crouching tyler

Tonight, I go fearlessly into the realm of the toasted shrimp paste! I am making Chicken Curry Noodle Soup, Kuala Lumpur Style - Kare Laksa, hopefully with some Javanese Sambal - Sambal Bajak or Sambal Ulek. I am not quite sure I have the right sort of noodles but I am not going to worry about it. I'll post some photos later and see if any of you can tell me what is what on the noodle front. I did most of my shopping at HT Market - a relatively new Asian/Latin/American grocery store. Odd place. Huge, with a wide selection of prepared foods. However, the produce section was hit or miss (drat- I just remembered that I forgot to buy garlic). The iffy produce may be a result of low turnover, though. The place was strangely empty of shoppers. Admittedly, it was the middle of the afternoon. Food was cheap cheap cheap though. My shopping habits are sort of bi-polar with this project. I usually shop at a spendy, organic-leaning, "natural market"/coop (PCC, for the local readers) with weekly trips to a independent poultry/seafood market (University Seafood and Poultry). In the summer, we get a weekly box of fruits and vegetables from Helsing Junction Farm. And then I go toddling off to wander around Asian groceries, where the word "organic" is pretty much absent, and nobody is telling me what state and/or country my produce originates from. But for now, I am not going to worry about it. I am just starting this little endeavor - and once I get a better grip on what the ingredients are maybe I'll be able to be more strategic in my shopping.

I want to know if you roasted/toasted/whatever the shrimp paste IN the HOUSE! I did that once in the house, and I don't think I will attempt it again. I have a side burner on the BBQ, so THAT'S where I'll be roasting the shrimp paste. better wait until the weekend when the neighbors go to their cabin. ← Hmmm. This makes me worry a bit. We have a small house and no exhaust fan in our kitchen (and no plans to put one in any time soon). I may have to expand my outdoor cooking options, or limit my shrimp paste exploits to when I plan on using the grill.

Looks like a delicious dinner to me, and things always go slower the first time. The satay looks particularly tasty - it looks like you got a nice crust without overcooking the insides. Raw veggies are great for this. If you want to stick with the book, try stir-fried Asian greens with garlic and chiles (tumis sayur) - quick, delicious, and adaptable to whatever greens look good at the store. Asian markets often have fried shallots in big plastic jars. We usually keep some on hand. So, what's next? ← I found the fried shallots at Uwajimaya - Thanks for the tip. I found two plastic jars of them - one labeled Fried Red Onion, and one labeled Fried Shallot. The contents looked identical. Do you think Red Onion is just another way of saying Shallot in this case?

Several days ago, Bruce asked "What's next?"..... I meant to reply but got sucked into the Tres Leches cake project vortex. I have since come down from the sugar high, having learned a good bit, and having successfully made cajeta (goat milk caramel). I must say, I am happy to return the realm of the savory, where I am much more comfortable. I do love sweet things, but baking is not my strong suit. So, since I had leftover Lemongrass Scented Coconut Rice, I thought I would make some fish to go with it for a quick dinner on Thursday evening. Initially, I wasn't planning on making something from CoF but, after a quick browse I realized the Pan-Seared Tamarind Tuna (Tuna Goreng) was something I could make with the ingredients I already had on hand, plus some Tuna. Tuna isn't my favorite fish - It is probably not even in my top 5 (which off the top of my head is probably: grouper, halibut, sea bass*, snapper, salmon ? ). I really like tuna in sushi, but cooked - 's okay. So, I haven't ever cooked tuna. And even though my trusty fish guy warned me not to overcook it, I did. I did a little better with the second batch in the pan, but it was still overdone. Tamarind Tuna - Tuna Goreng Lemongrass Coconut Rice - Nasi Uduik Lemongrass & Shallot Sambal - Sambal Serai Javanese Cucumber & Carrot Pickle - Acar Timun But, here's the thing - I could tell, that if the tuna hadn't been overcooked, it would have been quite tasty. So, I think I have my first candidate for the list of dishes that I will have to cook a second time ( and get it right) before I can actually check it off the list. My other revelation concerns the effect of lime juice on shallots. My embarrassing admission for the day is that I really despise raw onions. I just can't help it. I am not being overly dramatic when I say that raw onion makes me gag. I am not a picky eater and have quite a resilient digestive system, but raw onions are my kryptonite. However, the shallots in both the pickle and the sambal were no problem at all - after their 10 minute bath in lime juice or vinegar. In fact, I am getting very accustomed to having a little bit of the cucumber and carrot pickle with whatever else I am eating (i.e., turkey sandwich). This is a condiment that might become part of the regular rotation, I think. It reminds me of the shallot and scotch bonnet pickle that was a constant feature of my parents' dinners. My mother had a jar of that pickle that was constantly being topped off until it reached some critical point when it had be to restarted ( I am not sure whether it lost its kick, or got too hot). Of course, being the stubborn child that I was, I wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole then. Now, I am starting to think it would be a fabulous compliment to roasted chicken. * I love sea bass - but I don't buy it anymore, because of the over-fishing issue. Okay, maybe once a year. But, that is it. I promise. edit to fix an error, or two.

