Anjali Prasertong's Recent Articles
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Ingredient Spotlight: Kinako
A New Year’s tradition in Japan is eating warm, freshly pounded mochi under a thick dusting of a toasted soybean flour called kinako. Pounding mochi probably deserves to be a once-a-year task, but eating kinako shouldn’t be. Toasty and nutritious, it is as good baked into quick breads as it is sprinkled on toast, with a comforting flavor reminiscent of peanut butter.
May 2, 2019
Ingredient Spotlight: Black Sesame Paste
If you’re a fan of Asian desserts, you’re probably familiar with black-sesame-flavored sweets. And perhaps occasionally while nibbling on a slice of black sesame cake, you’ve wondered just how the bakery got such a deep toasty flavor and inky color into its cake. It was always a mystery to us, until we discovered the secret ingredient.Black sesame paste is a thick, tar-black puree of pure roasted black sesame seeds.
May 2, 2019
Ditch the Crackers: 20 Gluten-Free Party Snacks
A box of crackers and a few types of cheese may be one of the easiest party snacks ever, but what do you do if some of your guests can’t eat the crackers? When making gluten-free nibbles for a party, we gravitate toward foods that are inherently gluten-free, like popcorn, nuts, vegetables and cheese. Crisped, toasted, spiced and stuffed, these snacks are so good, no one will miss the crackers.
May 2, 2019
Bao & Beyond: 8 Chinese Breakfast Favorites
From a simple bowl of rice porridge to luo buo gao, a savory steamed turnip cake served thinly sliced and fried, Chinese breakfasts are one of the most satisfying ways to start the day. Want to try your hand at making these and other dim sum favorites? Check out the recipes below!1. Scallion Pancake – This savory pancake is crispy, chewy and layered with nuggets of green onion.2.
May 2, 2019
Hold the Gluten: The 6 Best Gluten-Free Sandwich Breads
The latest issue of Saveur is devoted entirely to sandwiches, but they haven’t forgotten about those who can’t normally eat bread. A gluten-intolerant member of their staff tried 30 different gluten-free sandwich breads, tossing aside many sub-par slices before settling on the six best loaves on the shelves.
May 2, 2019
Strange But True Tip: Whiten Your Teeth With Strawberries
If you love strawberries for dessert, here’s a fun fact for you: strawberry pulp can actually be used as a natural teeth whitener!Read on for the method, as well as the science behind it.Apparently the malic acid in strawberries is an astringent which removes surface discoloration on teeth. A simple tooth-cleaner can be made by mixing strawberry pulp with baking soda and brushing it on with a toothbrush.Health.
May 2, 2019
Fact or Fiction? Eating Local Honey Cures Allergies
When spring allergy season struck, a friend advised me to buy some local honey from the farmers market. Eating a spoonful a day would build up my body’s immunities to the local allergens and alleviate my symptoms — or so the thinking goes.Does this home remedy actually work?Unfortunately, the answer is no.
May 2, 2019
Why the Reisenthal Carrybag Is Better Than Shopping Bags
The Reisenthel Carrybag is one of those products that at first glance seems nice but unnecessary. Why would I buy a $40 basket when I have a whole pile of inexpensive reusable shopping bags that can be carried around in a purse or pocket?Then I started using one. And now I almost always use it for food shopping instead of a reusable bag, especially at the farmers market.
May 2, 2019
The 10 Foods That Most Affect Weight Gain & Loss
Last week a team of Harvard researchers published the results of a study that looked at how small changes in behavior can affect long-term weight loss. Not surprisingly, diet is the most important factor, but more specifically, an additional daily serving of certain foods can cause the greatest change in weight. Which foods lead to the most weight gain or weight loss?
May 2, 2019
No-Cook Summer Dish: Hiyayakko (Japanese Cold Tofu)
Simple and refreshing hiyayakko is a quintessential summer dish in Japan. I can understand why: it takes minutes to make, doesn’t require the stove or the oven, and is one of the best ways to appreciate the subtle flavor of fresh tofu.The dish is made by topping a small block of tofu with a drizzle of soy sauce and a sprinkling of chopped herbs, ginger or other toppings.
