tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146735842011-12-14T21:43:47.514-05:00Elvis Parsley, the "Curry Elvis" is a trained cook from the school of life who brings you a philosophical look at food as well loads of mouth-watering fusion recipes tested on countless friends and family members over a couple of decades.blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.comBlogger661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1129967060456422322005-10-22T03:44:00.000-04:002005-10-22T03:51:52.270-04:00

I've finally launched my new cooking multiblog, Curry Elvis Cooks, which is a combination of my 4 older cooking blogs, as well as several new food, drink, and gardening categories. The homepage is not up yet, and the new blog's template will be changing slowly. I hope you'll bear with me.By the way, I will be maintaining my 4 older cooking blogs for archive purposes only: Curry Elvis Cooks,

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1129757493967957852005-10-19T17:31:00.000-04:002005-10-19T17:31:33.973-04:00

Marc Andreesen, best known for co-creating the original Netscape web browser, recently launched his "social networking playground" and application builder, ning.com. It's an amusing website and brilliant concept, with some very basic applications that you can enjoy. Though it's not the basic applications I'm impressed with, but what you can do with them.The Ning.com playground is set up so that

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1129343857053810922005-10-14T22:37:00.000-04:002005-10-15T21:36:26.846-04:00

Decades ago, when my mother was learning to cook non-East Indian foods, she'd often create fusion versions of the family's favourite dishes. It is in fact her cooking style that inspired my own fusion style in the first place. One of my favourite dishes of hers was something that I call Oktoberfest Fried Rice.As with all the dishes my mother made, my versions are fine but never as tasty as hers.

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127948570400240742005-09-28T19:02:00.000-04:002005-09-28T19:02:50.410-04:00

As you may know by now, I decided to not have my VegFusion vegetarian blog on its own. Rather, vegetarian-related posts will now be here, as many of my hot food recipes are actually vegetarian, or can be. I know that people who are staunchly vegetarian would not be happy with such a decision, but let me explain.Anyone who is staunchly vegetarian is already "converted". I am not trying to convert

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127866709978314112005-09-27T20:18:00.000-04:002005-09-27T20:18:30.010-04:00

Now that the nights are getting cooler in the northern hemisphere, a nice hot tea helps warm up your blood. With all of the tea choices that are available, you might not thinking of using mushrooms. But there are several types of dried Chinese mushrooms and fungus that are actually used in various herbal remedies. While I'm not suggesting that drinking mushroom tea will heal you in any fashion, I

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127842070577316892005-09-27T13:27:00.000-04:002005-09-27T13:27:50.583-04:00

If you've tried the hearty, refreshing Vietnamese pho (fuh) soup that I've been talking about regularly in this blog (or even if you haven't) here's a quick recipe for making your own. The picture above shows pho with rare beef and beef balls.First heat up a mix of 1 part chicken stock and 2 parts water. This forms the soup broth. Keep it hot while doing the next step.Slice up a small onion in

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127808953970330942005-09-27T04:15:00.000-04:002005-09-27T04:15:53.980-04:00

After showing you so many pictures of Vietnamese food and talking about it at length, I finally scoured my old electronic journal and found my own recipe for a dry vermicelli dish generically called Banh (bun). It's similar to pho (fuh) but without the soup broth. It's typically served with "salad" (shredded lettuce, julienned cucumber and carrots, and bean sprouts) and grilled meats. Because

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127795490358991552005-09-27T00:31:00.000-04:002005-09-27T00:31:30.363-04:00

Just a quick note for readers: This blog will be absorbing entries that originally were being posted to my recently created VegFusion vegetarian blog, as well as my HotHead/ChiliMonster blog. I decided that I couldn't maintain 4 cooking blogs and do any of them any justice. So from now on, this blog will continue with its normal posts, as well as have spicy food posts and vegetarian food posts.

