Revisited)

"On your way now. And tell the world that you sailed with Blackbeard."

- Blackbeard

If one sailed with Blackbeard, what would one eat? Historical accounts noted that, generally, pirate vessels generally stocked themselves with meat, vegetables and perhaps even fruit. There are stories of how one pirate - Francois L'Onnais - offered in 1666 to leave the port of Maracaibo if he was supplied with 500 head of cattle. Another pirate, Henry Morgan raided a Cuban town seeking a ransom of 500 cattle. Even when they were successful, pirates still had issues. For example, what do you do with 500 cattle at sea? The possible answer lies with another pirate, Jean Tocard, who occupied the Mexican port city of Tampico in 1682 for the purpose of slaughtering cattle. 

Notwithstanding these stories about cattle, the cuisine aboard a pirate ship could hardly be equated with the menu of a steakhouse. Fresh ingredients don't last long with the salty air of the open seas. After the first few days or weeks, the menu aboard a pirate ship would feature more salted and pickled options than fresh meat or vegetables. That fresh steak would have more likely been a salted strip of jerky better used as a belt than as something that could be digested in a stomach.

I write all of this because I got to thinking about this question as I poured a bottle of Blackbeard's Breakfast, a porter brewed by Heavy Seas Brewing just outside of Baltimore, Maryland. What would Blackbeard's breakfast actually look like? Once I took a sip of the beer, those thoughts quickly subsided.

Instead, I got lost in the pitch black color of the porter, graced only by the caramel notes of the foam. Those are shades or hues that probably resembled the salted, jerked meat ate by pirates after weeks at sea. In any event, the brewers note that the beer is their take on an imperial porter, and, in that regard, an oily black beer is right on target. 

The Blackbeard's Breakfast also hits all of the other notes for an imperial porter. There were the aromatic elements of the roasted malts, twisting together with the aroma of the dark Sumatra coffee from Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company. (I always like it when brewers incorporate local ingredients and locally-owned businesses as part of the creativity in the brewing process.) I could also get the faint whiffs of the alcohol coming from the beer being aged in bourbon barrels. That aging also made its way into the taste of the beer, with a strong bourbon backbone upon which the coffee notes and roasted malt flavors were layered, as well as the ABV, which is 10%.

Heavy Seas' Blackbeard Breakfast is perhaps one of the best imperial porters that I have had in recent memory. In fact, it may the best one that I have had in a very long time. If you can find it on a store's shelf, it is definitely worth the price. However, given it is only a limited release, chances are one will have to wait ... just like a pirate ... for a fresh new release.

ENJOY!

P.S. As it turns out, I previously reviewed Heavy Seas' Blackbeard's Breakfast over two years ago. I did not realize that fact until after I posted this review. In any event, the previous review can be found here. 

Ragu di Turchia Bolognese

The recipe, Ragu Bolognese, has graced this blog on more than one occasion.  I first made a Pappardelle with Spicy Lamb Ragu back in 2012 using a recipe from a cookbook by Josh Wesson, a renown wine expert. A few years later, in 2016, I made another recipe, Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, based on a recipe out of the Eataly cookbook. This second recipe brought me closer - in fact, very close, to the original dish. 

However, if one wants the authentic dish, then one has to travel to Bologna, a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. This region is considered the culinary capital; and, the city of Bologna is often considered the home of this pasta dish. After all, it is Ragu Bolognese. The association between the city and the dish is so strong that the Bologna Delegation of the Italian Academy of Cuisine patented the recipe with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce in 1982. 

While the patented recipe can be found online for anyone to enjoy, I decided to make my own twist to this famous dish. The original Ragu Bolognese calls for the use of beef (as in the patented recipe) and pork. My beautiful Angel does not eat beef or pork, but I wanted to make this dish for her. She eats turkey, so I substituted the ground turkey (a mixture of 85% meat, 15% fat) for the beef. I also dispensed with the pancetta (and, for that reason, I relied upon a ground turkey mixture with a higher fat content). Finally, the authentic (and patented) recipe calls for "a little broth." My guess is that a little broth means a little beef broth. Once again, to make this dish for my Angel, I used a little turkey stock.

These changes pushed this dish outside the scope of an authentic, traditional Ragu Bolognese. While it may not be authentic, the thing about this dish is that it has evolved as it has traveled beyond the borders of the region. Recipes in other regions of Italy have substituted pork for beef, even going so far as to use small meatballs as called for recipes in Abruzzo or Calabria. And, then there are the variations on the pasta used to make the dish. Perhaps that discussion is best left for another post at a later time. 

