Azuki Ice Cream

Azuki beans are small red beans with sweet and nutty flavour. It is commonly used in sweet dishes. Consuming adzuki beans may offer cardiovascular benefits. Adzuki beans, like most starchy beans, are rich in a type of fiber known as soluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps lower blood cholesterol levels.

Since Azuki beans go well with sweets, we will be sharing a recipe that is a popular application of Azuki beans, the Azuki Ice Cream. This Ice cream is prepared by boiling and sweetening Azuki beans with sugar. And when the beans are tender, you’ll be passing it through a sieve to remove bean skins and also to form a paste.

This recipe makes 10 servings.

Ingredient	Quantity	Unit
Azuki red beans	250	g
White sugar	80	g
Lemon juice	10	ml
Water	875	ml
Crème anglaise:
Milk	250	ml
Cream	250	ml
Egg yolks	4	pcs
White sugar	160	g
Vanilla extract	5	ml

Procedure:

1.) In a saucepan, combine the azuki beans, 1/3 cup of sugar, lemon juice and water. Bring to a boil, and boil uncovered for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the beans are very tender. When done, the beans and liquid should amount to 3 cups. If not, add more water to compensate.

2.) Strain the bean mixture through a sieve - I use a wooden paddle for this, and discard the bean skins. Refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until cold.

3.) In a saucepan, combine the milk and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat. While you wait for that to boil, whisk together the egg yolks and 2/3 cup of sugar in a medium bowl. When the cream and milk come to a boil, ladle about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid into the bowl with the egg yolks, and whisk until smooth. 

4.) Pour the yolk mixture into the pan with the cream, and cook over low heat until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. This should take about 5 minutes. Do not cook too long, or you will get lumps. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla. Refrigerate until cold.

5.) Once both of the mixtures are cold, stir them together. Pour into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

 

Kalbi Tchim: Legit Korean Beef Stew

Kalbi Tchim or Korean beef stew is really one of those dishes that sticks. It really is something to see so much ingredients blend together into one great dish. The sweetness of the pear really helps bring the fruity flavor with the dish. The wonderful sauce is then complimented by the very tender fall off the bone texture of the ribs. You would not believe how great this dish is until you have tried it. Don't want to go exploring for the authentic Korean stew? Well you can make it yourself! Here's a wonderful recipe you can follow. It might take a long time to cook, but it's very easy to do so! Try it out!

Ingredient	Description	Quantity	Unit
Beef lean ribs		500	g
Carrot		100	g
Potatoes	peeled	50	g
Shiitake mushrooms		5	g
Turnip		10	g
Marinade:
Onion		15	g
Pear	peeled, grated	30	g
Rice wine		60	ml
Soy sauce		180	ml
Sugar		45	g
Garlic	Minced	75	g
Black pepper		TT

Procedure:

1.) Score the rib meat diagonally to the bone.

2.) Heat up some oil in a pan and sear each rib until brown. Although this is not necessary, it does add more aesthetic appeal to your dish.

3.) Create your marinade and put them on the ribs and vegetables.

4.) In a wide pot, spread out the ribs and vegetables in one layer. If it gets too crowded, just use another pot.

5.) Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat. Simmer for at least an hour to achieve that meat falling off the bone kind of tenderness.

6.) Mix them a little but be careful not to break the meat or vegetables! Just cover them all with the sauce and your done! Garnish with some sesame seeds before serving to make it more authentic!

Kimchi Chigae?!

Kimchi is a very popular Korean appetizer. It's a fermented cabbage with chilli and spices. For some people it is good but it is more of an acquired taste. This dish is usually served by itself, but did you know that it is also used as an ingredient? An example to prove this unbelievable fact is the dish we are going to tackle today, kimchi chigae. It's a spicy soup using older kimchi since it contains more of the "good" bacteria and also a stronger taste. It has varying ingredients and other vegetables are sometimes added to it! Imagine eating this dish during a cold and rainy day. It's like your savory hot cocoa. Well then, let's tackle the dish for a rainy day!

