Tackling My (Absurd) Fear of Asian Cooking + Rock Sugar's Massaman Curry Recipe

I have a confession to make. I'm afraid of cooking Asian food. Woks, stir-fries, curries, you name it... I find them all strangely intimidating to master in my own kitchen. It's ironic, because the flavors inherent in Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and Indian cuisines are some of my hands-down favorites, but I've never gotten the courage myself to learning how to cook them. Don't get me wrong; I rip out seemingly delicious Asian recipes, have cookbooks filled with healthy stir-fry recipes and even tweet the hell out of other people's Asian creations. But the closest I ever got to making something myself was a few months ago when I ordered a 12" wok pan from Amazon.com, but the thought of setting off the fire alarm in my tiny kitchen from the simple "seasoning" process alone deterred me. Sadly, the wok pan occupies its time inside my oven (when not fired up, of course) and my Talesai menu gets all the action.

Last month I was determined to change that, but I knew I needed a tiny bit of guidance. When I heard that Century City's Rock Sugar Pan Asian Kitchen (another great place for happy hour, by the way) was having a "Foods from Bangkok" cooking class, I was on it like white on sticky rice. Singapore-born Executive Chef Ismail Mohan, who earned his stripes at Tabla, Spice Market and Blue Hill, would be instructing an intimate group through the basics of Thai specialties: chicken satay with homemade peanut sauce, Goong Sa-Lhong (beer-battered, rice noodle-crusted shrimp), Yam Som O (pomelo and crabmeat salad), and Gaeng Massaman, a southern Thai dish that would help me tackle my absurd fear of curry paste and tamarind head-on.

Goong Sa-Lhong (Beer-battered, rice noodle-crusted shrimp)

Yam Som O (Pomelo and Crabmeat Salad)

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

When I got the class at 10:30 a.m., I joined eight other "students" on Rock Sugar's spacious back patio. Chef Mohan's team had set up five cocktail tables complete with individual place settings and leather-bound notebooks filled with the day's recipes. There was not a bad seat in the house to watch Chef Mohan as he prepared each dish; he made following along even easier by coming out and showing each table his preferred brand of curry paste, how to segment pomelos (Asian grapefruits), and sharing the details on where we could buy each of the specialty ingredients.

Chef Mohan Preparing Massaman Curry

Show-and-Tell Shrimp Dipping Sauce

It was easy to see Chef's passion for talking about Thai cuisine, especially when he regaled the group with stories about how he has a special basement stockpiled -- floor to ceiling, mind you -- with wholesale Thai coconut milk after a terrible disease wiped out many of the coconut trees in Thailand. Anticipating the price of authentic coconut milk to double (which it did), Chef Mohan was smart enough to order enough to last Rock Sugar for one year. Speaking of secret stashes, when Chef isn't feeding the hungry masses that hit Rock Sugar everyday, he's enjoying a Skippy peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white bread. He has his own secret stash in the manager's office that he "pairs" with a hot Milo (hot drink make from chocolate and malt powder). I can only imagine it would be better if he slathered on a layer of his homemade peanut sauce instead...

Chef Mohan's Secret Indulgence: PB&J!

Photo Credit: HubPages

At the end of the day, Rock Sugar's class demystified the basics of Thai cuisine. As is typically the case with my inane cooking phobias -- roasted beets were another silly example -- the ingredients are much easier to find and the dishes much easier to prepare than I thought. Take the Massaman curry, for example, the recipe for which I've included below. It's essentially a process of layering ingredients and letting them cook down into a steaming, simmering bath full of Thai flavors. And as it turns out, Chef Mohan's specific recipe couldn't be easier or more delicious. Try it for yourself, or better yet, sign up for one of Rock Sugar's cooking classes (rumor has it the next one will focus on "Rock Sugar" favorites). I'll see you there!

Thanks again to Sharon at Murphy O'Brien for the invitation!

