Yak Liver

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

As part of a food writing project, I received a shipment of yak meat from DelYaks of Montrose, Colorado. Among several other cuts of meat, the package included a pound of yak liver.

When it comes to liver, I'm a firm believer that the human race is divided into two groups, those who love it, and those who hate it. Where liver is concerned, there is no middle ground. I fall into the the latter category, but being a good sport, I went ahead and prepared it for Rene anyway, as he falls into the former category.

My cooking method was simple. I cut a half pound of yak liver into bite sized pieces, rolled it in panko and quick-fried it in vegetable oil. By his reports, it was finer and more tender than calves' liver, and quite tasty (if you like liver).

Once I'd had my turn with the yak liver, Rene took the remaining half pound home for his mother to prepare it Mexican style, braised with onions and tomatoes, seasoned with lemon pepper, dill, paprika, and garlic powder, which Rene described as "Yummy."

I'll have to take is word for it.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

07:35 PM PST Permalink |

Mongolian Yak Soup with Rustic Handmade Dumplings

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

As part of a food writing project, I received a shipment of yak meat from DelYaks of Montrose, Colorado. The package included a pound of ground yak, of which I used a half pound to make a pot of my favorite soup. The recipe calls for only seven ingredients: oil, meat, onions, garlic, chili garlic paste, broth, and flour dumplings. Every time I make it, I marvel at how simple yet satisfying it is. The whole process, including the handmade dumplings takes less than an hour, and yields a hearty kettle full of tender meat and pillowy dumplings in a subtly spicy broth. A rustic pot of home-made goodness that warms you from the inside out.

Ordinarily, I use lamb or beef for this recipe, but for this special project, I used ground yak instead. And although yak has a somewhat subtle flavor and texture, it holds up well in a soup kettle and imparts its own unique quality to the recipe.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

09:14 PM PST Permalink |

Yak Buuz Dumplings

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

As part of a food writing project, I received a shipment of yak meat from DelYaks of Montrose, Colorado. The package included a pound of ground yak, of which I used a half pound to make a filling for Mongolian Buuz Dumplings, also called momo, or more commonly known as potstickers.

The filling recipe is simple, containing only the ground yak, a couple of finely chopped scallions, a couple of cloves of finely minced garlic, a cup of finely shredded cabbage, and a dash of soy sauce. The difference with using ground yak instead of beef, pork, or lamb, is that yak is finer and firmer in texture, so it holds together in compact spoonfuls, which made assembly so easy.

To prepare the Buuz, I filled each little round wonton wrapper with about a teaspoonful of the filling, moistened the edges with water, and pressed them together for a tight seal. Then I put the dumplings into a non-stick pan with a little vegetable oil and fried them over medium heat until the bottoms were crisp and golden. I added about 1/4 cup of water to the pan, covered it with a domed lid, and steamed them for about 7 minutes. I served the dumplings with a dipping sauce of rice vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil.

I'm just getting the hang of making potstickers, and maybe it's the yak, but this was the best batch yet. The wonderful thing about ground yak is its remarkable lack of fat. So I was able to fill the dumplings nice and tight, with no loss of volume and no sogginess due to fat run-off during the cooking process. The dumplings were as plump coming out of the pan as they were going in.

The flavor of the yak is perfect with the seasonings I chose. I'd originally thought about including shredded ginger root as well, but in the end, I decided to keep it simple, using only those ingredients that would enhance without dominating. Yak has a subtle, beef-like flavor that can easily be lost by over-spicing and overcooking. So the garlic and scallions in the filling, and the spicy-but-simple dipping sauce are all it needs to let it shine.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

09:02 PM PST Permalink |

Yak ReduX

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

Last January, I placed an order for five pounds of yak meat from an online purveyor called DelYaks for my Travellers and Magicians Bhutanese menu. Through no fault of DelYaks, my order spent nine days on the road with FedEx shipping and arrived on my doorstep just barely cool to the touch. And although I was skeptical of its safety, at the reassurance of the yak purveyor, I put the yak in my freezer and kept it through the spring and summer. I finally got it out last month to prepare for my 'Cave of the Yellow Dog' Mongolian menu. Just as a precaution, I discarded the ground meat, marinated some of the meat in pungent spices for stir-fry, and cooked the steaks well done. The yak turned out to be perfectly safe, and was quite tender and delicious.

The next day, I e-mailed Bob, the yak purveyor, to let him know all's well that ends well, so he went and read my original account of the yak debacle. A businessman of true integrity who was grateful that I hadn't disparaged his good name, he offered to send a replacement shipment for me to prepare and enjoy the way it was meant to be. Because I marinated it so heavily and over-cooked it, the subtleties of the meat were lost. According to Bob, its superior quality can only be discerned at the north end of medium rare. So he's sworn me to the promise that I will use only salt and pepper, and that the meat will still be mooing when I try it.

So...I'm off to the kitchen to do all the prep for tomorrow's yak dinner. The menu includes Yak-Filled Buuz Dumplings with Spicy Dipping Sauce, Mongolian Yak Soup with Rustic Handmade Dumplings, Quick-Fried Yak Liver, Grilled Yak Steaks, Potato Latkes, and a Wild Mushroom Medley over Braised Kale.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

06:25 PM PST Permalink |

Thanksgiving

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

Thanksgiving Day for me this year was much like any other day. No turkey...no stuffing...no gravy...no cranberry relish. I spent the day doing a little online Christmas shopping, and made myself a nice steak dinner, which I enjoyed with a bottle of pinot noir. It was actually a pleasant respite from my publication layout work and a good way to charge my batteries before I get in the kitchen this weekend for yet another culinary extravaganza. The yak is back...