Hey! Just for that, I have a suggestion for you: why don't you make (and occasionally post an updated version of) a list of all the recipes in the book, so you can mark off who has made what and what's left to be made? ← Soon come.

Sometimes, grocery shopping can be so much fun. A portion of my groceries from yesterday's expedition. Ingredients for last night's dinner, and some staples: Here's a close of up of the package of dried daun salam. Last night's menu: Beef Satay - Sate Sapi Lemongrass- Scented Coconut Rice - Nasi Uduk Javanese Cucumber & Carrot Pickle - Acar Timun Sweet Soy Sauce & Lime Dipping Sauce - Sos Kecap Rawit Ususally when we make Satay it is chicken satay, and it comes with this super tasty peanut sauce based on a Tom Douglas recipe. But Mr. Oseland suggested trying Beef Satay with a dipping sauce, so as to not overwhelm the taste of the beef. Smart man. This was beef candy with a sweet, bright sauce. Zero leftovers. So, it looked a little underwhelming on the table after my two hours of puttering in the kitchen. (hey, I was making 4 new recipes at the same time - I did quite a bit of recipe reading while cooking). Some rice, some satay and a pair of condiments? But each element had so much flavor, that once we got down to to eating, it felt like nothing was missing - except maybe a couple more skewers of satay. In the future, I would probably add a vegetable side just to keep things balanced nutritionally. And I think my rice curse has been broken. I think everyone is entitled to one food they just can't get right - no matter how simple it may be. In my case, that is rice. Sometimes, it doesn't even matter if I use a rice cooker. But, the lemongrass coconut rice, which requires a bit more attention than the usual rice recipe came out perfect. And we do actually have leftover rice, and I am looking forward to having more tonight, perhaps with some fish. I had planned to fry up some shallots to top the rice with, but ran out of time, and frankly frying is not my favorite task. It would help if (1) we had some sort of exhaust fan in the kitchen and (2) if I wasn't a wimp about frying. Satay attacks: I also learned that my food processor will spray a fine dust of coriander out both sides while grinding coriander seeds. And, that as I suspected, Ting goes great with Indonesian. As for the food photography, clearly I have a long way to go. First, I think Larry and I are going to have to learn to stop squabbling over the camera. Larry, by the way, is also the dishwasher, so I might have to let him take the pictures if I am going to keep him happy (given the amount of dishes this little project is going to generate).

I found candlenuts! And I also found curry leaves, and duan salam - all at my friendly hometown Uwajimaya. Too bad I had to sit through baseball game traffic to get there. Anyway, found all sorts of good stuff and bought a fair share of it. Got to run for now, but hopefully by tomorrow there will be non-awful photos of meal #1 in my version of the Cradle of Flavor project.

Is that "curry leaves" on your list? If you (or others) grow this plant, ask for murraya koenigil or curry leaf tree, not to be confused with curry plant (as my local nursery did with my initial order). http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week129.shtml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry_Tree I acquired a couple small curry leaf trees 4 years ago, in a fit of intense Indian cooking. The trees like sandy soil and hot (90+ degree) weather. If I remember correctly, their native habitat is coastal rainforest in southern India. They have to be brought indoors during the winter where I live. When I bought the trees, I had fantasies of picking abundant fresh curry leaves. But the trees have turned out to be very slow growing. I manage to pick a stem or two of curry leaves every season. Most of the time I just get into my car and drive to the Indian grocery store. ← Curry leaves are on my list (nice work on deciphering my scrawl, by the way). I have a few of the curry plants (which are not culinary, but ornamental - and smell intensely of curry when you touch the foliage). I can't imagine that a curry leaf tree would like the Seattle climate very much, but it wouldn't hurt to try one in a pot. I did have some grow lights set up in the basement (for tomato seedlings, people), but I might wait a bit before I start trying to grow my own indoor tropical herb garden.