Gaeng Massaman (Thai Curry w/ Chicken)

Recipe from: Chef Mohan Ismail, Executive Chef Rock Sugar Pan Asian Kitchen

Pre Time: 30 Minutes

Cooking Time: 1 1/2 hours

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons Canola oil
• 3 pounds chicken thighs
• 8 oz. chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 4 oz. Massaman curry paste (available in Asian markets)
• 3 cups coconut milk
• 2 cups chicken stock (canned)
• 1 pound Yukon (or other low starch) potatoes
• 2-4 tablespoons Tamarind paste (available in Asian markets)
• 3 ounces brown sugar, to taste
• Fish sauce, to taste
• 4 tablespoons peanuts, toasted
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Chop the chicken into 2-3" pieces, then season liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper. Sear the chicken pieces in the pan until they are slightly caramelized. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and sweat until translucent. Add the ground cumin and stir quickly until it is incorporated with the onions. Add the Massaman curry paste and stir until fragrant.

Return the seared chicken pieces to the pot and stir until the pieces are coated with the paste. Add the coconut milk and chicken stock to the pot and summer until the chicken is almost cooked. If the mixture starts to reduce too much, add a small amount of water. Place the potatoes into the pan with the chicken and season with Tamarind, brown sugar and fish sauce. Simmer the mixture until the potatoes are tender. Once the potatoes are tender, the chicken should be cooked through. Serve with white rice and sprinkle with toasted peanuts, if desired.

Gifts For The Cold Weather Cook

While L.A. might not exactly have a white Christmas, recent temperatures have still dipped into the low 30's and high (gasp!) 20's at night. These crisp fall days and chilly nights will only turn into colder winter days and nights, so now is the perfect time to equip your kitchen (and designated chef) with the best crock pots, Dutch ovens and other cold weather kitchen staples out there. Especially if you or a loved one has a great family recipe for chili, lentil soup or beef stew.

1. Staub 6.75 Quart Oval Cocette: $239.95

2. Emile Henry 2.5 Quart Tagine: $125

3. 12" Cast Iron Skillets: From $23.99

4. Carbon Steel 14" Wok With Wooden Handles: $29.99

Eat My Blog Recipe: Holiday Peppermint Bark

My husband LOVES peppermint. I mean, really loves it. The way some people love chocolate. Or truffles. Or cheese. Okay, I might be talking about myself with those last two, but you get the idea. So when I was baking for Eat My Blog this week, I wanted to kill two birds with one stone: fill goodie bags for the event and fill my husband's tummy (both worthy causes, I would say). So I knew peppermint bark would make its way onto my holiday gift menu, but I really wanted to make it a truly spectacular batch. I started with a simple base: two layers of semi-sweet and white chocolate, but then I went crazy chopping Trader Joe's peppermint products for toppings. Think white chocolate and peppermint-covered pretzels, dark chocolate-covered mint marshmallows, minty Oreo-esque cookies dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with peppermint, and pure crushed peppermint. When it was chilled and good to go, I tested out a piece on my husband. I must preface this by saying my husband doesn't do a lot of lingering in the kitchen, but he made several trips just to stand over and snack on the peppermint bark. He even exclaimed, "This is my perfect dessert." I was happy he loved it so much, and hope that the shoppers at Eat My Blog did, too! Recipe and photos below.

The Ultimate Holiday Peppermint Bark

Ultimate Peppermint Bark

Makes about 30 three-inch chunks

Ingredients:

• 30 ounces (3 bags) semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
• 30 ounces (3 bags) white chocolate baking chips
• 2 red and white candy canes or peppermint sticks, crushed
• 1 bag Trader Joe's Peppermint Pretzel Slims, chopped
• 1/2 box of Trader Joe's Peppermint Joe's, chopped
• 1/2 box of Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Minty Mallows, chopped

Line two 9x13" or one large 15 x 21" rimmed baking tray with foil, making sure foil overlaps the edges. Set aside. Place semi-sweet chocolate chips in medium-sized bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir with silicone spatula and continue to microwave in 20 second increments at full power, stirring after each round until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Pour melted chocolate onto baking tray, using a large silicone spatula to spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle one crushed candy cane onto the chocolate, pressing slightly to make sure it sticks. Put tray in refrigerator to chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Line a rimmed baking tray with foil.

