Grilled Chicken Thighs: Kansas City BBQ

I made a recipe like this from the Kansas City Star today. It used hoisin, soy and ketchup. I also used chicken legs instead of thighs (I did not have them) which were supposed to be better for this purpose. Bad mistake as I just did not think the recipe came out that good although my wife likes them. My take 7/10. This recipe below most likely is better and I will try it sometimes. You can try it now. Let me know what you think

http://hubpages.com/hub/Kansas-City-Grilled-Chicken-Thighs-A-Mini-BBQ

Culinary Explorations: C u c u m b e r C u r r y

I ate some interesting curries recently in Providence, RI (see earlier post ) like Egg Curry. While exploring on the internet I found this unusual recipe. I need to try it. Until then I thought I would post it for your interest.
C u c u m b e r C u r r y R e c i p e
http://www.asianonlinerecipe.com/recipes/cucumber-curry.php
C u c u m b e r C u r r y R e c i p e S e r v e d h o t , t h i s u n u s u a l c u r r y i s g o o d w i t h f i s h d i s h e s a n d c a n a l s o b e s e r v e d c o l d w i t h c o o k e d m e a t s . T h e m u s t a r d s e e d s u s e d e x t e n s i v e l y i n I n d i a n c o o k i n g a r e b l a c k a n d n o t y e l l o w ( w h i c h a r e g r o u n d a n d u s e d t o p r e p a r e E n g l i s h m u s t a r d ) . T h e y a r e a l w a y s f r i e d t o r e l e a s e t h e i r s w e e t a r o m a a n d f l a v o r .

I n g r e d i e n t s : ( S e r v e s 4 - 6 )

1 2 0 m l / 4 f l o z / Ω c u p w a t e r

1 1 5 g / 4 o z c r e a m e d c o c o n u t

2 . 5 m l t e a s p o o n t u r m e r i c

5 m l / 1 t e a s p o o n s u g a r

1 l a r g e c u c u m b e r , c u t i n t o s m a l l p i e c e s

1 l a r g e r e d b e l l p e p p e r , c u t i n t o s m a l l p i e c e s

5 0 g / 2 o z / Ω c u p s a l t e d p e a n u t s , c r u s h e d

6 0 m l / 4 t a b l e s p o o n s v e g e t a b l e o i l

2 d r i e d r e d c h i l i e s

5 m l / 1 t e a s p o o n c u m i n s e e d s

5 m l / 1 t e a s p o o n m u s t a r d s e e d s

4 - 6 c u r r y l e a v e s

4 g a r l i c c l o v e s , c r u s h e d

S a l t t o t a s t e

A f e w w h o l e s a l t e d p e a n u t s , t o g a r n i s h



M e t h o d :

B r i n g t h e w a t e r t o t h e b o i l i n a h e a v y p a n a n d a d d t h e c r e a m e d c o c o n u t , t u r m e r i c , s u g a r a n d s a l t . S i m m e r u n t i l t h e c o c o n u t d i s s o l v e s a n d t h e m i x t u r e b e c o m e s a s m o o t h , t h i c k s a u c e . A d d t h e c u c u m b e r , r e d p e p p e r a n d c r u s h e d p e a n u t s a n d s i m m e r f o r a b o u t 5 m i n u t e s . T r a n s f e r t o a h e a t p r o o f s e r v i n g d i s h a n d k e e p h o t .



H e a t t h e o i l i n a k a r a h i , w o k o r f r y i n g p a n . F r y t h e c h i l i e s a n d c u m i n w i t h t h e m u s t a r d s e e d s u n t i l t h e y s t a r t t o p o p . R e d u c e t h e h e a t , a d d t h e c u r r y l e a v e s a n d g a r l i c a n d f r y f o r 2 m i n u t e s . P o u r o v e r t h e c u c u m b e r m i x t u r e a n d s t i r w e l l . G a r n i s h w i t h w h o l e p e a n u t s a n d s e r v e h o t .

Tangy Tkemali sauce Georgia's famsour plum condiment

I strolled into a Russian Food shop on Hope Street in Providence, RI a few days ago and found several interesting condiment on the shelf.

