Asian food

[REWahoo]

My very favorite Thai dish:

Thai Spicy Basil Shrimp

I enjoy it almost every Sunday for lunch at our favorite restaurant. And tomorrow is Sunday!

 

[audreyh1]

For people who do not like fish sauce in Vietnamese or Thai food, I wonder if soy sauce would make a good substitute. And I do not believe any other Asian countries use fish sauce.

And speaking of fish sauce, do you know that Worcestershire sauce has some kind of fish sauce as an ingredient? Yes, sirree. It does not make the sauce fishy, but serves to give it a savory taste.

But on the OP's comment that he is a vegetarian, I think that would be really limiting. Being a meat eater, I like some Indian dishes, but cannot eat too much before getting bored because there's no meat!

Yep - Worcestershire sauce has anchovies, just like fish sauce.

I can't imagine soy sauce as a substitute. Totally different taste and soy is much stronger.

If you try some Thai or Vietnamese cooking at home, my Thai cooking teacher advised us students to always add the fish sauce last AFTER turning off the heat. Otherwise, the house would stink. I was always careful to do that. It was good advice - I walked into my Dad's kitchen the other day and just about fell over. I guess I never passed along that important advice.

 

[audreyh1]

My very favorite Thai dish:

Thai Spicy Basil Shrimp

I enjoy it almost every Sunday for lunch at our favorite restaurant. And tomorrow is Sunday!

OMG I LOVE that basil flavor!!!! drool!

I actually had Thai Basil Shrimp for lunch yesterday, so I should calm down.

My husband had Thai Spicy Eggplant with Duck - mmmmmmmm!

 

[Meadbh]

The attached study discusses how NY Jews began to eat Chinese food vs. other ethnic foods. I think it applies to Jews from other parts of the country but it is a study done in NY. While it could be interesting to all people, Jewish people might find it most interesting. It is on the long side but easy to read.

http://dragon.soc.qc.cuny.edu/Staff/levine/SAFE-TREYF.pdf

Fascinating, thanks for posting! Now I understand why some of my Jewish friends have a Christmas Day tradition of eating Chinese food, followed by a movie.

 

[audreyh1]

I don't do much Thai cooking anymore, because I gave up the large wok and implements when we moved into an RV. It just wasn't practical.

But I used to be very serious about cooking this food we loved so much. I took several classes from a great teacher in Austin. So just for you Asian food aficionados, or just if you are curious about how a given dish is made, here's my recipe booklet. There's only one Vietnamese dish (the Stir-fried Chicken with Lemongrass - a perennial family fave), the rest are all Thai dishes.

 

[Dimsumkid]

I've made Pad Thai several times myself, and I don't remember adding fish sauce, but I definitely added tamarind! It has dried shrimp as well.

I checked your recipe and you don't list tamarind or fish sauce, but you have an item listed as "1/2 jar satay pad thai sauce". I'm sure both are in the list of ingredients on the jar.

 

[audreyh1]

I checked your recipe and you don't list tamarind or fish sauce, but you have an item listed as "1/2 jar satay pad thai sauce". I'm sure both are in the list of ingredients on the jar.

I remember that sauce well (it's not available anymore). It was a very handy substitute rather than making the sauce from scratch. It was pretty sweet with a strong tamarind flavor, so any fish sauce flavor didn't really come through.

Pickled radish, spiced tofu, dried shrimp and tamarind (and lime if you squeezed it on like you should) are the flavors I remember dominating.

Now I'll have to go find my old class notes to see how to make that from scratch.

Yeah (from on-line) - the typical pad thai sauce is something like this:
1-ounce tamarind paste - softened in 3/4 cup boiling water and pressed through a strainer.
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons palm sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

My mouth is watering!!!!!

 

[NW-Bound]

The attached study discusses how NY Jews began to eat Chinese food vs. other ethnic foods. I think it applies to Jews from other parts of the country but it is a study done in NY. While it could be interesting to all people, Jewish people might find it most interesting. It is on the long side but easy to read.

http://dragon.soc.qc.cuny.edu/Staff/levine/SAFE-TREYF.pdf

Interesting read! I did not know that some American Jews liked Chinese food, while at the same time showed disdain for the people serving the food. Bad, very bad! I surely hope that that was only in the past.

But one thing is certain. When I was in Israel on a work assignment, I got tired of kosher food and Middle-Eastern dishes and wanted to get some Oriental food. I had a tough time finding an Oriental restaurant. Had dinner at a half-Japanese/half-Chinese place (with Israeli cooks), and was distressed with the Oriental meal Jewish style. Then, I stumbled on a little place that made a half-decent Pad Thai (I am no expert on Thai food). I returned there for quite a few meals.

So, I do not believe Jewish people in Israel are that fond of Oriental food in general.

 

[KB]

Thanks for sharing your recipes. Wow, they look great.

 

[REattempt]

Bibimbap...just about my favorite dish in the world...

