sheylafethurva - Tumblr blog

sheylafethurva · 4 years

Text

The soup challenge

Diets, how many kinds do you know? How many have you tried? If so, how many challenges have you faced?

When it comes to diets, many, many questions come to our minds, but the reality is that that is not an absolute truth about it.

When choosing a diet, it is essential to think about some factors. What is your objective? What changes will you have to make in your routine? Can you keep those new eating habits?

I decided to adhere a diet called Soup Diet or Cabbage soup diet.

I heard about this diet years ago, back home, and recently I saw it again at a website I enjoy visiting from time to time - https://divascancook.com/

I decided then to give it a try.

It sounds challenging, and it is indeed.

This diet is very restrictive, but it claims to help you detox your system, also helping you to put some extra pounds off.

The challenge relies on the fact that you won't consume any gluten, eggs and added sugar.

The idea is not to change your eating habits, but give one week to your body to go enter on a cleansing mode.

The calorie ingestion is low, and the ingredients are restricted. You should eat cabbage soup every day, and well, it can be difficult.

I decided to give it a try and, as a chef, use my creativity to make this "sad" diet a little less boring.

The diet pattern is:

retrieved from:https://divascancook.com/wonder-soup-recipe-weight-loss-soup-7-day-diet-cabbage-soup/

As you can see, the diet plan is very straightforward. My goal was to follow it accordingly, changing some details to make the meals more pleasant and appealing.

To start this diet, the first step is to make the Cabbage soup, also called the wonder soup.

I took the recipe from https://divascancook.com/

Here it is:

Wonder Soup

Ingredients

1/2 head of Cabbage chopped

1 cup celery diced

1 cup white or yellow onion diced

1 cup carrots diced

1 green bell pepper diced

2-3 cloves garlic minced

4 cups chicken broth

14 oz can basil oregano, garlic diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

few shakes of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt optional

Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add celery, onions, bell peppers, and carrots.

Saute until slightly tender.

Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant.

Pour in chicken broth.

Stir in tomatoes and Cabbage.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.

Cook until Cabbage is tender.

Stir in oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt (if using)

Taste broth and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve and enjoy!

For my soup, I made some small but relevant modifications.

Starting by the cabbage, the star of the dish.

I decided to roast it with curry powder, cumin and smoked paprika. The intention os to add complexity and depth of flavour to a soup that would be my lunch and dinner for the next week

It worked very well. The Cabbage came out of the oven, releasing a smoky and delicious aroma, that aggregated a great flavour to the soup.

Silva, S.(photographer). Downtown, Toronto, ON.

I also added cremini and king oyster mushrooms in order to add texture and umami flavour.

Once you have your soup ready, i’s time to start.

Below is the resume of my first three days:

Day 1

During this day, we are supposed to have only fruits (except bananas) and soup.

I didn't include any prohibited ingredients, just changed the way they were presented.

Breakfast

I started my day with warmed apples and pears, seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg.

The fruit's warm temperature, soft texture, and spicy fragrance made this meal much more pleasant and comforting.

I also had a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

Silva, S.(photographer). Downtown, Toronto, ON.

Lunch

For lunch I had a big bowl of soup.

Silva, S.(photographer). Downtown, Toronto, ON.

Snack

My snack was a big bowl of fruit salad and topped with sugar-free rustic red berries coulis.

The fruits I chose were:

Cantaloupe, orange, fresh strawberries and blueberries.

Silva, S.(photographer). Downtown, Toronto, ON.

The sugar-free coulis is very easy to make and can work very well with yogurt, cakes, ice cream.

Here is the recipe:

Sugar- free red berries coulis

1 cup of frozen red berries ( cherries, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries)

3 tbsps powdered stevia/erythritol

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 pinch of salt

Method

- In a pot add the powdered stevia/ erithritol and melt it in medium heat

- Once they are melted, add the fruits, vanilla and salt

-Let them cook for about 20 minutes in low heat

- If you want it to be rustic, let them cool down and use it as you please

- If you want it more fluid and smoothe, blend it once it is coll and strain it.

- Keep it in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Dinner

For dinner I had another big bowl of soup (same as lunch) and a bowl of mangoes with mint.Very simple but delicious and fresh.

Silva, S.(photographer). Downtown, Toronto, ON.

Day 2

Breakfast

Day two is supposed to start with a baked potato. I decided to make a potato patty instead. I didn't add any cheese or other ingredients because it would modify a lot, however, it made my breakfast a bit fancier.

Silva, S.(photographer). Downtown, Toronto, ON.

For the potato patties here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 boiled potato

Half onion

Half red bell pepper

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method:

Start by boiled the potato until it is very soft

Sweat the onions and red bell pepper with a little olive oil. salt and pepper.

Once the potato is soft, smash it with a fork until it becomes a puree.

Add the onions and red bell pepper and season it with salt and pepper.

Use your hand to shape the potato mixture into small patties. The size is up to you.

On a pan, drizzle some olive oil and brown the patties in both sides. About 5 minutes, 2.5 minutes each side.

Lunch

For lunch I had a big bowl of soup

Snack

Carrot chips.

I just sliced them really thin, put a bit of salt and baked for 30 min (200 F).

Silva, S.(photographer). Downtown, Toronto, ON.

Dinner

Since it was the vegetable day, I had a big bowl of soup and I made a coulifower “rice”, together with baked heart of palms, arparagus and a tomato, mango and mint salad.