The Pomegranate sauce seemed fine but I was looking for something unique, a food/ sauce or condiment that I had not tried belong . For one its not only its colors but the ingredients. Plus the bottle also said that this is a national dish/ condiment was a national treasure sauce and is the universal condiment in Georgia which used to be part of the Soviet Union (where I was in 1989- more on blog and Russian food later in blog).

There were different colors however which one to select.? The main ingredients is sour plum and the other ingredient/spices made some of the bottle either yellow or green. I bought the green one as it looked so pretty with its unusual foliage green color.

Here is more about this tasty condiment
While it tangy taste was almost lemony the taste came from plums.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tkemali

Could I find a recipe to make my own, like I usually try to do. Well yes I could.
Want to make your own? here is a recipe from a website (there are also a number of other very interesting recipes at the rignt side of the website
http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Georgian%20plum%20sauce%20(tkemali)

http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Georgian%20plum%20sauce%20(tkemali)


Ge o r g i a n p l u m s a u c e ( t k e m a l i )


M e a s u r e I n g r e d i e n t
1 p o u n d s P l u m s ; ( n o t t o o r i p e )
2 t a b l e s p o o n s F r e s h l e m o n j u i c e ; o r m o r e , t o t a s t e
2 t a b l e s p o o n s O l i v e o i l
1 t e a s p o o n R e d w i n e v i n e g a r ; o r m o r e , t o t a s t e
3 C l o v e s g a r l i c ; m i n c e d
1 t e a s p o o n G r o u n d c o r i a n d e r
1 t e a s p o o n S a l t ; o r m o r e , t o t a s t e
1 t e a s p o o n H o t p e p p e r f l a k e s
1 t e a s p o o n B l a c k p e p p e r
1 t e a s p o o n G r o u n d c u m i n
2 t a b l e s p o o n s F i n e l y c h o p p e d c i l a n t r o
2 t a b l e s p o o n s F i n e l y c h o p p e d f r e s h d i l l
1 t e a s p o o n S u g a r ; i f d e s i r e d .

N Y T i m e s h a d 4 b b q s a u c e r e c i p e s f r o m v a r i o u s p l a c e s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d - - F r e n c h W e s t I n d i e s , S p a i n , G e o r g i a ( t h e o n e n e a r R u s s i a ) , a n d V i e t N a m .
T h e f u l l a r t i c l e i s i n t e r e s t i n g - - i t ' s the J u n e 2 n d e d i t i o n , p a g e 1 1 o f s e c t i o n F .
H e r e a r e t h e r e c i p e s :
T i m e : 2 0 m i n u t e s
1 . C o o k p l u m s i n b o i l i n g w a t e r t o c o v e r f o r 3 0 s e c o n d s .
D r a i n i n a c o l a n d e r , r i n s i n g w i t h c o l d w a t e r .
P u l l o f f s k i n s . R e m o v e s t o n e s .
2 . C o m b i n e p l u m s , 1 c u p w a t e r , l e m o n j u i c e , o l i v e o i l , v i n e g a r , g a r l i c , c o r i a n d e r , s a l t , p e p p e r f l a k e s , b l a c k p e p p e r a n d c u m i n i n a s a u c e
p a n . S i m m e r u n t i l p l u m s a r e v e r y s o f t , 5 m i n u t e s . P u r e e m i x t u r e i n a f o o d p r o c e s s o r . R e t u r n i t t o s a u c e p a n , a n d s t i r i n t h e c i l a n t r o a n d d i l l .
3 . S i m m e r s a u c e u n t i l t h i c k a n d f l a v o r f u l , a b o u t 5 m i n u t e s . I f d e s i r e d , a d d s a l t , l e m o n j u i c e o r v i n e g a r t o t a s t e . I f t o o t a r t , a d d s u g a r . S e r v e a t r o o m t e m p e r a t u r e . Y i e l d : 2 c u p s . ( P o s t e d t o b b q - d i g e s t b y " L o r e n D . M e n d e l s o h n " <> o n J u n 0 3 , 1 9 9 9 , c o n v e r t e d b y M M _ B u s t e r v 2 . 0 l ).

Fire Wok buffet has some superb enterees

I've been here several times with friends. Have not been here for awhile but it is one of the better chinese buffets. It is only certain times and days (when I was here last. The buffet has some really superb entree and very different ones . The rest are very good to good. I think you, like others, will like this buffet.