May 2, 2019
An Unavoidable Surprise in Organic Corn: Worms!
Organic corn from the farmers market is reliably sweeter and tastier than conventionally-grown supermarket corn, but the one drawback is is peeling back the husk and finding a creepy, crawly worm. What are these worms and is the corn they are munching on still safe to eat?The worms, called corn earworms, are one of the biggest headaches for organic corn growers because it is extremely difficult to prevent them using sustainable practices.
May 2, 2019
The Help: Real Southern Food on Film
Set in 1960s Mississippi, the movie adaptation of the best-selling novel The Help looks at the complex relationships between African-American housekeepers and the white women they work for. Food plays a role in the story, but instead of turning to the usual caterers and food stylists for help, the director chose to use real Southern cooks, not professionals, to make nearly all the onscreen food.Food & Wine’s August issue includes a behind-the-scenes story about the food in the film.
May 2, 2019
Cooking Ostrich Eggs: A Report From the Front Lines
We’ve always been curious about cooking with ostrich eggs, but after hearing about one Chicago chef’s experience preparing these massive eggs that are the size of 24 chicken eggs, with translucent gray whites and sulfurous yolks…well, we’re not so sure.Justin White of Chicago’s Small Bar was given the challenge of preparing a dish with ostrich eggs, an ingredient he had never used before.
May 2, 2019
Dress Up Your Drinks: Fruit, Herb & Flower Ice Cubes
Looking for a pretty way to dress up drinks while entertaining, or a simple flavoring for ice water? Martha Stewart has a couple ideas for making ice cubes that are more eye-catching and tasty than the usual.Herb- and fruit-infused ice cubes are any easy way to flavor drinks and Martha has a few recipes for making colorful cubes. Frozen cucumber-basil puree sounds especially refreshing, and might be the perfect in a simple gin cocktail.
May 2, 2019
Try This! Dipping Salts With Fried Foods
The first time I ordered tempura in Japan, I was surprised that instead of the usual bowl of dipping sauce, one or two flavored dipping salts were served alongside. Surprise turned to joy when I realized dipping salts are the perfect match for fried foods, lending a ton of flavor without weighing them down.Fried foods with a very light and crispy batter like tempura are especially good with dipping salts, because nothing interferes with the ethereal texture of the coating.
May 2, 2019
Hot Pepper Hands: An Easy Way to Stop the Burn
After chopping an unexpectedly powerful jalapeno, my hands were on fire for hours. Washing with soap and water was useless, and ice packs did nothing to tame the burn. Instead I turned to this pantry staple for help. Olive oil! When the pain became unbearable, I rubbed a tablespoon of olive oil all over my hands for about a minute, then washed them with soap and water.
May 2, 2019
Misophonia: The Unbearable Loudness of Chewing
Do you find the sound of a tablemate chewing with his mouth open slightly annoying or does it trigger outright anger?Those diagnosed with a newly recognized condition called misophonia are driven to panic and rage by certain small sounds like chewing, slurping and gulping.Misophonia sufferers find these sounds more than just mildly annoying.
May 2, 2019
Preserve the Taste of Summer: Tomato Conserva
Tomato season will soon be over, but there is still time to make a few jars of tomato conserva, a concentrated tomato paste that tastes nothing like canned. Kept in the fridge, it will add the essence of summer to even the darkest days of winter cooking.The conserva starts with at least five pounds of tomatoes, which are chopped, briefly sauteed, and run through a food mill.
May 2, 2019
Whole Grains, Less Dairy: Harvard’s Healthy Plate
Earlier this year, the government released MyPlate, an image of the ideal healthy diet on a plate rather than stacked in a confusing pyramid. But is it really the ideal? Harvard released its own version of the healthy plate, which it says is free of the politics surrounding the meat and dairy industries.
May 2, 2019
Product Review: Breville 5-Quart Stand Mixer
In the world of stand mixers, one name stands above the rest: KitchenAid. When I was putting together my wedding registry, one of the first items I added was a pear-green KitchenAid stand mixer, crossing my fingers that someone might be nice enough to buy it. But then I was given a Breville 5-quart stand mixer to try out and test for review here, and a week later I took the KitchenAid off my registry. Why did I change my mind?First, you should know I am a stand mixer newbie.
