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Archives for Feb 2008

The Real Top Ramen

I’ve recently started paying more attention to the art of Ramen… and I’m not talking about the package art on Top Ramen either. I think it’s the harsh winter weather that got my stomach rumbling for a warm hearty bowl of soup and noodles to slurp up. That and a ramen bar opened up around the corner from my friend’s place and we decided that it would be nice to squish in to one of the narrow tables and prop up on a stool to warm up with chopsticks in hand as we wait for our meal to be served.

I was doing some research on ramen because there has to be more to it than a block of dried noodles and a packet of “soup.” No surprise, there is more to the art than this.

The noodles are no doubt delicious but the broth is just as important. There are four main broths that can be used as the base of the ramen meal:

Shio – This is considered to be the most difficult broth to make. Shio means salt and has a clear consistency. It can be made from veggie scraps like carrot and daikon radish peels, onions, iriko (small fish similar to sardines) and sometimes sake.

Shoyu – The basics of this broth consists of soy sauce, kelp and bonito flakes, with mirin, a syrupy rice wine, to balance the soy. I stumbled upon a recipe to make this which can be found here.

Miso – This fermented soybean paste is typically served with tofu but is also used as a broth for ramen. The miso paste separates quickly and needs to be added last in order to get its true full flavor.

Tonkotsu – This one is my favorite and literally translates to pig (ton) bone (kotsu). You basically need to boil pig bones for a good amount of time to achieve this flavorful broth. You might also want to add in other ingredients such as bonito flakes, onion and dried mushrooms. The longer you boil, the better the flavor.

 

I’d be interested to see what everyone else’s favorite broth is or if they’ve had yummy ramen experiences before. I sure hope your ramen experience goes beyond the Top Ramen in your cupboard.

Posted Feb 22, 2008 by SuDoughName | Add a comment | Share It

Filed under: ramen

Aphrodisia to Spice It Up

Ok, so maybe you won't fall completely in love with someone because of a great dish... or can you? You always hear about foods that are natural aphrosdisias such as oysters and cinnamon so I decided to look further into this. Cocoa is another one on that list and with Valentine's Day right around the corner, lots of chocolate is flying off the shelves. Here is a look into some of these so-called aphodisia foods:

 

Oysters - the term "aphrodysia" comes from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, who was born from the sea which is why many seafoods are associated as being aphodisiacs. But are they really? Not in the case of oysters. Chemical analysis shows that they consists of water, protein and carbohydrates, plus small amounts of fat, sugar and minerals. These are not linked to increasing sexual desire.

Cinnamon - the smell of this spice usually conjurs up thoughts of comfort and home since it is commonly used in baked goods. Sprinkle some cinnamon on your sweets to rouse up a comforting vibe.

Cocoa - chocolate has long been associated with love dating back to the Mayans who used to worship the Cacoa tree and called it the "food of the gods." Researchers have now found that chocolate contains phenylethylamine and serotonin, which are both "feel good" chemicals. 

 

Other foods that tend to fall into the aphrodisia category include almonds, basil, and tomatoes. Will these key ingredients be in your meal for Valentine's Day?

I for one do not have any reservations made but I'm thinking some cocoa will be on my menu for that day. And maybe a cinnamon bun. Or two.

 

Posted Feb 12, 2008 by SuDoughName | 1 Comment | Share It

Filed under: aphrodisias Valentine's Day

Chinese New Years Celebrations

My uncle is a rat. Not literally. He was born on the year of the rat on the Chinese calendar and this year is his year. Rats tend to be hardworking, charismatic, and practical. Anyone else a rat? Chinese New Years celebrations are usually celebrated with lots of good food for good fortune.

This year the New Year lands on February 7th and the biggest feast is usually held on New Years eve. My own mother usually spends a few days to prep for a good meal with chicken dishes, fish, and vegetables. To be more specific, she prepares dishes with ingredients such as fat-choy which can be roughly translated as "hair vegetable" or the word "fat" also means to prosper. Another dish that is often seen on the table is nian-gao, a glutinous rice cake that is eaten as a sweet dessert.

My family always makes an excuse to get together to eat but the Chinese New Years eve dinner is a special ocsasion that is never missed. Anyone else celebrate Chinese New Years? Or have other similiar traditional meals? 

Posted Feb 5, 2008 by SuDoughName | Add a comment | Share It

Filed under: Chinese New Year