Recipes - The Hungry Nomad

Kalam Polow Shirazi (Cabbage herbed rice with meatballs)- Iranian Cuisine

January 1, 2018 1 Comment

Kalam Polo Shirazi (from the region of Shiraz, Iran) was introduced into the family by my father. His love for this fragrant Iranian rice dish dates back to his childhood in Shiraz where my grandmother’s cooking reigned. Years later when his mother passed away, he had to ask around in order to obtain the recipe. Finally, he got his hands on the recipe which surely had changd over the years. Coming home from school I would often smell the fragrant aroma of tarragon from outside. I instantly knew he missed his mother… that is usually when he would prepare the dish. He would make it whenever feeling nostalgic or missing my grandmother. I had never attempted to make Kalam Polow until recently I had a major unexpected craving for it. I think I just missed my father and thought by making his signature dish I’d fill the void brought by the distance. Winter time when fresh cabbage is in season is the best time to prepare this dish. And today, I miss my father who happens to be thousands of miles away in Iran for the winter. So I am making this dish in memory of my grandmother and because I just miss my father plain and simple.

Note: if you grew up hating cabbage. Don’t worry as this dish will make you change your mind. I myself am not a big fan of cabbage but when eating it in this dish- it tastes delicious.

Ingredients (Serves 4-6 ppl):

2 cups of rice

4 cups of shredded white cabbage

1 onion (grated)

1 lbs ground beef

1 teaspoon of turmeric

1/2 teaspoon of saffron

Herbs: (May use dry or fresh)

2 cups of fresh parsley (1 cup if dried)

2 cups of fresh cilantro (1 cup if dried)

2 cups of chives (1 cup if dried)

2 cups of Persian basil (1 cup if dried)

1/2 cup tarragon

1 cup fresh dill (or dry dill)

salt and pepper

olive oil

Instructions:

1. Grate onion into small pieces, remove the onion juice. Mix the onion with the ground beef. Add salt and pepper and turmeric and mix with the meat and onions

2. Roll small pieces of meat mix into meatballs. You want the meatballs to be on the smaller side

3. Cook meatballs in a lightly oiled pan until partially cooked
4. Shred white cabbage into small pieces

5. Saute shredded cabbage in a slightly oiled pan until cooked. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of turmeric.
6. Chop all the herbs into small fine pieces.

7. Mix the herbs with the sauteed cabbage and add to the meatballs. Add 1 cup of water and cook on medium heat until water partially evaporates.

8. Prepare rice and remove from heat when partially cooked.

9. When your rice is ready, remove from pan. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add layers of thinly sliced potatoes. Add one layer of rice and another layer of mixture. Continue layering and gently mix pot to mix the ingredients together. Finish with a thin layer of rice. With the bottom of your spatula make several holes in your rice layer without touching the bottom of the pot. This allows the steam to reach the top. Cook for 40 minutes on medium-low heat.

10. Serve with rice and pickled torshee.

Baking, Dessert, Italian food, Italy, Recipe, recipes

Authentic Tiramisu Recipe

April 1, 2016 No Comments

Serves: Approximately 12 Servings

Ingredients:

– 6 egg yolks

– 1 cup white sugar

– 1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese

-1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

– 2 cups of espresso (cooled off)

– 2 packages lady fingers (approx 24 lady fingers total)

– 1/3 cup alcohol of your choice (grand marnier or rum)

Topping extras

– 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (dust)

– 1 (1 ounce) square semi sweet chocolate (shaved)

Instructions:

Chill large bowl in the fridge.
Combine the 6 egg yolks and 1 cup of sugar in the top of a double boiler.
Reduce heat to low.
Stir the egg yolks and sugar for about 10 minutes. (This step is to coddle the egg and prevent eating raw eggs). Remove the mixture from heat and allow it to cool.
Once cooled, beat the mixture until light in color and thick.
Add the mascarpone to the whipped yolk-sugar mixture. Blend well.
Add 1 tablespoon of espresso and mix until thoroughly combined.
Whip the whipping cream in the chilled bowl until stiff peaks are formed.
Gently fold the whipping cream into the yolk-sugar mixture and set aside.
Split the lady fingers in half.
Mix the expresso and alcohol and pour into flat dish.
Dip lady fingers and soak in espresso mixture for less than 5 seconds until soaked. (Not too long or it will become too soggy).
Line the bottom and sides of your serving bowl with the lady fingers.
Spoon half of the filling over the lady fingers.
Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers and top with the filling.
Sprinkle the top with cocoa powder and chocolate curls.
Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight.

