Indonesian and Malaysian Immersion Class and Shopping Tour

 Global Flavors, Culture & Cuisine:

Have you found yourself wandering the Asian food markets wishing you had a guide?

Do you wish that you could "know" a new cuisine, just have a walk through to understand it's spices, produce and how meals are built?

Could you picture yourself filling all your senses with new or favorite flavors, touching, smelling, seeing and tasting while your teacher explained it all?

Introducing our first Global Flavors, Culture & Cuisine Program.

This program is not for everyone. It is for a person who is curious; adventuresome and has an appetite for learning the step by step unfolding of a cuisine and its culture. You may be a working chef; an enthusiastic foodie or an adventurous home cook who wants to be transported to another country for the day.

There are few restaurants that serve authentic Indonesian and Malaysian food. So when popular Chef Julia Suparman sold Julia's Indonesian Kitchen, her customers cried. There are even less cooking classes anywhere to learn its secrets. Come join Chefs Julia Suparman and Naomi Kakiuchi of NuCulinary as they unravel the mysteries of Indonesian and Malaysian food for you.

We know that cooking is an experience that includes shopping and sourcing food. Our day begins with a shopping tour at HD Market in Seattle and moves to Uwajimaya Asian Grocery in the International District before we land with groceries in hand in Chef Naomi's kitchen. A small group (maximum 6) will meet Chef Julia and over snacks we will explain the building of the meal and the cultural ritual behind it. Then we will cook together and dine on a meal, authentically cooked by you.

Plan to walk away with a clear understanding of spices, Bumbu (curry mixtures); herbs and produce; what is the best brand of coconut milk and knowledge of when should you use coconut cream instead. Curious about galangal, lemongrass and fresh chilies and what to do with a Indian Bay leaf in a dish? Experience the techniques of Indonesian and Malay food, braising, frying, steaming, boiling and soup making. Our menu for the day is detailed below:

Menu

Gado Gado (Fresh Vegetables with Peanut Sauce)

Soto Ayam (Spicy Chicken Soup)

Shrimp Udang (Indonesian Shrimp Curry)

Pepes Ikan (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf)

Sambal Goreng Collard

Jasmine Rice

Es Campur (Iced Drink with Black Jelly, Palm Seed, Jack Fruit, Pandan Syrup)

Bring your questions and curiosity and we will send you home with knowledge, skills and an educated palate.

Date: Saturday, August 27, 2011

Time: 9:00 am -3:00 pm

Cost: $147

To register: Indonesian Immersion Class

Food for Thought  

Book Recommendations by Marlene Bosanko 

Yu Sang  

Chinese New Year Salad from Malaysia

Image vis flickr user avlxyz

Yu Sang

Serves  4-6

• ¼ pound very fresh tuna (about 6 x 2 x ½ inches)
• 2 cups finely shredded Chinese white radish (daikon)
• 2 cups finely shredded carrot

Dressing:

• ⅔ cup bottled plum sauce
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup sugar
• Salt to taste

Marinade:

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon five-spice powder
• Juice of ½ lemon

• 1-inch chunk fresh ginger, preferably young ginger, shredded paper thin
• ⅓ cup finely shredded sweet pickled ginger (bottled)
• 8 pickled shallots, finely shredded (about 1/3 cup)
• 7 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded with scissors
• 1 large red jalapeño chile, seeded and finely shredded
• 2 green onions, green part only, finely shredded
• ¼ bunch fresh coriander leaves only
• ¼ cup chopped peanuts
• Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
• Chinese shrimp chips, for garnish    

1. Remove any bones from the fish.  Freeze it until firm, then cut it across the grain into paper-thin slices, about 2 inches long.  Set aside in the refrigerator. (ask for Sashimi grade)
2. In separate bowls, cover the finely shredded radish and carrots with cold water; set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
3. To make the dressing, mix the plum sauce and water together; strain into a bowl.  Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan over low heat; add the plum sauce, sugar, and salt.  Cook until the sugar dissolves.  Cool.
4. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Add the fish slices and toss.  Mound the fish in the center of a platter.
5. Rinse the carrots and radish and squeeze out the excess water.  Surround the fish with radish and carrot shreds.  Scatter the two gingers, shallots, lime leaves, chile, green onions, and coriander leaves over the fish.  Top with peanuts and sesame seeds.  Spoon half of the dressing over the salad.  It is customary for everyone to join in and help toss the salad with their chopsticks by digging to the bottom and tossing up and over.  When the salad is fully tossed, add the remaining dressing and serve on individual salad plates.  Garnish with shrimp chips.  

Community Calendar

South Lake Union Block Party - Burger Grill Competition

Time: Fri. Aug. 12, noon-11:00 pm FREE, Grill Contest 5:00 pm

Location: South Lake Union Discovery Center, on the corner of Denny Way and Westlake Ave. N

An 11 hour party for the neighborhood and the public. Bring your kids, friends and neighbors and be sure to stop in and say hello at the Burger compeition. I will be jiving with the chefs as Emcee as they grill their creations to be crowned the "South Lake Union's Best Burger" at the Whole Foods Market Burger Grilling Competition. Defending champion

Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar will compete against Brave Horse Tavern, Lunchbox Laboratory, Whole Foods Market and FareStart to grill up their best burger.

Justin Vs. Zephyr at 2010's Ready, Set, Go...Cook!

Ready, Set, Go...Cook! 

Time: Sat, Aug. 13 at 10:00am

Location: U-District Farmers Market at

the corner of 50th and University Way NE.

The U-District Farmers Market's famous annual contest (this is our 15th year!!) was modeled after a British TV show of the same name, back in 1995.  Each year, two local celebrity chefs race the clock and battle each other to create the most Innovative, Original, Delicious, Beautifully Presented Dishes, contrived and derived from fresh Farmers Market ingredients, and supplemented with only what is available on the shelves at the U-District Food Bank!  This very popular event always draws a crowd - come early to get a good view!  Event starts at 10am.

This year's contestants: Seth Caswell, Emmer & Rye vs. Dustin Ronspies, The Art of the Table. With me, Naomi, as Emcee.   

National Can it Forward Day 

Time: Sat, Aug 13th, 8am -4pm

Location: Pike Place Market or online 

Join the first-ever National Can-It-Forward Day! The day-long event is free and open to the public and will teach the basics of water bath canning and some of the most popular summer canning recipes, including mixed berry jam, dill pickles,
canned tomatoes and pepper jelly. There will also be cooking demos, with a "use up what you put up" focus, featuring local Seattle chefs.  Check out the entire day's schedule of events. You can catch me at 1:30pm giving tips on finding and using fresh local ingredients for canning.  

Come down to Pike Place Market to see all the canning action live. If you can't make it in person then tune in online at FreshPreserving.com. All the demos will be streaming live and viewers will be able to ask questions and post comments in real time.   

Can-A-Rama  

Time: Sun, Aug 14th, noon -3pm

The preserving celebration continues with more free and open-to-the-public demos from Seattle's Canning Across America crew. Learn how to make apricot-raspberry jam and see how easy it is to pickle jalapeno chile peppers.  (Note that Sunday's events take place at Pike Place Market only, not online.)