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127769832040074082005-09-26T17:23:00.000-04:002005-09-26T17:31:40.753-04:00

A couple of years ago, before I moved back to my hometown, I used to buy my crepes from a great West Indian chef - who's name really was Elvis and was trained in England. Elvis had a booth at the local Farmers Market and made an incredibly taste crepe stuffed with chicken and a thick cream of mushroom sauce. He'd also sell his crepes individually, so every Saturday morning, I'd go visit him and

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127701588158185142005-09-25T22:26:00.000-04:002005-09-25T22:26:28.180-04:00

Here's yet another easy-to-make soup that mixes elements from a couple of cuisines: Italian, Chinese, and Japanese. It requires a bit of prep work, but is otherwise effortless. If you want to substitute either vegetarian meatballs or the Vietnamese style bo (beef balls), feel free. I've tried them both and they work quite well. But that said, there's nothing like the taste of homemade meatballs,

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127630086591773862005-09-25T02:34:00.000-04:002005-09-25T02:34:46.596-04:00

These are similar to my Golden Needle Beef Rolls, but use spring onion stalks instead of enoki mushrooms (golden needles). Here is a revised recipe:Ingredients: (1) 2-3 pieces sliced beef (paper-thin) per roll; (2) 3-4 green onion stalks for each two beef rolls, cut into 3-4 inch lengths. For visual effect, you want to have the green onion stalks sticking out of the rolls. So you may actual want

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127524841026173702005-09-23T21:20:00.000-04:002005-09-25T02:36:31.430-04:00

Enoki mushrooms (aka golden needles) are one of those delights that, if you're a mushroom lover, you've got to try at least once. These thin, white, long-stemmed mushrooms, with a tiny bulbous head, are crisp, and add a wonderful texture to salads and clear soups. They also are great in a savoury Japanese-style beef roll that's easy to make. [Note: I'm using my new "recipe summary" format for

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127406885625366842005-09-22T12:34:00.000-04:002005-09-22T12:34:45.660-04:00

Yesterday's post was a recipe for Wild Rice Gumbo, which was a variation of my Mushroom, Asparagus + Wild Rice Soup. One of the things that I like to do to change up my meals a bit is to take some ingredients I've already used recently and either replace or supplement them. In today's recipe, I'm supplementing and replacing, to end up with Chicken, Rotini and Wild Rice Soup. What I'm doing is not

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127333656283362572005-09-21T16:14:00.000-04:002005-09-21T16:14:16.290-04:00

This is a variation on one of my other soups. Follow the recipe for Mushroom, Asparagus + Wild Rice Soup" but substitute fresh or frozen okra for asparagus, and subtract the barley, wood ear/black fungus, and rice vinegar. Also, add the following items to the older recipe. [Add all of the items at the same time. In the original recipe, the pre-cooked wild rice is added to the cookpot after the

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127253559014589572005-09-20T17:58:00.000-04:002005-09-20T17:59:19.020-04:00

[Warning: offensive, revolting material ahead]In the three short calendar years that I cooked on the line at several restaurants, I lost track of the number of injuries I and workmates suffered. Most of them were "minor" burns or cuts, which for me usually healed anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Slipping on food that's fallen on the floor, banging your knee, hitting your head on

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127093146382473982005-09-18T21:25:00.000-04:002005-09-18T21:25:46.386-04:00

The reason I enjoy Vietnamese food, of course, is the taste and texture, especially the rich flavour of the soup broth. I blog about it enough. But I also enjoyed working in a Vietnamese restaurant as both the dishwasher (by hand) and the appetizers line cook. The pay was poor, but at the end of the day - literally - all of the staff would sit down like an extended family and enjoy a meal

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127012722815933902005-09-17T23:05:00.000-04:002005-09-18T21:13:48.670-04:00

Several years ago, I had an attractive young female friend whom I'd originally met when I'd managed her singer/guitarist boyfriend. Holly [name not changed to cause maximum embarrassment] and I met up a few years after I'd stopped managing her boyfriend, whom she was no longer seeing. I admit I was somewhat enamoured of her at the time, even though she was considerably younger than me. We were

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1127003448380394462005-09-17T20:30:00.000-04:002005-09-17T20:30:48.386-04:00

My hometown is a small city of 108,000+ about an hour southwest of Toronto, Canada. Its university has a world-renowned agricultural engineering programming as well as a notable Hotel and Food Administration program, which includes a Dieticians program. Food and related endeavours are very much a part of this city. The provincial government's Ministry of Agriculture even moved their headquarters

