Tag Archives: dinner

Slow Cooker Tempeh Jambalaya (That’s JambAllaya to my friends): Shenanigans with my New Toy

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The slow cooker is cooking. Slowly.

Perhaps one of the most frustrating things about this pregnancy is that I feel perfectly fine, most of the time. The issue I’m running into is that, despite my feeling fine, I’m not able to stand up for any great length of time; something very frustrating for somebody who doesn’t stay still much during the day. Thank goodness for large picture windows.

This is one of the main reasons I’m not able to get up and cook much these days, and that’s why there hasn’t been much along the lines of posting lately on the blog (the I Speak Food Facebook page, however, is still full of interesting stuff, so head on over and ‘like’ it for your entertainment). So, I’ve decided to take a slightly different approach and see just how much cooking I could do from bed. Admittedly, the results weren’t so impressive, so I enlisted the help of a slow cooker I found on Amazon. Continue reading →

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Quick and Easy Mapo Tofu

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This popular dish from Szechuan is spicy and full of flavor.

In just about any culture, there’s food you go out for, and there’s food you go home for. Going out for pot roast in the United States would probably be about as disappointing as making bao or Peking duck at home in Asia. Not to say that it can’t be done, but some things simply aren’t worth the trouble of making at home, while other things are too simple to justify paying a tab and gratuity for.

Mapo Tofu falls into the latter category. Simply put, it’s a prime example of Chinese home cooking: Hot, quick, easy, really tasty and cheap. Mapo tofu, literally translated as “Pockmarked Old Woman Tofu” (let’s not go there now), is a Szechuan dish known for its firey hot sauce. Sound a little different from what you remembered? That’s entirely possible, since there are about as many variations of Mapo Tofu as there are countries in the world. Continue reading →

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Portable Eats: Israeli Empanadas

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These baked, hearty little "meat" pies are great with pickles and tomato sauce!

I will freely admit to having food envy. In fact, the main reason I got into cooking in the first place was so that I could have an opportunity to experience all these wonderful flavors I was sure I was missing out on. Empanadas, for instance, abounded where I used to live in Southern California, but to a kosher, mostly-vegetarian gal, the thought of eating essentially deep-fried treif meat concoctions made me a little queasy. But even still, the curiosity remained. I did some research to find out what exactly went into these little morsels, and I was a little on the fence about it. Should I go through the trouble to make something (and a lot of these somethings) if the thought of the filling ingredients didnt jump out at me? Continue reading →

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Tom Kha Gai, A Spicy and Kosher-Friendly Soup

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Growing up with Thai food, it’s sometimes difficult for me to acclimate my taste buds to more subtle flavors. Although Thai food, ironically, is not my favorite cuisine, I absolutely LOVE Thai soup. I love the blend of herbal, spicy, sour, and savory flavors, and the contrast of hearty textures within the thin broth.

Of course, as discussed previously, there are sometimes problems with Thai food in a Kosher kitchen due to the presence of treif ingredients, namely shrimp. Although shrimp products are quite prevalent in Thai cooking, they generally don’t play a role in soups like this one, since most of the flavor comes from aromatic herbs like lemongrass and kafir lime leaves (readily available online, if your local grocer does not carry them). Continue reading →

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Foods For A New Year: Jiaozi de Prassa

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These potstickers are made with leeks, rather than mostly cabbage. Although leeks are used in Chinese cuisine, it's not as common to see them in dumplings.

Chinese New Year is almost upon us (January 23, 2012), and for us Asians, it’s a very festive time of year. One of the more notable aspects of Chinese New Year is the special food eaten during the week of festivities. Being a Chinese person born in Thailand, it gets even better! As with Rosh Hashanah, most of the foods consumed are symbolic in some way, usually alluding to wealth, prosperity, long life, happiness, etc. In fact, the Chinese are very literal when it comes to these things, as we will also display Chinese characters that say “wealth,” “prosperity,” “long life,” and “happiness” (we need to make sure all our bases are covered)! Continue reading →

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Jazz Hands! It’s Time For Eggs Bollywood

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This spicy, Indian-inspired dish works well as a main course, or elegantly exotic brunch fare.

Before the introduction of “Slumdog Millionaire,” many Americans lived largely unaware of the campy splendor of Bollywood movies. Bollywood, a name coined around the mid-30′s to early 40′s (as far as I can tell), refers not to one locale, but to the entire booming business of movie production in India. Although mostly overlooked in the United States, Bollywood’s influence reached far and wide across the Asia, Africa and Middle-East. My mother used to tell me stories of when she was a young girl in Thailand, anxiously lining up with her friends to see the latest Bollywood musical. She described complicated plot lines with doomed romances, disapproving parents, beautiful actresses, handsome leading men, and epic song and dance numbers. What’s not to love? Bollywood, for generations, upholds an undeniably successful track record of somehow fusing Western tastes and culture palatably with traditional Indian values – to the point where they grow to seem authentically Indian! Continue reading →

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Pad See Ew, The Kosher Way

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Generally a hodgepodge of treif ingredients, this version of Pad See Ew is completely kosher, and, as pictured here, completely vegetarian.

The problem many people face when adapting a recipe for a kosher home, especially with Thai food, is finding acceptably kosher ingredients. The biggest problem I face, especially with recipes I grew up with, is quantifying the ingredients, as these recipes were never written down! So, when I received a request for a kosher version of Pad See Ew, I had to think for a moment. I haven’t had this dish in ages, mostly because it was never one of my favorites; my mom always overcooked the noodles, and it made them mushy. It was interesting to rediscover this popular noodle dish. Turns out it really is pretty good! :) Continue reading →

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The Case For Chow Mein: An Asian Perspective on Chanukah

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This veggie chow mein incorporates salty, pungent, sweet, bitter and sour tastes. Almost a balanced meal!

It’s pretty common in Eastern cultures to have food rules, some as in depth (and astoundingly similar in some ways) as the laws of kashrut. Many favor a mostly vegetarian diet, as did Rabbi De Sola Pool, while others championed moderation in all foods. Although no longer religious in nature for most people, the way one presents and serves food in Asia remains deeply rooted in custom, and has influenced menus and recipes for centuries. Continue reading →

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When It Rains, Make Chicken Adobo

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Philippino chicken adobo combines sweet, sour and salty flavors into an irresistable crowd pleaser.

When I lived in Southern California, people reacted to rain like medieval peoples reacted to comets. The Wicked Witch of the West? A native Southern Californian, it turns out. Here in New York City, rain is met more or less with indifference, albeit, with heightened awareness of potholes (you never quite know how deep they are until you step in one filled with water). In Southeast Asia, it’s met with utter joy. Continue reading →

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Japanese Curry, Kosher At Last!

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This flavorful Japanese curry can be made with chicken, but also with vegetarian and vegan options.

Japanese cuisine is a unique taste experience; it seems to run from elegantly simplistic with subtle, earthy flavors to highly processed with international influences. To be sure, there’s definitely something for everybody, but navigating Japanese cuisine within kosher dietary laws can be a little tricky, particularly when sampling the complex flavors of Japanese fusion. Continue reading →

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