Silva, S.(photographer). Downtown, Toronto, ON.

The couliflower “rice is a very good low-carb option for a light and guity free meal.

Here is the recipe:

Couliflowe “rice”

1 couliflower

1tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1/2 onion

1/2 yellow bell pepper

Smoked paprika

Lemon juice

1 1/2 cup chicken stock

Parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Clean the couliflower and process it in a food processor or blender. The idea is to minced it so it looks like rice grains.

Cut the onions and yellow bell pepper bruinoise

Chop the parsley

In a pot drizzle the olive oil

Sweat the onion and add the garlic

Add the yellow bell pepper and cook it for about 2 min

Add the cauliflower and blend all the ingredients well and season them with salt and papper

Add the paprika and lemon juice, mix well

Pour the chicken stock and let it be all absorbed by the “rice”.

When there’s no more liquid, your couliflower rice is ready.

Garnish it with parsley and enjoy.

Day 3

Breakfast

A bowl of apples with a whey protein sauce and cinnamom.

I cheated a bit with this whey protein sauce, but I was missing some kind of protein.

It is a good way to complement your fruit salad or cut fruit of your preference. You just need blend together 1 scoop of whey vanilla whey protein, and 1/2 scoop of water. Mix them together and use it as a sauce.

Silva, S.(photographer). Downtown, Toronto, ON.

Lunch

For lunch I had a big bowl of soup.

Dinner

For dinner I had a big bowl of soup and salad. My salad had mangoes and raspberries, since it was the veggie/ fruit day

Silva, S.(photographer). Downtown, Toronto, ON.

Day 4, 5, 6 and 7 I followed the guide without any alterations. I wanted to see how challenging it would be.

My Experience

This was a tough week.

Although I love soup, fruits, vegetables and chicken, this diet is to restrict for me to say that I liked it.

The first day was really good, actually, because I felt lighter, and I really didn’t feel hungry or anything.

The second day was harder but manageable.

From the 3 day on, I felt much hungrier than usual and craving for something more substantial.

What I realized is that those strict diets shouldn’t last long.

If you want to lose some weight fast for a special occasion or feel the need to do a detox, go for it. But now, more than ever, I realize the importance of balance.

Having the same soup for lunch and dinner for 7 days is not ideal.

Balance is everything, and it needs to be the guide for any diet we want to try.

Advice

My advice for the ones who want to try the soup diet is: increment your fruits/ veggies.

Try different cooking methods, pay attention to the presentation and vary them as much as you can.

Since you are eating mostly fruits and veggies for 7 days, try to incorporate different flavours, textures and temperatures. It is really important if you want to keep on track.

Also, don’t follow this diet for more than 7 days.

After one week, try no to eat super heavy meals. Reincorporate grains, dairy and proteins gradually.

You will lose some weight, so keep eating healthy if you want to keep the results.

Don’t forget to drink lots of water.

I don’t recommend this diet to people who do lots of exercises or the ones who have a stressful routine; the reduced amount of calories ingested can be insufficient for this kind of people, leading them to feel super tired, so their performance can be affected.

Would I continue with my choice?

Since this diet is not supposed to be followed as a lifestyle, I definitely wouldn’t keep following it.

However, whenever I feel I need a little detox, I may recur to it again.

More than ever, I see the importance of good food in our lives. Eating well, with pleasure, it’s groundbreaking.

I’m sure I am in the right industry because providing people with good food is really special.

0 notes

sheylafethurva · 4 years

Text

Gourdgeous

Vegetables, I can't say how much I love to cook them and eat them as much as I can. I've tried so many kinds of potatoes, leaves, roots, stems; you name it. Veggies are and always will be part of my diet no matter what. One thing that fascinates me about food, in general, is that there will always be something new to try. So when it comes to veggies, there are uncountable unknown ones out there, so there is always room for discoveries, therefore new recipes. I didn't have to walk miles and miles to find a brand new vegetable waiting for me to pick it up and start the fantastic journey of tasting something new. Or better them that, creating a dish with an ingredient I have never tried before. God knows how much I appreciate the feeling of not knowing what to expect from an ingredient.

This new vegetable I’m taking about is the Long Squash.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Have you ever heard of that? Well, I had not.

I was unpretentiously looking for some okra at a local Market near my house when my eyes went straight to this sort of zucchini? Different chayote? I definitely didn't know what vegetable it was. I just thought that it could be related to the pumpkin/squash family, but only because of its name.

I wasn't wrong; long squashes are part of the Curcubitaceae family or gourd family, which includes cucumbers, gourds, melons, squashes and pumpkins (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2017). Also known as Opo squash, it belongs to a subgroup of species called Calabash. These squashes have been planted and consumed for ages, coming primarily from Africa. Over the years, human migration was responsible for the dissemination of this veggie. It is called by many names, that vary depending on where it was cultivated. In China, where it is widely used, the name used is Opo. In the Philipines, Upo, in Korea, Bak and in Japan Yugao. Like any other calabash squashes, the Opo grows during long warm seasons and they need some any kind of support (trellis), so they have enough space to grow vertically, off the ground, preferably with air circulation so they can grow long and straight ( Opo Squash, (n.d.). Retrieved May 26, 2020, from https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Opo_Squash_396.php) The names and region related are not a coincidence; these squashes are more commonly used in Asian countries. They are normally cooked, and used in curries, stews and soups.