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

03:27 PM PST Permalink |

This Time Last Year

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

Last year, things were a little fragmented in my family circle, so Rene and I decided to partake of the Thanksgiving buffet at a local hotel. Since I'd cooked a full Thanksgiving dinner at the end of September on a food writing assignment for a magazine in Georgia, and my son Will was with his dad for the holiday, I was in no mood to get in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. So Thanksgiving dinner was provided by the buffet at Embassy Suites.

There was an assortment of cheeses and breads, several kinds of salad, all the components of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, plus baked salmon with herbs de provence, and prime rib with horseradish. I sampled a little of everything except the Thanksgiving fare (since I'd really got my fill of that in month before). And for dessert, a chocolaty-luscious mousse, and a deeply dense chocolate cake, with fresh strawberries on the side, a sip of bubbly, and cup of decaf. Quite a departure from the frenzied pace of preparing Thanksgiving dinner for twelve, but not an experience I plan to revisit this year.

Tomorrow, I’m going to make a steak dinner for one in my own kitchen and enjoy it with a good bottle of Pinot Noir.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

02:33 PM PST Permalink |

Thanksgivings Past

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

In years past, I have always either cooked or participated in a family Thanksgiving dinner. My homemade Thanksgiving dinners always turn out as tasty, beautiful, and satisfying as the ones my mother made. A golden-brown bird. Rich, velvety gravy. Moist, savory stuffing. Creamy mashed potatoes. Tangy cranberry relish. But life has changed, and my near and dear have made other plans, so it looks like I'm on my own this year.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

06:09 PM PST Permalink |

Coconut Pineapple Custard Crumble

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

This is an easy dessert with impressive results. The custard is quick and simple, a mixture of coconut milk, sugar, flour, egg yolks, and vanilla. The crumble topping is butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon. The custard thickens up right in the saucepan and the crumble needs about 20 minutes in the oven to brown. A little cooling time and it's ready to serve.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

05:48 PM PST Permalink |

Crispy Asparagus

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

This dish was something I dreamed up. I've never seen it served anywhere. I used my perfect deep-frying batter (Bisquick, cornstarch, egg yolk, and ice water) and dipped only the stalks of the asparagus into the batter, leaving the blossom end exposed. I fried it at medium temperature, so the batter wouldn't brown too quickly before the asparagus cooked through. The result was both tasty and beautiful.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

12:19 AM PST Permalink |

Quick & Tasty Fried Rice

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

I make fried rice about once a week. It starts with a simple pot of steamed rice prepared in my automatic rice steamer. In a large kettle, I stir-fry ginger, garlic and whatever vegetables I have on hand. Sometimes I even use a frozen vegetable medley. Sometimes I add diced ham, and at the end, I always add a cup of some kind of savory stock for added flavor. It's fast. It's easy. And it's a complete vegetable/carb side dish all in one.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

07:32 PM PST Permalink |

San Pei Pork

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

I've used this recipe many times to prepare chicken in the crockpot. It's one of those dishes that you can prepare in less than five minutes, set the timer and forget it for about 4 hours. Once done, the chicken is meltingly tender and the broth is rich and unusual. This time, however, I decided to try the recipe with pork instead. I cut the pork into generous chunks, marinated it overnight in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, and Chinese rice wine, and simmered it in the crockpot for most of the afternoon. When I was ready to serve, I thickened the broth with a little cornstarch and served it with fried rice. A savory success.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

02:13 PM PST Permalink |

Crispy Fish With Sweet Chili Sauce

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

I think I've finally found the perfect batter for deep frying. This one is a combination of baking mix (Bisquick), cornstarch, egg yolk, and ice water. At just the right frying temperature, not too hot, the batter puffs just a little and crisps to a beautiful golden brown without the slightest hint of greasiness. I used it to fry up some nice plump chunks of Alaskan pollack, which I served with a sweet chili sauce that I bought at the Asian market.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

To subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

12:01 AM PST Permalink |

Hot and Sour Noodle Soup

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

This simple soup was fantastic. Of course much of its success is due to the pot of supreme broth that I made to use as the stock. Supreme broth is so simple and so tasty as a base for nearly any Asian dish that calls for stock or broth. It's nothing more than lots of pork bones boiled for about 4 hours, until it's reduced by half. To the supreme broth, I added Chinese rice wine, rice vinegar, chili oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, scallions, cooked chicken, and dried noodles. All the ingredients go together in one pot, simmer for about 10 minutes and it's ready to serve. For such a deceptively simple soup, the flavors are many-layered. And for such light ingredients, so satisfying.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

11:57 PM PST Permalink |

Stuffed Prawns

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

This tasty appetizer is easy to prepare by mixing a stuffing of pork sausage, ginger, garlic, and scallions. Place a little on the center of each wonton wrapper, top with a butterfly prawn, fold up the edges of the wrapper and bake at 400 for about 25 minutes. Makes great finger food.

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

11:38 PM PST Permalink |

Taiwan on ThingsAsian

This Month's Film: YiYi
Cuisine: Taiwanese

I'm taking a day off to meet a publication layout deadline today, so, I'm going to point you to an article by an artist named Ian Douglas who lives in Bangkok. I interviewed him for ThingsAsian a few of years ago. Nice fellow and very talented. After visiting Taiwan, he wrote an article for ThingsAsian about his experiences. It's called Once 'Round the Little Dragon.

Dawn Stanton wrote another good article about Taiwan for ThingsAsian titled Your First Trip to Taiwan: A Suggested Itinerary.

Today's photo was taken by Joshua Samuel Brown for his ThingsAsian article titled Five Reasons to Spend Chinese New Year in Taipei.

A keyword search for "Taiwan" on ThingsAsian will yield dozens of articles about or mentioning Taiwan. So why not go exploring!

Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

12:37 AM PST Permalink |