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126919572256118622005-09-16T21:12:00.000-04:002005-09-16T21:12:52.260-04:00

Food and Wine magazine's September issue reports that green tea is being infused into a lot of non-Asian foods; for example, cream puffs. In fact, there are a lot of dishes you can use green or oolong tea in. Tea extract is also popular for therapeutic purposes. In a more unusual application, I ground up oolong tea leaves into my fresh made curry powder with very positive results. It gave my

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126825176138290712005-09-15T18:59:00.000-04:002005-09-16T00:57:38.590-04:00

As the last days of summer speed on by into the lush colours of cool fall nights, keep an eye peeled for a few late stragglers of multicultural festivals in your city. They are a great way to sample cuisines from all over the world without having to spend a lot of money. It's also acceptable, even encouraged, to ask what each item is, how it's made, and what's in it. It's the perfect way to

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126811028566117132005-09-15T15:03:00.000-04:002005-09-15T15:03:48.576-04:00

In the September 2005 issue of Food and Wine, there's an article by Lettie Teague on matching wines to Chinese food. Her suggestion? A Gewürztraminer matches nicely with spicy Chinese food. It works well with other spicy food, too. For example, Vietnamese, Thai and East Indian food. No doubt by now you'll have noticed a tendency towards Vietnamese and East Indian food on my blog (although the

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126674541073118492005-09-14T01:08:00.000-04:002005-09-14T01:10:45.296-04:00

Shown above is Vietnamese rice vermicelli with succulent grilled meatballs, and grilled chicken. At left is Vietnamese "salad" (carrot and cucumber strips, shredded lettuce). On top of the grilled chicken is sliced green onion and crushed peanuts. Peanuts and "salad" are included in many Vietnamese dishes. The vermicelli used in this dish is the same as in pho.(c) Copyright 2005-present, Raj

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126672131483263732005-09-14T00:28:00.000-04:002005-09-14T01:02:03.220-04:00

Pictured above are some grilled beef summer rolls. Ingredients are typically rice vermicelli, strips of carrot and cucumber, a basil leaf, romaine lettuce, and sometimes grilled meat - all wrapped in rice paper . To the left, bottom is Vietnamese "salad", consisting of carrot and cucumber strips, and shredded iceberg (or other) lettuce. Sriracha hot sauce at top left; peanut dipping sauce at top

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126657813090854412005-09-13T20:30:00.000-04:002005-09-13T20:30:13.116-04:00

In several cultures, particularly Oriental ones, food is matched to the time of year. Hearty foods are left for late Fall and into the Winter. Lighter meals are reserved for Spring and Summer. While food matching also happens in North America, we seem to be more interested in food combining. This is practice of not eating certain categories of food at the same time. For example, food combining

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126581492837638002005-09-12T23:18:00.000-04:002005-09-12T23:22:22.406-04:00

This recipe is actually two-in-one. I use one batter for two main ingredients: zuchinni flowers and shiitake mushrooms...Ever since Chef Mario Batali dipped some zucchini flowers into batter and deep-fried them on his show a few years ago, I've been desperate searching for these colorful blossoms. I had a theory that they'd work well in a batter that my great-grandmother used with mushrooms, and

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126489931955660802005-09-11T21:50:00.000-04:002005-09-11T21:52:11.963-04:00

You might get the impression that I'm on an okra kick right now, but honestly, this recipe is something I concocted 2 years ago. While my original recipe used the Vietnamese beef balls (bo) that you find the Vietnamese pho soup, you can pretty much use any meatballs. I just happen to like the texture of bo, which is very firm at first, until your teeth pierce the beef ball, at which point it is

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126406406270386482005-09-10T22:33:00.000-04:002005-09-10T22:40:06.276-04:00

NOTE: This is the main course of a single fusion-cuisine meal (Mexican, East Indian, Chinese, and French) that I served for friends two summers past. The starter and side dishes are here: Homemade Wonton Dumpling Soup Tomato Corn Salsa Curried Sesame Roasted Potatoes w/ Okra Here, also, is a related post from my Cooking For One Or Two blog. Ingredients 2 tbsp butter

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126321989981183582005-09-09T23:09:00.000-04:002005-09-09T23:15:01.893-04:00