May 2, 2019
No Noodles: 6 Gluten-Free Ways to Eat Pasta Sauce
I have a confession: Pasta Week is killing me. For medical reasons, I am not eating wheat for 30 days, and unfortunately this is only the third week of the new diet, so mac and cheese, fall vegetable orzo, and — my favorite — pappardelle topped with a rich, meaty tomato sauce are all off-limits. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the same long-simmered sauces I would normally eat over noodles.
May 2, 2019
How To Make Oven-Dried Apple Chips
Apple chips are one of my favorite snacks, but since I don’t own a dehydrator, I never thought about making them at home. For some reason I thought drying the fruit in the oven would take a prohibitively long time, or use up more energy than it was worth, but it turns out thinly-sliced apple slices take two hours or less to transform into crisp, sweet chips.
May 2, 2019
Recipe: Roasted Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
It might not be the prettiest, but this puréed soup more than makes up for its homely appearance with the deep flavors of roasted broccoli and extra-sharp cheddar cheese, and a creamy yet cream-free texture. Best of all, it all comes together in about 30 minutes, making it a quick and easy weeknight dinner option. This soup was born on a hungry weeknight, when I was looking for a meal made with ingredients I almost always keep on hand.
May 2, 2019
Snack Recipe: Savory Cheese-Herb Granola
A few months ago, Megan’s post on savory granola got my wheels turning. A truly savory, unsweetened granola seemed like a unique, gluten-free alternative to croutons on top of soup. And indeed it is — but it is also a light, addictive snack I can’t stop eating by the handful. The inspiration for this recipe came from a recipe for savory pumpkin seed and rye granola on CHOW.
May 2, 2019
Long-Lasting Whipped Cream: Which Method Works Best?
When Megan wrote about stabilizing whipped cream with crème fraîche, many readers commented with their own tricks for making whipped cream that lasts using additions like melted butter or marshmallows. Curious, I decided to put a handful of these methods to the test, whipping up batches using the recommended additions and seeing how well they held up in the refrigerator over the course of an afternoon.
May 2, 2019
For Convenience & A Better Crust: Freeze Unbaked Pies
When it comes time to prep for a big meal, I’m all doing as much work as possible ahead of time, which is why I spent the three months leading up to my wedding making and freezing fruit pies destined for the dessert table. Along the way I learned that frozen unbaked homemade pies are not only incredibly convenient, they also bake up better than freshly-made pies.
May 2, 2019
Cookie-Baking Tip: A Quick Way to Cool Hot Baking Sheets
Problem: I live in an apartment with limited kitchen storage space, so I can’t keep a giant stack of baking sheets on hand, which becomes an issue when I am baking cookies in batches. The first round of cookies comes out of the oven, but the next batch can’t go in until the piping-hot baking sheets cool down. Solution: a step so simple I often kick myself for not thinking of it sooner.
May 2, 2019
Edible Gift Idea: Toasted Coconut Sugar
When it comes to sweets, one flavor I cannot resist is golden, nutty toasted coconut, so when I spotted a jar of toasted coconut sugar for sale at a local shop, I knew I had to experiment with making my own. Stored in a pretty jar, it looks special, yet the two-ingredient recipe is a snap to make.Spice StationHow would you use toasted coconut sugar?
May 2, 2019
Recipe: Baked Panko Rockfish with Gingery Cabbage
One night last December, tucked into a caramel-colored wood booth with a view of the wood-burning oven, I ate my first meal at Chez Panisse. Not only was it memorable for being my first taste of the farm-to-table restaurant that has influenced much of what I cook, it was also my first time eating with a very special group of people: six of my fellow writers for The Kitchn, most of whom I had never met in person before. The meal had many highlights, not all of them easy to reproduce.
May 2, 2019
Need a (Vegan) Boost of Umami? Add Preserved Lemon!
It’s easy to find umami sources in the world of meat and dairy, where ingredients like anchovies and Parmesan cheese can be added to give savory fullness to dishes that taste a little flat. There are vegan sources for umami too, but our list is missing one of my favorite ingredients for adding a jolt of rounded flavor: preserved lemons.