Ingredient	Description	Quantity	Unit
Pork ribs		500	g
Sesame oil		15	ml
Garlic paste		10	g
Beef stock		625	ml
Tofu	cut into 9 pieces	450	g
Onion		15	g
Ready-made kimchi		300	g

Procedure:

1.) With a sharp knife, make several cuts along the meaty side of the ribs.

2.) In a large pot, add the sesame oil and place over low heat. Add the ribs, garlic, kimchi and stir fry for 10 minutes.

3.) Add the stock and tofu, simmer for 20 minutes.

4.) Sprinkle on the green onion.

Dak Gui & Samgyupsal

This dish is very similar to the Japanese chicken teriyaki. The only difference is the ingredients used.  Dak literally means “chicken” in korea while gui means “grilled” thus translating it to grilled chicken. the chicken is marinated in a soy chili sauce and later on thickened to be a side sauce. Grilling the chicken over charcoal would enhance the smokey flavor than simply grilling it over a gas operated griller.

Ingredient	Description	Quantity	Unit
Chicken breast		600	g
Onion	minced	10	g
Garlic clove	minced	5	g
Ginger	minced	5	g
Kikkoman		60	ml
Sugar		40	g
Malt syrup		100	ml
Sesame oil		10	ml
Black pepper		2.5	g

Procedure:

1.) Rinse chicken in cold water. Drain and blot paper towel. Score chicken pieces on both sides with sharp knife, making a few shallow cuts on each piece. 

2.) Combined onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, malt syrup, sesame oil, and black pepper in large bowl.

3.) Rub marinade all over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 and a half hour.

4.) Grill chicken over medium-heat until cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally. 

The meaning of Samgyupsal is 3 layered pork, it describes the 3 layers that are visible in thinly sliced pork. When served in Korean restaurants, it is usually grilled on your table and they grill it in front of you and serve you chili sauce, lettuce, raw garlic, perilla leaves, kimchi etc.


Eating Samgyupsal:
1.) Grill it
2.) Cut it in smaller pieces
3.) Wrap it in lettuce then dip it in the sauce
4.) Yummy!


Ingredients:
680g Pork belly
20g Ginger, sliced diagonally
1.25 L Water
Seasoning Paste:
15g Peanut, ground fine in food processor
5g Ginger, crushed
5 mL Bagoong
Garnish:
1 piece Egg, separated
10 ml Corn oil
10g Dried shiitake mushroom soaked, drained, sliced thin
15g Tenga ng daga or woodear mushrooms soaked, drained, sliced thin
50g Cucumber long, julienne
5g Siling labuyo, cut into very thin diagonal slices



Procedures:

1.) To prepare the pork, rinse it in cold water and drain. Using a butcher's twine, wind it firmly 3 times around each slab and tie. This is to make sure that your pork remains flat during cooking.
2.) Put the pork and ginger in water into a large pan Bring to a boil and cover. Cook over moderate heat for over one (1) hour, which is enough to tenderize the meat. Remove the meat; cool for 10 minutes. Discard the ginger and broth.
3.) To prepare the seasoning paste, mash the peanuts, ginger and salted baby shrimp together. Set aside. The paste has a lightly salted, ginger nut-like flavor.
4.) To prepare the garnishes, lightly beat the white and yolk separately with a little salt. Heat a non stick skillet with 1 teaspoon of the oil, and add the egg white, swirling it around. Fry over low heat for a few seconds, then turn it over carefully and fry for a few seconds more, enough to set the omelette. Remove and set aside. Do the same for the egg yolk. When the omelettes are cool, cut into 3 inches length, 1/8 wide.
5.) Stir fry the mushroom slices in the other 1 teaspoon oil over moderate heat for about ½ minute. This will evaporate some liquid and add flavor. Do the same for the mushrooms. Set both aside separately.
6.) To assemble, remove the string from the pork slabs. With a sharp knife, carefully cut through lengthwise separating the meat and fat layers, but leave the 3 layers in position. Then cut ¼ inch wide almost all the way through the slab but leaving it still held together.
7.) Cover the top of the pork with the seasoning paste. Push the white and yellow omelette slices in between the meat slices, but not enough to conceal them; they should be visible. Do this for all of the meat. Add a few slices of mushroom, tenga ng daga, cucumber, and chilli to the top and between slices, all the time arranging alternate colors of white, yellow, green.
8.) Steam the garnished and seasoned pork slab over moderate heat for 5 minutes. The fat and skin layers are left in place but ultimately discarded.
9.) Serve warm.