Bibimbap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[NW-Bound]

I never heard of bibimbap (a Korean dish), let alone tasted it.

But upon following up on the Wiki link, rediscovered the following Web page: World's 50 most delicious foods: Readers' picks | CNN Travel.

Quite a few Asian dishes there. Yep, Thai Pad thai and Tom yam goong (the spicy soup with shrimp that I did not recall the name of), and Vietnamese Pho, and Peking duck are among the list. And hamburger, and lasagna, and gelato, etc...

But get this: Kimchi too! Holy cabbage! What's going on?

 

[photoguy]

I like most asian foods, at least the kind that you can find in restaurants in the U.S. Where I run into problems is with some of the more exotic (sea)foods. I don't like jellyfish (tastes like rubber bands), the whole octopus head in my soup just seemed gross so I passed on that, and dog wasn't really to my taste either.

 

[Major Tom]

I can't eat spicy food so it's rather limiting. But I like Asian food in general.

If you like Chinese food, you certainly live in a good city for it.

 

[Major Tom]

My very favorite Thai dish:

Thai Spicy Basil Shrimp

I enjoy it almost every Sunday for lunch at our favorite restaurant. And tomorrow is Sunday!

That looks absolutely delicious. I might have to crash your lunch party tomorrow!

 

[kaneohe]

I don't have any issues with fish sauce at all, we make this at home quite a bit. I was just trying to isolate what the OP finds offensive in pad thai. I'm wondering if you're really that sensitive to detecting it though, most recipes I've ever seen call for 2 Tbsp to 1/3 C of fish sauce in them. Unless they're intentionally trying to substitute removing it from the recipe.

Now I don't know whether to thank you for educating me or not. Judging from a bunch of googled recipes, it does look like most recipes call for fish sauce in amounts like what you said. It seems unlikely that all the pad Thai I've had would have that ingredient intentionally removed so I hope the taste doesn't change just because I remember what I've learned.

I know I've had a lot of Vietnamese dishes that have some "off" taste that I've attributed to fish sauce. Perhaps they use even more?

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I love good Asian foods of all types. I try to avoid the Chinese restaurants near me but I can get pretty good Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean food in Pittsburgh. There are also some excellent Indian restaurants the closer one gets to Pittsburgh.

I concur with some on kimchi...a food of the Gods. I buy a non-traditional version (too little salt for my taste, also has ginger) from a local health food store and eat it with brown rice. I was first introduced to it back in the 70's by the Korean wife of an Army buddy of my husband's.

I cook my own version of a stir fry at home...onion, diced pepper, a protein source, mushrooms, bok choy, all sauteed together and served with a little soy and siracha sauce and brown rice.

 

[timeasterday]

Bibimbap...just about my favorite dish in the world...

Bibimbap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That is good stuff! Here in our area of metro Atlanta we have one of the largest Korean populations in the USA. In addition to bibimbap I love the galbi (grilled beef ribs) and all the various forms of spicy tofu soup. And it's great that we have a wide choice of Korean & Chinese supermarkets around here. My wife is Asian so we eat mostly Asian food at home. Now I'm comfortable eating foods that I would never have touched before I met her.

 

[veremchuka]

Maybe it's Tamarind sauce? It's a souring agent that's also used to make ketchup, Worcestershire and bbq sauces.

I think tamarind is used in Indian cuisine and I have never had any Indian food I didn't love except one thing. In one place their mango pickles smelled like Lestoil (the household cleaner) and they didn't taste very good either! So I thought I liked tamarind but I'm not sure what it tastes like.

Yep - Worcestershire sauce has anchovies, just like fish sauce.

That is correct but in a health food store I found a Worcestershire sauce without anchovies.

I like most Asian foods, at least the kind that you can find in restaurants in the U.S. Where I run into problems is with some of the more exotic (sea)foods. I don't like jellyfish (tastes like rubber bands), the whole octopus head in my soup just seemed gross so I passed on that, and dog wasn't really to my taste either.

According to Anthony Bourdain on one of his shows when he was somewhere in Asia he observed that a lot of the food contains gelatinous foods. While these are very popular in those cultures here in the US I can't think of a type of food less liked. I am sure I'd starve before I ate anything gelatinous. Jello maybe be considered gelatinous but that isn't what they have in Asian dishes. I seldom eat Jello but I have. I think it's made with horse hoofs or some animal product.

 

[NW-Bound]

I don't have any issues with fish sauce at all, we make this at home quite a bit. I was just trying to isolate what the OP finds offensive in pad thai. I'm wondering if you're really that sensitive to detecting it though, most recipes I've ever seen call for 2 Tbsp to 1/3 C of fish sauce in them. Unless they're intentionally trying to substitute removing it from the recipe.

I have not made Pad Thai, so do not know the recipe, but 1/3 cup of fish sauce? In a pad thai big enough to feed an entire village? Pure fish sauce is salty!