Kaffir lime leaves where can you find it?

At Ming Tsai's place, I heard about Kaffir lime leaves. I have seen more with his recipes on his TV show. I don't think I have seen him explain more about these enigmatic leaves which I can't find in the Kansas City area. But first I went looking for substitute ingredients. Here is what I found

(pic at google //yeehawmurghi.vox.com)

substitute frozen for fresh, or use lime zest from common Persian or Mexican Key limes

KAFFIR LIME LEAVES
found in
http://www.thaikitchen.com/equivalent.html
There is no perfect substitute for this unique item. You can substitute lime zest for the citrus taste or use dried Thai sweet basil or even dried bay leaves for a woodsy-leaf flavor. Also try lemon thyme, lemon verbena, bergamot powder, lemon or lime leaves. Since kaffir lime leaves are difficult to find, do not let this keep you from preparing delicious Thai dishes. They are optional in many of our recipes. You can leave them out and have the other ingredients in your dish convey the unique Thai flavors.
(Also see Thai Ingredients.)

more at
http://www.islandfoodie.com/kaffir%20lime.htm

http://www.foodsubs.com/HerbsAsian.html
“A kaffir lime leaf look as if two glossy, dark green leaves were joined together end to end, forming a figure-eight pattern. Most Thai recipes count each double leaf as two separate leaves. Frozen kaffir lime leaves are a good substitute for fresh. Dried leaves are much less flavorful, so use twice as many as the recipe calls for if you're substituting them for fresh leaves. Substitutes: lime leaves OR kaffir lime (One tablespoon of zest from a kaffir lime is equivalent to about 6 kaffir lime leaves.) OR lime zest (One tablespoon of zest from a lime is equivalent to about 6 kaffir lime leaves.) OR lemon leaves OR lemons (One tablespoon of zest from a lemon is equivalent to about 6 kaffir lime leaves.)”

It is Chimichurri time

I love the simple but spicy Argentinan Chimichurri sauces. I always thought they were the same using green parsely and more. However through the last year, I have come to know that there are different kinds, all good, but difffrerent.

I already found three recipes (see below) including one listed from Chili Pepper Magazine. I like this magazine and have been reading it for years. Actually I started reading them at the stores and copying a few recipes I liked. I then thought I need to get this magazine and try more of the great recipes I had not tried an issue yet . Looking in this issue, I found a very different Chimichurri using red peppers and some of the ingredients in this recipes. I would try this fusion recipe.

Mixed Pepper merican Aregntina with Asia. What I created was an Asian style Red Pepper (3/2009 Chili Pepper, p. 34). The recipe has roasted red pepper, hot peppers ( I used some hot pepper sauce), red wine vinegar, parsley, shallots (I used red onion a substitute that I usually use as it is handy), tomatos, lemon juice , smoked paprika, and oil ( if you need the exact recipe, let me know and I will post it (I don’t have time now to write it out.,

I throught to mix South American Aregntina with Asia and beef. What I created was an Asian style Red Pepper Chimichurri Beef with noodles. I added a little garlic salt to round things outl.

It came out okay. But I guess I am used to the all green style Chimichurri sauces. The red pepper threw off the taste a bit. I prefer to go GREEN. I rated it 8.0/10.

If you feel that way try some of these below.


**

Categories
Salsa/sauce
Vegetables
So. america
Yield
1 -1/2 cups

Measure Ingredient
1⁄4 cup Olive oil
1 cup Red wine vinegar
2 tablespoon Aji chile powder, -OR- substitute New Mexican red chile powder
4 clove Garlic; minced
1 teaspoon Crushed black pepper-corns
1 teaspoon Dried oregano
1 each Bay leaf; crushed
1⁄4 cup Minced parsley (or substitute Italian parsley)
Salt to taste

Combine the olive oil and vinegar in a bowl and beat with a whisk. Stir in the remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly, and allow to sit for 2 hours to blend the flavors. Serve with broiled, roasted or grilled meat and poultry. Authors' Heat Scale: Medium _Hot and Spicy Latin Dishes_ from Chili Pepper Magazine Dave DeWitt, Mary Jane Wilson, Melissa T. Stock Prima Publishing, 1995 ISBN 1-55958-484-X Typos by Jeff Pruett Submitted By JEFF PRUETT On 08-15-95