-Robin Escuadra and Nikko Matute

Korea: It's not just about K-Pop

Nowadays, it's either missile launch tests or pop music when it comes to Korea but there's more to them than that. Korea is full of culture and tradition and although you only see brightly colored man-boys or scantily-clad women, they still keep to their tradition. Tea is still given great importance, ban chai (small servings before the main dishes) is still alive, and traditional ways of cooking are still done. 

Their cuisine is basically composed of rice, vegetables and meat, accompanied with abundant side dishes or banchan. Side dish (ban chan) symbolizes as treasure, the more side dishes you serve, the more abundant your treaures are. Kimchi, or fermented cabbage, is also served often, sometimes in every meal, they also say that kimchi has a anti-cancer attributes that is why health buffs are so into this dish. It is really amazing how even the smallest dish has a great significance or symbol to a country!

Well since this blog is really and strictly about asian cuisine and not those slender boys and girls prancing around in unison, we'll dive in a little deeper into Korea's culinary treasures and even give some recipes that you can try out! Just keep on reading and discover the flavors and tastes of wonderful Korea!

Fortune Cookies

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp pure almond extract

3 tbsp vegetable oil

8 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

8 tbsp granulated sugar

3 tsp water

Procedure:

1.) Write fortunes or messages on pieces of paper that are about 3 in. long and 1/2 in. wide. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 9 x 13 in. baking sheets. 
2.) Lightly beat the egg white, vanilla extract, almond extract, and the vegetable oil until frothy but not forming stiff peaks.
3.) Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and cornstarch. Stir in the water.
4.) Add the flur mixture into the egg mixture and stir until you gain a smooth batter. Note that it should not be runny but it easily separates from a wooden spoon.
5.) Place tablespoons of batter (leveled) on the cookie sheet, at least 3 in. apart. Tilt the sheet to form 4 inch circles.

6.) Bake until the edges are golden brown for about 14-15 minutes.
7.) Quickly remove the cookie and flip it into your hand. Place the fortune in the middle. Fold it in half then gently pull the edges downward over the rims of a glass to for that open or close parenthesis shape. Place in a muffin tip until it hardens. Serve.

- Abigail Lallave

Buchi

The Filipino palette has adapted the taste of Chinese cuisine and the dishes have become normal to the Philippines. Just like other Asian countries, Philippines is a rice eating country. Other than having rice and viande, Filipinos are also considered to have a sweet tooth. A good example of the aforementioned adjusted palette and sweet tooth is the very famous Chinese dessert, buchi.

This dish was originally made in the Far East. It is a fried Chinese pastry made from glutinous rice flour. Shaped like a small ball, coated with sesame seeds with a red bean paste filling. It might sound complicated but it is actually very easy to prepare. You wouldn’t even break a sweat (trivial). Eating out in a Chinese restaurant would not be complete without buchi closing your meal!

Ingredients:

3 cups rice flour

1 to 1 1/3 cup boiling water

¾ cup brown sugar

Oil for deep frying

Sesame seeds

2/3 cup dried red beans
water for boiling
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil for frying

Procedure:
1.) Wash beans, put them in a saucepan, cover with water and allow to boil for about 2 hours or until very soft (add more water if needed)
2.) Drain water, process boiled red beans in the blender until smooth/ mash, add sugar, mix well.
3.) Heat oil in a pan, add processed beans over medium-low heat for a few minutes until paste-like in consistency, cool before using, refrigerate left-overs

4.) Add brown sugar to boiling water and dissolve

5.) Make a well at the center of the rice flour then pour in the center the sugar mixture.  Mix together until you form a dough.  Make small balls then make an indentation at the middle and place red bean paste (balled) in the middle and seal the edges tightly- should be free from cracks to avoid any spill.  

6.) Dip in water then roll in sesame seeds until completely covered.  Heat oil over medium low heat to avoid burning the sesame seeds and for even cooking.  

7.) Drop each ball not crowding the pan continue to fry over low heat until brown then remove from oil.

-Abigail Lallave