Now, I wonder if some people are turned off because too much fish sauce was used. As I mentioned, I was surprised to learn there's fish sauce in Worcesteshire sauce. It does not smell fishy at all, does it?

And then, someone else said his pad thai was too sweet. Not the pad thai that I have had, and as I mentioned, I do not like sweet in my savory food and do not use coconut in my curry. Well, my wife's curry actually, as she knows how to make it, and I don't.

 

[NYEXPAT]

Mr B has a 1-line joke he tells whenever he opens his fortune cookie.

"That wasn't chicken"

I always seem to get the one that say's "Don't give Head, when Tail will do"!

 

[audreyh1]

I think tamarind is used in Indian cuisine and I have never had any Indian food I didn't love except one thing. In one place their mango pickles smelled like Lestoil (the household cleaner) and they didn't taste very good either! So I thought I liked tamarind but I'm not sure what it tastes like.

The mango pickles often use mustard oil. I'm guessing that's what you're smelling/tasting.

Tamarind tastes pretty sweet and fruity with a good tanginess. Beyond that description you'll have to try some straight.

 

[NW-Bound]

According to Anthony Bourdain on one of his shows when he was somewhere in Asia he observed that a lot of the food contains gelatinous foods. While these are very popular in those cultures here in the US I can't think of a type of food less liked.

This does not apply to you as you are a vegetarian, but any type of broth or stock made with animal bones will turn gelatinous when cold. It's only a matter of degree of gelatin content.

I am one who likes to have real broth made with real bones for my soups. None of this bouillon cube, if I can help it. Real broth is also rich in mineral content. Good stuff! Of course my soup is served hot, so I would not know it is gelatinous.

See how this woman tests for gelatin content of her beef broth: Bone Broth: 12 Days Of Gelatin | Traditional Foods

 

[Dimsumkid]

I have not made Pad Thai, so do not know the recipe, but 1/3 cup of fish sauce? In a pad thai big enough to feed an entire village? Pure fish sauce is salty!

Now, I wonder if some people are turned off because too much fish sauce was used. As I mentioned, I was surprised to learn there's fish sauce in Worcesteshire sauce. It does not smell fishy at all, does it?

And then, someone else said his pad thai was too sweet. Not the pad thai that I have had, and as I mentioned, I do not like sweet in my savory food and do not use coconut in my curry. Well, my wife's curry actually, as she knows how to make it, and I don't.

Yea, I think 1/3 C is a lot too. I just did a quick search of pad thai recipes on the web (#3 in results - from sweetsavorylife.com and claims it only 2 servings!) to see how much the amount varied. That recipe uses 1/2 C palm sugar, reviewer thought it was good and comments stated you need a lot of sugar to counter balance the fish sauce. We use only 2 Tbsp of fish sauce in ours. As far as Worcestershire sauce, mine states anchovies (Lea & Perrins brand). I'd imagine it's not nearly as concentrated or salty as fish sauce. I can eat anchovies on a pizza or salads, but in moderation only. I've had it on a pizza twice in my life ordered by other people. We use anchovies in our spaghetti recipe and I have a hard time tasting anything fishy in it. In contrast, I can't handle tasting fish sauce more than 1-2 drops since it's so strong and salty.

 

[NW-Bound]

I have occasionally used anchovies in my cooking. I think anchovy, same as Oriental fish sauce, is used instead of salt to season a dish more than as a real ingredient. They are better than salt because they impart the savory or umami taste. Now, that taste can also be provided by MSG, which really occurs in natural food, and not bad if used in moderation. Better yet, if one can use real meat, real soup bones, then there's no need for MSG either.

I think the lack of the umami taste in vegetarian dishes is what makes them taste boring to a meat eater like myself. I get bored with vegetarian dishes quickly, no matter how good they taste to me at first bite.

And talk about MSG, I have had pho in some Vietnamese noodle shops that loaded their soup with MSG, and lots of it. Yuck! It had a bad after-taste and gave my wife and me a headache afterwards. Can one get MSG overdose or poisoning? There are pho shops that claim to use no MSG, so one needs to do a bit of research.

 

[bUU]

I think the lack of the umami taste in vegetarian dishes is what makes them taste boring to a meat eater like myself. I get bored with vegetarian dishes quickly, no matter how good they taste to me at first bite.

I think you need some new vegetarian chefs!

Umami is actually a made-up thing, a decision to call a sensation by a specific name. The specific stuff that generally "causes" umami are glutamates. MSG, which you mentioned, is a glutamate. The richest sources of natural glutamates are, unsurprisingly, meat, fish, and dairy. However, tomato and mushrooms are also great sources of natural glutamates. There are loads of vegetarian dishes that feature tomato and/or mushrooms (not to mention those that feature dairy). In addition, while not necessarily considered a natural source, seitan is a rich source of glutamates. We make some really rich dishes with seitan.