***
(Argentine parsley-garlic sauce for grilled meats)

This pungent herb sauce originated in Argentina. Chimichurri is the classic accompaniment to Argentine churassco, or grilled meats. You can also use chimichurri as a marinade.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

* Parsley, chopped -- 1 bunch
* Garlic, crushed -- 8 cloves
* Oregano -- 1 teaspoon
* Paprika (optional) -- 2 tablespoons
* Cayenne pepper -- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
* Salt -- 1-2 teaspoons
* Red wine vinegar -- 1/3 cup
* Olive oil -- 3/4 cup
**
Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri, 2008
See this recipe on air Friday Aug. 29 at 3:00 PM ET/PT.
Show: Guys Big Bite
Episode: South of the Border
For the steak:
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon freshly chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tequila
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 pound skirt steak, trimmed

For the 4-Herb chimichurri:
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil leaves
1 tablespoons freshly chopped oregano leaves
2 tablespoons minced white onion
2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon pasilla peppers, dried
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the steak

Combine all ingredients, and let steak marinate, refrigerated, for 1 to 3 hours.

Heat grill or pan to high heat, cook skirt steak to medium-rare, let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut on bias in 1/4 inch pieces, and top with chimichuri sauce.

4-herb chimichurri:

Mix all ingredients lightly in food processor until a coarse sauce is formed. Set aside for 2 hours.

This Thai fare is just average for this Providence place

I have eaten Thai all over the US and Thai is my favorite food. This place is just OK and is not spectacular. It did not really stand out for me. Definitely did not take Asian fare to a different level for me at all which is what I need to taste for me to rate it as good or great. It has to be a little different and this place did not do it for me. For example compared to Aspara on Hope Street, this place pales in comparison. (Maybe someday I will see if there is sometime on the Sawaddees menu that is better ).

the food = the sum of the parts ( ingredients)

My son and I came here when this Lawrence location first opened. I was impressed with the menus and items. Different take on foods from around world (usually 1 or each). Fish, vegetable, turkey, meat , chicken in the salads, grilled sandwiches, half & half, wraps, gourmet pizzas for lunch or dinner (and now breakfast items with biscuits and gravy, steak and eggs, waffles, oatmeal, eggs benedict take off and yogurt parfait). I liked the Vietnamese Dim Sum wrap with its curry and coconut, noodles and veggies- almost like a pad thai in a wrap. The meals and ingredients are fresh, have good tastes and have their own little "twist" from different countries (Asian, Italy, Mexico etc.). You can customize your salads (wow amazing amount of ingredients ), create your pizza pie (good number). They don't want tipping here. There is now another in Overland Park. This is one place I will be back. Maybe for the Mahi Tacos or Honey Wasabi Turkey burger. I like the place, the menu and the ingredients. There is good selections and I can think of other entrees or pies I would like to eat when I come back.

Good Mongolian but use the cheat sheets

I've been to several Mongolian BBQ's : Ann Arbor MI, Lawrence KS, Olathe KS , Spokane WA and maybe a few others. The best one was in Spokane where there was fresh salmon on the Mongolian. It was magnificent Mongolian BBQ.. The taste, flavor , freshness superb. What I found in that one and this one, there are cards and recipes that give you instruction and guidance concerning what ingredients, sauces and condiments go better with certain foods (chicken, beef, seafood etc) and what go best according to your tests. Like in Spokane and here, there are guides which I find help you taste the food and make for better Mongolian fare. Without that you have a mishmash of flavors that don't meld. If they don't integrate well it means your meal does not taste as good as it would be. In both this KC place and Spokane everything was fresh and had the guidance of what condiments to add. While I love to cook and make my own recipes, I found these Mongolian's the best I have visited. It might be why this place is packed quite often. It does have a good location but it is possibly the extra touch that brings out the best in the food. If you see a Chinese restaurants without the "cheat sheets" you might be a little disappointed. But at this place (and Spokane) they were mighty tasty. Try it but use the cheat sheets!