Place semi-sweet chocolate chips in a bowl and microwave until melted (see steps above).

Spread chocolate on foil and sprinkle crushed peppermint. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

While chocolate is chilling, prepare your toppings. Use any toppings you prefer. I use chocolate-covered pretzels, mint marshmallows and peppermint cookies.

White chocolate and peppermint-covered pretzels.

Chopped mint marshmallows.

Chopped chocolate peppermint sandwich cookies.

When the chocolate layer is firm, put the white chocolate in another medium-sized bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir with silicone spatula and continue to microwave in 20 second increments at full power, stirring after each round until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Remove tray with hardened semi-sweet chocolate and peppermint layer from the refrigerator. Using a large spatula, spread the melted white chocolate over the semi-sweet chocolate in a smooth, even layer. Arrange the chopped minty marshmallows pieces into the white chocolate layer, spread evenly apart. Sprinkle the chopped peppermint cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels and crushed peppermint on the white chocolate, gently pressing each layer down to make sure the pieces adhere to the chocolate. Place the tray back into the refrigerator and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Melt white chocolate according to instructions above.

Using a spatula, spread white chocolate in even layer over semi-sweet chocolate layer.

Arrange mint marshmallows on white chocolate.

Sprinkle the chopped chocolate peppermint cookies.

Repeat with pretzels and crushed peppermint stick. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

When the bark is firm, lift the foil layer out of the pan and set on a large cutting board or flat countertop. Using a large knife, cut the bark into uneven pieces. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Remove foil from pan and chop bark into large chunks. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Here's my packaged peppermint bark for Eat My Blog. I put 2-3 pieces of peppermint bark in cellophane bags, affixed a custom label with the name and list of ingredients, and tied them with a Pardon My Crumbs tag and holiday ribbon. Then off to the event they went. Well, not all of them. Let's say that my husband held some of them hostage. I hope you like them as much as he does. :)

The Finished Bark: All ready to go to Eat My Blog!

Eat My Blog Recipe: Salted Caramel Turtle Cookies

Today is Eat My Blog, L.A.'s biannual charity bake sale benefiting the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. I've been baking up a storm for the past few days, making some insanely delicious peppermint bark (topped with chocolate and peppermint covered pretzels, crushed peppermint cookies and minty marshmallows), as well as chocolate and edible sparkle-covered coconut macaroons. But the treat I can't stop eating is a cookie twist on a traditional pecan and caramel turtle. Basically, it's a homemade chocolate dough rolled into one-inch balls, covered in pecans, baked and filled with salted caramel. They're heavenly (I mean, what isn't heavenly when filled with salted caramel?) and they disappear fast. They're perfect for holiday cookie swaps, sturdy enough to be packaged in individual gift bags and are basically bites of sweet 'n salty goodness. I had to share the recipe, as well as some great step-by-step photos, so you can try your hands at these beauties. If you're a chocolate fan, a nut fan, and a caramel fan, this cookie is for you!

Salted Caramel Turtle Cookies

Salted Caramel Turtle Cookies

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup high-quality cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, separated, plus one egg white
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped fine (alternative: buy pecan pieces)
• 14 soft caramel candies
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Make the dough: Combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt in bowl. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture until just combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour. If you need to work faster, put the dough in the freezer for about 25 minutes.

Mix dry and wet ingredient separately, then combine in standing mixer.

Assemble the cookies and bake: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or non-stick (e.g. Silpat) liners. Whisk egg whites in a small bowl until frothy. Place chopped pecans in another small bowl. Roll dough in one-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans. You may have to press the ball into the pecans to get them to firmly adhere to the dough. Reshape the balls in your hand, if necessary. Place pecans balls two inches apartment on prepared baking sheets. Using 1/2-teaspoon measure, gently make an indentation in center of each ball. Bake until set, about 12-15 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.