This is the last side dish for the "Ladyfinger Lamb" meal. Ladyfinger is in fact another name for okra. Anybody who has had gumbo soup knows what okra is. I've had some friends tell me they don't like okra because it gets gooey when cooked. While this is true, it is in fact the reason I like it. If you don't like it gooey, just add okra a bit later so it cooks less. But do try okra to experience

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126311095283682632005-09-09T20:10:00.000-04:002005-09-09T20:11:35.286-04:00

I noticed a few regular readers to this blog and just wanted to tell you (and anyone else who cares) that the next installment of the "Ladyfinger Lamb" series of recipes will show up later tonight. It's just been one of those days...cheers

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126225915625476372005-09-08T20:26:00.000-04:002005-09-08T20:33:39.376-04:00

This recipe is for a delicious side dish, Tomato Corn Salsa, that I served to friends as part of my "Ladyfinger Lamb" meal.Ingredients 1 med-large tomato, medium dice. 1 very small onion, cut in half, then thinly sliced, then roughly chopped. Salt and pepper to taste. Crushed red pepper flake [optional] 1-2 tbsp cooking oil, preferably something healthy like canola or olive oil.

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1126128316637509272005-09-07T17:12:00.000-04:002005-09-07T17:28:32.236-04:00

NOTE: This is the starter course of a single fusion-cuisine meal (Mexican, East Indian, Chinese, and French) that I served for friends two summers past. Here is a related article from my Cooking For One Or Two blog.Equipment 1 small food brush. Substitute a finger if you don't have a brush. 1 cookie tray, preferably lined with parchment paper, or lightly oiled (vegetable/ canola) to prevent

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125984105185104532005-09-06T01:12:00.000-04:002005-09-06T01:21:45.186-04:00

As with bubble tea, chai can be made clear and chilled, or left hot and have milk added.Ingredients Tea leaves or tea bag Cardamom, whole pods Cloves, whole or broken Fennel seed [optional] Cinnamon stick [optional, but recommended] Dried lychee fruit or dried cranberries [optional] Milk Honey or sugar Preparation To make chai the traditional way (hot, with milk), set

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125983031845744792005-09-06T00:27:00.000-04:002005-09-06T01:03:51.850-04:00

In India, tea is called chai or cha. The latter is also the word the Chinese use, as they introduced tea to India. However, tea is prepared differently in both countries. In India, the most popular form of tea is chai. Chai has become so popular in various parts of the world that it is now available in bottled form in a variety of flavours. In North America, tea's popularity seems to have

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125940542304266772005-09-05T13:08:00.000-04:002005-09-05T21:47:08.560-04:00

After David the Wine Guy and I supped at Red Papaya Vietnamese-Thai restaurant last night, I visited a nearby newstand to find some food magazines and ended up with the September issue of "Gourmet" and "Food & Wine".The September "Music" issue of "Gourmet" magazine has "Elvis' Favorite Recipes" listed as the first cover story. The issue has a variety of snippets about food and music, including

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125901622002636882005-09-05T02:27:00.000-04:002005-09-05T02:28:44.860-04:00

I've lost track of the number of Oriental restaurants that I've had Yang Chow Fried Rice in. There is, however, a distinct difference in style between this dish in Chinese restaurants and in Vietnamese restaurants. In the former, it tends to be more like fried rice. The Vietnamese style is closer to steamed rice. The veggies are lightly stir-fried, then the steamed rice is added last, tossed a

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125901416185460652005-09-05T02:23:00.000-04:002005-09-05T02:30:02.343-04:00

At left, crispy regular and pork spring rolls (deep fried). In the center, Beef Summer Rolls. At right, peanut sauce and shredded lettuce with julienned cucumber and carrots.Summer rolls are usually stuffed with pre-cooked rice vermicelli noodles, lettuce, cucumber, and a choice of grilled meat. The wrapper is rice paper, which starts out as a dried, fragile transparent white disc that softens

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125901243085335182005-09-05T02:20:00.000-04:002005-09-05T02:26:14.623-04:00