China Buffet - it is my chinese "fix" why? good buffet

 I like this buffet for the food which quite good and. When my appetite hungers and I want some Sweet & Sour Soup and am lusting for some Asian fare, I usually go with my "chinese fix" by coming here.
Its reasonably priced, its not too far away for me, the food is consistently good. Meaning that the food, at least that which I ate on the buffet, has good flavor, tenderness and has the flavors.
I get to sample some Chinese fare I don't ordinarily make, like the hot and sour soup, which I should try to make myself. This one is not bad with just the right sour and a little heat. The wonton soup is a little mild but the silky wontons, which I like very much, are soft, supple and light.
I don't bother with salad and other non chinese fare most of the time. I head for the appetizers like the crunchy and meaty chinese wings (seems like a little Chinese spice in them), the crab rangoon (good).
For 2 extra dollars you can have all you want of the thin crab legs (which is a good price).

Phai Thai and Peanut Chicken in Illinois- this kitchen has good Thai

My wife was here with her girlfriend and really liked the place. The menu has very reasonable prices and is quite extensive with appetizers, thai salads, soups, entrees (poulty, pork, beef, curry, seafood, vegetables, noodles, rice dishes ) and desserts. There are also dinner and lunch specials. There is no designation how to make the dishes spicy or if certain dishes are spicier. Perhaps the dishes already have a lot of flavor the way they are. If it was not good she would let me know, as we have eaten at many Thai places. My wife liked the peanut sauce chicken and her friend liked the Phad Thai rice noodles tofu, bean sprouts etc. (There are many ways to make Phad Thai so if you like a combination of vegetable, noodles and chicken. beef or pork you need to try this here or somewhere). I like when the entree's names have the Thai names with them (as in the noodle and thai salads dishes had). That way they not only sound authentic but I can track these recipes down on the internet so that I can try them out myself when we come back to this restaurant some day. So until the day, I can come back to Illinois, try it out for yourself. I think you will be pleased as my wife and her friend were.

Choga Korean- it doesn't have to be super spicy

I like Asian food and Korean is another ethnic food that I have tried in Boston and other cities. My son,wife and I wanted to try this place out. They had very Korean BBQ which made on a burning Korean stove at our table, The bulgogi (tender beef strips seared in sauce) was excellent and there was enough to take home. The order included many condiments (kimchi - pickled cabbage and many more for dipping etc). Using these and Korean side dishes made it for a fun time. They have a good selection on the menu (beef, seafood, vegetable etc) Reasonable priced compared to some other (Korean) places with many of the entrees between $10-$15). I would like to come again to sample more of the entrees, noodle dishes etc.

Mole isn't just Mexican = there are Asian kinds and more

I have always thought that moles are traditionally only those made with chocolate. When I found out, the mole is really the chilies and the spices. Mexican ones have chocolate but there are so many more. I've been to Ming Tsai's restaurant near Newton, Mass, and it was fabulous.
His food and recipes always get me so excited. Today I saw on his TV program ones that I have froom his book Ming's Master Recipes. But a couple on the TV program were from his TV series from the past which you can find at his website at

Ming Tsai recipes
http://www.ming.com/simplyming/recipes/season4.html

This one looked good as it uses Duck but I am sure you can substitute chicken as I do often. I won't be able to try this recipe yet and its Asian mole in it, but I wanted to spread the word now about it. If you make it before you do, send me some of you feedback. Thanks

Duck Breasts With Asian Mole and Jicama-Haricots Salad
Guest Recipe:
Duck Breasts
With Asian Mole and Jicama-Haricots Salad

by Chef Ted Allen



Serves 4

* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon minced shallot
* 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 1/2 pound haricots verts
* 1/2 pound piece jicama
* 2 duck breasts, about 1 pound each
* 1/2 cup Asian Mole Sauce, warmed (see below)
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Canola oil for cooking


1. Combine first 6 ingredients to make vinaigrette.
2. Peel and cut jicama into slices about 1/4-inch thick. Stack slices on a cutting board and cut into sticks.
3. Heat water to boiling and blanch beans until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, toss beans and jicama with 1/4 cup of lemon vinaigrette (you can set this aside to marinate for about 30 minutes or use right away).
5. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Lay the duck breasts on a cutting board and season both sides with salt and pepper. Using a paring knife, make diagonal slashes through the skin about half an inch apart, taking care not to cut into the flesh. Put the duck breasts into the hot pan, skin-side down, and cook until the fat is rendered and the skin is browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a splatter screen if you have one because the breasts render a lot of fat.
6. About halfway through the cooking, use a ladle or baster to remove most of the fat from the pan. Turn the breasts and cook to barely medium rare, about 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Remove the breasts to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Season each breast with a pinch of salt and pepper, cut breasts into thin slices, and fan them out on 4 serving plates.
8. Top with warm Asian Mole Sauce and arrange Jicama-Haricots Salad alongside.