Since I had never tasted it and cooked it, I decided to play safe. Since I love curries and squashes, why not make a curry, or even better, make a green curry, my favourite. I chose to roast the squash first, so its flavours could be enhanced with a smokiness touch. Let’s jump to the recipe of my version of Thai Long Squash green curry, where the squash is the star.

Thai Roasted Long Squash Green Curry

Serves 2

Roasted Squash

Ingredients:

1 medium Long Squash ( aproxm. 500g)

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F (200 degrees C) for about 10- 15 min

2. Wash the long squash, cut it lenghtwise and remove the seeds.

3. Cut it in medium dice

4. Toss the dices into a bowl with the olive oil and season them with the Paprika, salt and pepper.

5.Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and set the squash dices all over

6. Season it with the smoked Paprika, salt and pepper

7. Bake it for about 25 min or until it’s cooked and ligthly coloured.

The Curry

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 Roasted Long Squash

1 Tsp canola or avocado oil

4 tbsp green curry paste

1 small onion cut julienne

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp grated gallangal

1 tsp lemongrass cut brunoise

1 tbsp palm sugar

1 small red bell pepper cut julienne

1 tsp fish sauce

Half a can of lychees

1 can coconut oil

2 Kaffir leaves

Method

1. Place the oil into the pan together with the green curry paste and let it cook for about 2 min in medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sweat them.

2. Add the ginger, galangal, lemongrass and palm sugar. Let them release the fragrances and cook for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the red bell pepper, fish sauce and the lychees. Blend them well.

4. Add the can of cocunut, together with the kaffir leaves.

5. Let them curry cook for about 20 min in medium temp.

6. Serve with steamed jasmine rice

The results

How interesting is to think of a recipe using as the main element an ingredient you’ve never tasted before.

I thought of curry, because, as I said before, it was a safe choice. If this squash had a strong taste, it could blend with the other strong flavours in the curry, but if it had a mild taste, it could also work well and add texture to this veggie dish.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Just looking at it, I had the impression its taste would be similar to Zucchini. When I started to peel it, I could feel a subtle sap coming from the peel itself - similar to chayote, but much less intense.

I wouldn’t say that an aroma comes from it, but at the moment the knife cut its flesh, I could notice some sort of freshness in the air.

In terms of taste, I wanted to compare the taste of it raw and after being cooked, in that case, roasted. I was suprised because it has a very, very mild taste, but at the same time, that is some sort of astringency in its mouthfeel that makes this squash very different than the other I had tasted.

I wouldn’t say it has a remarkable taste of anything, but this characteristic can be very positive if we think about versatility.

If you like Zucchini, you’ll love long squash, and it can work as a substitute.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Its taste after being roasted is surprisingly good, slightly sweet and, obviously adorably smoked.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

As for the curry, I would say it was a great choice. It worked very well as a meat substitute. It’s texture enriched the curry’s body and the smokiness coming from the roast added complexity and a touch of bitterness, just in the right amount.

Well, there’s a fun about the tasting. By the time I finished the curry, my husband and I were so hungry and so curious that we started eating at the moment it got ready. The thing is, I forgot to take a picture of the plated dish. Oh my God! When I realised that, I had already finished my plate and my husband was eating for the second time.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Sorry, not the best picture!

What can I say? It was a huge success. So I invite you to make it and taste it for yourself - and take a picture ;)

I will definitely use long squash in other recipes, I’m sure there are many other great dishes on the way.

0 notes

sheylafethurva · 5 years

Text

The creation

I felt inspired after this visit to the Ethiopian/ Eritrean restaurant, and for some time I wanted to create a dish that could work as a translation of this experience.

I decided that my dish would incorporate all the elements that captivated me the most.

The first element was the bread, injera. It would be great trying to make it ( and I will make it one day, I hope), but I didn’t know where to start looking for the Teff flour. It should be something more accessible but carrying similar characteristics: unique appearance and texture, delicate taste, and should be eaten by hands.

My job was to think about a kind of bread that could carry those specific features.

How about Bao? I’d never made it or eaten it, I’ve just seen it in some trendy foody Instagrams and Pinterest.

Bao Buns

Retrieved from: https://seonkyounglongest.com/bao-buns/

I started my researches and easily decided to go for it. As the injera, Bao is also an ancient bread but originated in Northern China. It’s meant to be served with stewed meat (usually pork belly), and it’s made of the abundant ingredient in the region: Wheat.

The pork belly wasn’t going to be an option since what I really wanted was to transport myself(and my husband) to that day when we tasted the African dish for the first time.

It had to be lamb. I’m not very much into lamb meat, so it would be a challenge. In my head, it would make sense to make it very soft and fragrant, melting in the mouth, and preferably gamey smell/taste-free.

To wrap all up, I should use Berbere. My newest spice blend discovery had to compose the dish as a powerful sauce. The berbere had to stand out and the sauce had to build up the flavour of the lamb and bread altogether.

I decided to go with mayonnaise. It seemed to be a good choice.

Fortunately, I found the berbere blend at an AMAZING store called The Spice Trade & The Oliver Pit *.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

With all the decisions made let’s go to the recipe:

BAO

I could just imagine how this bread should taste. I knew it wouldn’t be like the Chinese dumplings I’ve had so many times.

I wouldn’t risk creating my own recipe for such traditional delicacy. So I started looking and comparing recipes to see if they all had the same ingredients and method.

