Sunchoke and Cashew Stir-fry

I have a baby wok. It is cast-iron and metallic grey with a crackly surface texture, something reminiscent of elephant skin. My wok has a round bottom, two handles, and aspirations - or rather, I have aspirations for it. It is simple in shape and material, and will eventually be able to tell its own story through the patina it will develop on its surface - the sort of thing that takes time, and countless meals. This relatively new addition to my kitchen has been sitting on my stove lately next to my old cast iron pan - one black and slick, the other young and fresh with barely a bruise of color beyond the grey. If you have a minute, I'll tell you how it got here. This all started when Grace Young took me wok shopping in San Francisco's Chinatown a few months ago.

Sunchoke and Cashew Stir-frySunchoke and Cashew Stir-frySunchoke and Cashew Stir-fry

Actually, Grace and I chatted about wok cooking while signing books next to each other last year at a conference. I told her how my dad would cook with a wok once or twice a week when I was a kid, after taking classes at the local junior college. Grace and I agreed it would be fun to go wok shopping the next time she was in San Francisco. I'm junior varsity on the stir-fry front and I was excited that Grace was game to talk me through my wok options. And she did! Grace is awesome, and her enthusiasm for wok cooking is infectious. I came home with the perfect wok.

Now, I believe in serendipity, and although I suspect Grace! had pla nned to set me up with a carbon steel wok (which I think would have been perfectly nice to cook with), fantastically practical with it's flat bottom and wood handles. Tane, the owner of The Wok Shop, had a run on those the previously day. Instead, a traditional Chinese-made cast iron wok was handed to me - the kind Cantonese home cooks swear by to impart the coveted taste of wok hay. There are few things I love more than cooking in cast iron, and I knew in an instant this was the wok for me. In the months since, my wok and I have become fast friends. I think people have the idea that cast-iron is fussy, but it's really not so. My cast iron skillet is a slippery as any non-stick, and my wok is well on its way.

Sunchoke and Cashew Stir-frySunchoke and Cashew Stir-frySunchoke and Cashew Stir-fry

Grace was in SF last week, and she came over for lunch (and to take my pan for a spin). It was fantastically helpful to see some of her cooking techniques in action. We made two dishes with fresh ingredients I'd picked up at the farmers' market. This one was a simple fried rice stir-fry made with day-old brown rice, sunchokes, sweet corn, toasted nuts, and punches of flavor from basil, ginger, garlic and the like. Big thumbs up. I wrote up the recipe down below.

There are definitely some considerations related to choosing the appropriate wok for your cooking surface (flat bottom vs. round, etc), and Grace's books (Stir Frying to the Sky's Edge / The Breath of a Wok) are inspiring references for everything you need to know. There's a bit of a learning curve, but once you're going it's a fascinating cooking vessel with its own personality and temperament. My wok has certainly impacted some of my favorite one-pan meals for the better. I think my wok set me back just $15, but it's the sort of thing that a year or two (or ten) from now, it will evolve into something priceless. I have to tell you, one of my favorite things is when Grace posts photos to her Twitter stream of people holding their woks - many have made long journeys, provided a lifetime of meals, been passed down from generation to generation. Look at this photo of Florence Lin with her wok from the 60s. That's what I mean when I say my wok has aspirations. Thank you Grace, and I look forward to many more wok meals together. xo-h

Continue reading Sunchoke and Cashew Stir-fry...


Paradise Dynasty@Paradigm Shopping Mall.

A late dinner with Ying, a close relative from out of town.


Paradise Dynasty@ Paradigm Shopping Mall was the place to eat as she is a big fan of xiao loong pao (steamed pork dumplings ) and La Mian.

Tables setting are four to a table on either side with a wide aisle.

A statue of a pure and serene Buddha with a lighted halo is placed beside the main wall of the restaurant.

Warm caressing lighting.

A quick glance of the menu-wrote orders on a piece of order chit-passed to server-in less than 10 minutes came the first dish and the rest were served in an orderly manner (good timing in between dishes).


Will go back to try their stir fry dishes.






Chefs at work.
A pure and serene Buddha statue in the restaurant.
Table setting with some pickled ginger and black vinegar. Japanese cucumber in garlic oil-cool and crunchy with every bite-a good appetizer- Rm8.80. Shanghai pork dumplings-would be better with more broth in it-average good-Rm16.80. Pan fried pork dumplings-meaty with a smooth skin and a nice slightly charred bottom -Rm7.80. Shanghai pork bun-Michelle loves these soft and fluffy pork buns topped with toasted sesame- Rm9.00 La Mian fried with black fungus, preserved vegetable and minced pork-not too oily or salty-nicely flavored-Rm15.00.. Wok fried rice with shrimp and preserved vegetable-fluffy rice-not too oily with four decent sized shrimps--Rm16.00.



La Mian in Szechwan style-half braised egg and some chopped spring onion in a clear and tasty broth-Rm15.00. Chilled assorted eggs-salted, century and ordinary egg topped with a layer of egg white-different aromas and flavors played on the tongue with each bite-Rm12.80.


