Due to my overdue report and such, i'm unable to write a single thing in the last few days. But there are few articles coming right up. Such as "Extreme Sashimi" and the weekly overdue "menu of the week". I'll try to write again by tomorrow night.
See you
Cons
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Sashimi O-negai-shimasu!
Sashimi O-negai-shimasu!
For some culture who never eat raw items, sashimi may looked as scary as it can be. I remembered the first time I tried sashimi, the mindset that sashimi is a raw fish keep hanging in my mind and prevent me to be able to fully enjoy the flavor of the fish.
But again sashimi, with all due respect, is the food that absurdly delicious. Absurd in terms that it’s very difficult to enjoy, yet a lot of people can enjoy it.
Well, the history of consuming raw meat is of course will go back to the time before fire was invented. After fire was invented, (or likely, the ability to ignite fire) the art of cooking is coming together. But nevertheless, the art of consuming food without cooking has been a tradition all over the world. Not only in Japan of course. Fish, such as salmon, instead of cooking it, the locals (Norwegians, Alaskans…) prefer to eat it raw, smoke it, cure it, salt it, preserve it… anything but cook it. Because when you cook the salmon, it’ll lose its soft texture and its natural flavor. The best cooking style that keeps both character of salmon would perhaps searing (jap: tataki) which pan-grill the outside and giving smoky aroma and slightly firm texture but leaving the inside fresh and raw.
Now Sashimi is not always easy to enjoy. If you’re a beginner to sashimi, salmon will be a good practice. Get the sashimi with your chopstick, dab it with a little wasabi and dip with shoyu. When you put it in your mouth, don’t think that is a raw items. Instead, think of it as a tasty meat, enjoy and savor the flavor, the saltiness of shoyu and the kick of wasabi.
When you can enjoy the taste of salmon, you may graduate further to other fish, such as maguro (tuna) or hamachi (yellowtail). While hamachi have the similar property as salmon, maguro have more complex and difficult flavor to enjoy. But don’t worry. Having your maguro tataki-ed or aburi-ed (aburi- grilling with open flame) will help you enjoy the maguro.much better. Another item in the menu, such as kajiki, have a chewy textures and taste reminiscent of beef tendon.
As you’re ready to venture outside the fish family, you can start your adventure with sweet prawns (amaebi), lobster, cuttlefish (ika) or even shellfish such as scallop (hotate) and abalone (awabi). Be warned that although fish sashimi is low cholesterol and even a good source of Omega-3, these non-fish family might not. So over-consumption of these items is never recommended.
And finally, challenge death with the ultimate sashimi: Fugu! Fugu is the blowfish that contains toxins 500 times more powerful than cyanide. All fugu chefs must be certified to slice the fish and therefore jacking the price high. Now don’t be misled by an episode in The Simpson when Homer ate allegedly poisoned fugu, he was give 24 hours to live. No, siree, Fugu’s death is instant. But don’t worry, death because of mistreated fugu only occurs 70-100 a year in the whole world. And guess what? There’s this restaurant in Singapore that serves fugu for S$60 a set. And you will go away with a cheesy free t-shirt (Fugu Survivor!) for the season. Ha!
Itadakimasu!
Cons
PS: I found this article about a journalist finding her way to Fugu. Have a look here!
For some culture who never eat raw items, sashimi may looked as scary as it can be. I remembered the first time I tried sashimi, the mindset that sashimi is a raw fish keep hanging in my mind and prevent me to be able to fully enjoy the flavor of the fish.
But again sashimi, with all due respect, is the food that absurdly delicious. Absurd in terms that it’s very difficult to enjoy, yet a lot of people can enjoy it.
Well, the history of consuming raw meat is of course will go back to the time before fire was invented. After fire was invented, (or likely, the ability to ignite fire) the art of cooking is coming together. But nevertheless, the art of consuming food without cooking has been a tradition all over the world. Not only in Japan of course. Fish, such as salmon, instead of cooking it, the locals (Norwegians, Alaskans…) prefer to eat it raw, smoke it, cure it, salt it, preserve it… anything but cook it. Because when you cook the salmon, it’ll lose its soft texture and its natural flavor. The best cooking style that keeps both character of salmon would perhaps searing (jap: tataki) which pan-grill the outside and giving smoky aroma and slightly firm texture but leaving the inside fresh and raw.
Now Sashimi is not always easy to enjoy. If you’re a beginner to sashimi, salmon will be a good practice. Get the sashimi with your chopstick, dab it with a little wasabi and dip with shoyu. When you put it in your mouth, don’t think that is a raw items. Instead, think of it as a tasty meat, enjoy and savor the flavor, the saltiness of shoyu and the kick of wasabi.
