Themes - Gracious & Good, Next Steps
Food/Tech Tie In – Eggplant cooking technique, Creating sauce
Homage - NYT Food Stylist/Writer Sue Li
I don’t remember exactly where I was in Asia when I had my first spicy eggplant dish. It could have been Hong Kong or Sri Lanka, as I spent a lot of time in those places years back. For wherever it was in South East Asia, I knew it wouldn’t be may last. Eggplant is one of my favorite foods and the cooking techniques such as lightly frying two inch cuts in home-made garlic oil (a bonus outcome of making garlic chips), then topping with an amazing sauce and garnishes, produces the most mouth-watering luscious dish one can imagine.
With the addition of chili flakes, rice wine vinegar, star anise and such, Im transported to memories of the most fragrant aromas trailing across large noisy restaurants, where families and groups of friends gathered for meals. Through the restaurants windows, cars and scooters go by honking their horns in their own loud sing song way, that is just part of the whole experience. Glasses of hot tea clink, dishes are uncovered, the lazy susan spins and everything…is to my hearts and epicurean palettes delight, especially the spice eggplant dish.
I loved traveling internationally. It exposed me to new thoughts and ideas, impacted my perception of the world and opened my eyes to how others viewed mine. Enlightening. It also allowed me to appreciate different cultures and in one of its highest forms of expression, its food. Here In My Kitchen those experiences manifest themselves in the dishes I love to make, eat and share with you, in all their glory.