A delicious, savory bowl of pho with two types of beef. Add mint leaves, a handful of bean sprouts, and a squeeze of lime to round out the complex taste and textures. The broth itself is made in a gigantic stockpot that takes 2-3 people to empty at the end of the night. Ingredients include huge beef bones, whole chickens and other meats, onions, carrots, celery, and more. The broth is rich in

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125867946520428142005-09-04T16:41:00.000-04:002005-09-04T17:05:46.553-04:00

A strange thing happened to me yesterday on the way home, after a long evening of blogging and reading blogs on the Internet at my local university. I'd been reading and scanning a number of cool food blogs including Pho-King, which is mostly about pho (prounced something like "fuh"), the thin noodles in soup broth served at Vietnamese restaurants. I've loved Vietnamese food, especially pho

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125703930121370092005-09-02T19:23:00.000-04:002005-09-02T19:32:10.130-04:00

In the midst of many philosophical discussions about food and human relationships, a friend once told me that, for the most part, people will never dine with an enemy unless forced to do so because of protocol or politics in general. Her explanation was that people are very relaxed during mealtimes. Their guard is down, and they are easy to communicate with. They thus want to sup with

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125601514633777252005-09-01T14:50:00.000-04:002005-09-01T15:05:14.640-04:00

I don't normally eat outside all that often. I have a weird phobia about people staring at me as I eat. (But just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't staring :D) However, this afternoon was so lovely that, on my way to the university library to do research, I stopped off at the grocery store and bought a few items. Then continuing on my way, I found myself so famished that I

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125588917927828852005-09-01T11:35:00.000-04:002005-09-01T17:08:08.526-04:00

My familiar, Aeric Sir Stinkybutt Half-A-Cat The Lion-Hearted Prince of Roo Zoo (so sue me, I'm weird :D), or Aeric for short, has the weirdest taste in food. He loves popsicles and those frozen tubes. He can smell me opening packaged food two stories down and always has to come and check out what I'm having. Some things he'll sniff and leave, but if I'm having frozen treats, he won't leave until

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125535249122042212005-08-31T20:40:00.000-04:002005-08-31T20:43:14.586-04:00

It's a wrap - ingredients: middle and right, green onion stems; middle, red bell pepper strips; left and right, nem nuoung bbq pork sausage; left, oyster mushrooms.

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125535108464102792005-08-31T20:38:00.000-04:002005-08-31T20:42:39.073-04:00

It's a wrap, two ways. At left, ingredients wrapped in a stuffed flatbread (potato, peas). At right and middle, two halves of a pocket pita wrapping the same ingredients.

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125535013144785632005-08-31T20:34:00.000-04:002005-08-31T20:36:53.150-04:00

Flatbreads are a part of many cultures, and come in many forms. I am particularly fond of stuffed flatbreads as well as pita breads. In this recipe, I've taken Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian, East Indian and Greek/Middle Eastern tastes and successfully combined them in two versions of a mouth-watering wrap. For reference, see the pictures posted after this recipe (and thus appearing more recently

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125532001688207042005-08-31T19:36:00.000-04:002005-08-31T19:46:41.693-04:00

When I worked in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 5 summers ago, I always found it amusing that of the three Chinese restaurants I went to near Smyrna, Georgia, nearly all the cooks were Latino-Americans. What's odder still, in an Indian restaurant next door to one of these Chinese restaurants, there was an Oriental cook there. People often think Americans are closed-minded, but I find that at least

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125294859693397042005-08-29T01:22:00.000-04:002005-08-29T01:54:19.700-04:00

Artichokes are usually a love'em or hate'em kind of ingredient, especially marinated chokes. But if you do like'em, try this simple, subtle, but tasty sandwich. Surprisingly, there's something about the subtle flavour of this sandwich that suggests it might go well with a crisp beer. I'm not a beer drinker because I don't like the bitter taste, but I actually had a craving for beer on two

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125259578063176492005-08-28T15:50:00.000-04:002005-08-28T16:09:51.296-04:00

Back in my punk days of the mid- to late-1980s in party town Toronto, Canada, I threw a lot of dinner parties for friends, mishmashing East Indian, Chinese and Italian flavours, for the most part. Back then, that's pretty much all I could make. But my weird cross-cuisine was a hit anyway. Except with one roommate that was an international model and exhibited the classic symptoms of anorexia. She