Total prep time: 30 minutes

Baking, Recipe, recipes

Recipe for Low-Fat Banana Bread

April 21, 2013 1 Comment

Ingredients:

1 Cup of mashed ripe bananas (2 large bananas)
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/3 Cup canola or vegetable oil
1 large egg or 2 large egg whites
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1 Tea Spoon pure vanilla extract
1 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 Cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

Optional:

1/2 Cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl mix the bananas, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 cup of yogurt and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the 1/4 Cup canola or vegetable oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and set aside.
In another bowl, sift together the white all purpose flower, the whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Add the bowl of banana ingredients to the the egg mix and blend.
(Optional step: Add chocolate to the wet ingredients).
With a rubber spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the the flour mix to the bowl and mix thoroughly until all ingredients are moistened. (Do not over mix the batter as it will result in a touch bread).
Pour mix into a slightly oiled pan, place in center rack of oven and bake for 50-60 minutes until the bread is golden brown. You can also tell when it is ready if placing a toothpick inside the loaf does not result in any ingredients being stuck to the toothpick.

Philadelphia

Rangoon Burmese Restaurant- Chinatown (Philadelphia, USA)

April 10, 2013 No Comments

I’ve never been to Myanmar (formerly Burma), let alone had Burmese food so when the opportunity arose to dine at Rangoon Burma in Philadelphia, I was there in a hop, skip and a jump. The restaurant is located in the heart of Chinatown and offers a clean and elegant dining environment and great friendly service.

The menu resembled Indian with the spices, Thai with the coconut milk and Malaysian with the thousand layered bread. Indian, Thai and Malaysian are one of the most intricate and delicious cuisines in the world (at least according to my taste palette) and a mix of all three resulted in fireworks. The meal started off with an order of the thousand layered bread with a side of potato curry. It resulted in multiple orders. Thin, chewy yet crispy and greasy layers of bread that once dipped in the curry side resulted in the perfect bite.

The crispy fried Burmese tofu with spicy dipping sauce was out of this world delicious. It was so light and fluffy, fried to perfection served with a spicy chili sauce. This also resulted in multiple orders (to be fair- there were 6 of us). The Burmese dumplings were a little bit too crispy for my liking on the outside. Yet, others at the table really seemed to enjoy these which were served with a sweet dipping sauce. We all ordered separately but ended up sharing all the plates. I advise shared plates for any readers who are tempted to pay Rangoon Burma a visit. For my main dish, I had the Glass Noodle Salad which resembled the Thai glass noodle salad I have tasted in Thailand. It was a mix of slippery glass noodles, onions, mushrooms, chicken, carrot and many other fresh ingredients. It was delicious.

The Burmese Spare ribs were very spicy, tangy and mouth watering good. The ribs were slathered in a spicy herbal sauce which tasted like green chili peppers. The meat was tender and fresh. While the sauce was too hot the white rice that went along with dish helped distill some of the spiciness.

The other two main courses ordered by the table included a chicken coconut curry and a kung pao chicken. While they were good, they resembled fast food Chinese and did not stand out as having any distinctive Burmese flavors. For dessert we had the Furlada. A sweet drink dessert of milk, rose syrup, pudding, raisins, tapioca and Asian fruit jellos. Topped with ice cream. It was very sweet and creamy similar to Filipino Halo-Halo or Hawaiian Shave Ice. It was not very good. Next time, we will leave dessert for some where else in Chinatown.

Uncategorized

Philly Style Sandwiches at Paesano’s (Philadelphia, USA)

February 2, 2013 1 Comment

For the ultimate old Philly dive baresque sandwich experience (or hoagie as the locals call it) head over to the Italian Market or Northern liberties for the best sandwich in town at Paesano’s (no exaggeration). I already fell in love with chef McAndrew’s Modo Mio and now Paesano’s.