All the above food photos (okay, most of the above food photos) are making me impatient and hungry- everything looks like it is bursting with flavor - and not just one sort of flavor - but flavor across the spectrum, as well as color and texture. This is not boring food, by any stretch of the imagination. That may be why I like it so much. I had planned to head out today on a serious food shopping trip to stock the larder with some of the basic ingredients I'll need. People don't really use the word "larder" any more, do they? Perhaps because it includes the somewhat unpopular word 'lard' ? But I like the word "larder" better than "pantry" (nevermind that fact that my kitchen actually has neither a larder nor a pantry - but instead a rather paltry assortment of cupboards). Anyway, it is rainy and another project has arisen, so I am going to delay my shopping until tomorrow. But, I thought I would show you my list. Some things I already have, some things I have but am uncertain of exactly how long they have been lurking in the back of the fridge, and some things I probably won't need right away, but I think it will be fun to go hunting for (I love the mystery and intrigue of the soy sauce aisle at Uwajimaya). So, I made a nice long grocery/research list based on the wonderfully detailed ingredients chapter in Cradle of Flavor.... (henceforth CoF). I included some of the author's recommendations on specific brands, and also some of the various names by which things might be identified. Making the list was probably a useful exercise in and of itself. It sort of sets the palette, if you'll forgive the pun. I might try to track down some plants for some of the herbs. I already have lemon grass, and garlic in my garden - but I know I'll need more lemon grass, and I think lemon basil would be another easy addition. I am not sure which other of these tropical herbs will tolerate the mild Seattle summer. I wish I had planted shallots this year.

I have had a recipe for Lemon Thyme Shortbread sitting in my recipe folder for a few years now. Haven't made it yet. Probably just calls for lemon and thyme. But, your situation seems like a perfect opportunity for Lemon Thyme Shortbread.

Dear C. - Most definitely - cheat to your heart's content. I wouldn't even presume to call it cheating - the boundaries of time have no meaning here - it is the internet, right? By all means, share all your experience (and your lovely photos, too!) -Robin

Likewise, and terima kasih (thank you). I would love to hear shopping suggestions. So far, I am familiar with Uwajimaya and Viet Wah (source of the below, which I have a feeling might be getting some use in the near future - biceps of steel, here I come!)

Here I go... Cradle of Flavor, One Recipe at a Time. I imagine I'll get started sometime next week, after a weekend of recipe browsing, and perhaps a trip to Uwajimaya. Hmmmm, I wonder if this project will provide an excuse to buy some new kitchen toys?

Oh dear. It looks like I am actually going to have to cook my way through Cradle of Flavor. I hadn't really expected people to be so supportive of the idea. Kutsu started a topic about Cooking an Entire Cookbook. That is where I admitted to considering cooking my way through Cradle of Flavor, by James Oseland. I would like to point out that several people seemed to think it was a good idea, and expressed a desire to participate (hi C. Sapidus, and chrisamirault). So, now I guess I an not only going to starting cooking, but I might as well document my efforts as I go, uhm, I mean hopefully we'll document our efforts as we go. The idea of cooking my way though something like Cradle of Flavor appeals to my inner student. It is an opportunity to follow a knowledgeable instructor through a topic of which I am essentially untutored - without having to devise my own curriculum along the way. It will be all the better if the course turns into a group project. The extent of my exposure to the food of this region (Indonesia, Malaysia, & Singapore) is 2 weeks on vacation in Indonesia (with two, 20 hours layovers in Singapore), a couple attempts at making Nasi Goreng, and the occasional visit to one of the few Indonesian restaurants in Seattle. In addition to learning to cook Indonesian/Malaysian/Singaporean, I should probably figure how to take un-awful photographs of my culinary attempts. And learn how to turn a mention of Cradle of Flavor into one of the those nifty flamingo links ( anyone ? ?). So, from here I'll go browse, pick out a recipe or two and get started. I can't imagine I am going to precede in an orderly fashion, and am certainly not going to commit to cooking every night until I am through. One of the things I learned in my short time in Indonesia, is that rushing is not necessarily conducive to happiness.

I've toyed with the idea of cooking my way through Cradle of Flavor ... by James Oseland, as a way of learning more about the cuisine. I don't think I would adhere to any given timeline, perhaps just one a week, so it might take me a couple years. Summer vegetable season will be upon us soon enough, and since we belong to a CSA, it is a matter of effort to just cook our way through our box of vegetables every week. Maybe I could console myself about the end of summer vegetable season by commencing the Cradle of Flavor project this fall.

