Asian inspiration

Cooking, like all things, can become stagnant without the breath of inspiration. It’s easy to fall into the same old routine, putting the same old ingredients into our shopping carts, and preparing the same old meals week after week. Yes, this practice is easy and dependable, but after the hundredth time, it’s also void of surprise or delight.

There comes a point when you know it’s time to branch out and bring something else to the table.

One path out of our cooking rut is what I like to call “taking a quick trip to Asia.” Not by getting on an airplane, but by driving to one of our local Asian markets. Spokane has several, and strolling down the aisles of any one of them will get the creative juices flowing again. 

One of my old standbys, and perhaps the most obscure because of its off-the-beaten-path location and lack of bold signage, is Oriental Market, located at 3919 E. Trent Ave. between Havana and Freya streets. It was opened in 1976 by Pornsuman Tyson and her husband, Gerold Tyson.

Originally from Thailand, Pornsuman, or “Pon” to her customers, decided to open an Asian market shortly after moving to Spokane nearly 40 years ago. “When I came here, I started getting very, very hungry.  I couldn’t find many of the traditional ingredients I was used to cooking with at home in Thailand, so it got me thinking. I decided to open up a small store,” she said.

Starting off with primarily Thai, Japanese, Filipino and Chinese ingredients, the Tysons quickly began seeing the demand for other hard-to-find ingredients – such as those hailing from India, the Middle East, Africa and Mexico – and they gradually began adding them to the store. 

If you happen to come in on a slower day, Pon Tyson will happily walk you through the making of “home-style” Thai food, explaining different ingredients and their uses. Through the years, she has become an invaluable source of information. She is one of my secret weapons in the kitchen.

When making a trip to an Asian market, go on a day that you have time to meander down every aisle and don’t let smells bother you – just take in the whole experience. Our Western noses are very sensitive to different and unusual smells, and most often the culprit is fish sauce, a fermented staple common in most Asian food, and one of the reasons it tastes so good. (If you haven’t experimented with fish sauce yet, give it a try. Learning to harness its flavor will expand your reach in the kitchen.) So go with an open mind and think of it as a cultural adventure.

Best Asian Market, located at 2022 E. Sprague Ave., offers a good selection of fresh Asian produce – from tiny enoki mushrooms and green papayas to taro root, daikon sprouts, tiny globe eggplant and fresh okra. Pick out a couple unfamiliar vegetables and give them a try. The store also offers a selection of fresh noodles, tofu and herbs.

Asian World Food Market, located at 3314 N. Division St. at East Bridgeport Avenue, offers a great selection of Korean ingredients and prepared salads and sides. The Korean sushi alone is worth a visit. 

Things like coconut milk, toasted sesame seeds, frozen chopped lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fresh turmeric, galanga, tamarind paste, toasted sesame oil, miso paste, shrimp paste, rice noodles, spring roll wrappers, nori and a wide variety of flavorful curry pastes – all can be better in quality and about half of the price of conventional stores. Condiments, oils and spices are also very reasonable, so I tend to load up on those, too.

As far as what to make, here are a few ideas to get you started. 

Temaki is a crowd-friendly meal. This recipe comes from Nami Meier, a middle-school teacher, friend and mother of two who enjoys bringing her Japanese heritage to the table when entertaining family and friends. Temaki, in Japanese, translates to “hand-roll.”  It’s basically a coned-shaped sushi roll: nori seaweed, filled with sushi rice, fish and vegetables, and dressed with wasabi and soy sauce. 

“To me, food is such a great introduction into other cultures and creates curiosity about visiting other places,” she said. “It’s a really fun and easy way to introduce Japanese food to people who may be unfamiliar or hesitant, and it’s a quick and affordable way to feed a large group of people.”

She likes to throw a “Temaki Party.” She prepares all of the ingredients ahead of time: sushi rice seasoned with rice vinegar and toasted sesame seeds, sautéed mushrooms with sesame oil, strips of fresh veggies – red bell pepper, avocado, cucumber – and fresh sprouts. She also uses smoked salmon or lox instead of raw fish to keep it tame and approachable for guests. After a quick tutorial on how to roll the sushi into a cone she teaches guests a traditional Japanese saying: itadaki masu. 

