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Asian Splendor
Go east with these culture-hopping Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese dishes
Deeply rooted in ancient Chinese medicinal and agrarian values, the life-sustaining qualities of the Asian diet are affirmed by the endurance of the largest continent's people. While Asian foods have many similarities, each region has ingredients that characterize its cuisine. These are defined by diverse cooking methods and use of specific proteins, vegetables, grains, exotic spices, and sauces. Think restorative pho soup and smoky charbroiled satay meats in Vietnam. Big, bold sauces and crisp stir-fries from China. Fresh fruits, hot peppers, and peanuts in Thailand. The common element? A cultivated sense of balance. Satisfy your yen for aromatic Asian cuisine with these savvy cooking tips and invigorating recipes from club chefs who demystify some of the regional differences.
VIETNAMESE PHO NOODLE SOUP WITH BEEF
Executive chef Stephen Pilon of Oak Pointe Country Club in Brighton, Mich., prepares this classic, hearty soup with beef in the winter months and lightens it up with fresh seafood in the spring and summer.
1/2 pound ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 medium white onions, cut in half
6 pounds oxtail bones
2 gallons-plus water
1 pound beef brisket, sliced thin
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
6 star anises
5 cloves
1-1/2 tablespoons salt
2 pounds dried rice noodles
1/2 pound flank, sirloin, rib-eye, or tenderloin, sliced thin table condiment platter (mint, cilantro, basil, lime, sprouts, onions, red chili garlic paste)
Place ginger and onions on sheet pan and broil in oven on high until lightly charred, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
Put oxtail bones in a large soup pot and cover with cold water. Boil for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse oxtail bones.
In a clean soup pot, add bones and 2 gallons of cold water. Bring to a boil again and adjust heat to a simmer. Skim soup scum from the surface. Add ginger, onion, beef brisket, fish sauce, dried spices, and salt. Simmer for 1 hour, then remove meat. Reserve and cool. Shred meat for finished soup. Simmer soup for 2 more hours. Remove bones. Cook rice noodles according to package directions and drain.
To serve, divide rice noodles, shredded cooked beef, and 1/2 pound raw beef in deep bowls. Cover noodles with broth. The hot broth will cook the raw meat. Season to individual taste with mint, cilantro, basil, lime, sprouts, onions, and red chili garlic paste.
Yield: 6 servings
Chef Secret: "Pho recipes look more difficult than they are. Most steps can be prepared in advance, like the condiment platter."
PAD THAI WITH TOFU, SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS, AND SPINACH
Frederic Reiser, executive chef of the Centre Club in Tampa, Fla., puts a twist on this classic full-flavored vegetarian dish by adding vitamin-rich mushrooms and spinach.
8 ounces thin rice stick Thai noodles, cooked and drained
1 package of tofu (14 ounces), extra firm
3 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons Asian chili bean paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
Pad Thai Sauce (recipe follows)
1 cup baby spinach, stems removed
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
3/4 cup toasted cashews, roughly chopped
Cook the noodles according to package directions and set aside. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes, and marinate with soy sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the marinated tofu and sear until all sides are golden brown. Transfer the tofu to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
In the same skillet, add the remaining oil and return to medium-high heat. Add the shiitake mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir in the Asian chili bean paste, garlic, shallots, and ginger, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add Pad Thai Sauce to taste and simmer for 1 minute. Add the spinach, scallions, and basil. Stir for 1 minute. Add the drained noodles and toss thoroughly.
To serve, place the noodles with sauce in bowls or on plates. Top with seared tofu cubes and cashews.
Yield: 6 servings
PAD THAI SAUCE
2 tablespoons tamarind paste
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons peanut oil
Soak tamarind paste in 3/4 cup boiling water for 10 minutes, and strain. Stir fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and peanut oil into tamarind liquid, and set aside.
Chef Secret: "The key to perfect Pad Thai is in the cooking of the noodles. They are cooked correctly when soft but still deliciously chewy and a bit sticky."
HOISIN GRILLED ATLANTIC SALMON
Executive chef Stuart Barraclough of Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas shares his simple yet sublime Chinese-style recipe for grilled salmon brightened with a juicy fruit relish.
6 salmon steaks or filets (8 ounces each)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup plum sauce
Mango Pineapple Relish (recipe follows)
jasmine rice
Season the salmon with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the hoisin and plum sauces and brush on both sides of the salmon.
Prepare grill with nonstick spray. Heat the grill on medium-high and cook the salmon for about 2 minutes per side. Move the salmon to indirect heat and cover for 3 more minutes. Remove salmon and serve immediately, topped with Mango Pineapple Relish. If desired, serve with jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions.
Yield: 6 servings
MANGO PINEAPPLE RELISH
4 medium ripe fresh mangoes, peeled and chopped
4 cups fresh pineapple, peeled and chopped
1 small mild jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soybean oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Combine all ingredients. Marinate at room temperature for an hour or refrigerate overnight.
Chef Secret: "Use traditional Chinese hoisin and plum sauces to add thick consistency, intense flavor, and the yin and yang
of fruity-sweet and salty-spice to your sauces."
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