RAGU DI TURCHIA BOLOGNESE

Recipe adapted from Travel Emilia Romagna

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2/3 pound of ground turkey (preferably at least 85%/15%)
• 3/4 cup carrots, diced
• 3/4 cup celery stalk, diced
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 5 3/4 cups of tomato sauce or peeled tomatoes
• 1/2 glass of dry white wine
• 1/2 glass of whole milk
• A little turkey stock
  
• Extra virgin olive oil or butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/2 glass of cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Begin sautéing the ingredients. First dice then chop the pancetta with a mezzaluna knife. The melt in a terracotta or aluminum thick pan of about 7 inches deep. Combine 3 tablespoons of oil or 1/4 cup of butter and the finely chopped vegetables and let them gook gently. Add the minced meet and mix well with a ladle until it is cooked and it "sizzles."

2. Continue cooking the mixture. Pour in the wine and stir gently until the alcohol is completely evaporated.  Add in the passata or peeled tomatoes, cover and simmer slowly for about 2 hours, adding broth when necessary, then add the milk at the end to counteract the acidity of the tomato. Season with salt. In the end, when the sauce is ready, according to Bolognese use, add the cream if it is to season dry pasta. For tagliatelle, use as is.

ENJOY!

Vietnamese Grilled Oysters

Thanks to aquaculture, oysters can be found pretty much anywhere in the world, even in places where one may least suspect their presence. One such place is Vietnam. While the shellfish industry is not a traditional one, oyster cultivation has taken root in Vietnam, spanning over twenty-eight (28) provinces from the north to south of the country.  Given most of the oyster production is sold for local consumption, there is little chance that an oyster from Vietnam would grace a seafood market on the other side of the globe. 

It has been said that "oyster farming is cushy." Those words came from the first oyster farmer in the Long Hoa commune, which is found in the Can Gio District just outside of Ho Chi Minh City. The oysters are placed in cages, or hung from ropes on rafts in March, which the farmers tend as the oysters grow. After about four or five months, the farmers begin to harvest the oysters. The harvesting continues for the rest of the year and into the new year, ending around the time of the Tet holiday. The harvested oysters then make the trip to the nearest processing facility. 

In doing the research for this post, I found the two different methods of oyster farming -- cages or ropes, to be really interesting. The first method, cages, is fairly self explanatory. The cages are situated on structures that keep them off of the bottom. The structures also keep the cages in place, where their contents -- mesh begs -- allow oysters to grow. The other method involves the use of rafts, with ropes that hang down from the rafts. The oysters grow on the ropes.

Oyster cultivation using rafts and ropes in
Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province in Vietnam
(Source: Cuisine of Vietnam)

According to one oyster distributor, Vo Tien Chuong, the Vietnamese prefer to eat raw oysters; however, their cuisine does feature dishes such as sour oyster soup and oyster floss. The latter dish is an almost dried mixture of oyster meat, shrimp, pork, fish sauce and salt. While oyster floss made it to the list of dishes that I will make some day, I decided to approach the interplay of oysters and Vietnamese cuisine from a different angle. 

More specifically, I wanted to further explore the Vietnamese concept of "Ngũ Hành" or "Ngũ Vi." This concept is otherwise known as the five elements. When it comes to cooking, there are multiple levels of quintuple elements. For example, there are the five flavors: spice, sour, salty, bitter and sweet. There are also the five textures: crispy, crunchy, chewy, soft and silky. There are even the five cooking methods: raw, steamed, broiled, fried/grilled, and fermented. East Asian cuisines generally, and Vietnamese cuisine in particular, have achieved an amazing balance among the elements at every level. 

I found a recipe for a "zesty Vietnamese dressing" that demonstrated this balance, at least as it came to the five flavors.  Running down the ingredient list, I saw how each item could fit in the balance. The chiles provided the spice. Lime juice perhaps contributes the sour or bitter flavors. Fish sauce definitely imbues a salty umami flavor and there can be no dispute that honey adds sweetness to the dish. 

Together all of these ingredients provide that balance that contributes to an overall amazing flavor of a sauce that could be served alongside or on top of oysters. While I have made many a mignonette sauce to go with raw oysters, I think this cause could perhaps be the best one for oysters served in any of the five cooking methods, thereby achieving balance in yet another, albeit indirect way.  

VIETNAMESE GRILLED OYSTERS

Recipe from Irena Macri

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 small garlic clove, finely diced
• 1/2 long red chile, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar/syrup or raw honey
• 1 tablespoon Tamari sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 or 2 dozen oysters

Directions:

1. Prepare the sauce. Mix or whisk all of the ingredients in a bowl. 

2. Prepare the oysters. Shuck the oysters, removing the top shell but leaving the oysters in the bottom shell.  Spoon 1/2 tablespoon to 1 tablespoon (depending upon the size of the oyster) over the oyster.