Sandwiches cost between $6 to $9 dollars. What makes it so special? The range of flavors and ingredients which are blended to make the best hot and cold sandwiches in town. The menu is simple yet sophisticated (See Menu). Although the shop has won many awards for it’s famous Arista sandwich we opted for the Gustaio and Daddywad.

The daddywad- a mix of italian hoagie, hot and sweet peppers, tomato, onions, arugula and sharp provolone. It was on serious sandwich ($8).

My eyes went straight to the Gustaio since I love anything lamb based. It was a mix of roasted lamb sausage, sun dried cherries, mustard, Gorgonzola and fennel ($9). It was an amazing mix of sweet and savory flavors and tasted like a Moroccan Tagine served in a sandwich. I loved it!

Paesano’s is definitely the best sandwich I’ve tasted in Philadelphia since my arrival. It trumps any cheese-steak any day. So to the tourists out there make sure you skip the cheesy cheese-steak lines and have yourself a real, sophisticated hoagie at Paesano’s. That’s what Anthony Bourdain did on his recent stop in Philly for his new show the Layover.

Philadelphia, Seafood, Sushi

Sushi at Doma- Fairmount (Philadelphia, USA)

January 24, 2013 No Comments

We went to Doma sushi last weekend on a last minute whim. It’s a short walk from our house and I have been meaning to try it since our move to Philadelphia. The restaurant is very small with modern, clean decor. I really liked the look of the place. The staff were all young, nice and attentive.

The menu is extensive with many choices for those non-sushi lovers amongst us. In fact, they also offer a few Korean dishes. So is it a Japanese or Korean restaurant? I’d say it is a combination of both. Not sure where the owners are actually from but they do a good job of executing the menu (see menu).

We started with several starter dishes including the jumbo ebi shumai ($6).

Two open face dumplings were served with a ginger soy vinaigrette. The presentation was beautiful. However, I was not overly impressed with the dumpling itself. I’ve had many better and cheaper dumplings in Chinatown. Next was the tuna flatbread ($15).

Thin slices of tuna served over a pita topped with some onions, peppers and cilantro. It was pretty good. However, it was not worth the $15 dollars it cost. We ordered some sushi and rolls including the tamago and amaebi. Both were beautifully executed.

Next, the Count who is a sucker for fancy rolls ordered the Triple Spicy Double Tuna ($13) and the Naked Salmon ($12). The Naked Salmon was very original. Not really a sushi but fish served over a sticky fried rice. It was very tasty.

The Triple Spicy Double Tuna consisted of tuna, spicy sauce, siracha, tempura crunch, scallion and seared albac. It was a very good roll, however, was nowhere close to being as spicy as the ‘triple’ in the tile would make you think.

The spicy tuna roll ($6) again failed to be very spicy. Nevertheless, it was a nicely executed roll and I had no complaints.

For dessert we had the molten lava chocolate cake served with vanilla ice-cream. Usually this sort of cake takes at least 15-20 minutes to bake. Ours came out in less than 3 minutes leading me to believe that it was microwaved. After first bite I was sure that it was microwaved. It was not as good as it looked.

Our meal came to over $90. It was a BYOB and no alcohol was obviously served. The price was a little over than what I imagined a small and quaint restaurant to charge. If I had wanted to spend so much I would have visited Morimoto. For those that love plain old quality sushi like myself you will not love this restaurant. There are many fancy rolls and the mix of Korean and Japanese is something that I don’t enjoy when visiting a sushi spot. If you want an overall trendy ‘asian’ meal then you will definitely enjoy your experience at Doma.

Philadelphia, Pizza

Pizzeria Stella- Old City/Society Hill (Philadelphia, USA)

January 22, 2013 1 Comment

Pizzeria Stella is another Stephen Starr restaurant and like most Starr establishments it does not disappoint. The restaurant is large and spacious and located in one of my favorite areas of town. Directly behind the hostess stand lies the open concept pizza station where the chefs are busy rolling the dough, adding the toppings and placing in the brick oven pizza all in front of a crowd of hungry diners.

