Tag: ingredients

Madras Curry Powder

Madras Curry Powder

Madras Curry Powder

While the British claim to have invented madras curry powder in th 1960’s, it can be traced back to South India in the state of Tamil Nadu in the 1700’s. The spice was commercially produced and sold to the British army and government.
To make the curry powder, I recommend individually toasting all of the whole spices, since they all toast at different rates. Once all of the spices are cooled, grind all of them in a spice grinder. You can use the curry powder in a variety of South Asian curries; pairing well with just about every protein.
Prep Time20 minutes
Course: ingredient
Cuisine: British, Indian
Keyword: British, Indian, ingredient, South Asian
Author: Alex Gorgos

Equipment

  • Spice grinder

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 3 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp black mustard seeds
  • 3” cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fenugreek seeds
  • 2 star anise
  • 10 curry leaves
  • 8 green cardamom pods
  • 1 tbsp ground turmeric
  • 4 dried Kashmiri chilies

Instructions

  • Individually dry toast all of the whole spices. Grind everything together in a spice grinder.
    Indian, British, ingredient
Ramen Egg

Ramen Egg

Ramen Egg

Every bowl of ramen requires a nice marinated ramen egg. They couldn’t be easier to make. There really isn’t any wrong to how done you want the yolks in your egg. They can be cooked all the way through, or slightly runny. It is all about the marinade.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop in the eggs. Cover. Turn off the heat. For a runny yolk, let sit for 7 minutes. For more of a hard boiled yolk, let sit for 9 minutes. Shock in an ice bath, then peel the eggs. The eggs will marinate in a mix of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and white pepper for an absolute minimum of 4 hours. Letting your eggs marinate for at least a day will give the eggs a stronger flavor, which is really what you want. You can even marinate the eggs for up to 2 days. When ready to serve in your ramen, slice in half and place on top of your bowl.
Prep Time1 minute
Cook Time7 minutes
Marinating Time1 day
Course: ingredient
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: East Asian, Eggs, ingredient, Japanese
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp sake
  • pinch white pepper

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully drop in the eggs. Place a cover on the pot. Let sit for 7 minutes.
    Japanese, condiment, eggs
  • Shock the eggs in an ice water bath. Let completely cool for 10 minutes.
    Japanese, condiment, eggs
  • Mix together the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and white pepper.
    Japanese, condiment, eggs
  • Peel the eggs. Marinate the eggs in a ziplock bag for 1 day. Casually flip the bag every few hours throughout the day.
    Japanese, condiment, eggs
Japanese, condiment, eggs
Slice in half and serve in your bowl of ramen.
Hickory Applewood Smoked Bacon

Hickory Applewood Smoked Bacon

Tips For Smoking Bacon Pat your pork belly dry before dry rubbing. Do not skip adding the pink curing salts to the dry rub. Without them, you will just have smoked pork belly and not bacon. Store and cure the bellies in gallon sized storage 

Sofrito

Sofrito

Sofrito

Sofrito is used as a base for soups, stews, beans, and rice in many Spanish speaking countries such as Cuba and Puerto Rico. It is typically made out of a lot of green ingredients such as green bell pepper, cilantro, green onions, and culantro; similar to green seasoning used in African/Caribbean cuisine. Sofrito adds aromatics to whatever you add it to.
Sofrito can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays and store in gallon sized freezer bags. You can then keep your sofrito for up to a year.
Prep Time10 minutes
Course: ingredient
Cuisine: Caribbean, Cuban, Puerto Rican
Keyword: Caribbean, Cuban, ingredient, Puerto Rican
Author: Alex Gorgos

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender

Ingredients

  • 2 small green bell pepper seeded and chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1 1/2 cup culantro
  • 1 head garlic
  • 1 medium white onion
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • 2 roma tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp oregano

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor.
    Cuban, ingredient
  • Purée until smooth. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month or in the freezer for put to a year.
    Cuban, ingredient