Roll dough into one-inch round pieces

Dip each round in egg white

Roll rounds in pecans, gently pressing until they adhere to dough

Place pecan rounds two inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheet

Using 1/2 teaspoon cup, gently make indentation in each round

Repeat until all pecan rounds have indentations

Bake at 350 until firm, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking

Make the caramel filling: Microwave caramel candies and cream in a bowl (I used a glass measuring cup to prevent the caramel from boiling over the sides), stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently repress existing indentations with 1/2 teaspoon measure. Fill each indentation with 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Melt caramel candies and heavy cream in bowl

Fill each indentation with 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture

Sprinkle a LIGHT pinch of sea salt -- 4 to 5 granules -- on caramel.

You can make these a few days in advance, just make sure to keep them in an airtight container. They're especially great dipped in egg nog or hot chocolate while listening to Christmas carols. Just a thought...

Thanksgiving Cooking Classes: Just In Case You Need A Refresher Course

Thanksgiving is barely two weeks away, which means it's time to get out your roasting pans, gravy separators, oversized serving platters and a hefty dose of Xanax, because extended family will soon be knocking down your door. Lucky for me I've got a super small family so the drama is limited to some gravy-straining issues and mandatory vegan options, but others I know are not so fortunate. Both my mom and I know how stressful it can be to cook a rockin' holiday spread for eight (much less eighteen) that satiates everyone's appetite and dietary restrictions. So to help you out -- and prevent your Aunt Betty from complaining about watered-down gravy or dried out turkey -- I've put together a list of local holiday-themed cooking classes that will help you get the job done. And if you're lucky, maybe even a kudo or two.

Source: Flickr/brianblevins

Every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. until Thanksgiving (Nov. 9, 16 and 23) Breadbar Century City gives its lunchtime patrons a 15-minute complimentary crash course in turkey carving, helping them get the perfect sliced turkey breast, thigh, and wing. Each demonstration is open to the public, although you might want to spring for Breadbar's Turkey Special lunch ($14.95) with roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Just don't plan on going back to work.

On Thursday, Nov. 11 from 7-9 p.m., M Café's chef Lee Gross shares his favorite macrobiotic holiday recipes M Café de Chaya Beverly Hills. For $35 per person (including dinner, beverage, and recipes), Gross will show participants how to make spiced butternut bisque, maple-glazed acorn squash with Brussels sprouts and chestnuts, and pan-braised seitan with herbed gravy. Space is limited, so RSVP in advance by emailing Amy Harmon at Amy@mcafedechaya.com.

On Saturday, Nov. 13 from 2-4 p.m. Napa Valley Grille's executive chef Joseph Gillard shows home cooks the techniques and tricks behind cooking a fantastic Turkey Day dinner. The class is $20 and includes chef Gillard's demonstration, light hors d'oeuvres and pours of California wine. Call (310) 824-3322 for reservations.

From Nov. 15, 16 and 17, The Original Farmer's Market Sur La Table location hosts Bon Appetit: Thanksgiving Table, a cooking class that walks you through the basics behind preparing a complete Thanksgiving Day meal made from Bon Appetit recipes, including butternut squash soup with cider cream; roast turkey with port gravy; sourdough stuffing with sausage, apples, and golden raisins; mashed potatoes; maple-glazed yams with pecan topping; cranberry and blood orange relish; and pumpkin pie. Classes are $79 each. Spots are limited; make your reservation at Sur La Table's website.

Don't have time to attend a cooking class? Finding expert advice on how to cook a 20-pound bird, how to make the perfect creamed spinach, or what wines to pair with your personal holiday feast is as easy as opening a new browser window. Head to The Grill on the Alley's website, where executive chef John Sola is now answering holiday-related cooking questions on his "Ask Chef Sola" blog. Submit questions by filling out the form here.