If you enjoy watching your food be made then ask for a seat facing the kitchen… you may learn a thing or two about making pizza from scratch.

We ordered three pizzas to share amongst a group of four. The Tartufo- a black truffle, egg and fontina pizza; the Spinach- oven-roasted tomatoes, pine nuts, mozzarella and baby spinach; and the Sausage- wood-roasted sausage, hot pesto, mozzarella and tomato sauce (see menu).

The sausage pizza and the tartufo were my two favorites of the night. Ground pieces of sausage sprinkled generously over a perfectly baked dough with fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce and pesto.

The Spinach pizza was covered in boiled spinach sprinkled with pine nuts, oven-roasted tomatoes and mozzarella. Very tasty and a healthier choice for those aspiring vegetarians.

The Tartufo pizza was covered with cheese, egg and truffle oil. For those who love truffle oil this one is for you. It is a delicious creamy blend that when mixed with the chewy dough lead to a perfect pizza.

Of course, dough is one of the most important aspects of the perfect brick oven pizza and this dough hit all the requirements. The crust was golden yet not burnt, it was chewy yet not too crispy and hard.

BYOB, Farm-to-table, Organic, Philadelphia

The Farm and Fisherman- Washington Square (Philadelphia, USA)

January 21, 2013 1 Comment

This was my first experience at a farm to table BYOB in Philadelphia. I had been trying to get reservations at this 30 seat restaurant for over a month. Somehow I was always too late and never got a spot for their weekend dinner rush. So I started stalking the team on Twitter and alas they had a last minute cancellation and I was in…and when I say I was in, I mean I was reaaaaaaally in.

We walked in to an elegant dining room which without the signs outside looked like it could have been some one’s fancy dining room. In fact we were treated like we were at a family’s home. From our server Ben who took care of us to the nice and bubbly manager, Judy, who literally wined and dined us. I could not have asked for a better experience. I would have been sold on the service alone…but the food…oh the food. For the whole 3 hours I was there, I was in heaven. When it all ended, I didn’t want to leave and wished I could experience it all over again.

The menu changes daily in order to provide the freshest pick of the day. There are four courses and four choices under each course. There were four of us and we decided to get one of each and share everything. This was really the best way to experience our meal since every single dish was exceptionally intricate and delicious. It would have been a shame not to experience it all.

It started off with a bang. Beau soleil oysters served on a bed of salt rocks topped with hackleback caviar, cinnamon and a tint of blood orange. Small purple herbs were sprinkled throughout the dish making it not only great to taste but also great to look at.

The oysters were so fresh I swear they may have been fished out of the ocean that same day.

Next came the cauliflower and mushroom salad. A mix of greens, hen of the woods and trumpet mushrooms, almonds, cauliflower and goat cheese were elegantly presented.

The mushrooms tasted earthy. Each bite was a blend of all the above ingredients which when mixed together resulted in one of the most amazing salad creations I have ever tasted.

At this point we were already oohing and aahing over the food. But what came next left us all speechless. Have you ever had a vegetable steak? And I don’t mean that frozen vegan stuff you can by at wholefoods. I mean a steak that tastes so good that you forget there is no meat and in fact wish meat could taste like it. If not then I highly recommend the bloody beet steak that chef Lawler has created. Not only was the presentation of the beet colorful and beautiful but the taste was amazing. Who knew beet could be so good.

As a child I went out of my way to avoid eating beet which was ever so popular in my motherland being sold on cold winter days in food stands lining the streets of Tehran. These days I can’t seem to get enough. Of course, eating a bloody boiled beet on its own is not quite the same as having it presented beautifully with purple edible herbs, yogurt, pan drippings and aged balsamic. This beet is cooked whole in a cast-iron pan under a brick and removed when the skin gets crispy and splits. Who knew there was so much beauty in beets?

On to the second course. First came the grilled Spanish Mackerel served over granny smith apples with a mix of coriander, mustard oil and radish. The mix of the mackerel with the apple was again new to my taste buds and I absolutely loved it.