“We say this before eating. It means thank you to the people who made the food, to the sun for shining on the fields, to the farmers, and to all that brought the meal together,” she said.

Guests then roll their own temaki throughout the night, free to choose what they want to put inside. “At the end of the meal, when people are finished eating, we say gochiso sama deshita. It means, ‘It was a feast.’ ”

Green Papaya Salad with Vietnamese Beef is a satisfyingly flavorful dish and refreshingly light meal. The beef is marinated in a paste of lemongrass, garlic, chilies and a whisper of Chinese five spice, which gives it the delight factor. Green papayas – which haven’t fully ripened – are treated like a vegetable, peeled and grated. In this state, they are not sweet and have a surprisingly crunchy quality, great for salads and pickling.

Choose green papayas that are firm to the touch with no soft spots. The grated papaya is tossed with fresh mint and basil in a simple lime dressing with a hint of fish sauce. The hot grilled Vietnamese beef paired with the cool, crunchy papaya salad is an unexpected combination of flavor and texture. And remember, when balanced properly, fish sauce is almost undetectable, giving the dish an overall depth of flavor.

The last recipe purposely requires a trip to an Asian market. It’s called Curry Laksa, and it hails from Malaysia. It’s a rich, spicy, coconut curry soup with chicken and shrimp. Flavorful, pungent laksa paste is the base of the soup. It’s made by blending shrimp paste, dried shrimp, galanga, lemongrass, shallots and turmeric into a paste. The soup is ladled over fresh rice noodles and topped with bean sprouts, mint, cilantro and crispy shallots. Serve it with lime wedges and sambal chili paste. Pre-made laksa paste is available at some Asian markets. 

Temaki Party

3 cups calrose rice

1 to 2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

8 ounces sliced mushrooms (cremini, shiitakes, button) 

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce (or use salt to taste) 

1 red bell pepper – sliced into strips

1 English or 6 Turkish cucumbers, cut into 4-inch strips

1 to 2 avocados, cut into strips

2 cups fresh sprouts

16 ounces smoked salmon (lox)

1 to 2 packages nori sheets, cut in half, to make long rectangles.

Wasabi paste

Soy sauce

Rinse rice well, until water almost runs clear. Strain. Place in a medium pot with 3 ¼ cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Keep lid on until close to serving time.

While warm, place rice in a wood bowl (this is traditional) and sprinkle with the seasoned rice vinegar. Use a wood rice paddle or spatula to slice the rice rather than mix it. Fan the rice to cool while slicing the rice to mix and fluff. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and cover with a damp kitchen towel. 

Sauté mushrooms in olive oil over medium heat, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add sesame oil and cook 2 more minutes. Season with soy sauce or salt to taste. Place in a small serving bowl.

Prep bell pepper, cucumber and avocado, cutting all into thin 4-inch strips. Place each in individual bowls. Place the sprouts in a bowl and smoked salmon on a small platter or plate. 

Cut nori sheets in half, so you have two rectangles out of each sheet.

To make a temaki hand roll: Place nori sheet horizontally in front of you with the rough side facing up. Spread sushi rice (either using fingers or back of a spoon) on the left half of the sheet, leaving a ½-inch border, and 2 to 3 inches of no rice on the right side of the sheet. On the left side (the side with rice), align the strips of veggies, diagonally, with the ends pointing toward the upper left corner. Top this line of veggies with smoked salmon, mushrooms and sprouts. When folding, start with the left bottom corner first, and fold up over the ingredients, then wrap the right side over and around to form a cone, about the size of an ice cream sugar cone. It will seal itself. 

Season with a little spoonful of soy sauce mixed with wasabi paste. 

