Archive for August, 2006
Sorry, the photographs for this post were lost when the Server crashed on May 23 2007.
Every afternoon, for a few minutes, the A-Team gather in the Chef´s Office. This precious time is used to decide if any changes need to be made for the evening menu (perhaps a certain ingredient hasn’t arrived, or perhaps we only have say, 7 portions of Weeping Tiger). We also discuss what dishes will be placed on the “Aharn Menu”, and what the “Amuse Bouche” will be. Ideas are thrown back and forth, changes are made, new ideas are developed, and changed again until we think we have come up with something “special”.
Khamhoung wanted to redo our “Cappuchino of Dtom Kha“.
Even though it retained the same name, we reworked it completely. We decided to serve our new version as a cold soup, and to add a twist, I decided to add a warm “Foam”. We agreed that King Prawns would add a nice touch, instead of Mushrooms and Beans that we had used before. I also changed the way the foam was prepared. It has to be served quick, otherwise the “head” will loose its delicate body and aroma.
You will need:
King Prawns, cleaned, deveined and chopped, then blanched in Chicken Stock then cooled.
1 litre of (finished) Dtom Kha Soup (everyone has their own recipe, used as a base are Chicken Stock, Lemon Grass, Galangal (where the name of the dish originates), Lime Leaves, Lime Juice, Coconut Milk, Fish Sauce, Crushed Coriander Root and Stem, Sugar (only if you must!) etc…). We use a double boiled Chicken Stock, which enhances the flavour.
Season the soup to taste, strain, keeping the liquid and discarding the rest. Place half the Soup in the fridge to chill.
For the Foam I use an ISI Whip.
Pic shows 1 litre and Half Litre (I use the latter)
To achieve the Foam, soak a Gelatin Leaf in cold water for 5 minutes until soft, remove from the water and add to 100ml of the warm strained Dtom Kha, mix until the Gelatin is dissolved, then add the remaining 400ml. Place in “ISI Whip” and charge with one Nitrous Oxide canister, shake a few times and recharge with another N2O canister (using 2 chargers will give you more “body”). Keep ISI Whip warm in a Bain-Marie until needed.
When ready to serve, place some chopped King Prawns in a Shot Glass, add the chilled Dtom Kha soup until about half full. Top with the warm Dtom Kha foam from the ISI Whip. Serve immediately, garnished with some chopped Chives.
Sorry, the photographs for this post were lost when the Server crashed on May 23 2007.
The King of Crabs.
Laurene, King and I had the opporunity to eat some succulent King Crab.
Simply boiled or steamed, the meat has a very juicy texture.
Partnered by the Giant Prawns and jar of Jéow Som, it was a great lunch indeed.
Pre-dinner drinks, later the same day.
We had a very special dinner, washed down with very special wine.
**
Elsewhere, the A-Team are having their own party.
Khamhoung demonstrates his Fork Bending Routine!.
**
Back in our kitchens.
Garlic Fried Scallops and Tofu, covered with Sweet Corn Soup with Beetroot Oil. This dish is served lukewarm and is a part of our “Aharn” Menu.
Steamed Black Sticky Rice with Egg Custard Topping. Brown sugar is sprinkled on top at the last minute and caramelised before serving.
To finish the meal, a Coconut and Coffee “Capuchino”.
Sorry, the photographs for this post were lost when the Server crashed on May 23 2007.
Adventures in our Tasting Menu (Menu Aharn) continue with…
Mini Larb Gai with Chips.
“Yawl Moo” (homemade Pork Ballotine, Vietmanese style) on toast with Ginger & Nam Pla Marinated Sea Bass, Salad Leaves with Yuzu Dressing with Sesame Seeds.
Cylinders of Larb Moo (Pork Dressed Salad) with Green Apple Air.
Sticky Rice, Black Sesame and Caramel “Popcorn”.
Mini Banana Roll with Raspberry Sorbet.
**
Khamhoung managed to capture a photo of a rainbow that appeared after a short burst of rain. Khamhoung loves his camera, and will take photos at every opportunity.
Lobsters. Everyone loves them. Poached, boiled, BBQ-ed, it doesn’t matter. We all love Lobsters.
A-Team Lobsters mean grilling, eaten with Jéow Som, a sour spicy sauce, pungent yet sharp. Add a few garlic cloves in to the mortar and you have perhaps one of the best sauces you can eat. We all fight over the heads of the Lobsters, soft, squidgy and flavoursome.
Khamsene gets stuck in, slicing the Lobsters in half, in a matter of seconds they will be on the hot coals of the BBQ, cooked “Shell Down”, and covered with a piece of Foil Paper, to capture the natural steam that will lightly cook the exposed flesh. Never overcooking the Lobsters, they will remain juicy and tender.