>>This recipe appears in Episode #401.

>> For additional recipes and more, visit www.ming.com

Asian Mole

Ming says: Mexico has given us so many wonderful foods, but one of my favorites is mole, a thick blend of onion, garlic, different chiles, and ground seeds that varies from region to region. When I first cooked with it, I discovered it was a natural for Asian flavorings as well.

Makes 2 cups

* 2 large onions, chopped
* 1/4 cup garlic, chopped
* 1/4 cup ginger, chopped
* 4 serrano chiles, chopped
* 1 cup red wine
* 1 cup dried cranberries
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 tablespoon minced thyme
* 3 tablespoons toasted black sesame seeds
* 1/4 pound dark unsweetened chocolate, chopped
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Canola oil for cooking


In a large sauté pan coated lightly with oil over medium-high heat, sauté shallots, garlic, ginger and chiles until caramelized. Deglaze with red wine, scarping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add cranberries and water and reduce by half. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. With blender running, add thyme, sesame seeds and gradually add chocolate. Check again for flavor and season if necessary.

To make Asian Mole Sauce, use a 1:1 ratio of mole to chicken stock.

>>Use this Master Recipe in Duck Breasts with Asian Mole and Jicama-Haricots Salad by guest Chef Ted Allen.

>>This recipe appears in Episode #401.

>> For additional recipes and more, visit www.ming.com

I love Lemon grass so the chicken wings caught my eye

Originally from Providence but now living in Kansas, I come back home to visit family but also to hunt for different types of food and restaurants to sample. When I was back here, I was around the Zoo area on my way back to the East side. I spied this restaurant and decided to give a try as I had never seen it before. I found the menu had quite a few Thai, Vietnamese and other Asian fare. Noodles, Pad Thai, soups . noodle soups, luncheon specials, mooshi (their spelling) pancake dishes (with chicken , veg, shrimp) , appetizers and more so there is lots to choose from. The Bahn Hoi looked interesting ( Bun is standard rice noodle vermicelli while I found that Bahn Hoi is a thinner rice noodle, but it is cooked in small, thin, flat panels. The bahn hoi takes more time and effort to prepare so its a little more time intensive to prepare). But I just wanted a snack so since I like Lemon Grass, I thought I would try the Lemon Grass chicken wings which are a Thai specialty ( I thought they would be Vietnamese but no matter the menu said Thai). Lemongrass has a nice fragrant lemony taste subtle then strong lemon juice but distinct. With the peanut sauce it was a good combination and I was happy to try something different and taking flavors to a different level). Sometime when I go back and in the area, I will have to try the soup and other Asian entrees as see if the rest of the food is as good as chicken wings and Lemongrass ( P.S.Since I like to try out later, while cooking, what I find in restaurants try lemongrass. It comes in thin stalks, make sure you crush or hit the stalks to make the fragrance come out and then cut them into little tiny strips . You can also try the paste.)

Great thai- now a chain but with food this good that is okay

This now expanded little chain was one of the firs Thai (if not the first) in the Dupont Circle area. I have been to Washington to visit relatives, go to conferences and do some consulting. I happened to find this nice Thai place and I am glad it did. It does Thai well. It has authentic Thai cuisine and you can find many dishes to try. Appetizers, huge listing of entrees, Noodles and specials. I like that the menu has the real Thai names/titles and underscore ingredients for the recipe. This allows me to try and find entrees/ recipes that I want to try myself. The menu does not list spiciness indicators but that is fine because that means the food is good by itself and it is.The eggplant "Pad Mah Kua- sauteed eggplant (which I love) with basil and black bean sauce looked good. But I love duck and when I see it on a menu I usually try it. My target for this day was " Ped Pa-Lo". The succulent steamed duck in Thai seasonings and soy sauce had the right amount of spice and saltiness from the soy. I can see what this place has expanded to other areas Washington. I usually don't try chains but when it has food that is this good, that "goes out the window". Great Thai is worth finding and eating