When I have cooked with garlic scapes, I have found that the flower bud isn't the best part - sort of fibrous and pungent. But the whole thing is edible - stalk to flower bulb. The bulbs will just need more cooking. When I cook with them, I often use the scapes (minus the bulb) in stir fries.

Your kitchen looks gorgeous. I have no doubt I will be using this thread as a reference, if ( hopefully, when) we undertake a kitchen remodel in a few years. You have provided some great ideas about how to update a kitchen but still have it remain in the mood of the rest of the home. It would be interesting if some of the many people who are inspired by this thread post the outcomes of their kitchen designs/remodels here. It really is striking how well you have captured the style of those 1920's kitchens. Below are a pair of photos of the kitchen in our 1913 Seattle house. The first photo is the kitchen before we moved in, while the second is the much more lived-in version, with the addition of functioning appliances. Before we moved in. The lived in version (complete with laundry basket). Hopefully, in a few years, I can show you photos of a glorious new (but still "old") kitchen. Thanks again for sharing all the nitty gritty details.

This is a simply magical blog. Thank you.

Thanks ever so much - Hopefully, it will be a nice sunny weekend, so I can treat myself to a Caipirihna! Those were technically lime-pineapple caipirinhas, I guess; the pineapple was very sweet and mild, so I wanted a little of the tartness of lime as well. 1/4 lime, cut into small wedges 4-5 chunks of fresh pineapple 1 Tablespoon Demerara sugar 3 ounces cachaça (I happened to use Pirassununga Cachaça 51) Muddled the limes and sugar in a mixing glass, add pineapple and muddle a very little more (pineapple just turns to a pulp if you muddle it too much). Add crushed ice and cachaça, stir thoroughly. Pour contents into old-fashioned-style glass. The most traditional caipirinha would leave out the pineapple and have twice the lime. I've done this with blueberries and strawberries too -- mmmmm! ←

I'd love to know the recipe for the Pineapple Caipirihna - I love the Ginger Caipirihna's at Cactus.

I ate an armadillo burger - or more accurately, I ate about a third of an armadillo burger. It was a mistake. I thought the Armadillo Burger at the Armadillo Cafe was just a name for the burger of the house. I didn't know that it means the burger was made of Armadillo. I was thinking of Armadillo as mascot - not as meal. After a few bites, the oddness of the taste of the burger really started to emerge. The french fries, it turns out, were just fine.

Green Beans with Walnut-Miso Dressing Pickled Green Beans Marinated Artichokes and/or Mushrooms - Seems very eighties to me, but tasty nonetheless.

What have you been doing lately with roast pork that is making you happy? I am in the early planning stages for a upcoming dinner party - and roast pork is the current contender to be the star of the show. I'd love to hear more on this subject - just to get those juices (creative - not pork, at this point) bubbling.

Thanks for the information. One more question - do they just die back to the roots in the winter or am I supposed to prune them at the end of the growing season ? I don't know anyone that grows asparagus here in the Pacific NW and I don't know whether that is because it doesn't do well in our soggy climate, or just because it is a "permanent" aka intimidating crop.

Does anyone (jackal, sparrowgrass ?) have any photos of asparagus plants that they could post for me? I put some asparagus in this year, and I have realized that I have no idea what the plants are going to look like. I wish I had thought to find out before I planted, but better late than never. I know I shouldn't be so impulsive with such a permanent crop but I can't quite seem to believe that the pathetic little roots will actually grow into actual, edible asparagus. Spring is making itself known here in Seattle. My first rhubarb plant is growing at a rather impressive rate, but the garlic seems to have stalled. My oregano has doubled in size in the last month. I clearly need to use more oregano. And I am anxiously awaiting signs of growth from my tomato seedlings. The leeks are poking their incredibly thin little stalks up - it is amazing that something so meager can survive and develop into such a solid stalk. I definitely have the sense that I am attempting far too many new vegetables and edibles this year. We planted a cherry tree, an apple tree and a trio of blueberries - and I still need to decide where to put the damn raspberries. And I need some sort of system for keeping track of what (and what variety) I have planted where. All the anticipation associated with starting a new garden is such lovely torment. Will the garlic grow? Are the blueberries in the right spot? What will the apples taste like? How big will the cherry get? Will the dog eat the asparagus?