Cultivate Flavors

Cultivate Flavors

Friday, March 25, 2016

Shahi Tukray with Pistachio and Coconut Cream in 8 Steps


This blogpost is a fourth installment of the Chef Table's series.
To read about Chef Massimo Bottura's episode click on Butter Chicken's recipe.
To read about Chef Barber's episode click on Som Tum's recipe.
To read about Chef Francis Mallmann's episode click on T-Bone Steaks' recipe.

Episode 4: Niki Nakayama - n/naka in Los Angeles

Chef Niki Nakayama explains that when she is cooking, her mind is completely shut off, and she finds herself in a meditative state. Cooking gives her the freedom to be bold and expressive. Niki’s episode is the most unique in this series. Being the only woman featured in Chef's Table she discusses sexism. She had to overcome sexism not only in her Asian culture, but also in the male dominated restaurant business. She discusses being a woman she knew, in order to succeed in the culinary field, she had to work harder than everyone else.

Her story is also important because she is a Los Angeles chef. LA unlike any other North American city does not have a European core. LA neighborhoods are divided into Latin and Asian culinary regions. So having an Asian Chef succeed in LA, while staying true to the Asian tradition of cooking, is very telling of the influences one’s local region has on his or her cooking. In her restaurant, she follows the Japanese Kaiseki tradition which is very much about the cohesive flow between ingredients. Kaiseki is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner.

Cooking just like any other creative medium is an expression of ancestral and local influences. Children of immigrants, like yours truly, have the benefit of being exposed to the food of their parents, and the country of their birth. It is no wonder that so many second generation children grow up to be foodies.

Cooking for me sometimes is a pursuit of learning about the historical evolution of a dish. I have always found Shahi Tukray quite intriguing. Shahi Tukray is a South Asian dessert literally translated to Royal Pieces. The name of the dessert in itself is quite enigmatic. The word Shahi (royal) is Persian, and Tukray (pieces) is Urdu. The dessert is a South Asian variation of bread pudding, comprised of fried bread pieces soaked in saffron cream, and garnished with pistachios.

The origins of this dessert can be traced back to the Moghul Empire. The Moghul Dynasty ruled South Asia from circa 1526 to 1857. The dynasty was brought to an end by the British invasion in 1858. The Moghul rulers were originally from Persia, hence the part-Persian name of this dessert. In addition to the linguistic evidence, the inclusion of pistachios and saffron also indicate this dessert's Persian origins. Furthermore, the inclusion of bread indicates Shahi Tukray's European influence, which can be attributed to the two hundred year long British rule of South Asia.

As much as I was fascinated by the origins of this South Asian dessert, I have always found Shahi Tukray to be very one-dimensional. So, I wanted to come up with a recipe that was flavorful and paid homage to this dessert's Persian influences. That's why I decided to make a pistachio and coconut cream infused with rose water, cardamom, and saffron. The result is a regal dessert which lives up to its namesake.

Shahi Tukray with Pistachio & Coconut Cream
Shahi Tukray literally means Royal Pieces. So here I present to you the most literal regal dessert from South Asia. The recipe will be up on www.cultivateflavors.com on Friday.
Posted by Cultivate Flavors on Sunday, March 13, 2016

Thursday, March 10, 2016

T-Bone Steaks in 5 Steps


This blogpost is the continuation of the Chef Table's series. To read about Chef Massimo Bottura's episode click on Butter Chicken's recipe. To read about Chef Barber's episode click on Som Tum's recipe.

Episode 3: Francis Mallmann, Argentina

Francis Mallmann is a free spirit chef. Cooking for him is the pursuit of discovering new flavors, and an avenue for freedom. Cooking is a creative art form. He discusses the value of cooking on fire. Much like him, I also believe that food prepared using fire will always be superior to the one cooked on electric stove. Fire has an organic quality which cannot be replicated with electricity.

He also advises that when cooking meat, it's important to let the protein sit on a hot surface before turning it. This practice ensures that all of the juices and flavor remain intact.  The constant flipping and flopping prevents the meat from getting a nice sear.

And, that is exactly how you cook these amazing T-Bone Steaks. T-bone steaks are cut from the sirloin of a cow. They are quite large in size, and in my opinion, shaped like a heart. That's why I decided to make these steaks for my husband for Valentine's Day. T-bone steaks are one of the priciest cuts of meat. But, following the simple methods shown in the video below, you can easily make these steaks at home.

As much as I like to honor the protein I am working with, I do like to introduce as much flavor as  I possibly can into a recipe. The dry rub that I use here compliments the meat beautifully, without overpowering it. I usually eyeball the quantity of the spices, but I have given the rough estimations below. 

T-Bone Steaks
Every carnivore's ultimate dream - T-Bone SteaksRecipe going up on www.cultivateflavors.com on Sunday. Stay tuned!
Posted by Cultivate Flavors on Thursday, March 3, 2016