May 2, 2019
My Essential Serving Dish: Madison Small Oval Platter from Crate & Barrel
When I received this Crate and Barrel platter as a wedding gift last year, my first thought was, It’s so small! Indeed, at 9-by-7 inches, the Madison Small Oval Platter is not the one to serve heaping platters of meats to a big crowd of friends. But how often does a two-person family eat heaping platters of meat or feed more than six people at a time? The truth is, this little platter is used more than any other in my household.
May 2, 2019
Weird Yet Addictive Appetizer: Cottage Cheese & Potato Chips
I was floored when I opened up the April issue of Bon Appétit and read a confession from Andrew Knowlton, the BA Foodist, about his love of one of my own guilty pleasures: cottage cheese with potato chips. It’s a funny little snack that my husband often sets out when he has friends over — and even the most skeptical are always converted.What makes it so good? As I scoop yet another chip into the tub of cottage cheese, I often ask myself that same question.
May 2, 2019
Recipe: Smoked Salmon Potato Cakes with Herb Crème Fraîche
Smoked pork has hogged the spotlight long enough. It’s time bacon stepped aside and let smoked fish enjoy a little well-deserved attention. Smoked trout is my weekday lunch staple, but when it comes to weekend brunches or other special meals, I splurge on smoked salmon. In this recipe, pungent, smoky slices flavor a soft potato cake that is dredged in panko and cooked until crisp, then drizzled with an herbed crème fraîche. Bacon who?
May 2, 2019
Small & Sweet: Mini Cakes Baked in Tin Cans
What’s cuter than a full-size layer cake and more festive than a cupcake? A mini layer cake! Jordan from Oh Happy Day has a tutorial for making these adorable cakes, which are baked in repurposed tin cans.Clean tin cans are simply greased, floured and used in place of the usual cake pan. These particular cakes took about 25 minutes to bake, then were cut into four layers and frosted. Tiny cakes like this look much easier to handle than the usual 9-inch layers, yet are nearly as impressive.
May 2, 2019
Classic Cocktail Book: Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide
Over the past couple years, I’ve slowly been building up a home bar, stocking all the liquor, mixers and tools I need to make my favorite cocktails. But the bar didn’t feel complete until I got a trustworthy reference book, one that includes both classic drinks and modern interpretations — a book I could grow old with. The Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide is that book.
May 2, 2019
Asian Flush: Why I Turn Red When I Drink Alcohol
Growing up, I would always laugh at my dad after he drank a beer or a glass of wine. He is Thai-Chinese and even one drink makes his face turn bright red. “You’re red!” I’d say, pointing and laughing. It never stopped being funny.Until the first time I drank alcohol. My face turned beet-red and felt feverishly hot. It wasn’t funny at all.
May 2, 2019
Smart Tip: Crisp Up Fish Skin Instead of Pushing It Aside
No one can blame you for pushing aside a piece of soft, soggy fish skin, but if cooked until crisp and crackling, the skin on a fillet is not just edible, it can be downright addictive, adding textural contrast and tons of flavor. The LA Times Test Kitchen has a simple method for ensuring the crispest fish skin.The technique comes from chef Thomas Keller, and is quite straightforward.
May 2, 2019
Recipe: Chickpea, Barley and Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Mint and Feta
I’ve never met a chickpea I didn’t like. Chickpeas have a satisfying texture and nutty flavor that shine when dressed with a simple vinaigrette, so I’ve especially been enjoying them lately in salads. And this chickpea salad is a special one, full of tender beans, chewy barley, and crunchy zucchini, all held together with a bright, refreshing vinaigrette. The contrasting textures are what makes this salad so fun to eat.
May 2, 2019
Smart Tip: Fix Fishy-Smelling Seafood with One Easy Step
If you cook fish at home, chances are you’ve had the unpleasant experience of bringing home a piece of seafood that turned out to be — well, a little more odiferous than expected. America’s Test Kitchen has a quick tip for removing the chemical compound responsible for the odor, leaving you with refreshed seafood ready to be cooked.