When you can enjoy the taste of salmon, you may graduate further to other fish, such as maguro (tuna) or hamachi (yellowtail). While hamachi have the similar property as salmon, maguro have more complex and difficult flavor to enjoy. But don’t worry. Having your maguro tataki-ed or aburi-ed (aburi- grilling with open flame) will help you enjoy the maguro.much better. Another item in the menu, such as kajiki, have a chewy textures and taste reminiscent of beef tendon.
As you’re ready to venture outside the fish family, you can start your adventure with sweet prawns (amaebi), lobster, cuttlefish (ika) or even shellfish such as scallop (hotate) and abalone (awabi). Be warned that although fish sashimi is low cholesterol and even a good source of Omega-3, these non-fish family might not. So over-consumption of these items is never recommended.
And finally, challenge death with the ultimate sashimi: Fugu! Fugu is the blowfish that contains toxins 500 times more powerful than cyanide. All fugu chefs must be certified to slice the fish and therefore jacking the price high. Now don’t be misled by an episode in The Simpson when Homer ate allegedly poisoned fugu, he was give 24 hours to live. No, siree, Fugu’s death is instant. But don’t worry, death because of mistreated fugu only occurs 70-100 a year in the whole world. And guess what? There’s this restaurant in Singapore that serves fugu for S$60 a set. And you will go away with a cheesy free t-shirt (Fugu Survivor!) for the season. Ha!
Itadakimasu!
Cons
PS: I found this article about a journalist finding her way to Fugu. Have a look here!
Monday, October 30, 2006
Breakfast Time
Breakfast Time
Well, breakfast is, they say, the most important meal of the day. But what is your typical breakfast menu? In my homeland, Indonesia, fried rice is a typical breakfast in a hotel. At home, a bowl of chicken porridge, bakmi ayam (chicken noodle) or perhaps just a packet of instant noodles.
I also rooting over western breakfast. The thing such as pancake, toast, French toast, egg, bacon, ham, sausages… mmm yummy.
But then, breakfast is all about balance to start your day. The perfect balance of carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, a little fat here and there but the most important of all, it should taste good that it’ll give you something to hope for everytime you rise out of bed.
So a typical American breakfast may contain 2 slices of toast (Carbo), 2 eggs (Protein), a portion of meat (fat) and some seasonings. Normally orange juice would complement the medley by providing the extra vitamin and dietary fibre to start the day.
However, what you need for breakfast should correspond with what you’re going to do for the day. Of course you won’t need extra carbo if you’re just coming to work to sit down in front of your PC until lunch time. Those carbo will mightily morphin’ into fat. (Mighty Morphin’ Power Fat… get it?)
But if you’re about to do something that requires energy, jogging, swimming or going to the gym on weekends, of course, a little extra carbo would help you a long way.
In conclusion, whatever choice you’re having for breakfast, choose wisely. If you choose the right thing, they’re not only good to eat, but will help you for the day.
Have a pleasant day
Cons
PS:I'm kinda joining this program to help me reduce my weight. They also give you a lot of advice on meals. I was 88 kg at peak and now I'm hanging around 75-76 kg. But I'm aiming to get my old 70 kg by new year. Just click the banner below and check it out yourself.
Well, breakfast is, they say, the most important meal of the day. But what is your typical breakfast menu? In my homeland, Indonesia, fried rice is a typical breakfast in a hotel. At home, a bowl of chicken porridge, bakmi ayam (chicken noodle) or perhaps just a packet of instant noodles.
I also rooting over western breakfast. The thing such as pancake, toast, French toast, egg, bacon, ham, sausages… mmm yummy.
But then, breakfast is all about balance to start your day. The perfect balance of carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, a little fat here and there but the most important of all, it should taste good that it’ll give you something to hope for everytime you rise out of bed.
So a typical American breakfast may contain 2 slices of toast (Carbo), 2 eggs (Protein), a portion of meat (fat) and some seasonings. Normally orange juice would complement the medley by providing the extra vitamin and dietary fibre to start the day.
However, what you need for breakfast should correspond with what you’re going to do for the day. Of course you won’t need extra carbo if you’re just coming to work to sit down in front of your PC until lunch time. Those carbo will mightily morphin’ into fat. (Mighty Morphin’ Power Fat… get it?)
But if you’re about to do something that requires energy, jogging, swimming or going to the gym on weekends, of course, a little extra carbo would help you a long way.
In conclusion, whatever choice you’re having for breakfast, choose wisely. If you choose the right thing, they’re not only good to eat, but will help you for the day.
Have a pleasant day
Cons
PS:I'm kinda joining this program to help me reduce my weight. They also give you a lot of advice on meals. I was 88 kg at peak and now I'm hanging around 75-76 kg. But I'm aiming to get my old 70 kg by new year. Just click the banner below and check it out yourself.
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