The winner was the recipe from: https://seonkyounglongest.com/bao-buns/.

The recipe/ method is thorough and worked perfectly.

I didn’t have some of the tools like the rolling pin or the steamer baskets, but it all worked with pinches of improvisation.

If you want to make all the elements of my dish, just click on the link above and follow the steps.

My pictures are the proof it works, even if, like me, it is your first time making it.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

My rolling pin was a glass and it also worked as a molding cutter.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

My steamer was made with a large pot, a perforated pizza pan, parchment paper, a microwave cover and a kitchen cloth.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Parchment paper

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Improvised steamer

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

The secret is to follow ALL the steps carefully.

The results are incredible, but I’ll talk about them later on.

Lamb filling:

My references for lamb are based on Middle Eastern cuisine, so I decided to use ingredients that are common in this particular cuisine to build the flavours in a logical manner.

Ingredients:

Serves: 10 entrée sized baos

Equipment needed: Pressure cooker

500 g lamb shoulder cut into pieces

1/2 red onion julienne

3 garlic cloves roughly minced

1/4 cup red cooking wine

1 tsp Paprika

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 star anise

Olive oil to taste (searing)

Method:

Season the lamb with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and paprika.

Sprinkle the garlic and place the star anise in a place it is going to be in contact with the wine.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Pour the wine, cover the container and leave it in the fridge overnight so the meat will capture all the flavours.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

The next day, in a pressure cooker, pour enough olive oil on its bottom and heat it. When hot, add the lamb and sear it until it reaches the desired brown colour.

Add the remaining marinade liquid and cover it.

Leave it under pressure for about 35 min in medium heat ( I used an instant pot so I can’t really control the temperature)

When the time is up, release the pressure carefully, open the pot and see if the meat is soft to the point you can shred it easily with a fork.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Collect the pieces of meat reserve the remaining liquid (for future purposes you can freeze it, as I did) and shred the meat with a fork on a plate.

* In the picture above I had just started to shred the meat. It was very soft, not requiring much effort.

Add the shredded lamb to a frying pan, heat it so it can reach a shining brown aspect.

Reserve it.

Mayonnaise

(For a approx. 3/4 cup of berbere flavoured mayo)

This berbere flavoured mayo should be the star of the dish, as it was the star of the red lentils dish.

I wanted to put together all the elements I could taste when I tried Berbere for the first time.

I had to be robust, sweet, spicy and citric at the same time.

Most of the Ethiopian/ Eritrean dishes had garlic so I decided to incorporate some roasted garlic to it as well.

To make the roasted garlic, you just have to wrap them in foil, sprinkle some salt and pour a little bit of olive oil and bake them (180 C) for approximately 25-30 min.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

When the time is up, remove them from the oven and smash them turning them into a purée.

Ingredients:

1 egg yolk

1/3 cup canola with avocado oil

1/2 tsp berbere blend

1/2 tsp lime juice

1/4 tsp honey dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves (roasted)

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat the berbere in a frying pan so it can release its aroma

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Add a little bit of the oil and let it cool down

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Once the flavoured oil is chilled add the rest of it to the whole amount of oil.

Place the egg yolk in a deep container (the mixture will incorporate air and double its size)

Start adding the oil little by little, until you realize it’s emulsifying.

You can use a hand mixer or even a blender. I honestly don’t like using my blender for mayonnaise and my stand mixer’s bowl was being used (the bao dough was growing there) so I used a milk frother at the beginning and it worked. When it became thicker I used a regular whisk.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Once you finish adding all the oil, keep whisking it and add the lime juice, the mustard, and the roasted garlic.

When it’s thick and all the ingredients are well blended add the salt and pepper.

Voilá!

Now you have all the components of the dish ready.

It’s time to assemble the Baos.

As the Ethiopians/ Eritreans, we also should use our hands to eat and assemble the bites. There’s no right order or amount, do it as you please.

Place them (baos) on a plate while still warm.

In separate bowls serve the shredded lamb, mayonnaise, iceberg lettuce julienne, and carrot julliene. You can add any other vegetable of your choice.

I used lettuce and carrots because they were also present in the African dish.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Open the baos, fill them with the toppings in any other you want.

Silva S. (photographer).2020 Downtown, ON.

Enjoy them with a very good company and beverage ( I strongly recommend a very cold IPA beer).

The final result

The results were very positive. How wonderful it is to see an idea materialized.

My first baos seemed accurate. When I opened the “steamer” my house was involved in fresh baked bread smell, even though it was just steamed.

Inside it was fully cooked, and its texture was similar to a pillow, fluffy and soft to the touch.

In the mouth, it was light, delicate, slightly sweet and positively yeasty.

The filling was super fragrant. The gamey smell that I tried so much to avoid was replaced by a sweet and garlicky mouth-watering perfume.

The berbere mayonnaise wasn’t the thickest one, but it was creamy and ideally fluid. Its taste was pungent, sweet, spicy and savory, all at once.

The lamb and mayo were complemented by similarities, carrying their several layers of flavour. The contrast occurred when those powerful elements were wrapped by the velvety sweet bao. Since the Ethiopian/Eritrean plate had a fresh lettuce and carrot salad in the middle, I also decided to add those two ingredients to the bao. They incremented it with freshness and crunchiness that were missing.

That’s my interpretation of the African plate that has taught me an inspired in so many ways.