3. Grill the oysters. Heat a grill on high heat. Add the oyster shells and grill for 2 minutes. Remove from the grill and serve immediately. 

ENJOY!

Chicken Wings with Momofuku Octo Vinaigrette

If there was ever a show that I came close to binge watching, it was Ugly Delicious, a Netflix show starring Chef David Chang. I loved the show because it is one part cooking, one part history and one part honesty. I watched the first season, and, then watched it again. It made me think about what side I would take on the debate as to what is authentic pizza. It got me thinking about the history and contribution of African-Americans to American cuisine before I really took the plunge into High on the Hog, both the book and the Netflix series. It even got me questioning whether I would favor the Chinese dumpling over the Italian ravioli. 

Much of the television I watch now involves food, directly or indirectly. However, few shows actually get me thinking about it. I began to look into Chef Chang's restaurants and I wanted to try one out. However, I was unable to find one that was near me. I then started looking for cookbooks, but, honestly, I have not bought one. His most popular one, Momofuku, still sits on my wishlist. 

In 2019, I finally made it to one of Chef Chang's restaurants. It was Momofuku in Las Vegas. I was in Las Vegas for work and, once that was done, my beautiful Angel joined me for a few days. I took her to this restaurant and we had one of the best meals that we have ever had in Las Vegas. 

Ever since then, I have always wanted to make a dish based upon Chef Chang's recipes. However, as noted above, his cookbook has remained on my wishlist, rather than in the cart. Nevertheless, this year I came across a recipe for chicken wings that used Momofuku's Octo Vinaigrette. The combination of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and chiles seemed perfect for a chicken wing recipe. I printed it out and decided to make it as part of my Super Bowl spread for this year. 

The actual recipe is not from David Chang's cookbook; instead, someone else modified and simplified the recipe. I used that modified recipe, which worked well. The one change I would make relates to the cooking process. As provided in the recipe, I baked the wings. Baking wings is a healthy way to prepare chicken wings, but it does not always provide for the best preparation. In the future, I might put the wings under the broiler or on the grill. This would help to crisp the edges, which would definitely help in the presentation department. 

CHICKEN WINGS WITH MOMOFUKU OCTO VINAIGRETTE

Recipe by David Chang, Momofuku, as adapted by Steamy Kitchen

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of chicken wings, tips saved for another use
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped, peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chile pepper
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons canola, vegetable or grapeseed oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the chicken wings. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Place the chicken wings on the parchment paper in a single layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Prepare the vinaigrette. While the chicken is baking, combine together the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, large enough to fit all of the wings. 

3. Finish the dish. Toss the wings in the vinaigrette to coat.

ENJOY!

Perfumed Coconut Rice

Certain foods seem to be everywhere. Coconut rice is one of those foods. It is a dish that transcends cultures and continents. One can find a recipe for coconut rice in South America, Africa, the subcontinent and east Asia.  The differences vary depending upon the rice used (for example, jasmine in East Asia, basmati on the subcontinent), whether it is coconut meat or coconut milk that is used, and the spices or herbs added during the cooking process. 

This particular recipe comes from Myanmar (Burma). In that country, htamin refers to cooked rice that is paired with with hin, which is any kind of meat or vegetable. It is a staple food on the Burmese table. Coconut rice is known as ohn htamin or အုန်းထမင်း. The rice is cooked in a base that includes coconut milk, fried shallots and salt. The recipe goes two steps further. First, it calls for turmeric, which gives the rice its nice bright color. Second, the recipe calls for the use of cloves and cinnamon, which provide the aromatics that gives this recipe its name.

Coconut rice is typically a ceremonial food that is served on special occasions. As noted above, a hin is served with htamin. In the case of coconut rice, that hin is usually a chicken curry. I prepared this performed coconut rice to accompany my Aromatic Chicken from the Shan Hills. The combination of this perfumed rice ad the aromatic chicken made my kitchen smell the best that it has in a while.

PERFUMED COCONUT RICE

Recipe from Naomi Daguid, Burma, at pg. 237

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 3 cups jasmine rice
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable oil
• 3 or 4 small shallots, cut lengthwise in half or into quarters
• 1 clove
• 1 2-inch cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups canned or fresh coconut milk
• About 2 1/2 cups water 

Directions:

1. Prepare the rice. Wash the rice by immersing it in a bowl of cold water, swishing it around and draining; repeat two or three times. Set aside.