The mackerel was so fresh it may have started swimming out of the plate had it not been grilled to perfection. The apple mix complimented the fish perfectly.

The next dish was one of the top winners of the night (although they were all winners in my mind). Papperdelle with Wyebrook lamb shoulder ragu served with the most delicious tomato sauce, Parmesan and fennel seeds. A dried egg yolk was brought over and shaved on top to give it that extra touch.

This is a dish that I always order when ever offered on a menu and so can say I have a basis for comparison. I’ll keep it short and simple- it was the best.

Another second course on the menu were the Barnegat sea scallops. It was served over smoked barley, creamed kale, sweet potato and maple syrup. I loved ever single ingredient in this dish from the smoked barley to the creamed kale. The importance is in the details and Chef Lawler has really got that down.

The next dish was brought out by the famous chef himself. This was one of the most amazing mix of flavors and textures I’ve yet to taste in my 30 years. What was this mystery dish? The poached Wyebrook farm egg served over cracked rice, green wheat, farro piccolo, quinoa and squash. The texture of crispy, creamy and crunchy flavors mixed with the poached egg yolk was out of this world. I highly recommend you to order this dish if it ever finds its way on to the daily menu.

For the main course we picked three of the four dishes offered. First up was the Hudson Valley Dorade served with creamed carrots, fennel, parsnips and cardamom for added flavor.

Of the two fish we had that evening I definitely preferred the Spanish Mackerel. However, I did love the presentation of this plate. Triangular shaped pieces of dorade served over an orange colored puree topped with shaved pieces of carrots and parsnips. It was a work of art.

Old spot pork loin from Wyebrook farm came next, served with sea island purple cape beans, beech mushroom, purple kale and pork belly pastrami. If you love pork then this dish will blow your mind away. The Chef purchases the animal whole and breaks it down piece by piece dispersing into various parts of the meal (if you are lucky enough you can sign up for one of their courses where Lawler teaches you how to cut meat at home).

This pork dish is the real thing- served over beans drizzled with barbecue sauce and sprinkled with bright purple pieces of kale. A culinary masterpiece.

I rarely if ever order chicken when out at a restaurant. Mostly because there are so many other things that I always want to try and chicken seems so ordinary. Having tasted the Lancaster chicken baked in hay at Farm and Fisherman has made me think twice about my attitude towards chicken. This was my favorite main course of the night. I have never tasted a more flavorful chicken in North American where chicken is tasteless and bland. Perhaps it was because the chicken was local and organic or perhaps it was the magic performed in the kitchen that made this chicken so flavorful. I guess I will never know.

The chicken was baked in hay and served on top of farmer’s cheese spaetzle, bacon and mustard greens. A simple and hearty dish which hit all the right spots.

For dessert we had the layered chocolate ganache and the warm apple pie. Layers of chocolate divided by a thin wafer topped with whipping cream and powdered sugar. Need I say more?

The warm apple pie was so fresh, so warm and so perfect.

Perfect seems to sum up my experience at the Farm and Fisherman. A perfect and magical dining experience.

Fish, Philadelphia, Seafood, Sushi

Vic Sushi Bar- Rittenhouse Square (Philadelphia, USA)

January 10, 2013 1 Comment

Coming from Vancouver where the sushi shops compete with the ever-so-present Starbucks for space, it is hard to find good sushi anywhere I go. I was referred to Vic Sushi Bar in Philadelphia by a fellow Vancouverite who had already gone through the sushi hunt and found this little gem.

It is literally a little gem because the restaurant is tiny and the sushi- delicious. There is a small bar facing the chef and one table in front of the door. Making it an ideal spot to pick up or go in a very small group. We went on a weekday after the lunch rush and found seats at the table in front. The menu is extensive and includes all the basics you’d expect from a sushi shop. We ordered the spicy trio roll (salmon and avocado, spicy tuna and shrimp tempura roll) and a specialty roll consisting of salmon covered with salmon, avocado, eel and drizzled in eel sauce.

Everything tasted extremely fresh. the rice was the perfect amount in each roll. It was made fresh and tasted warm. The fish were all tender and literally melted on first bite.

