New Year's Day is getting very close, and I keep thinking of the Soba-noodle called “toshi-koshi Soba” (literally passing the year soba) that we would eat on New Year’s Eve, and Osechi-Ryori we would have on New Year’s Day. The hype starts months before the New Years with preparation for colorful, whimsical display of wishes for the New Year. You can see some pictures and explanations of each part of Osechi-Ryori and the meanings behind them here.
The article on Savory Japan highlights the significance of Osechi-Ryori during the New Year celebration. “The Japanese believe that New Years is the time to start afresh. Old debts are paid off, arguments are settled, and the whole house is given a good cleaning. Just like other people around the world, we reflect on the past year and resolve to become better human beings in the New Year. This extends to our spiritual life as well. In order to truly start the year in the most positive and pure way possible, all housework and cooking is to be finished by December 31, so that January 1st can be spent enjoying time with family and friends. All but the most vital shops close from December 28 to January 3rd. So, as you can imagine, it takes quite a bit of work and planning to keep a well stocked table. This type of New Years cuisine even has its own name; Osechi-ryori.” Here is a beautifully illustrated art by Rie Nicheco with ingredients and parts of the Osechi-Ryori. All these ingredients are cooked in advance so they can last for weeks, even months during the busy season. When they are finally ready to be consumed on New Year's Day, they are usually accompanied by Ozoni, a hearty soup with mochi (rice cake) inside. To balance the rich and intense flavors of Osechi-ryori, what I looked forward to most as a child was Ozoni during the New Year’s holiday. As the link shows, Ozoni base and ingredients can vary quite a bit depending on the region you are in. Where my family is from in the Kanto area, the Ozoni was mostly clear-broth based, with chicken and vegetables added. Here is a recipe of clear-broth Ozoni, which contains baked mochi and is such a delightful soup on a cold winter day. It is quite easy to make, and your own substitution for broth, vegetables and meat will be acceptable in most cases. Try it out and share in the feeling of starting a brand New Year!
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When you see this picture, you probably said to yourself, “these are Chinese Dumplings!” or even “Raviolis!”. These are actually Russian Pelmeni, tasty dumplings filled with meat and onion invented in Russia. In the United States, we often come across the “pierogi” which is a Polish/Ukrnanian delicacy, we can even find them at some local diners and frozen sections at the supermarket. But Pelmeni? Well, that is how I felt, until my husband introduced them to me.
Here is a little history I found about Pelmeni from SRAS (the School of Russian and Asian Studies). Pelmeni were originally hunters' food. Giant sacks of frozen Pelmeni would be carried by Siberian hunters when leaving on winter expeditions (where they would stay frozen, of course. They would be boiled in melted snow and often eaten plain or with broth when meat was available. Pelmeni are traditionally made in very large batches in a long and tedious process. After so much work, preparation is followed by a large family meal of, cucumber and tomato salad, fresh greens, and perhaps vodka or kvass (what could be more Russian?). Pelmeni can be dressed with sour cream, mayonnaise, butter, pepper, vinegar, almost any other condiment. They can also be served floating in meat broth or even in the water in which they were boiled, which sounds exactly like Chinese dumplings! There is a saying in Russian that "пельмешки не терпят спешки." Literally this means "pelmeni can't tolerate speed demons." The saying is used, however, in the general sense of "good things come to those who wait." I can imagine the patience needed while these delicious morsels are being made… and the reward!! Well, enough of talking about them, here is a great recipe for Pelmeni for if you were using a mold, or making them by hand. Enjoy the cold weather and the holidays! Hope you can try some Pelmeni fresh and steaming hot right out of the pot! - Yumi Zaic This week, we will talk about Pad Thai!! One of my favorite dishes in the world. But as you will agree, not all Pad Thais are authentic, or tasty for that matter. So let’s travel to Thailand to explore the origin and history of the dish, as well as tips from the people of Thailand!
Thailand is one of my favorite places to visit due to the beauty of the land, people and culture. Every time we have been to Thailand, we were left with a blissful memory of how crystal clear the beaches were, fresh, unique and inexpensive the food was and how friendly and easy-going the people were. It is really hard to find anything we dislike about Thailand. One of the dishes you can easily find at any food cart in Bangkok is Pad Thai. We find out the reason why when we explore the history of Pad Thai. According to this Wikipedia article on Pad Thai, there was a concerted effort by the government to westernize the Kingdom of Siam, and have an identity separate from China. As Thailand's Prime Minister from 1938 to 1944 and from 1948 to 1957, Plaek Phibunsongkhram wanted a westernized Thailand. In 1939 he changed the name of the country from Siam to Thailand. In that time noodles were very popular in Thailand, but Plaek Phibunsongkhram wanted to get rid of everything that came from China. One thing he could not get rid of was the noodle. The government had an idea to create a new kind of food to replace the Chinese noodle and establish the identity of Thailand. As a result a new noodle named "Sen-Chan" was created. The noodle is suitable to be stir-fried in a pan, and this Thai noodle was called "Pad Thai". In this article by Gastronomica, they go on to explain how it became so mainstream and popular on the streets of Bangkok, and in restaurants all over the world. “To help popularize the new noodle dish, the government supplied people with a basic recipe for pad Thai, then encouraged vendors to make use of wheeled noodle carts—like mobile cook stalls equipped with a heat source and compartments to hold ingredients and cooking utensils—to sell the dish on Bangkok’s streets. Because the carts could move easily, pad Thai became a convenience food. It may be the original fast food in Thailand, Pibulsonggram notes. The dish became a lunchtime favorite, a Thai stir-fry that provided an alternative to a bowl of Chinese noodles.” So, how to make an authentic, tasty pad thai? Here is an excellent recipe courtesy of the Elephant Hills, that has worked for me, and is easy enough but still maintains authentic flavors. The Gastronomica article also comes with a very complete recipe including how to make pad thai sauce from scratch. If you have an Asian Supermarket nearby, you will have no problem getting all the ingredients together to make an authentic pad Thai!! Enjoy! - Yumi Zaic, photo by bon appetit |
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May 2016
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