New face lift but the food inside Peking Taste is still very good

 We have gone here many times before the places new "face lift". It was an affordable place to get good Chinese/ Asian food. The buffet is not the biggest in the world but what they have is very tasty and there are quite few dishes to try anyway. The hot and sour soup is quite good with that little extra sour " note" to it. The tiny shrimp in mild tomato sauce is addictive. The rest of the buffet from beef, chicken, noodles and more is always good and well prepared. The price has risen since the place's "newface liftt". For the price it is still affordable. But if you want more entrees on the the buffet, there are a few more in town to try that might be better suited but it all is a matter of taste.

Panda is a cute animal and this restaurant is quite nice too

Panda is one of my favorite restaurants in Lawrence. It does not have the ordinary Chinese / Asian fare so it is "right up my alley". It does not have the biggest buffets but for me it has one of the tastiest buffets and Asian type fare. It has more authentic dishes on the buffet compared to its sister restaurant on 23rd street to the south. (They are both good). We have been here many times with my wife and children mostly on Sundays for brunch. The food has always been excellent. Their menu is impressively long and the items for the buffet come from entrees that are usually given during regular meals. You won't see Kung Pao chicken usually on the buffet which is great because that means there is more room for less fried stuff. They sometimes change things around but their are always exquisite noodles, dumplings, steamed buns, and other entrees.You can change the regular meals for spiciness so they can be modified to your taste. For the buffet the only thing I might do however is a little soy sauce. The hot and sour soup, I think my favorite hot and sour soup I have ever tasted , is very unusual as it has a little yellow white color instead of the ordinary brownish color and has a very nice too sour like taste with nice aroma finish.The chicken, beef and fish dishes are all excellent. There is sometimes duck on the buffet which is not greasy and succulent. Also one option we have not tried is the Super Seafood buffet on Friday and Saturday nights. I think this a great find. The buffet is one you should check it out.

Hot and Spicy Chicken Feet- maybe just chicken without the feet?

Hot and spicy chicken feet are a favorite treat in Asian countries.

Hot and Spicy Chicken Feet

Here's something different from Andrew Zimmern, host of the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 32 chicken feet (about 2 lbs.)
• 1/2 cup sake
• 1/3 cup water
• 6 large thin slices fresh ginger
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Chinese yellow rock sugar (or 1/4 cup granulated sugar)
• 2 dried hot chiles, crushed
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 star anise buds
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup scallion cut in 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons minced scallion and 1t toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Preparation:

Rub chicken feet with kosher salt and let stand for 10 minutes, rinse in cold water.

Place feet into a pot of rapidly boiling salted water, blanch for 5 minutes and drain well. Chicken feet can be set aside and refrigerated for a day until you need to cook further.

Place a 14-inch saute pan over high heat. Add the chicken and dry-sear to lightly brown. Add the remaining ingredients (except the garnish) and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. Uncover, and simmer until pan is almost “dry,” tossing frequently to coat the feet as the sauce reduces.

Serve, garnishing with scallion shavings and toasted sesame seeds.

Tannahs Olathe good fusion food

We've been here several times with friends and by ourselves and it has always been consistently good. We have eaten here before it changes its name to this current one and 3 times since. The menu has quite a few items from starters, to vegetarian, beef, chicken, fish, seafood, noodles and more. If you want Chinese food there is enough of that influence to get you come. However the real reason to come is for different Oriental food different food from the hum drum Chinese restaurants. There is a lunch menu every day of the week from a pretty good selection that you can pick from with 18 offerings. (also can have one of two soups, spring roll or crab rangoon ), There are more but pricier offerings with the diet type nner menu that have duck, pork , beef and other dishes. Sweet corn velvet soup had a nice sweet /sour good taste to it. The spring rolls were flavorful. We shared several dishes which has plenty of flavor : the mongolian beef, silk spicy chicken and honey garlic chicken. They came mixed with vegetables. Several of the designated entrees are labeled either spicy or not. These spicy dishes had a little zing but we could have told them to kick up the heat if we wanted . Previously I had tried the sriracha beef with garlic, onions and snow peas and it was awesome ( I am a big fan of sriracha sauce paste). The molten chocaolte cake was very good eventhoug a little pricey. There is also a kids menu, wifi hotspot to use your computer and there is music outside on Saturday evenings in the summer with some good music. Most prices for entrees start around $9 and go up from there so the lunch deals are good. The ambiance is good with nice Asian decore. There are quite a few different types of alcoholic drinks to choose from although we have no tried them. Try this place from something different.