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Back in the Restaurant, King holds a meeting about our new “Tasting Menu”. It is our wish that diners get to sample various dishes, traditional and modern, in one sitting. We discuss what dishes can be used, they are all dishes that are on our seasonal menu, with a few new additions to be added.
King and I decide that 13 “Tastes” should be sufficient, and that we should not be confined to a set menu, so it is decided to go “Omakase” style. This Japanese term meaning that the kitchen will prepare whatever they consider to be the best dishes, using the freshest ingredients. The influence is mostly heavily Laotian (and took a lot of work), with a few New Style touches. On our first night the result was;
1. Appetizer of “Squid Lollipops”
2. Saki´s Sashimi Rose of Sea Bass with Ginger Dressing
3. New Style Goong Che Nam Pla with Melon
4. Crispy “Kiep Gai” (Fried Chicken Skin) with Laotian Tomato Chutney and Red Apple Air
5. Khamsene Chicken Cakes with Sweet Tamarind Sauce
6. Mini Vegetable Spring Rolls
7. Aubergine Chips with Mushroom Chutney (Jéow Hét)
8. Larb Phet with Cucumber (Laotian Duck & Cucumber Salad)
9. Tofu with Green Curry
10. “Weeping Tiger”
11. Basil and Chicken Fried Rice
12. Diced Pineapple with Pineapple Ice Shavings and Gazpacho Sorbet
13. Khamhoung´s Tapioca and Coconut Dessert
Because a few tables ordered the Tasting Menu, called “Aharn Menu”, we made a few changes, making sure that not all the tables received the same dishes. This keeps us on our toes to say the least. Glad to say, everyone was happy, if not “full”. But we learn as we work and the next “Aharn Menu” will be more refined.
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After work its time to party.
Junior confirms that the “Kojak” style is the rage.
The A-Team´s Honourary member is Darly. For the work that she has done to bring Lao Culture, Cuisine, Music, Media and Awareness in to the spotlight.
In her spare time she has built a network of Lao sites, finding time between her studies to highlight and showcase our Traditions and Way-of-Life. She is driven by unselfish motives and is the backbone and founder of Laocook.com.
For all that she has done, the A-Team say “Kop Jai”.
Darly´s induction in to the A-Team, flanked by Khamsene, Khamhoung, King, and on the right, Vienne, Saki and Junior.
At the Sushi Bar.
Back in the Kitchens of the A-Team, something is cooking. New ideas, fueled by traditional methods, inspired by a collective imagination.
Skewer of Char Siu Pork with Tempura of Courgette.
Thin slices of Chinese Style Roasted Red Pork with Japanese Style Tempura of Summer Courgette with Broccoli Soup with Lobster Roe Oil. The combination sounds long, and trust me, the preparations takes ages, but the end result is a medley of taste and textures. We serve this immediately so that the Courgettes retain their Crispiness. The Broccoli Soup is cold and the Lobster Roe Oil adds an interesting finish.
Green Tea “Chips” with Tuna Larb and “Jéow Mak Lhen” (Laotian Style Tomato Chutney) with “Air”.
Seems that nowadays every restaurant is playing with “Airs”. This “Air” is made with the Tomato Chutney “Juice”. The “Chips” are made by deep frying triangles of Spring Roll Paper, then seasoned with Maccha Powder and Sea Salt. The Tuna Larb is velvety soft thanks to the quality of the fish, and the Tomato Chutney adds a “Smokey” character, all eaten together with the crunchiness of the “Chips” and wisp of “Air”, a contrast in textures and flavours, but each ingredient seems to keep its own identity.
Khamhoung´s “Split Mung Beans with Coconut Cream, Tapioca Pearls and Caramel Rice”.
The Caramel Rice is made by drying Sticky Rice that has been mixed with Black Sesame Seeds, and deep frying it until “Puffed Up”, it is then incorporated in to the thick Caramel, just coating it (We also use this technique for our “Rice Popcorn”, which is just seasoned with Sea Salt instead of Caramel). The rice is crispy, sweet and very addictive, it is also sold in the Morning Market in Vientiane and by Street Vendors. It reminded Khamhoung ”of home”.
A very special friend came to visit, so it was a great excuse to take a short holiday. The A-Team have been slaving away in the hot kitchen, whilst I have been chilling in the hot sun…
Darly and I have been on an Eating Holiday! She was kind enough to bring some Asiatic Herbs and Leaves from Holland, so the A-Team have been munching away on them over the past few days. She also came over with some Seeds, based on the growing experience of my Chilli Plant, I think that we can plant the seeds here, it seems warm enough. Hopefully by next year we will be picking our own Bai Yanang, Kaffir Leaves, Papaya, Pea Eggplants, Pak Boong (Water Spinach) and all the other lovely veggies that we miss so much.