Assemble the cones right before eating. Do not make cones in advance. Do not refrigerate. The rice will become crunchy and not taste as good.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Green Papaya Salad with Vietnamese Beef

For the marinade

1/4 cup pounded or finely chopped lemongrass (see note) 

1/4 cup garlic cloves – finely minced or pounded 

1 teaspoon fish sauce 

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 

1 tablespoon oyster sauce 

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes 

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice 

For the beef

1 pound beef (tenderloin, flat iron, flank steak or any tender cut of beef) 

3 cups shredded green papaya

For the dressing

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil 

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar 

2 teaspoons fish sauce

2 teaspoons mild red chili, very finely sliced

1 finely minced garlic clove

For serving

1 cup combined of fresh mint, cilantro and basil

2 tablespoons roasted crushed peanuts (optional) 

1 tablespoon fried shallots (optional, see note) 

Make marinade: Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Slice beef to ½-inch pieces, toss with marinade and let sit at least 30 minutes. Or refrigerate up to 8 hours.

Peel and shred green papaya and place in a bowl of ice water for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Make dressing: Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, oil, chili and garlic in a small mixing bowl. Set aside. 

Grill or pan fry the beef until cooked as desired. Set aside. 

Drain papaya and toss with dressing to coat. Place on a plate along with beef and a combination of the fresh herbs. Top with roasted peanuts and crispy shallots. Serve with chopsticks.

Notes: Lemongrass can be found in most grocery stores, in the herb or produce section. It can also be purchased in bulk, already chopped, in the freezer section of most Asian markets. Fried shallots can be made from scratch, although most Asian markets offer them as a condiment already packaged in a jar, which I have found are handy and tasty. They offer good flavor and texture.

Yield: 2 to 3 servings

Curry Laksa (Malaysian Coconut Soup)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 recipe for laksa paste (see below) or 1 (14.8 ounce) jar 

6 cups chicken stock or broth

1 tablespoon palm or brown sugar

1  1/2 pounds chicken (breast or thigh meat) cut into bite-size pieces

1 pound raw large shrimp (peeled and deveined)

2 cups thick coconut milk (do not use “lite”)

12 fish balls (optional, available in the frozen section at the Asian market)

1 cup fried tofu, sliced (optional, available in the refrigerated section at the Asian market)

Juice from 1/2 to 1 lime, as desired

1 1/2 pounds fresh thin rice noodles (available in the refrigerated section at the Asian market)

3 to 4 cups fresh bean sprouts  (for garnish)

Lime wedges, cilantro, Vietnamese mint, sambal chili paste, fried shallots (available in jars at Asian market), for garnish

In a large, heavy-bottom soup pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Add laksa paste and sauté, stirring constantly until it becomes very fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. (Turn on stove fan). 

Add chicken broth and sugar. Bring to a boil. Add chicken, lower heat to a simmer, and cook for 4 minutes. Add shrimp. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, add coconut milk, fish balls and tofu. Simmer until heated through. Squeeze lime juice, starting with ½ a lime, and more to taste. 

In a separate pot, heat enough water to cover the fresh rice noodles. Once water is boiling add the rice noodles, turn heat off, and let rice noodles stand for 2 minutes, drain.

Divide noodles among bowls. Ladle soup over top of noodles. Top bowls with a handful of fresh bean sprouts, fresh cilantro and mint and a sprinkling of crispy shallots. Serve with chili sauce and lime wedges. 

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Laksa Paste

8 to 10 dried red chilies

2 tablespoons dried shrimp

5 shallots (about 1 cup) roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons galanga, finely chopped

2 large lemongrass stalks, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped)

1 teaspoon fresh turmeric (ground is OK)

6 candlenuts, or substitute cashews, brazil nuts or macadamia (optional) 

1 tablespoon shrimp paste (or shrimp sauce)

2 teaspoons coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Steep dried chilies and shrimp in boiling water for 20 minutes. Prep and place all the other ingredients, except oil, in a food processor. Drain shrimp and chilies and add to food processor. Blend until finely chopped, scraping down sides as needed. Add oil and continue blending until it becomes a fine paste. Don’t let the smell or taste scare you. It will all balance out in the end.