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

Sesame Bread with Green Onions in 12 Steps

British math prodigy Sufiah Yusof was one of the youngest students ever admitted to Oxford University at the age of 13. At 15, right after completing her third year finals, she went missing for two weeks. After being found, she never returned home, or went back to Oxford; instead she worked as an administrative assistant. She crumbled under parental pressure. Her father to sharpen her focus kept the house temperature cold. She was not allowed to have any social interactions, and was only to focus on math.

Child prodigies suffer from social and emotional anxiety. Adam Grant in his op-ed piece in the New York Times points out that child prodigies rarely become adult geniuses who change the world. They lack social and emotional skills to function in society and excel in professional world. The same can be said of child actors. With the exception of a few, we have seen examples of many child actors marred by drug abuse, and other destructive behavior.

Grant recommends instead of turning children to ambitious robots, it is important to place emphasis on moral values. It is essential for children to have focus, but they should not be in a horse race blindly running towards the finish line without any purpose; without garnering any life experiences. We are so caught up with the notion of getting "there" that once we arrive at the elusive "there", we realize that we are missing the intrinsic value behind our "success". The imaginary benchmarks that we set for our children normally lack moral values. Instead of training them to chase pavements, we should teach our children the moral value behind hard work, the love of the pursuit, and the benefits of making mistakes.

Sufiah Yusof was the basis of Nikia Lalwani's Booker Prize nominated debut novel Gifted. The protagonist Rumi is also a math prodigy. She becomes the vehicle to fulfill her father's unattainable dream of studying at Cambridge, because of financial constraints. Her father in turn shifts the focus on his daughter to fulfill his personal goal that he was not able to achieve. The world may believe that Rumi is a genius, but she feels that her brain is going to explode with the overload of numbers orbiting her mind. Numbers that anyone can memorize with enough time and imprisonment. She is so lonely that she starts anthropomorphizing numbers. 512 is friendly. 7 is lucky, cheeky, and cool; everything she is not.

The Asian diaspora, which I am also a product of, places a lot of importance on education. They believe higher education can deflect discrimination which they experienced when they first arrived in the New World. Education is seen as freedom, but that freedom is tied to family expectations. An A-minus is seen as a badge of shame. The important lesson here for parents is that you do not want your child to be a manifestation of your own lost dreams. Children's achievements should not be a reflection on your parenting abilities. Putting this much unbearable scrutiny on children will result in lack of confidence, and emotional anxiety.

So what can we do to raise children who are able to think outside of the box, and are not encroached by our dreams and aspirations?

Entrepreneur Cameron Herold in his TED Talk suggests that instead of simply handing out allowances to our children and assigning chores (which is essentially training them for a job), we should encourage our children to go around the house, and search for the projects they can do. This will not only foster their interests, but will also teach them the value of doing the work they love. This will also prepare them for pitching ideas, and negotiating the price for their work. He said, it is important to teach them financial responsibility and accountability at an early age.

As far as my three year old is concerned, I do not want her to be focused on achieving A's. It is important for me to teach her how to organize and process information, have confidence, and the ability to ask questions. Instead of squashing her questions, I like to take interest in her childhood curiosities and eccentricities. I do not want her to be a Borg, be part of the collective, and lose her individual identity. (I married a Trekkie).

So after this rather hefty food for thought, let's talk about the recipe at hand. You have probably already seen the video on my Facebook page. Sesame Bread with Green Onions, is a flatbread commonly available in Hakka Chinese restaurants in Southern California. The bread is actually cooked on the stove, instead of the oven. I like to glaze the bread with a teaspoon of soy sauce. I like how it slightly gets caramelized, and increases the flavor profile. Give this easy bread a try, and please let me know how you like it.

Sesame Bread with Green Onions
Sesame Bread with Green Onions.Full recipe coming soon.
Posted by Cultivate Flavors on Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Gluten-Free Banana Bread in 6 Steps

It's natural to be skeptic about gluten-free bread. The idea itself sounds rather oxymoronic. But, after the success I had with the chocolate coconut cupcakes, I wanted to make a healthier version of my favorite banana bread. This gluten free, and refined sugar and fat free recipe is so delicious that you do not miss the flour, or the butter. I love banana bread, and these healthy modifications allow me to have guilt free indulgence for breakfast. 

Posted by Cultivate Flavors on Sunday, October 18, 2015

Focaccia in 18 Steps

Focaccia is such a versatile flatbread. The dough recipe I am about to unveil here *drumroll please* is my well-tested recipe, adapted from a rosemary focaccia recipe I stumbled upon ages ago. I have incorporated my knowledge of yeast and their colonies acquired in first year biology class. Yeast colonies prosper in sugary and warm environment. And, salt kills the yeast, so it is always best to add the salt towards the end. 

I recommend that you use bread flour and gluten to make focaccia. As the presence of gluten would give the bread more spongy and airy texture. But, if you do not have bread flour you can substitute it with equal amounts of all purpose flour, which has less gluten. You won't be compromising on the flavor. It is just the lesser gluten content will result in a flatter bread. In that case, I recommend you use a quarter sheet (9 x 13 inches) pan, instead of a half sheet (18 x 13 inches) pan, which I am using here. All purpose flour is more elastic and you would find it difficult to stretch out into a half sheet pan. 

So let's get started.

Chicken Puff Pastry Braid in 10 Steps

When life gives you this delicious chicken qeema, you must use it as a filling to make chicken puff pastry braid. Fewer things are as universal as puff pastry. It could be both savory and sweet. The world owes a lot to the French geniuses who came up with it. Give this impressive looking and delicious recipe a try. 

Banana Bread in 12 Steps

I love reading the New York Times. So yesterday, on the first day of Ramadan, I was ecstatic to see that the Times had posted a collection of Ramadan recipes on their homepage. They even wrote a beautiful ode to dates,  "a unifying staple" for muslims all around the world, during the month of Ramadan. But, I found their collection of Ramadan recipes, rather offensive and stereotypical. Most of the recipes are of Middle Eastern origin. So just like not all Muslims are Arabs, not all Muslims eat/cook Middle Eastern food for suhoor (pre-dawn meal), and iftar (sundown meal). As a product of South Asian diaspora growing up in Canada, I loved my South Asian food as much as the delicacies of the mainstream culture. 

So here is a recipe of  banana bread I like to eat for Suhoor. It's filling, moist and extremely delicious. I use three large bananas to make sure that the bread stays true to its namesake. Since, bananas are naturally sweet, I put a quarter cup of sugar. This way the bread is not overtly sweet. After eating a slice of this bread you are not left with sugary heaviness, but banana goodness. Give this quick recipe a try. And, prove the well-intentioned folks of the New York Times wrong. Muslims eat all sorts of food. Please do not pigeonhole our palette. It's all for a serious cause, you guys :).

Roti Bread in 10 Steps

Roti bread is a staple in South Asian cuisine which goes with almost everything, including this yummy red lentil soup. I make the dough in my bread machine, but you can also knead it with hands. When the roti is cooking on the stove you will have to turn it twice to ensure that it cooks evenly.