"Japanese" sticky rice

My Pan-Asian culinary experiments continue this weekend with a sticky rice recipe.

My love for sticky rice stems from frequent childhood dinners at our local Thai-Chinese restaurant in Paris. Ever since I've been a kid (and it's been quite some time...), every time I go there I eat the exact same thing: Nems (fried springrolls), Five-spice duck (star anise, cloves, cinnamon, sichuan pepper and fennel) and a basket of steamed sticky rice.

I have never found sticky rice this good anywhere else. And believe me, I tried. A lot!

Back in the summer, I got tired of constant disappointment and I took a trip to a large Asian supermarket to try and find sticky rice to make it myself (including a 30 minutes bus ride, that's how motivated I was!). I didn't find long Thai sweet rice, but a shorter Japanese grain (correct me if I'm wrong, as I am not well versed in any of the Asian characters). I still bought it, happy as a clam and stowed it in the back of my pantry, thinking I was going to rock it soon.

Fastforward 6 months, and it's now time I tackled this!

Please take this recipe with a grain of salt :) I am in no way claiming that this is the authentic way to eat sticky rice. This is merely the way *I* like to eat it. Plain, with a splash of soy sauce and nori on the side.


INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups of sweet glutinous rice (will make 6 cups cooked)
- water, salt
- a steamer (either bamboo lined with a cheesecloth, or metallic, they are readily available in Asian grocery stores)


RECIPE:
- rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear

- let soak in water overnight

- drain the rice, place in a steamer in a thin layer and steam for 25 minutes


Note: as you can see my steamer was very artisanal: I used a metallic sieve placed on top of a bamboo steamer tier, in a wok and blocked any open areas with aluminum foil. You can use whatever setting you like, as long as the rice is not touching the water and you can contain the steam in a closed environment. 
Note 2: Do remember that boiling water evaporates (that's the steam!), so you need to replenish the water in the bottom pan, otherwise it will burn!
- after 25 minutes, turn the rice once so that the bottom grains are now on the top, that will ensure homogeneous cooking and steam another 25 minutes, or until the rice is translucent and chewy (you don't want the rice to be grainy and floury to the taste)

- this sticky rice can be rolled into small balls, dipped in sauces and eaten with your hands
- I ate mine with a splash of soy sauce, nori and wasabi coated sesame seeds
- Enjoy!

Quick pickled fennel

I don't know about you, but fresh fennel bulbs are one of my absolute favorite vegetables. It is crisp, refreshing, slightly sweet and has this subtle liquorice and anise aftertaste that I just cannot get enough of.

Fennel bulbs and vinegar. Love.

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 fresh fennel bulb
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- optional: 1/4 cup sugar (if you like your pickles very salty and vinegary omit this step, but I think it works well in the case of fennel)



RECIPE:
- trim the fennel bulb, remove the core and slice paper-thin with a mandolin

- stuff the fennel snuggly in a mason jar (don't forget the green parts!) and sprinkle with the spices

- bring the water, vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil and pour over the fennel

- close the jar lid and let cool completely before refrigerating for at least 1 day
- eat as a side dish to meat, fish, in a salad or just as a snack!

Vietnamese beef noodle soup (Pho)

This past weekend was the Lunar New Year. I decided to go to Chinatown to do some grocery shopping, because I was planning to play with a pack of glutinous rice I bought a few months back and needed a bamboo steamer. Needless to say that I came back home with a giant Asian food haul, with a huge smile on my face when realized I had everything I needed to make Beef Pho (almost) from scratch.

I discovered Pho a few years ago when I moved to the US, as Vietnamese food is readily available where I am right now. I fell in love, and am always on the lookout for the best Pho. Chicken, beef, seafood or veggie. Me likey.

I used my slow cooker to prepare the broth and am not claiming absolute authenticity, but here's my adapted recipe.


INGREDIENTS (4 people):
for the broth:
- about 1 lb beef shank
- 3 shallots, peeled
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled
- 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and bruised
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (not pictured - I decided to add them mid-recipe)
- 1 tsp coriander seeds (not pictured - I decided to add them mid recipe)
- 2 tbsp salt
- 10 cups beef stock

for serving:
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- thin sliced slow-cooked beef shank (reserved from the stock)
- paper-thin sliced raw beef (a lean cut is preferable, but I just used a little bit of shank meat before cooking the stock)
- rice sticks noodles (banh pho)
- 1 small yellow onion, peeled and sliced paper-thin (using a mandolin)
- lime quarters
- fresh cilantro
- fresh thai basil
- daikon sprouts (the normal recipe calls for bean sprouts, but I just really dislike them, so I picked another type of sprouts)


RECIPE:
start with the broth (on the day before if using a slow cooker, or at least 3-4 hours before if using the stove-top):
- brown the onion, shallots and ginger under a broiler, or on an open flame, until charred

- parboil the beef shank 10 min in boiling water, skimming the grayish foam (this step is optional, but will ensure a visually pleasing clear broth instead of a cloudy broth)

- in the crock-pot (or stock pot), place the spices, charred aromatics, stock and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or if on the stove-top, on the lowest setting before it turns off, for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and almost falls apart)


about 1 hour before serving:
- strain the beef stock through a fine sieve, reserve the meat and discard the other solids

- once the meat is cooled, slice thin and reserve until ready to serve

- cook the rice noodles for 5 minutes in boiling water, or until desired chewiness, rinse in cold water, drain and reserve

- bring the clear beef stock back to a boil and season with the fish sauce

for serving:
- place a bunch of noodles, sliced cooked and raw beef in a large serving bowl and ladle piping hot broth on top (this will instantly cook the raw meat)

- add the various toppings to your liking and enjoy with a good splash of rooster sauce (Sriracha)
- Enjoy!!!

Fresh kale garganelli and lamb-shiitake bolognese

This is the best. Pasta. Ever!

Not only is it healthy with a bunch of fresh kale in the pasta dough (click here for the recipe) and lots of fresh meaty shiitake mushrooms in the sauce, the bolognese has this round, velvety taste from the lamb that will make you want to lick your plate!

Here's how you can make it!



INGREDIENTS (4 people):
- 1/2 to 1 quantity of fresh kale garganelli (click here for recipe)
- 1lb ground lamb
- 1 8oz bucket shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 onion, diced finely
- 4 cloves of garlic, grated
- 1 28oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1/4 cup of white wine
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- parmesan cheese and basil leaves for decoration


RECIPE:
- in a large pan, brown the lamb in the olive oil over high heat, add the onion and garlic when the meat is cooked almost all the way and cook another 2 minutes (or until the onions are translucent)

- add the wine, rosemary, tomatoes and shiitake and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes, adding water if the sauce gets too thick or sticks to the bottom

- ladle over freshly cooked kale garganelli (or really any other type of pasta you fancy!)

- sprinkle with a healthy dose of freshly grated parmesan cheese and decorate with a few basil leaves
- trust me when I say this is probably the best pasta I've had in a few years and abandon yourself into the wave of deliciousness coming your way ;)