(Ground chicken and eggplant -- one of my favorites!)
I love Asian food. And when I say "Asian" food, I realize that that is as vague as some foreigner saying, "Man, I love that North/South American food." Like our concept of our own culinary stylism, the term "Asian food" is ridiculous, and I get that...but to be honest, in America we probably really screw up even the most authentic of dishes native to any area outside of....well, ours. (To be fair, I'd be in shock and awe to see any "foreigner" nail down the Southern concept of biscuits and gravy. Sounds easy enough [as does a stir-fry], but the intricacies will always be lost in translation, except in the the hands of a genius.) Long side note, but I love Asian/Asian-inspired food.
Ginger, chili peppers, garlic, fresh veggies and greens, savory and sweet. It's the culmination of a food job well done. Add meat? Delicious! Go completely vegetarian (And I mean veggies only)...still delicious. Substitute vegetarian proteins (tofu, etc.)....yummy!
Hence, the purpose of this blog post which no one will read, but I feel like writing anyway. :)
To me, there are a few essentials in Asain-esque cooking (other than oil, of course).
Garlic
Ginger
Chili SOMETHING
(paste, sriracha, thai chili, et al.)
Soy sauce
Sugar
(Korean friend from college taught me this...)
Optional ingredients include:
Saucey additions
(hoisin, fish sauce, oyster sauce,
teriyaki [for the most American among us])
Meat (beef, chicken, ground pork) or meat-like products (tempeh, tofu...)
Lemongrass, Thai basil and other Asian-specific gardening splendors
Stir-fry is one of the easiest ways to create your own deliciousness.
All you need is:
- Veggies or your choice
- Meat/protein (if desired)
- A few basic staples (see pics above).
Go here for a chart of typical in season veggies
(or usually it's just what's on sale at your local grocery).
As you probably know, stir-fries can be saucy...or not. But I like saucy! Plus, you always have lots of room for improvisation. So taste and fix as you go!
Potential problems:
- Not enough salt -- Add more soy sauce, little spurts at a time
- Not enough sweetness -- Add 1 tsp of sugar until desired sweetness or add hoisin sauce as a substitute for sugar
- Not enough depth (feels flat) -- add a little rice vinegar (for a large stir fry, add 1 tbsp or just a splash)
- Still really flat in flavor? -- Add some fish sauce (yeah the thought freaks me out on my own, but I use it in small doses in my cooking and it makes a world of difference!)
- Lacks "freshness" - add herbs like Thai basil, cilantro, mint, or parsley (Thai basil and cilantro are my favorites)....this will make it come alive!
Here are some other references for those of you who are inclined! Have fun!
No comments:
Post a Comment