Total bill:Rm120/
Location:Lot 1F-15, Level 1,
1, Jalan SS7/26A, Kelana Jaya,
Petaling Jaya.
Tel:03-7887-5022.

Lunch @ B.I.G, Solaris Dutamas

We recently visited Ben's Independent Grocer to purchase some Wagyu Beef and decided to visit their cafe which was packed with locals and expats.


Chicken Pie
Chicken Pie
The Puff Pastry was quite flaky and the Bechamel Sauce was quite good with the chicken. The potatoes however were very dry.


Beef Pie
Beef Pie
The Beef was very tender but lacked Gravy from being over cooked in the oven as evident by the burnt top of the Pie.


Quiche
Quiche Lorraine
This was Eric's order. The Quiche did not have a strong eggy flavor which I usually love when eating Quiche.


Roast Chicken
Roast Chicken
The Chicken was quite good. The skin was crisp but the meat was a little dry. The gravy that came with it was a little under salted.


Pizza Margarita
Pizza Margerita
I asked for extra Basil but it they only gave me several lea! ves. The Pizza had a nice thin crust that had some nice air pockets giving it a nice crunch. But it definitely lacked the flavor of Basil.


Sticky Date Pudding
Sticky Date Pudding
The Pudding was moist and was good with the Ice Cream and melted Caramel with Walnuts.


Rocky Mountain Cake
Rocky Mountain Cake
I was hoping this would be good but it turned out to be very dry. The Marshmallow was very tough and chewy and the sponge layers were too dense and dry.


Peach Crumble
Peach Crumble
The Pie Crust was good but the Peaches did not have a strong peach flavor.


The food at BIG looked very good but tasted pretty bad from our mains to the desserts. We were all disappointed especially having been Ben's and Estate (restaurants owned by BIG owners) which were excellent.


Food: 2.5/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Price: $$ (Approximately USD $20 per person)


Contact Information:
Address: LOT 1A 83 - 95, Level UG,, Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2248 8790
Map:

View Larger Map

Lunch @ B.I.G, Solaris Dutamas

We recently visited Ben's Independent Grocer to purchase some Wagyu Beef and decided to visit their cafe which was packed with locals and expats.


Chicken Pie
Chicken Pie
The Puff Pastry was quite flaky and the Bechamel Sauce was quite good with the chicken. The potatoes however were very dry.


Beef Pie
Beef Pie
The Beef was very tender but lacked Gravy from being over cooked in the oven as evident by the burnt top of the Pie.


Quiche
Quiche Lorraine
This was Eric's order. The Quiche did not have a strong eggy flavor which I usually love when eating Quiche.


Roast Chicken
Roast Chicken
The Chicken was quite good. The skin was crisp but the meat was a little dry. The gravy that came with it was a little under salted.


Pizza Margarita
Pizza Margerita
I asked for extra Basil but it they only gave me several lea! ves. The Pizza had a nice thin crust that had some nice air pockets giving it a nice crunch. But it definitely lacked the flavor of Basil.


Sticky Date Pudding
Sticky Date Pudding
The Pudding was moist and was good with the Ice Cream and melted Caramel with Walnuts.


Rocky Mountain Cake
Rocky Mountain Cake
I was hoping this would be good but it turned out to be very dry. The Marshmallow was very tough and chewy and the sponge layers were too dense and dry.


Peach Crumble
Peach Crumble
The Pie Crust was good but the Peaches did not have a strong peach flavor.


The food at BIG looked very good but tasted pretty bad from our mains to the desserts. We were all disappointed especially having been Ben's and Estate (restaurants owned by BIG owners) which were excellent.


Food: 2.5/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Price: $$ (Approximately USD $20 per person)


Contact Information:
Address: LOT 1A 83 - 95, Level UG,, Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2248 8790
Map:

View Larger Map

Champ's @ Bangsar Shopping Center

Finally! After years of KO-ing its rivalsat Bandar Utama's Centrepoint, Champ's has launched a new branch, bringing its heavyweight porky fare to Bangsar Shopping Center.

There are two reasons to celebrate this opening: one, Bangsar is a convenient location, so there's no need now to battle traffic to Centrepoint for a taste of Champ's Tao Yew Bak soy-braised pork belly with egg (RM28++).

Also, so few eateries in Bangsar Shopping Center offer pork, so it's heartening to have a full-fledged Hokkien Mee (RM23++) here at last, bursting with pork liver and the works.

Rest assured, all of Champ's best-loved hits are available here, including the near-legendary Damn Shiok prawn mee (RM22.50++), still flavorful with pork ribs though too spicy for our liking.

Lard have mercy! So many recipes here are topped with crispy-fatty pork croutons, including the Penang Fried Koay Teow (RM23++), brimming with cockles, crab meat and lap cheong.

Char siew and siu yok platter (RM33++). Yep, prices have crept up as expected; we suppose the relatively steep rental in this mall might be partly to blame.

Pretty decent cocktails: Tinto de Verano (red wine, lemonade) and frozen margarita.

Mojito and a RM25++ house-pouring Cabernet (hmmmm).


