Vlog!

Check out my vlog below!

- https://vimeo.com/209852061

A quick time-lapse of preparing the Greek butter cookie batter...

- https://vimeo.com/209850179

Interview!

For my interview, I had to opportunity to talk to Manju Malhi, via e-mail. Malhi is British chef, who specializes in Anglo-Indian cuisine, and is currently living in London. She has won multiple cooking competitions, including a BBC “Food and Drink” programme with Antony Worrall Thompson. Malhi had her own cooking show, Manju’s Simply Indian series, which aired on the Taste Network in 2001. This was followed by the publishing of her award winning book, Brit Spice (which was published by Penguin Books in 2002!). Manju Malhi has also published two other books (India with Passion and Easy Indian Cookbook), and is working on a 40-part series on British food right now. Additionally, she writes for newspaper and magazines on Indian food.

Check out her website! http://www.manjumalhi.com/


Below is my interview...

1. When did you know you wanted to become a chef?

I knew when I was looking for an easy to follow cookbook with a few simple recipes which I couldn’t find so I decided to write one. But I needed to get a publisher so entered a competition for a BBC show asking entrants to cook an innovative recipe and send the video to them. To cut a long story short, I won the competition, sent off my cooking showreel to several agents and then got the agent to publish my first book Brit Spice which was combining spices with everyday British ingredients.

2. What is your favorite type of cuisine? Why?

I think it would have to be Indian cuisine which I’m known for preparing in the west but in India, I’m known for preparing British food as I had a series broadcast to over 800 million people showing how to prepare simple dishes. I do like all kinds of cuisines but I love experimenting with unusual flavours.

3. What are your specialties as a chef?

My specialties as a chef are modern contemporary Indian cuisine. Simple foods with spice. Okra is my favourite vegetable dish - lightly sautéed with onions and brown mustard seeds.

4. What are your favorite foods to cook with?

My favourite foods are fish and vegetables with various spices.

5. Would you describe your food as a form of "art"? If so, how?

I suppose I try to create good food using good ingredients - so I’d like to think that my food is an art if people enjoy it and relish the flavours.

6. What makes your dishes different than others? What makes them special?

I try and think out of the culinary box as much as possible whenever I can to seek new flavours that people would enjoy and that the novice cook would be able to recreate simply and easily.

7. How would you say your food/cuisine differs from those in other countries around you?

I make the dishes different by adding spice combinations which work really well and following the aromatic notes of each spice and how they bring out the flavours of other ingredients. Living in the UK has made me realise that global foods are widely and easily available - any ingredient or any spice can be found. It’s like living in a harmonious culinary community.

Week 5: Greece, Belgium, and Switzerland!

This week I decided to cook 3 different things from 3 different countries!

Kourabiedes:

The first thing that I prepared was Kourabiedes, also known as Greek butter cookies. Greek cookies can date back all the way to 1,200 BC. Bakers had a hard time finding baking supplies and ingredients, and used only staple foods (flour, butter, sugar, etc.) to create their cookies, which is why the recipes are so simple today. Covering the tops of cookies with powdered sugar, like I did, is a popular tradition in Greece.

The recipe I made used easy ingredients – 1 cup of butter, ¾ cup of sugar, 1 egg, vanilla and almond extract, and 2 cups of flour. I creamed the butter, sugar, and egg together, and then stirred in the vanilla and almond extracts. Then I blended the flour in to make my cookie dough. Next I took small pieces of the dough, and rolled them in crescent-like logs. I baked them for 10 minutes, and then dusted them with powdered sugar. Done! They were so easy to make, and tasted delicious.

Stoemp:

Next, I make stoemp, which are Belgian mashed potatoes. Throughout history, fresh meat was hard to come by, specifically in Belgium. Potatoes were easy to prepare, and stayed fresh longer than other foods. Traditionally, stoemp is served with boudin (sausage), bacon, fried eggs, or (in some families) horse tenderloin. Throughout Europe, there are many dishes similar to stoemp. “Bubble and squeak” from England, “Colcannan and Champ” from Ireland, and “Rumbledethumps” from Scotland are just a few.

