Beat the Heat With Buckwheat - Soba Dressed in Ginger & Lime

It's hot!  I don't like hot. Hot makes me sweat, which makes me uncomfortable.  Hot makes it harder to breath, which makes me uncomfortable.  Hot gives me a sunburn, which makes me really uncomfortable.  Hot makes me grumpy, which makes others uncomfortable.  Hot suppresses my appetite, which makes me more grumpy, cause I don't like being suppressed, and neither does my appetite.   But, I have found a solution to all this uncomfortable suppression, with a nice cold pasta dish.

This is not your conventional "pasta" salad.  Nope.  Believe it or not, I find most "Pasta Salads" to be over laden with "stuff" and that makes them too heavy to eat when it's hot.  Ironic, no?  But Japanese pasta/noodles are a little different.  They are much more delicate in texture, so they do not respond well to heavy mayonnaise or sour cream based dressings.  They also don't react well to the overabundance of adjuncts with which their Italian brethren are often assailed.  One must treat them with a lighter touch, thus making the "salad", if you want to call it that, much more light and refreshing.

I have recently stocked my cupboards with a variety of noodles from the familiar Thai Rice Sticks (Mai Fun) to Japanese Soba (Buckwheat) and Somen to Chinese Mein and Fun See (Mung Bean).  All of which are destined for cold noodle applications in an effort to "beat the heat".

This brings up an interesting point.  When Pasta (being Italian Semolina Noodles) is served cold, it's usually considered a "pasta salad".  So if you serve Asian noodles cold, is that considered a salad as well...?  a noodle salad?  or is it just "cold noodles"?  Inquiring minds want to know.

Today, I chose to keep it simple with a Ginger-Lime dressing over Japanese Soba (Buckwheat noodles) with a few Green Onions thrown in for some crunch.  I love just about anything made with buckwheat; like Galette à l'Oeuf or Crepes Flambé with Maple; but I especially love buckwheat noodles, like Pizzoccheri alla Valtellinesi.  However, there is NO way I am gonna try to make THAT in this heat... That is definitely a winter-time dish.  Now, with Soba on the menu, I can enjoy the unparalleled deliciousness of buckwheat even in the heat of summer

Soba in Ginger-Lime Dressing

3 TB Lime Juice
2 TB finely grated Ginger
2 TB Peanut or Light Olive Oil
1 1/2 TB Tamari
1 TB Sesame Oil
2 tsp Honey
3-4 drops Hot Chili Oil
4-6 Green Onions, sliced on the bias
6 oz Soba (Japanese Buckwheat Noodles) which was 2 bundles out of a package

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot set over high heat. (do not Salt the water)

Combine Lime Juice, Ginger, Peanut Oil, Tamari, Sesame Oil, Honey and Chili Oil in a small bowl.

Whisk until homogeneous and set aside.

Slice the Green Onions on the bias into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces, set aside.

When water boils, drop the Soba into the water.

Cook for 3 minutes (I know the package says 4, but 3 minutes is plenty) then drain and spray with cold water to stop the cooking and cool them off;  allow the water to drain completely.

Place noodles in a bowl.

Drizzle with the dressing.... (re-whisk the dressing if necessary)

Toss to coat well.

Add the Green Onions.....

Toss again...

Serve.

Great tasting and good for you... Buckwheat contains a full set of biologically available essential amino acids, which puts it on par with Soy.  Unlike Soy however, Buckwheat doesn't require over-processing (Tofu) or fermentation (Tempeh & Miso, mmmmmm Miso) to convert it into a beneficial food.  Buckwheat is also rich in Iron, Zinc and Selenium as well as the antioxidant Rutin.  Most importantly, at least in this case, it's cold.

The really think the world needs more Buckwheat... I'm just sayin'

Mangia!!
~~

Verdant Victuals - Thai Green Curry (Gaeng Kiaw Wan)

No foray into Southeastern Asian cuisine would be complete without Thai Green Curry or, as it's known in Thailand, Gaeng Kiaw Wan. (Sweet Green Curry)  True, I tend to be a bit of a hot head when it comes to the spiciness of my food, and as a result I am usually more drawn to Thai Red Curry (Gaeng Phet), but I find Green Curry to be quite refreshing on occasion.

Green curry, unlike it's tawny and vermillion siblings (being both Yellow and Red curry pastes) is made with fresh green bird's eye chiles, instead of dried red ones.  This gives it a "fresh" flavor more befitting it's verdant countenance.  Green curry is considered to be a "sweet" curry, so I suggested that you remove the seeds and membranes from the chiles before giving them a serious pounding with your pestle.  If you REALLY want it to be hot, go ahead and leave them, just realize that you will loose some of the subtle nuances of the paste due to the increased heat.  (everything in balance)

Speaking of Pestles....  I highly recommend forgoing the use of a food processor in lieu of the more traditional mortar & pestle.  Food processors simply chop things up while a mortar and pestle grinds, smashes and crushes, releasing more flavor and yielding a far superior result.  Sadly, sometimes technology is a hindrance.

One a final note, I do not fry my Green Curry Paste (as I do with the Red) so I toast the Coriander Seed and Cumin Seed ahead of time.