CHEF MING TSAI'S DAD'S JA JIAN MIEN recipe

I record Tsai's weekly PBS show to see what else is going on. There are recipes that are not in his other book which I bought when I was at his recipes. The recipes I have tried are excellent. A recent show has his father's noodle recipe which included the cranberry and hoisin like a couple of other recipes. One his here . One with chicken I will post after I make it so I can also post how we liked the recipe and maybe a photo.

Noodle Recipes

August 13, 2008

CHEF MING TSAI'S DAD'S JA JIAN MIEN
# 3 Thai bird chiles, finely chopped (these peppers have a very fiery taste)
# 1/4 cup finely chopped garlic
# 1 Tbsp. fermented black beans, rinsed and drained
# 1 red onion, finely diced
# 2/3 cup hoisin sauce
# 1 lb. ground beef, not too lean
# 1/2 cup Shaoxing wine
# 1 cup cranberries
# Cornstarch mixed with chicken stock, for thickening (optional)
# 1 lb. fresh or dried Shanghai noodles
# 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, julienned
# 2 carrots, peeled and julienned
# 2 cups mung bean sprouts, picked
# Canola oil for cooking
# Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a large saucepan over high heat and lightly coat with oil. Swirl to coat bottom of pan and, when shimmering, add chiles, garlic, ginger, black beans and onion and saute until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add hoisin sauce and cook, stirring, to remove the raw flavor, about 2 minutes. Add beef and brown for about 6 minutes, breaking up any large chunks. Add Shaoxing to deglaze and add cranberries.

Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid achieves sauce-like consistency. (You can add the cornstarch/chicken broth mixture to thicken, if necessary.) Season if necessary. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add noodles, cook until al dente, about 5 minutes for fresh, 10 minutes for dried. While noodles are cooking, blanch bean sprouts and carrots in noodle water by placing them, separately, in a fine mesh strainer and holding in the boiling water. Drain noodles well and serve family-style, in a large pasta bowl. Ladle beef over and garnish with cucumber, carrots and mung bean sprouts.

Serves 4.

GRACE YOUNG'S VEGETABLE LO MEIN
# 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms
# 6 large leaves Napa cabbage (about 12 ozs.)
# 1 lb. pkg. Chinese fresh egg noodles
# 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
# 2 Tbsps. soy sauce
# 3 Tbsps. vegetable oil
# 1 Tbsp. finely minced ginger
# 1 cup julienne carrots
# 2 scallions, finely shredded
# 1/4 cup chicken broth
# 1 Tbsp. oyster-flavored sauce

Clean the mushrooms. Remove and discard the stems. Thinly slice the caps.

Wash the cabbage leaves in several changes of cold water and allow to thoroughly drain in a colander until dry to the touch. Trim 1/4-inch from the stem end of the cabbage leaves and discard. Stack 2 to 3 cabbage leaves at a time and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide shreds.

In a 4-quart saucepan, bring about 2 quarts water to a boil over high heat. Add noodles, return to rolling boil and cook until al dente. Rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly. Transfer to a medium bowl, add sesame oil and 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and mix well. Set aside.

Heat 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and ginger, and stir-fry 20 seconds. Add the carrots, scallions and mushrooms, and stir-fry 1 minute, or until the vegetables are just limp. Transfer the vegetables to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and cabbage, and stir-fry 1 minute or until cabbage begins to wilt. Add the cooked carrot mixture, noodles and chicken broth and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes, or until noodles are heated through. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and oyster sauce and toss to combine. Serve immediately to 4 or 6 persons as part of a multicourse meal.

-- Adapted from "The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen, Classic Family Recipes for Celebration and Healing", Grace Young, (Simon & Schuster, 1999, 282 pp.)

Copyright © 2008, The Morning Call
Click here to find out more!