Asian
Spam goes glam
By Debra Samuels, Globe Correspondent WELLESLEY — Those who know Susumu “Sus” Ito, 93, know that he is a Nisei (second-generation Japanese-American), a Congressional Gold Medal recipient from World War II’s legendary all-Japanese-American 442d Regimental Combat Team, an emeritus professor at Harvard Medical School, a furniture maker, photographer, dad, and grandfather. (Sus is second …
Read moreJapanese American Matcha Mochi Cupcakes
TOKYO – Many foods brought to America by new immigrants evolve into dishes that combine ingredients from both cultures. California rolls are a good example.
Read moreStick with ribs for these two tasty meals
Boston Globe, May 5, 2010 Chinese spare ribs are restaurant food, and usually gnaw-the-bone good. You can also make delicious ribs at home, where you don’t have to worry about table manners. There are three cuts of ribs: meaty pork ribs, sometimes called St. Louis-style; baby-back pork ribs that have less meat; and country-style ribs …
Read moreChinese egg drop soup
Chinese egg drop soup Serves 4 This popular restaurant bowl is easy to make at home but the technique is a little tricky. The finished soup should have pale yellow petals of barely set egg floating in a rich chicken broth. To achieve this, you have to wave chopsticks above the surface of the hot …
Read moreTofu is all about the texture
Tofu is all about the texture Each of the three styles of soy bean curd has a purpose Those large white blocks of tofu can be intimidating. No matter how carefully you prepare them, the dishes never seem as good as they are when you eat out. It’s all a matter of determining which texture …
Read moreKorean Scallion Pancakes
Makes two 8-inch (20 cm) pancakes Batter 1 1/4 cups flour 1/3 cup rice flour 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or kosher salt 1 1/2 cups (500 ml) water Vegetables 1 large zucchini, cut into 2-inch long matchstick strips 1 carrot, cut into 2-inch long matchstick strips 1 medium onion, cut into thin strips 3 …
Read moreCarrot and daikon salad
Boston Globe, October 14, 2009 Carrot and daikon salad–Serves 4 Light vinegared salads, known in Japan as sunomono, can be made with most any vegetable. In Shizuo Tsuji’s “Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art,’’ the author pairs carrot and daikon radish in a light and refreshing dish with a sweet and sour dressing called amazu (the …
Read moreLobster Cantonese
(Photos by Debra Samuels for The Boston Globe) The classic method for Lobster Cantonese calls for chopping the raw crustacean – a scary proposition. Instead, start with a cooked lobster – unconventional, but perfect for squeamish cooks. This recipe is based on one from Irene Kuo’s “The Key to Chinese Cooking,’’ which does begin with …
Read moreSpicy Tuna Salad
Boston Globe, July 29, 2009 Photo by Debra Samuels Think spicy tuna and a sushi bar comes to mind. But there are other ways to meld rich fish and hot condiments. One is this composed canned tuna salad, made with the same spicy sauce used in those popular sushi rolls. You can make the same dish …
Read moreBap till you drop
Bap till you drop By Debra Samuels, Globe Correspondent November 5, 2008 In Korea, some foods trickled down from the Imperial palace and others have humbler origins. Bibimbap seems to be somewhere in the middle – a dish thought to have been introduced to Korean monarchy by the court of China, but also served to …
Read moreChinese chicken soup casserole
Photo By Debra Samuels Boston Globe, January 21, 2009 This Chinese chicken hot pot combines the heartiness of a casserole with a light, warming chicken broth. Slices of fresh ginger root and scallions are two aromatics that signal that this is not Grammy Greenberg’s Jewish penicillin. But like hers and other pots of chicken soup, …
Read moreCold Sesame Chicken
The cucumbers in this recipe are slightly crushed under the broad part of the blade of a knife. This breaks the skin of the cucumber creating a craggy surface to allow the hot sesame oil and dressing to seep in instead of slide off. Listen for the sizzle as the hot oil hits the cold …
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Bento:Build a Better Lunch
Debra Samuels, bestselling author, food writer and cooking instructor, wants to give the American lunchbox a makeover. In the chapter on “bento,” the traditional Japanese lunch box, in her upcoming book, My Japanese Table, Debra encourages the use of color, texture and taste to create healthier and more visually appealing meals.
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