We all know about Lunar New Year, celebrated most notably by Chinese and Vietnamese in January or February every year. However, under-the-radar new year festivities take place at the start of spring. Lao New Year is celebrated as a three-day-long festival from April 13-15 (it can...
My mum loved to throw parties—big ones, small ones, medium ones--and there was always one constant: good food, and lots of it. Cooking for company often meant days of prep and a kitchen bustling with activity morning till evening. Ma would grind spice pastes for dishes...
One of my favorite Asian herbs, lemongrass, and its long, slender form is fast becoming a common sight here in the Northwest. You can often find the stalk with its variegated colors--from white to yellow to pale green--three to a bundle at Asian markets, and...
When I was a little girl, I hated mung bean sprouts, which we call “tauge” in Indonesian or "dou ya" (literally "bean sprout") in Mandarin. At the market, they’re often labeled simply bean sprouts. It had nothing to do with their bland flavor or the weird crunchy...
Researching and writing The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook has given me an appreciation for traditional and authentic recipes and eating the way our grandparents' generation ate. It's been a perfect complement to my other passion--sustainable foods. Many of us shop at the neighborhood farmers market (or even...
Auntie Rairat works in the kitchen at my family's restaurant Julia's Indonesian Kitchen. During meal breaks, she whips up some simple Thai dishes for the staff like this, pad see ew, a standard at Thai restaurants in North America. Auntie Rairat was kind enough to...
I'm talking about juicy, succulent, shrimp! (Shame on you if you were thinking otherwise.) Before I give you my fried shrimp rolls recipe (adapted from a version my friend Carol's mom fed me), I thought a shrimp tutorial might be useful. Now, I've always thought shrimp is shrimp. You head...
Once thanksgiving has come and gone, and the food coma has dissipated (hopefully!), one is faced with the next big thing--leftovers. Who doesn't love turkey leftovers? I do! But having overdosed on one too many turkey sandwiches and turkey tetrazzinis, I'm looking for a turkey leftover makeover. My solution? Reincarnate the turkey in Asian-style dishes. Just...
This recipe comes from Rin Nedtra, owner of Sea Siam Thai Restaurant in Miami, FL. Time: 45 minutes Serves: 4 to 6 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk 2 cups chicken stock 1/2 pound chicken breast, sliced into bite size pieces 1/2 cup fresh or canned mushrooms, sliced (button, straw or shiitakes, optional) 2 stalks lemon grass,...