For dessert, the tamago roll which consisted of a very thing egg concoction. It takes a very skilled tamago maker to create the perfect tamago and this in my mind was perfect.

If you want real sushi made fresh then this is the place for it. You won’t find anything else like it in the city.

Italian food, Pasta, Philadelphia

Modo Mio- Northern Liberties (Philadelphia, USA)

January 9, 2013 2 Comments

On a a cold winter evening with reservations in place and a bottle of red in our hand we made our way to Northern Liberties to dine at Peter McAndrew’s Modo Mio. Three hours later we left in a state of ecstasy. It is hard finding the words to explain our dining experience at Modo Mio. All I can say is that it was one of the best. Having recently experienced L’Artusi in New York City I can confidently say that the meal at Modo Mio far exceeded L’Artusi (it also cost a quarter of the price…although in their defense I am sure they pay much more for rent). I can say one thing: I have been dreaming of my meal ever since our visit and although my rule for our year in Philadelphia is to try each restaurant once I am confident this restaurant deserves that rule to be broken.

We walked into a small dim lit dining room and were seated at one of the dozen or so tables lining the wall. The decor: homegrown, classic, no frills Italian. Ambiance: loud. Very loud.

The Food: The menu consisted of antipasti, pastas and meats. We were lured in to the ‘Turista Menu’- a $34 prixe fix for a four course meal. You just can’t resist (and shouldn’t).

First off, house made whole grain bread was served with a creamy fresh ricotta drowned in olive oil. I could have kept eating it all night as I’m particularly weak around bread, butter and cheese.

Next came the antipasti. Everything on the menu had a creative flare to it. Our antipasti included a octopus salad tossed with arugula, capers chickpeas and white beans.

And a dish made of sliced potatoes covered with grilled cheese and apricots. I would describe this as a twist on the french Raclette (baked potatoes eaten with hot melting swiss cheese). The combination of potatos and cheese is always a killer but when served with a sweet surprise such as apricots and barberries- You just can’t get a better mix of flavors or originality.

Next, the bucatini and veal and rabbit agnolotti were brought out.

The Bucatini- hollow long strands of spaghetti mixed with pancetta and spicy plum tomatoes, herbs and spices cooked to perfection served with generous amounts of pecorino. I still remember each bite and often dream to go back just for this dish alone.

As for the veal and rabbit ravioli, it was my first time tasting rabbit and first time ordering veal. There are several things I don’t like to eat for ethical reasons (such as foie gras, veal and rabbit) but I am willing to try everything once. I have to say this was one of the most beautiful raviolis I have ever tasted. The veal and rabbit mix was wrapped in light, airy and fresh pasta dough. The sauce was a sweet sage butter. The sage butter was the key ingredient in this dish. Each mouthful burst with a strong sage flavor that my tastebuds welcomed eagerly. It was probably the most amazing ravioli I have tasted to date.

We were both ready to call it a night after the pasta, leave on a bright note and have the flavors remain in our memories and minds for as long as possible. But having ordered the four course meal, we had two more courses to go through. I had ordered the red snapper served over squid ink grains in a sauce that was out of this world. It was sweet, tangy creamy and completely unique. It gave the overall dish a sweet yet citrusy flavor. The fish tasted fresh and was cooked to perfection.

The next entree was the ribeye served over a goat cheese crepe topped with sundried tomatoes, salty sardines and a creamy sauce. The beef was well marinated and each bite melted in my mouth. What’s best- it was laid on top of a perfectly crafted crepe. Each bit was therefore a combination of beef, goat cheese and crepe. It was a beautifully executed dish with just the right amount of imagination.

Dessert came next. We always leave room for dessert which consisted of a flourless chocolate cake and tiramisu. The chocolate cake was served with whipping cream and shaved chocolate. It was the perfect texture and flavor.

The tiramisu was also served with shaved chocolate. It tasted light, fluffy and the right amount of sweet.

Service: our server was amazing and walked us through the menu making suggestions, explaining dishes and going out of his way to make our evening memorable. Within minutes of sitting, our wine was opened, poured and the bread brought out.

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