May 2, 2019
Recipe: Corn, Tomato & Black Bean Tostadas with Creamy Cilantro Dressing
I’m lucky enough to live in an area where even modest neighborhood cafes get their produce from local farms and change their menus often to reflect whatever their farmers are harvesting that week. I recently had my first taste of sweet summer corn at one such cafe, in a dish that combined chunks of shaved corn with tangy little cherry tomatoes and a creamy cilantro dressing. Sweet, crunchy, and bursting with pure summer flavor, it was so good I knew I had to recreate it.
May 2, 2019
Recipe: Simple Salmon Teriyaki
When I moved to Japan in 2005, I was surprised to discover how utterly simple the food was. The sticky, salty sauces and over-the-top sushi rolls I knew from Japanese restaurants back home were as American as hamburgers and French fries, I realized. Japanese food, and especially Japanese home cooking, was actually subtle, nuanced and basically simple, creating a myriad of dishes with a handful of basic pantry staples and the freshest, tastiest produce and proteins available.
May 2, 2019
Sriracha In My Beer? Yes, Please: The Cocky Rooster
Mix icy cold beer with spicy Sriracha, fresh lime juice and a couple dashes of Maggi sauce and what do you have? A refreshing, terrifically savory beer cocktail with a lingering heat that has become my new favorite summer drink. Meet the Cocky Rooster. The recipe comes from An Choi, a banh mi restaurant in New York City that serves the drink alongside their Vietnamese sandwiches.
May 2, 2019
Can’t Get Enough Caramel? 10 Sweet Treats With Dulce de Leche
Creamy, sweet dulce de leche might be a favorite in countries like Argentina, where it’s spread on toast for breakfast or sandwiched between shortbread cookies, but this caramel has been embraced by cooks everywhere in recent years. From dulce de leche cheesecake bars to four-ingredient salted coconut dulce de leche ice cream, here are 10 recipes to try, along with instructions for making your own dulce de leche from scratch. (It’s easy!
May 2, 2019
Recipe: Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs
I could eat deviled eggs for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between. These classy, slightly retro deviled eggs, which have a savory hit of smoked trout mixed into the filling, are fine additions to any of those meals, but I especially like them as cocktail-hour appetizers. Layering the irresistible flavor of classic deviled eggs with a beguiling smokiness, they’ll be the first to disappear at any party.
May 2, 2019
Eggs & Salmonella: What You Should Know About Food Safety and Eggs
The FDA estimates that salmonella-contaminated eggs cause 142,000 illnesses each year. The 2010 salmonella outbreak traced to two farms in Iowa that resulted in the recall of over 500 million eggs may have changed where you source your eggs from, but did you know that even organic, pastured eggs can be infected with salmonella? Here’s a quick primer on salmonella and safe egg handling.
May 2, 2019
What Are Some Awesome Ways to Use Quail Eggs?
Q: I bought a huge amount of quail eggs yesterday at the farmer’s market, but each time I think of what to do with them, the quail-egg-eating scene in “The Tudors” pops into my mind and I go eat hot dogs instead. Could you tell me about them and if there are any specific, awesome uses?And would it be completely ridiculous to make sunny side up fried quail eggs?Sent by LauraEditor: Laura, first a question for you: is this the scene you’re talking about?
May 2, 2019
Cheap, Convenient & Better Than Canned: Freezer Beans
I love beans. They’re an inexpensive, healthy and tasty protein that I eat at least a couple times a week. But I don’t love canned beans, which I find flavorless and mushy compared to beans cooked from scratch. So instead of relying on canned beans for quick weeknight meals, I’ve started cooking big batches of from-scratch beans and freezing them, so I always have perfectly cooked beans on hand and ready to thaw for dinner.
May 2, 2019
Recipe: Mixed Bean Masala with Fragrant Yellow Rice
My stepdad brought Indian home cooking into my life. He and my mother had been high school sweethearts, American students at an international school in the foothills of the Himalayas where my stepdad had grown up, stuffing himself on dal and pappadums throughout childhood and cultivating a lifelong craving for fragrant vegetarian curries. Thanks to him and to recipes like this mixed bean masala, it’s a craving I now share.
May 2, 2019