You can keep up with every meal we had at the Food Blog at the Lao Planet Forum.
Today is Saturday, Darly´s last day before she heads home tomorrow. It has been fun having her here, she´s like a part of the family, an Honourable Member of the A-Team!.
Below is a selection of pics that we took over the last week.
Tucking in to some food at our BBQ Party.
Small Lobster, Giant Prawn and King Crab Legs. The King Crab Legs are more than a foot long, meaty and very tasty, I would say that they are better than Lobster Meat. I have read that a King Crab can reach the length of ten feet from claw to claw, now that would be a tasty event…yummy.
Now I know why they are called Giant Prawns…
A trip to the beautiful town of Ronda.
Junior and I take a break from a walk through the historic town which has breath taking views.
Junior and King wait for the beginning of what would be a 21 course Gastronomic meal.
A late night walk to digest the eventful meal.
Look Out Behind You!!
Long Summer evenings call for Fiestas! When we are not in the hot kitchens, we are next to the pool, the BBQ is lit, and the drinks are flowing.
Getting ready for the Larb.
Ingredients are freshly chopped, ready for the mixing bowl.
A Tum Mak Houng, fresh Herbs and Leaves, a Jéow Padek, Ping Moo & Gai, Geang Nor Mai, Larb and Sticky Rice…yummy…
The food has to be eaten quickly, before the flies arrive….!!, just like back home….
All the food was made possible because Darly brought over the Herbs and Leaves from Holland. As of yet, we still cant get them here. The A-Team wasted no time in preparing these dishes, which they missed so much.
You can take a Lao out from Laos, but you cant take out the Lao from him…
After the food, it was time to throw people in to the pool…
Khamsene being welcomed to the pool…
We all made a great splash that day…
I get to taste the food that we make everyday, but it is not often that I get to taste it as a “Diner”. To be on the other side of the Swinging Door that separates the Kitchen from the Restaurant.
My date and I were treated to a small “Tasting Menu”.
Salad Dressed with “Laotian Salad Dressing” and Beef “Lorn”, dried marinated Sesame beef strips. The dressing is made from cooked Egg Yolks.
Sea Bass Rose with Yuzu Dressing. Yuzu is a fantastic Japanese Citrus fruit, it has a characteristic tang that is similar to Lime crossed with Orange.
Tuna Toro with Avocado Tower. The Tuna is so meltingly soft, the Tower is made by shaping paper thin slices of Avocado.
New Style Goong Che Nam Pla with Caramelised Shallots and Cilantro Oil.
Homemade Prawn and Pork Dumplings, deep fried and served with Sweet Soy and Sesame Sauce.
“Kiep Moo Or”, Laotian Style Crispy Pork Stew with Dill, the skin still remains crunchy and the aroma of Dill is enchanting.
Crispy Fish with Sweet Spicy Tamarind Sauce. Rolled Fillet of Sea Bass stuffed with Dry Green Onion and Lemon Grass, served with a Sweet and Spicy Tamarind Sauce.
Fatty “Ping Gai” Chicken with Spicy Laotian Tomato Chutney. The Fat on the Chicken renders the marinated meat tender and juicy. The Tomato Chutney is made with Black Roasted Tomatoes and Shallots, and has an intricate smokey aroma.
:)
We have taken our idea of Squid Lollipops and reworked it.
It is strange when new ideas are born. Last night we were having a drink when I noticed some flowers in the corner of the bar. The flowers looked like Lollipops, so our conversation turned to our Squid Lollipops that we made a few days ago.
I wanted the Lollipops to look more like the sweets I used to by when I was a kid, the ones with bright attractive colours.
We used Soboro, a Japanese term for boiled, dried, sweetened fish flakes (sounds wierd, tastes great). You can add food colouring to the Soboro to achieve the bright colours. Saki made our Soboro using Seabass, and Sen made the Squid Balls using a base of seasoned Squid and Cuttlefish. The Squid Balls are deep fried, dipped in to Sweet Sauce then rolled in the coloured Soboro. The texture is Springingly Chewy and Sweet yet Savoury.
We chose Pink, Yellow and Green because those were the colours I had seen recently in a Sweet Shop.
Tonight we served three Squid Lollipops per person as an Amuse Bouche. They got such a great reaction too…
We are now looking at making a Fish “Candyfloss”, that should be fun….