September 13, 2011 11:00 AM
About the Event
Imagine yourself in a beautiful, tranquil garden surrounded by the soft rustling of leaves in a gentle breeze. The sound of a bubbling stream washes over you as you contemplate the peaceful face of the stone Buddha in front of you.... sounds like a holiday to the Far-east? The one you keep intending to take when you have more time on your hands? Well here is your chance to do just that without leaving town.
Let Food for Cause transport you to the hidden worlds of Asia with a mouth-watering array of heart-warming dishes presented by celebrity chefs Minku and Sandhya, who are intimately familiar with Asian cuisine Minku has spent many years living in Malaysia and traveled extensively in South-East Asia. Sandhya is a seasoned chef who held cooking classes for many years in the UK. Together they have created a menu that encompasses the best that the region has to offer.
Here is a sampler of one of their dishes...
Ema Datshi (or Ema Daji) is the national dish of Bhutan. This unique stew of hot peppers and cheese is made with a special kind of Bhutanese cheese – a cross between feta and farmer’s cheese. This cheese is fresh and moderately salty, and doesn’t melt when heated. Tomatoes impart color to the dish and balance the cheese nicely, making this a rich and warming stew for a cool day - an ideal vegetarian main course, soupy and generous.
At Food for Cause, we pride ourselves at being able to showcase some of the most fabulous chefs in our midst and give you special access to their secret recipes. As we kick off this month with a journey from Myanmar to Malaysia with Minku and Sandhya, join us for another gastronomic adventure in support of AimforSeva, an organisation dedicated to uplifting the lives of under-priviledged children through ‘Chattralayas’ and socio-economic rehabilitation programs.
About Pan Asian cuisine
Asia is a continent with many languages, cultural reference points, histories, and religions. While many countries share staple ingredients and cooking techniques, there are distinct differences from one region to the next.
Asian cuisine has three main dietary styles or cultures: The Southwest style includes cuisines from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Burma. Ghee, Curry, milk products, chapati made from wheat or barley play an important role in this cuisine. The Northeast style that encompasses China, Korea and Japan uses a combination of oils and sauces in its cooking. Finally the Southeast style that originates from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei places an emphasis on aromatic and lightly prepared foods using a delicate balance of quick stir frying, steaming and or boiling. The food is supplemented with discrete spices and seasonings including citrus juices and herbs such as basil, cilantro, mint, galangal, lemon grass and tamarind.
In contrast to Western-style cooking where elements of a single meal are isolated, Asian cuisine is anchored in the philosophy of creating balance and harmony through the combination of flavors and textures--and frequently all within the same dish. Rice, noodles, legumes and bread are the backbone of this cuisine. Often steamed or stir-fried, vegetables provide the flavors, textures and colors while fruits appear in everything from savory dishes to desserts to drinks. Spices and spice blends also lend strong flavors and varying heat levels. Simple and complex sauces and pastes round out the mix.
Bolstered by this broad spectrum of flavors and textures and high visual appeal, Asian food is also perceived as healthy and very affordable.
Asian styles of cooking and food trends are making their presence felt throughout the world. Chefs are fusing Western and Asian cuisines either by using Asian cooking techniques such as stir-frying, smoking, use of woks or by incorporating Asian ingredients into contemporary cooking. Whichever way you look at it the influence of Asian food on world cuisine is growing and here to stay.
Pan Asian Cuisine: A Journey from Myanmar to Malaysia