For this recipe, I used 4 large russet potatoes, heavy cream, 1 small onion, 2 garlic cloves, 3 leeks, and vegetable stock. I peeled, and boiled the potatoes until they were tender, and then mashed them. I then melted butter into a pan, and added the chopped garlic and onion. Once the onions were slightly softened, I added my sliced leeks, and sautéed them until everything was translucent. Then I added the ¾ cup of heavy cream and ½ cup of stock, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. After, I separated the onion mixture from the liquid, and mixed in the onions and leeks into the mashed up potatoes. I reduced the liquid in the pan for a few minutes and then added that to the potatoes. I mixed everything together, and add salt, pepper, and butter to make them less dry. They were really delicious. It seemed like a lot of work just for mashed potatoes, because they didn’t taste extremely different than plain potatoes. Although, the leeks added a lot of good flavor. The recipe was easy to follow, and I would definitely make this again if I had to.

Cheese Fondue:

Finally, I made a cheese fondue. Fondue is known as the “Swiss national dish”, and is now found in many different countries. Early history suggests that melted cheese was a peasant food, and good way to use up old cheese and leftover bread. These fondue recipes appeared as early as the 1,600’s in Switzerland. On the other hand, some people think that fondue originated in the 1,800’s in the Swiss Alps, made to use hardened cheese and bread during the winter. Either way, fondue was a classic peasant dish used across Switzerland after World War I.

I used a super simple recipe for my cheese fondue, which is most similar to how it would’ve been made many years ago. I used garlic and rubbed it on the inside of the fondue pot. Then I added about 4 ounces of beer as a base, and added ½ teaspoon of mustard powder. Next, I added 2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and melted it down while continuously stirring it. I also cut up a baguette and 2 Granny Smith apples to dip. This super easy recipe tasted really good, and was very filling. As a lover on fondue, I know have a new appreciation for it, knowing its history. I would definitely make this again!

Check out this quick YouTube video.. all about fondue!

Week 4: German Food

Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel):

This week I am focusing on Germany, so for one of my dishes I decided to make an apple strudel. Apple strudel has been a favorite dessert in many parts of Germany for hundreds of years. It’s usually reserved for special events, such as holidays or birthdays.

So, when you think of an apple strudel, it doesn’t sound too complicated, right? Well, that’s what I thought too, and boy, was I wrong about that. The recipe itself was super easy to follow, but my end product was not the prettiest...

To start, I peeled and sliced 5 Granny Smith apples (which took a good amount of time), and then softened them but simmering them down with water and brown sugar. Next, I created the mixture that I would be putting on each layer of the strudel – it consisted of cinnamon, sugar, and chopped pecans. Then came the hard part. So, I used a type of pastry known as phyllo dough. If you’re unfamiliar with what it is, it’s a paper-thin dough that is extremely fragile. I layed down each sheet of the phyllo dough, and sprinkled the nut mixture and brushed butter on top before repeating this 7 times. Up until this point, I thought I was doing pretty good. Now I had to put a line of the apple mixture (consisted of golden raisins, brown sugar, and apples) down the sheet. Well, apparently I put way too many apples because after that I was supposed to roll the sheets into a log, which was impossible. The bottom layer of the dough was beginning to rip, so if I knew that if I tried to roll it, the whole thing would fall apart. So, to improvise, i just decided to put another sheet on top of the apples, and top that with butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar. Let me just say, it did not turn out to be the prettiest thing. I’m not sure if it would even be categorized as a strudel, although it did taste pretty good in the end.

Overall, I would rate the actual recipe a 6/10, because it didn’t give very good instructions on the amount of apples I should have put in the center of the strudel. As for the taste, I would give it an 8/10.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/german-apple-strudel-recipe




Pork and Sauerkraut:

For my second dish this week, I made a pork and sauerkraut recipe. Eating sauerkraut on New Year's Eve has been a tradition in Germany for hundreds of years. People believe that the dish brings wealth and blessings in the new year. Before the meal, those at the table wish one another as much money and happiness as the number of shreds of cabbage in the pot of sauerkraut. As for the pork portion of this meal, people believe that the pig symbolizes good luck and well-being. Therefore, many think that eating a meal with pork on New Years will bring luck in the new year.