Those baos are very different from the plate we tasted in that restaurant, but in their essence, they carry all the important elements from the Ethiopian/ Eritrean plate, together with the influence of other diverse cuisines.

My husband is always a crucial part of my gastronomic journeys, and since he was with me at the African restaurant, and also tasted the Bao recipe, I asked him to write a short review about it.

Here it is:

“When my wife gave me a little taste of that steamed bread, I knew we would be in for a real treat that night. We sat down at the table and the presentation of the food was rather simple. No frills. The quality was something else though. It was Bao breads with Berbere mayo, lamb and a lettuce leaves and sliced carrots to be used as desired in what resembled some kind of sandwich. I didn't know Bao breads were called that, but I did try this before. I think it goes way back to my childhood, when my parents took me to Chinese restaurants. But I only ever had them plain. It was the first time I tried them as a sandwich. The Berbere spice, on the other hand, was a recent discovery from one of our forays into Ethiopian cuisine. It felt unique the very first time I tried it. Never had experienced that flavour before. So, the experience of this Bao sandwich was reminiscent of a journey to the East. More precisely, from Africa to China. The mayo had a lovely consistency and felt rich in flavour. The Berbere spice was a bit more discrete in that mix and I wouldn't mind if it was a tad more spicy. The shredded lamb was soft, cooked to perfection and tasted delicious. And finally, the Bao steamed bread felt very authentic, just like I remembered. I had a great time and couldn't have enough. Overall, the experience had a touch of African, Chinese and perhaps Middle Eastern - the lamb might have something to do with it, but also the fact that it was food that we eat with our hands. But most importantly, apart from the nods to different cuisines, it felt like it was food that was reimagined and presented as something new on its own. It could definitely find its way into the menu of a western restaurant as an entrée”.

This recipe is full of love and meaning. I hope you could try it and tell me what you think. You could also reinvent it, add your touch to it, after all, that’s what cooking is all about, right?

* The Spice Trade & The Oliver Pit:

877 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1G3

0 notes

sheylafethurva · 5 years

Text

Ber...wait for it...bere

In this post, we are going to keep exploring the unknown. As Thai food once was new to me, and today is one of my favourites, I keep searching for unexplored flavours as a way to develop my tasting perceptions, upgrade my repertoire as a gourmande and maybe discover a new favourite dish. Below you’ll see that I did try a new cuisine recently. Do I have a new favourite dish? Well, let’s discover.

Silva, S. (photographer). (2019).Toronto, ON

love walking in the streets. I’m always looking at the stores and especially to restaurants. Have you ever tried to make a list of all the restaurants you want to visit? I have one, and I’ll tell you, it keeps getting longer and longer. One of the restaurants I crossed from my list was African Palace*.

Ethiopian /Eritrean Restaurant?

I HAD to go.

My husband didn’t hesitate one second when I suggested for us to go there. We were starving, and as the proverb says “hunger is the best spice,” nothing could go wrong.

Silva, S. (photographer). (2019).Toronto, ON

The restaurant is super simple and looks authentic.

I’ve never been to Ethiopia or Eritrea, but I didn’t feel that I was in Toronto either.

The smell of the place, to begin with, was not familiar at all. I could relate it to something close to the earthy vibe that comes from cumin together with a citrussy cardamon/ginger sort of breeze, but the truth is that it wasn’t in my range of known smells.

Since we didn’t have any reference for this particular cuisine, we decided to order a plate, which was composed of small portions of ” main dishes.” First cultural divergence: no silverware. Yes, we're supposed to eat with our hands (not entirely new for me because I had already eaten this way in a Maroccan restaurant). My husband was a bit surprised =O As appetizers, we ordered samosas. Yes, a safe choice. But the main dish was going to be a surprise. While we’re waiting, I caught myself looking at the tables beside us. All of them had a sort of beige napkin folded on a plate. I thought to myself, “those napkins look dirty. I’m not using them”. We ordered some beers, and soon the samosas came (6 und). Super hot, crunchy, and spicy, the way it should be. They were filled with vegetables (potato carrots, peas, onions, and garlic), and as a dip, they brought us a very fresh sauce, probably made of cilantro, lime juice, and pepper. It was delicious, but nothing new. Delicious samosas served to two starving people: undeniable success. We were still carefully tasting the samosas when our plate came. It was a big tray covered with what seemed to be a french Galette (made of buckwheat), and onto it was the selection of 8 main dishes- in small portions-, and a little fresh salad in the middle. On a separate plate, they gave us the “beige napkin.” Well, it wasn’t a napkin, after all, it was, in fact, their flatbread, called Injera. That was my first mind-blowing moment.

Silva, S. (photographer). (2019).Toronto, ON

Later, I found that this injera bread is made of Teff ; an ancient grain from Ethiopia and Eritrea, widely used in both cuisines. Totally new to me in all senses. It’s beige- soiled like colour is not quite appealing, not mentioning its unique texture and smell.

Peter Cassidy / courtesy Kyle Cathie. “ Traditional injera from Ethiopia “

Retrieved from:

https://nationalpost.com/life/food/cook-this-traditional-injera-teff-sourdough-flatbread-from-ethiopia

The first chock was related to its temperature; it was COLD. The appearance/ consistency was very similar to a crêpe, but a bit thicker. It also wasn’t completely dry; the sensation was the same as touching a slightly humid cloth. It also seems like a cloth/napkin, so in terms of visual appreciation, it’s a challenge to our sigh sense.