Go forth and make awesome curry!

Thai Green Curry

(Gaeng Kiaw Wan)

15 fresh Green Bird's Eye Chiles
1 TB Coriander Seed, toasted
1 tsp Cumin Seed, toasted
5 White Peppercorns
1 tsp Kosher Salt (or Sea Salt)
1 bunch of Green Onions, chopped
1 bulb of Thai Garlic
2 TB freshly grated Galangal
1 stalk Lemongrass, sliced thin
1 tsp Kaffir Lime Zest
3 TB chopped Coriander (Cilantro) Stems

1 tsp Shrimp Paste

Cut the tops off the chiles and roll the chiles between your fingers and the membranes and seeds should fall out.

Place the Coriander Seed and Cumin Seed in a small skillet and toast them over low heat, until fragrant.

Toss them into your Mortar with the White Peppercorns and Kosher Salt; allow to cool.

Meanwhile, chop the Green Onion, peel the Garlic, grate the Galangal, slice the Lemongrass, zest the Kaffir Lime and chop the Coriander (Cilantro) Stems.

OK, you are now ready to proceed... but don't forget to place a towel under your Granite Mortar and Pestle to protect your counter tops.

Crush and grind the Coriander/Cumin/Salt into a fine powder, then remove from the mortar to a small bowl and set aside.

Place Lemongrass and Galangal in the mortar and pulverize it.

Once it is crushed well, add the Garlic cloves and grind and crush everything together.

Add the Chiles and pulverize them.

Add Green Onion, Lime Zest and Coriander Stems; continue beating, crushing and grinding to a fine paste.

Once you have achieved a nice paste (a little rustic looking is OK) mix in the ground Coriander/Cumin/Peppercorn/Salt mixture

Now work in the Shrimp Paste.

Spoon into a small bowl and wrap with Plastic wrap....

or store in a jar with a well sealing lid,

and store in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Next up.....  Curried Chicken and Thai Eggplant.  YUM!

Mangia!!
~~

Leapin' Leftovers!! - Gingered Pear Chicken Salad

Chicken Chicken Chicken Chicken.... What to do with left over chicken.  It's a never ending conundrum.  For there always seems to be some left over chicken somewhere in the refrigerator.  My answer is usually Chicken Salad.  (Lots and Lots of Chicken Salad - Cause I eat a lot of Chicken)

I have never really blogged about chicken salad before, cause it's just sort of something that I do and never really think of it as particularly interesting.  I mean, it's just chicken salad after all.  It usually changes depending on what is in the cupboard or in the refrigerator.  It always contains chicken, of course, but the accouterments change all the time.  Isn't that the essence of chicken salad?

THIS time, however, I happened to have all my favorite additions available, so I figured I would go ahead and give the whole thing a whacky whirl and document the deliciousness.

My Favorite Chicken Salad

4 cups (16 oz) Chicken Breast or Thighs, cubed
3 ribs of Celery, diced
1 can of Water Chestnuts, drained and sliced
1 d'Anjou pear, diced
3 Green Onions, sliced thinly
1/2 cup Homemade Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1 TB White Wine
3 TB Fresh Ginger, grated fine (I use a microplane zester)
1/2 tsp Dry Mustard Powder

Place the cubed chicken in the bowl.

Add the Celery, Chestnuts, Pear and Green Onions.

In a small bowl, whisk the Mayonnaise, Yogurt, Wine, Ginger and Dry Mustard together to form a smooth dressing.

Pour the ginger/mayonnaise dressing over the bowl full of Chicken and bits.

Toss until everything is well coated.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.

Serve as you like, on a bed of lettuce.....

or in a sourdough roll, as a sandwich.

Mangia!!
~~

Holy Guacamole!

I think that I shall never see,
A poem lovely as Guacamole.

This recipe really doesn't need an introduction or an anecdote.  It's Guacamole baby!  The most delicious concoction ever invented.  Thanks be to the Aztecs for this one.

Guacamole

1/2 bunch of Cilantro (leaves only)
3/4 tsp Cumin seeds
2 cloves Garlic
3 Green Onions, white and light green parts
1 Serrano Chile, seeded (but I leave the membranes in for more heat)
1/2 tsp Salt
2 medium Haas Avocados
2-3 Key Limes
a few grinds of Black Pepper
a couple Shots of Chipotle Tobasco
Lots and lots of Tortilla chips.... Or a spoon

Place the Cilantro, Cumin, Garlic, Onion, Chili and salt in your Molcajete.

Grind everything into a paste.

Add the Avocado...

Add the juice of 2 of the Key Limes. (to keep the avocado from turning black)

Smash everything together.  (I like mine a little on the chunky side)

Season with Black Pepper and taste.

Add the juice of a 3rd Key Lime, if necessary.

Hit it with a couple shots of Chipotle Tobasco and mix again.

Enjoy with Tortilla chips....  or a spoon.  :)

Evidently, I did a fairly decent job when I seasoned the Molcajete, cause there was absolutely no grit or sand in the mix.  ;)

¡¡Come!!
~~