The recipe that I used was super easy to follow, and only took a few minutes to prepare. I decided to slow cook my pork in a crock pot, to make it more tender. I used a 4 pound pork loin, and placed it in my crock pot. Then I sprinkled that with caraway seeds, which gave it a lot of flavor, and pepper. I diced up an apple, and put that in there, and then poured 2 bags of sauerkraut (and the juice) on top. Lastly, I sprinkled brown sugar on top of the sauerkraut, and drizzled it with melted butter. It cooked for a total of 8 hours (which made it the perfect thing to do on the snow day!). When it was time to eat , I served it with mashed potatoes (the traditional thing to do in Germany), as well as peas.

I would rate the recipe a 10/10, as it was very easy to follow. I would rate the taste  9 or 10/10. The pork was very flavorful, and I think that slow cooking it made it even better. I personally HATE sauerkraut, but the taste was absorbed by both the apple and pork in the crock pot, so it wasn't as bitter.

Below is a video I watched prior to making my apple strudel. The chef in this video makes his own dough, unlike I did. Although, it was helpful to watch how he rolled the apples into the strudel, since I struggled with that. Check it out!

History of German Cuisine (Week 4)

Food is a major part of German culture. In historic Germany, cuisine would vary throughout the country based on what was available to the people in different regions. Similar to many other countries, salting, curing, and pickling were (and still are) a common way to prepare meat and fish. (Sauerkraut is just one example of this ancient cooking method that is still used today!) Milk, butter, and cheese from sheep and goats were often served during feasts in early-day Germany. Some of the first spices used were parsley, dill, and celery, which are still used in many German dishes today. Today, Germans often serve things such as wild game, lamb, and pork, falling back on their rich heritage. Some of the most popular German foods include Frankfurt’s (sausage similar to a hot dog), knodel (potato dumpling), and lebkuchen (cookies). Another staple food in Germany are potatoes, which are prepared in many different ways throughout the country.

Week 3: French Food (cont.)

Crêpes:

So today I made crêpes!! While they originated in France, they are known throughout the United States. From "crêpe trucks" to crêperies, they can be found all over, which is my main reasoning on deciding to prepare this dish. In France, crêpes are traditionally served Virgin Mary's Blessing Day, which is now more popularly known as "Le Jour des Crêpes" ("The Day of the Crêpes"). The traditional belief is that if you could catch the crêpe with a frying pan after tossing it in the air with your right hand and holding a gold coin in your left hand, you would become rich that year. The French believe that the roundness, and golden color of the crêpe resembles the sun and its rays. Because crêpes can be served as both a main meal or a dessert in France, crêperies have very diverse options.

The recipe that I used for the crepes is actually from my grandmother. I don't have any French decent, but I guess she just developed a good crepe recipe! When I was younger, my mom used to make this recipe for breakfast on special occasions (yum!). Anyways, the ingredients are the basic ones found in pretty much any crepe recipe... 3 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 cups of flour, and a pinch of salt. Simple! Once you gather your ingredients, you just mix them all together with an electric mixer, to incorporate the air into it. I used a griddle to cook them on, but you can also use things like a pan. Just pour the batter onto the griddle to your desired size, wait until it's golden brown, and it's done! Typically, you can fill your crepe with jam, jelly, fruit -- or pretty much anything. But I just prefer a little bit of syrup and confectioner's sugar. It's amazing how a food with such cultural importance can be so simple and delicious!

Week 3: French Food

Salade de Tomates et Fromage:

For one of my meals this week, I made Salade de Tomates et Fromage, also known as a tomato and cheese salad.  This dish is traditional favorite in France. It's known throughout all of France, and the belief is you can only use the freshest ingredients for it to work well. It is a pretty basic meal, and only involved a few ingredients. I started by slicing up my tomatoes into thin rounds, and then did the same with the fresh mozzarella cheese. After that, I just garnished it with some basil, and then drizzled olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top. I also added salt and pepper just for taste. I would rate this recipe a 9 out of ten. It went well as a side dish with dinner, which how it would traditionally be eaten in France. This Salade de Tomates et Fromage can also be used between courses to cleanse your palette. Overall, I would make this again, because of its simplicity and great taste.