As I said, the only tools available to eat are our hands and the injera. This bread is supposed to help you eat since it absorbs the moisture and works as little bundles for you to fill with the variety of meat and legumes on the tray.

Carlos Thurler by Silva, S. (photographer). (2019).Toronto, ON

First, I wanted to taste the plain injera because I thought it could be similar to the buckwheat crêpe.

I was WRONG.

It’s nothing like it. It is light, and it has that tangy characteristic present in fermented foods. Later, while researching about it, I discovered the Injera dough must ferment for at least four days, so the harsh smell that emanated from it comes from this process. In terms of taste, it is quite neutral; however, you can perceive the earthy presence of the teff, together with the specific acidity from the fermentation, all composing a spongy, ultrasoft, cold dough that claims for a complement.

Obviously, it is the intention; this flat bread is not meant to be eaten plain. It’s neutral taste, and spongy consistency is the perfect choice to go with such robust flavoured and succulent main dishes.

Silva, S. (photographer). (2019).Toronto, ON

Ours were: Yemisir Wot (red lentils with berbere sauce), Gomen Wot (Spinach and carrot with onion, garlic, and ginger), Tikil Gomen ( Cabbage and carrot in a mild turmeric sauce), Yekik Alicha (Yellow split peas with onion, garlic, and turmeric), Azifa (green lentils with onion, garlic, cumin, and turmeric) Silsi (Tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a berbere sauce), Beef Tibs (with onion, tomato, and peppers), Ye-Beg Alicha (bone-in and carrot in turmeric)

To be honest, I didn’t look at the plate’s description when ordered; I didn’t want any spoilers. As I mentioned before, the first very unique surprise was the injera itself, which is so very eccentric in all senses. So, to start my exclusive tasting, after trying my bread plain, I torn another piece of it and started filling it with the lamb, which resembled a very thick stew. The taste wasn’t different as well, but it was sweeter to some extend, and it had a gamey smell and taste that wasn’t disguised by the fair amount of turmeric. The high point of this dish was the softness of the meat that easily melted as soon as we started chewing. The next bite was the red lentils. I had never tried red lentils before, so I was curious. As usual, I smelled it before putting in my mouth, and I couldn’t identify it’s fragrance. It wasn’t something I knew, so I had to eat it. the Second mind-blowing moment, I couldn’t recognize it’s taste. The lentils tasted nuttier than regular lentils, but there was something else. It was spicy and citric with a pinch of sweetness sort of seasoning that I couldn’t relate. I remember thinking it could be cardamon or even ginger, but it was something between them or even more to it.

After trying those lentils I couldn’t focus on anything else. It’s so rare to taste something COMPLETLY knew, out of our range of flavours that I was intrigued. I had to discover what it was. I kept trying all the other dishes, and all of them were well seasoned; in most of them, we could identify the sweet taste of caramelized onions, complemented with the powerful taste of garlic, turmeric, and ginger. Texture-wise they were all very soft; there weren’t any contrasts. They all blended in a single smooth bite. By the time we finished eating, the only thing I wanted was to know what was in those lentils. The menu wasn’t with us anymore, so I couldn’t look at it. I thought I could ask the waitress, but she was really busy, and when we paid the bill there was no time for interaction. I had to discover it on my own.

What I thought was going to be difficult was as simple as it could be.

I just had to google “Ethiopian/Eritrean” spice, and the answer was right in front of me: BERBERE. When I read the description, it was exactly what I could taste, and I couldn’t identify that taste because there are very specific spices that I had not tried or even heard about it before. Also, I discovered that berbere is like a curry, each family, restaurant, or region have their own. The amount of spices normally varies from 12 to 25, according to preferences and regions. It’s difficult to find a standard recipe, but most of them include ginger, garlic,chili peppers, cardamom, fenugreek, all spice, nutmeg, paprika, korarima, and ajwain. The completely unknown taste, and fragrance probably comes from the korarima and ajwain. The korarima is also known as “Ethiopian cardamon,” so I could understand why those lentils were so sweet and fresh at the same time.

Castleman, Joe (Gyrofrog). “Whole Kororima ”. Own work, copyleft, 2010.

If I had to compare it with a regular cardamon, I would say that the korarima added much more freshness than sweetness to the lentils. The most perfect complement, I suppose it’s the ajwain.

TRACHYSPERMUM AMMI: Ancient Unani medicine for modern cure, A review of potential therapeutic applications - Scientific Figure on ResearchGate. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Ajwain-Plant-flowering-top-seeds_fig1_329521413 [accessed 6 Mar, 2020]

Those fruits (yes fruits, not seeds) are dried and roasted, and they are part of the same “family” (Trachyspermum ammi) as the cumin, caraway, dill, so they also complemented the dish, adding pleasant minty/ sweetish notes.

About the experience

The whole experience at this restaurant was a blessing. What is a regular Ethiopian/ Eritrean meal was a memorable night for my husband and me. All of our senses were explored from the time we entered that place to the moment we stepped out of it. The cozy ambient, the animated music, transported us to a place we have never been before. That plate to be shared, eaten with our hands, made me think about how a meal can unite us. The eccentric injera, with its unappealing colour, unexpected temperature, and unforeseen texture, establishes itself as a pillar of the Ethiopian/ Eritrean cuisine, being not only their primary carbohydrate source but also an indispensable kitchen “utensil.” The Berbere was a unique discovery. Its taste is so peculiar, full of not relatable flavours that transformed simple lentils into an exploration. I definitely need to try injera again to evaluate it in terms of taste. I was in love with its concept but not captivated with its mouth-feel. In my next post, you will see how this experience inspired me to create a delicious treat.