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125215318910062692005-08-28T03:39:00.000-04:002005-08-28T03:48:38.916-04:00

No sure if someone's done a study somewhere, but back in my mid- to late-20s, when I lived in the mighty metropolis of Toronto, Canada, a lot of my wild friends reported to me that if they ate Chinese noodles (particularly Sam Sea Chow Mein) after sex, they lost weight. Okay, I'm lying. That was me. I don't know why, but I could consume an entire order of Sam Sea Chow Mein Noodles (enough for 2-3

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125212802791520822005-08-28T03:05:00.000-04:002005-08-28T03:06:42.796-04:00

Not sure if countries other than Canada have it, but there's a TV show on Food Network Canada called "Opening Soon". If you're a foodie, you probably already know about it. It gives a very thorough rundown of many aspects of opening a new restaurant, from contractor problems to city licenses to waitstaff and promotion.It's an incredibly scary show in that it's extremely thorough in presenting

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125210849403788782005-08-28T02:31:00.000-04:002005-08-28T02:34:09.406-04:00

What is it about cookbooks with photos that are so alluring? It's been said in the publishing biz that most cookbooks end up in the remainder bins unless the author has some sort of high profile. But honestly, I never met a cookbook with pics that I didn't like, be they 28-page booklets or full-blown cookbooks. If it has pics, I'm there. While I couldn't possibly afford to pay full price on all

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125101505651548562005-08-26T19:52:00.000-04:002005-08-26T20:11:45.656-04:00

A short while ago, I got a nice chuckle out of a Google AdSense ad that popped up on this site after I posted my Grilled Cheese Deluxe with Roasted Red Peppers recipe. The ad was a link to eBay and the text said something like "Deals on Grilled Cheese at eBay". But as silly as it sounds, some of you may recall that last year, a grilled cheese sandwich that appeared to have an image of The Madonna

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125097012980198112005-08-26T18:55:00.000-04:002005-08-26T18:56:52.980-04:00

Over the years, I've cooked for a lot of people, both in restaurants and at private dinner parties. Being a social butterfly for the most part, I like to collect food lore and food preferences from those I cook for privately. One bit of info I've collected is that wine seems to give some women headaches. Most particularly, red wine. I've had a few women tell me it's because red wine reminds them

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1125096505583950042005-08-26T18:47:00.000-04:002005-08-26T18:55:38.983-04:00

In some branches of Buddhism, monks and nuns abstain from any "spices" except for ginger and salt, so as not to offend the higher spirits with bad breath while chanting. In India, some widows abstain from both meat and dairy, certain spices, and items such as garlic, which some consider to be a type of meat.(c) Copyright 2005-present, Raj Kumar Dash, http://curryelviscooks.blogspot.com

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1124919495183923482005-08-24T17:35:00.000-04:002005-08-24T17:38:15.183-04:00

This is one of those simple delicacies that's so easy to come up with on your own and just hits the spot for a mid-afternoon snack. For a bit of decadence, serve with Sunset Vodka Ice Tea.Ingredients 2 eggs or 1 egg and 1/4 cup milk italian seasoning (or mix dried rosemary, thyme, oregano) salt black pepper red pepper flakes [optional] 2 slices whole wheat bread 1 tbsp cooking

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1124919256350790222005-08-24T17:30:00.000-04:002005-08-24T17:40:19.313-04:00

Feeling a bit decadent? This drink goes great with Fench Toast with Brie and Figs sandwich.Ingredients 2-3 ice cubes for cooling 4 oz orange juice 2 oz ice tea 2 oz vodka 2-3 ice cubes for serving 1-2 tbsp grenadine 1-2 mint leaves [optional] Preparation In a drink shaker, place all ingredients except the extra ice cubes for serving. Shake and then strain into a serving glass

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1124497848069214012005-08-19T20:29:00.000-04:002005-08-19T20:44:08.666-04:00

This tasty, hearty soup/stew is great for a cool fall day or in the winter. It combines Oriental ingredients with a traditional East Indian lentil soup (aka Dal). Note there are many types of lentils. Some have a sharper taste than others. Some also take much longer to cook than others. My recommendation is "Moong Dal" lentils. They are small and oval in shape and are the same lentils used to