Champ's Express Heritage,
F136, Level 1 (behind Madam Kwan's),
Bangsar Shopping Center, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2288-1855

Meet the Pros: Chef Gunther Hubrechsen of Gunther's Modern French Cuisine, Singapore

Back in February this year, Hubby took me to Singapore for a weekend getaway. One of the places that we dined in was Gunther's Modern French Cuisine on Purvis St. A meal at Gunther's is how a good meal should be - you leave the restaurant smiling and will still be talking about it many months down the line. (You can read our previous review here)

Chef Gunther Hubrechsen


Gunther's Modern French Cuisine was opened on 2 August 2007, a collaboration between awardwinning Chef Gunther Hubrechsen and Roberto Galetti, representing the Garibaldi Group of Restaurants. Gunther's Modern French Cuisine has made it into The Miele Guide's Asia's Top 20 since 2008, and is currently listed No.14 on the list. They were also listed as no.84 restaurant in the San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2010. Most recently in 2012, Gunthers was awarded withthe Restaurant of the Year and Outstanding Caterer of the Year at the World GourmetSummit Excellence 2012; an achievement that demonstrates culinary, cuisine and serviceexcellence in Singapore.




Of Belgian descent, Chef Gunther has worked in several renowned restaurants in Belgium, including Le Bouquet, and Restaurant Gravin van Buren before moving on to Fran! ce where he worked as a sous chef under his mentor, Chef Alain Passard at his three-star Michelin restaurant, LArpge in Paris for 5 years.

In 2002 Gunther arrived in Singapore to work with the Les Amis Group. Thanks to his dedication and talent, he brought Les Amis restaurant to 83rd position in the UK Restaurant Magazines list of Best 100 Restaurants in 2007.

Gunthers cutting edge style and flair using natural jus and slow cooking techniques to enhance the flavors of a dish offer a refreshing change to classic French food. This modern angle emphasizes the importance of textures and flavors and leaves no margin for error in the kitchen.



Not only is Chef Gunther a master of the kitchen, he is also an extremely down-to-earth guy.After our meal, he approached us and started chatting to us as well as giving us a brief tour of his restaurant and kitchen - it felt like we hit the jackpot! He even made us his signaturedish - the cold angel hair pasta served with white truffle oil and oscietra caviar (S$60) which tasted absolutely heavenly. We were truly impressed with the taste, flavours and presentation of all his dishes.


Baby Sumo (BS): What inspired you to open your own restaurant?
Gunther Hubrechsen (GH):Well, after working with other group of restaurants for so many years, I thought its about time that I can present my cuisine that I can truly call my own. Afterall, I've always wanted my guests to focus on my food and to feel at home when they come to Gunthers.


BS: What is your style of cooking? Do you have a favorite cooking method/technique?
GH:I enjoy cooking simple, honest and down-to-earth food, using fre! sh ingre dients. And I like to be creative when it comes to cooking, like doing small little steps so Im able to bring out the flavour of each ingredient. Working too much on the product is not my kind of style simply because I respect the natural shape and flavour for every ingredient. Nothing like a lobster that look like a lobster and nothing cooks better than what nature has to offer.


BS: After we were seated, your waiting staff brought out a tray of produce to showcase to us. We thought it was a brilliant idea. Tell us more about it.
GH:We want to let our guests know that whatever we serve at Gunthers are served fresh and of quality, because what they see on the tray is what we are going to serve on the table. Plus, we are able to do different cooking style to suit our guests taste. So they can ensure that the food they are eating are top-notch and enjoy the whole dining experience at Gunthers.



BS: How often do you update your menu?
GH:We update our menus quarterly to reflect changes in season, and to include the world's finest ingredients. For our lunch menu we rotate it weekly so our guests are able to enjoy different dishes when they come. Our 3-course set lunch menu is very affordable at $38++ only!
BS: (I can attest that it is indeed very good value for money and absolutely delicious!)


BS: What is your signature dish and what is the main ingredients and method of preparation.
GH:My signature dish definitely has to be the Cold Angel Hair Pasta with Oscietra Caviar and this is the dish that I enjoy cooking the most. It is a very spontaneous dish plus, everyone loves it. (Laugh) If I give you the ingredients and method of preparation, I will be giving away one of m! y most p rized possessions.


BS: Is there a particular ingredient that you like to cook with.
GH: I dont really have a particular ingredient but seafood is often my choice. For example, Alaskan king crab, blue lobster, beef, mushroom, clams and also any fresh vegetables.




BS: What are the must-try dishes for anyone visiting your restaurant?
GH:1. Cold angel hair pasta, Oscietra caviar. 2. Fine apple tart la drages, Havana rum ice cream 3. Alaskan king crab leg, chili Monte Poro.


*We would like to thank chef Gunther for taking time to answer our questions. All photos courtesy of Gunther's.For anyone wishing to read my full review of the restaurant, please click here.

Join their Facebook page here for latest menu updates.



Opening times: Mon to Sat 12.00-2.30pm; 6.30-10.30pm.

Location: Gunther's Modern French Cuisine, 36 Purvis Street, #01-03, Singapore, 188613

Tel: +(65) 6338 8955, or +(65) 8655 0208 for SMS reservation.

Website: http://www.gunthers.com.sg/index2.html