* African Palace: 977 Bloor St W, Toronto.

0 notes

sheylafethurva · 5 years

Text

SOUPer

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE soup.

It doesn’t matter if the weather is cold, warm, raining or not, soup is comforting and nourishing.

I want to share with you my personal favourite.

Hope you can treat yourself making it someday ;)

The history behind my choice

In 2005 I had Thai food for the first time. I was living in Seattle with a cousin, and he took me to have a Pad Thai because he loves it and wanted me to taste it. At first, I didn't enjoy it. He was so excited to present me this peculiar cuisine and I really wanted to enjoy it as much as he did. But the truth is that I hated it. I remember saying that it was all minty (don’t ask me why) and I felt like drinking perfume. Oh, if I could talk to “past Sheyla”. If I could tell her to enjoy that Pad Thai because it was from a super authentic restaurant and I’m sure it was divine.

Fourteen years have passed, and now I realize how my taste was primitive by that time. But, Its fascinating to see that our ability to taste, appreciate and recognize flavours is like a muscle. You need training and workout, otherwise, you don’t see any progress. I’m still a work in progress, always looking for an unknown spice, fruit or exotic protein, all to be able to identify as many ingredients as possible and continue to develop my palate.

As a Brazilian, I grew up eating good but very mild food. Brazilians don't actually have the habit of adding herbs or spices to their food. Most of the Brazilian recipes only require salt, pepper, and garlic as seasoning. Most of the dishes are very flat in flavor either sweet or salty; no nuances, no complexity, it’s all pretty straight forward. Of course, some regions explore more of herbs, spices, and plant extracts to build more elaborate flavours (in the North region, for example), but in general, we are not quite used to it.

Through the years, I saw Asian cuisine as an inspiration to explore the unknown. I rediscovered the Thai cuisine and I fell in love with it. Their dishes are diverse, aromatic, complex and flavours blend as a dance inside your mouth. One dish that inspires me to understand how flavours have to be built and well combined is Tom Kha Gai soup. This precious and rich liquid means "chicken galangal soup."

So first things first, what is galangal?

Thurler, C.(photographer).(2020).Downtown Toronto, ON.

It's a rhizome...wait what? =O

Well, a rhizome is essentially a stem, but it grows underground.

As you may see in the picture above, it looks like ginger, and that's because ginger is also a rhizome. Both are super fragrant and have a unique taste.

Differently from ginger, galangal has a more citric, sweet, and less pungent taste, so if you think you can substitute one for the other, you better think twice.

So let’s see what else we need for the soup:

Thurler, C.(photographer).(2020).Downtown Toronto, ON.

Tom Kha Gai soup

Serves: 4 -5 people (200 -250ml per serving)

2 cups homemade stock

200g chicken thighs cut in medium pieces

1/2 stalk lemongrass cut diagonally (about 3 cm)

7-10 thin rounds fresh ginger

10-15 thin rounds galangal

4-5 Kaffir *leaves

5-7 Thai basil leaves

1 Thai chilli with seeds (the amount is up to you)

1 can coconut milk

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 1/2 tbsp palm sugar

150g sliced Oyster mushroom

100 g sliced Paris mushrooms 1 Red and green bell pepper (medium slices)

1 Tbsp lime juice

Salt to taste

*don’t forget to bruise them before adding to the pot, it helps to release its incredible aroma

Why making this soup?

I have had Tom Kha Gai many times through the past years and my standards are high. In Seattle, London, and NYC, years later, I could visit some authentic Thai restaurants so I knew that trying to replicate any of their traditional dishes would be a challenge. I was always afraid of making this specific soup because of the layers of flavour. Building all those layers and reaching the perfect balance would be hard to achieve. Back home, there are some Gourmet stores where it’s only possible to find a limited range of ingredients. Once, and only once, I decided to make it, using a ready- to- use Tom Kha seasoning mixture, since not even in a million years would I find galangal in my city. The result was ok. It was tasty, but it was missing the authenticity of the proper ingredients. Since I came to Toronto, I felt blessed to have so many ingredients within reach; it's amazing, a real privilege. And even more amazing is the fact we are studying stocks and soups for the past two weeks. Making Tom Kha Gai became a mandatory mission at this point, so bellow I'll describe how I finally made mine.

First, here’s a piece of advice if you are a soup lover: make your chicken/vegetable stock and freeze them for future use. You never know when you are going to crave some chicken noodle soup, a minestrone and now some Tom Kha ;) I, fortunately, had some, and I used it to make my soup.

Here's the chicken stock recipe:

Chicken stock

The carcass of one chicken

2 medium onions

1 medium carrot

2- 3 stalks celery

1 leek (white part)

1 bay leaf

Peppercorns

Parsley stems

*Personally, I don't add bouquet garni with thyme and other herbs, because I like my stock less provencal and more neutral

Method:

Place all the ingredients together in a pot, cover with cold water, and let it simmer for about 3 - 4 hours or until it reaches the ideal flavour. Keep an eye on it, removing the foam that is accumulated on the surface. Don’t worry too much about the time, if your stock is ready it will have body (that comes for collagen), savory flavour and clear appearance.