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1124302832097446292005-08-17T14:18:00.000-04:002005-08-17T14:20:32.100-04:00

When you thingk of "fusion cooking", do you associate it with hoity-toity fanciness and world-class arrogance? Difficult to make? It can be all of that or none, depending on the person doing the cooking. Personally, I associate "fusion cooking" with simply mixing ingredients that are popular in different cultures. This can be as simple as using Chinese or Japanese mushrooms instead of regular

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1123784288516133592005-08-11T14:16:00.000-04:002005-08-11T14:25:25.000-04:00

I love taking traditional faves and making healthy substitutions. What's better is when the result is actually palatable. Too many North Americans associate healthy eating with tastelessness. After several years of having to at least try healthy alternatives, I've started to find a bit of a groove. So, I was thrilled to come up with a yummy variation of a grilled cheese sandwich.Ingredients

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1123260600480882532005-08-05T12:48:00.000-04:002005-08-11T14:36:44.420-04:00

Looking for a light to medium snack, or an accompaniment to soup? This simple but tasty sandwich might be it.Ingredients Multigrain bread - two slices Butter Mayo Cucumber - field or English, sliced long, wide, and thin - 4 slices. Use a vegetable peeler instead of a knife, if necessary. (I will try to post a picture at some later date.) Tomato - Beefsteak or regular tomatoes, sliced

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1123260221618429162005-08-05T12:40:00.000-04:002005-08-05T12:43:41.626-04:00

If you're like me, you love a hearty soup that can be served pretty much any time of year. This delicious vegetarian offering tastes as good cold in the summer as it does warm in the winter. Note that wild rice, which is actually a grass, takes a very long time to cook. You should either pre-cook as per the package's instructions, or use another healthy grain such as brown rice.Ingredients

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1122659494008103982005-07-29T13:49:00.000-04:002005-07-29T13:51:34.013-04:00

I've taken my mother's recipe (which she will not give me) and changed it quite a bit. My version of chicken curry is a bit more like Irish Stew, but with French and Asian elements thrown in. Now just a recommendation: if you can, make your own curry powder, fresh, just before you cook. It beats the taste of prepackaged curry powder. Look for the posting "Make Your Own Curry Powder", elsewhere in

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1122659231469256282005-07-29T13:44:00.000-04:002005-07-29T13:47:11.473-04:00

Curry powder is one of those ingredients that every East Indian family has their own recipe for, and which some treasure like a family heirloom. The fact is, curry powder can have up to 22 different components. It is used in many countries besides India, and the ratios of various components changes by geography. In some countries such as Thailand where cuisine tends towards the "oriental",

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1122659037082584722005-07-29T13:41:00.000-04:002005-08-17T14:09:45.166-04:00

This sauce is the the real secret "ingredient" that makes my mother's chicken curry in such high demand. I co-opted it for my own "secret chicken curry" (recipe to be available in the near future in a blog posting entitled "Secret Chicken Curry").Equipment:Food processor or blender. I use a mini food processor that I picked up in a department store for about $14.Ingredients:Peeled and sliced

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1122656042849657092005-07-29T12:53:00.000-04:002005-07-29T12:54:02.850-04:00

Despite my having lived in Canada and the US for nearly 40 years, I come from an East Indian background and I cook that way. We're like Italians and many other cultures in that we don't really measure ingredients when we cook. And we only really follow recipes when a dish is new to us, and maybe not even then.That said, the recipes in this blog and my other cooking blogs will have

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1122655156094374372005-07-29T12:38:00.000-04:002005-07-29T12:39:16.100-04:00

For the longest time, I was always quite healthy. But shortly after leaving Toronto after my hazy, crazy punk days of hard work and harder play, I went back home to my parents, broke both emotionally and financially. Very shortly after I moved home, I developed numerous allergies to food and environment. Over the next 14 years, I slowly developed a number of other illnesses culminating in the

blogslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09263250561416943757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14673584.post-1121901464146045542005-07-20T19:16:00.000-04:002005-07-20T19:17:44.146-04:00

Watch this space for fusion recipes, general discussions of food, and a few philosophical meanderings from the "Curry Elvis".cheers

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