2. Continue preparing the rice. Place a pot with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. Add the oil (don't skip it or the coconut milk will make the rice stick to the bottom of the pot), then add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice, clove, cinnamon stick, turmeric, and salt and stir gently.  Add the coconut milk and 2 cups of water, then measure the depth of the liquid: place the tip of your index finger on the top of the surface of the rice, the liquid should come up to your first joint. Add water if needed.  Bring to a bowl, then cover, lower the heat to medium-low and then cook for 5 minutes. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and cook the rice for another 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes.

3. Finish the dish. Shake the pot gently, then remove the lid and use a wet rice paddle or flat wooden spoon to turn the rice: slide the paddle or spoon down the inside wall of the pot or cooker and turn the rice gently. Repeat all around the edges of the pot. Cover until ready to serve, hot or at room temperature. 

Aromatic Chicken from the Shan Hills

There is a region in Myanmar (or Burma) just east of Mandalay, which is historically referred to as the Shan Plateau. If one were to look at a map of the area, it is not so much of a plateau, but hills and mountain ranges divided by narrow valleys. In more recent years, the area has been referred to as the Shan Hills rather than the Shan Plateau. This new name is a little more representative of the landscape in the area. 

The Shan Hills are also a part of the Shan State, which is a political division in eastern Myanmar. It is an area with a long history of armed conflict between the central government and various militias seeking greater autonomy or independence. At the center of that conflict in many ways is the Shan, which form the largest ethnic group in the Shan State and the largest minority in the entire country of Myanmar.

The name "Shan" generally refers to a range of ethnic groups who refer to themselves as the Tai (တႆ). Their cuisine of the Shan or Tai is popular in Myanmar. It incorporates a wide range of ingredients and foods, primarily because the climate enables the cultivation of a wide range of fruits and vegetables. Some of these ingredients include water bamboo, banana buds, quince fruit and pennywort. The Shan also utilize every protein in a wide range of preparations. One that caught my attention is a fermented pork "sashimi."

My introduction to Shan cuisine is going to be a little more traditional, namely, a chicken curry. Generally speaking, Burmese curries stake their own position separate and apart from the curries of their neighbors, such as India, China and Thailand. Burmese curries do not use the spices that often find their way into Indian curries, such as coriander seeds, cumin, cinnamon or cardamom. (Khin Maung Saw, Burmese Cuisine, Its Unique Style and Changes After British Annexation, at 6.) There are also no traditional masalas or curry powders in Burmese cooking. Instead, Burmese curries begin with a generous amount of garlic and ginger, followed by different ingredients, such as lemongrass and lime leaves, to build the flavor of the dish. As for Shan curries, they are known for their use of fresh herbs, such as galangal, lemongrass and sawtooth coriander. (Naomi Daguid, Burma.)

This recipe for aromatic chicken demonstrates the uniqueness of Burmese curries, as well as what one could find in the Shan Hills. The recipe begins with a lot of garlic and ginger, which are pounded into a paste with dried chiles. The curry is then prepared by first browning the chicken in hot oil before adding the paste, along with onions and turmeric.  The recipe demonstrates its Shan roots with the use of lemongrass, lime leaves and cilantro, all of which provide a freshness to the dish.

In the end, this recipe demonstrates what I love about cooking and learning about cooking. Dishes such as this Aromatic Chicken from the Shan Hills represents one significant truism. It is how different groups of people but their own mark on the food they eat, yet, at its most basic level, that food -- such as a curry (however defined) -- is what is common among all of those people. That truism applies in many ways in Myanmar, a country with 136 recognized indigenous ethnic groups. (I underline the number because the Myanmar government only officially recognizes 135 ethnic groups, which include the Shan. The government does not recognize the Rohingya as an indigenous ethnic group within the borders of Myanmar, which I believe to be wrong.)

AROMATIC CHICKEN FROM THE SHAN HILLS

Recipe from Naomi Duguid, Burma, page 167

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup sliced ginger
• 2 dried red chiles, stemmed
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 cup peanut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 3 to 3 1/2 pound chicken chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup sliced white or yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, smashed and sliced into 1 inch lengths
• 2 Roma or other tomatoes, cut into small wedges (about 8 per tomato)
• 1/2 cup fresh young lime leaves
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

 Directions:

1. Prepare a paste. Pound the garlic, ginger and chiles together with a little salt to make a course paste; otherwise, mince them. set aside. 

2.  Cook the chicken. Heat the oil in a large pot or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and turn the pieces in the hot oil for about 3 minutes. Add the onion, 2 teaspoons of salt, turmeric, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, chiles and tomatoes and stir and cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. 

3. Finish the dish. Add the lime leaves and other 1/2 teaspoon of salt, stir and simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Taste and adjust the salt if you wish. Add the coriander, stir in and serve. 

ENJOY!