Strain it through a fine sieve and let it cool before store it.

Once you have your stock, you're all set. The most time-consuming ingredient is now ready to be used.

So here we go:

Tom Kah Gai Method: 1. Add the chicken, chicken stock, kaffir, ginger, galangal, basil, and lemongrass to a pot and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. You can add a little salt at this point to start building and enhancing all the flavours.

Thurler, C.(photographer).(2020).Downtown Toronto, ON.

2. Once the chicken begins to look cooked, add the coconut milk, palm sugar and fish sauce. Let the sugar dissolve, and the coconut milk blend in. If you taste the mixture, you are going to feel the coconut flavour very pronounced; don't worry; it's normal at this point. Let it simmer for about 10 min.

Thurler, C.(photographer).(2020).Downtown Toronto, ON.

3. Then add the green/red bell peppers and the mushrooms. Let it simmer for about 15 min. The goal is to keep their texture and original flavour. 4. Check the level of salt, spiciness, and balance in general, then add the lime juice as a final touch of acidity. Let it simmer for about 3 min and taste it again. 5. Once the soup is ready, serve it hot and garnish with beautiful Thai basil leaves.

* if you want, you can take out the ginger, galangal, and lemongrass right before serving, because they can be harsh to eat, and also, the texture of the lemongrass is not very pleasant in the mouth. I don't mind leaving the leaves. They give colour and aroma to the dish.

Thurler, C.(photographer).(2020).Downtown Toronto, ON.

Talking about results:

I know that all this information and ingredients can be a bit overwhelming, but believe me, this soup is worth trying. Not only because it is really delicious and considerably easy to make - method wise- but because it is a feast in the mouth. All the flavours are well represented in this, at first look, simple thin soup. So, in terms of appearance, the soup must be fairly off- white, almost beige and opaque. And what is really amazing about it is that judging by the colour, we would expect it to be hearty, creamy, cheesy, and mild in taste, but it turns out that Tom Kha is nothing like it. Well, it can be considerate hearty because of the sweetness and creaminess of the coconut cream, also the flavourful and quite fat chicken thighs. But the galangal, ginger, kaffir, and lemongrass take this soup to a fragrant, fresh, and citrussy level that you would not expect just looking at it. The aroma helps you to anticipate what kind of taste you would be savoring. Once the soup is ready in front of you, properly warm, and exhaling steam, you'll recognize the citric aroma coming from the galangal, kaffir leaves, ginger, and lemongrass. You may not know (yet) how galangal smells like, but your nose and tastebuds will sense it for sure. At the first sip, you will notice the sweet and smooth taste coming from the coconut, aligned with the acidic balance from the leaves, lemongrass, ginger, and lime juice. With a subtle delay, the spiciness will start taking place, gently enhancing your appetite for more. Then comes the flavourful, soft chicken thighs, adding that warm sensation that embraces the stomach, together with the bitter-sweet respectively green, and red bell peppers. Mouth-feel is enriched by the mushrooms that bring umami to the picture and also a little smokiness coming from the king oyster mushrooms. All of those flavours in just one bowl, enhanced with the right amount of salt and elevated with the complexity of the fish sauce. I can't say how much I like this soup and how satisfied - in all senses- it makes me feel. As I said before, my goal as a chef is to evoke sensations in my future costumers, and for me, Tom Kha Gai is the perfect example of it. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to find all the ingredients so easily here in Toronto, and I couldn't be happier with the results. My perfectionist personality doesn't allow me very often to truly appreciate a dish I make. This time was quite different because when, throughout the process, I noticed that the layers of flavours were being built and it was turning out to be exactly the way I want it to be, I felt fulfilled.

Thurler, C.(photographer).(2020).Downtown Toronto, ON.

This experience was even more special because I decided to make a "date dinner" out of it and asked my husband to be my guinea pig, as he really enjoys Thai food and is also by my side trying new dishes and discovering good restaurants.

Here is his testimonial:

“Having tried this Thai soup about half a dozen times before, I sort of knew what to expect. I had tried it at different places with different levels of satisfaction. In my mind, it is supposed to carry a lingering spicy punch, but not something overwhelming since this is considered a starter after all. And it is supposed to deliver a certain complexity of taste and aroma.Right from the start I had a very good impression, because it looked like it was supposed to. Its aroma felt somewhat fresh and I couldn't wait to try it.

At the first spoonful, I immediately felt like this was the real deal. It tasted a lot like the ones I had at the better places. I felt an acidic taste rounded out by what must have been coconut milk. It also came accompanied with a spicy after taste. Among the ingredients, I recall there was chicken, peppers, mushrooms, and what I think were bamboo shots and lemongrass. If I could change anything, I would have liked it to be even more sour on the sour side. The initiated Thai food lovers probably could have liked it even more spicy, but I felt it was spot on at least for my taste. In the end, I can say I found it delicious and really enjoyed it thoroughly. It was definitely not behind some of the best that I've had before.”

Carlos E. Thurler da Silva, February 1st, 2020.

The result was beyond my expectations, and I could visualize how important it is to respect each ingredient itself. Also, finding the right balance among so many unique ingredients made me feel more secure about my culinary sensibility. I had researched many recipes, found so many versions, but I can say that this is my adaptation and own version of a dish I love and respect deeply.

0 notes