Himalayan Yak

For a unique exploration into the Himalayan cuisine of Nepal, Tibet and India, there is no need to step foot on an airplane.  Simply hop on the 7, E, F, G or R train and get off in Jackson Heights, in the NYC borough of Queens. You can even taste Yak!!!

The menu is is extensive, almost to the point of being overwhelming.  There are such a large variety of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices from these three countries. If organ meats are to your liking, you will have many choices, especially in the Tibetan section of the menu - everything from liver to tongue!!!


Thali

In the Nepali section of the menu, the choices are similar to South Indian cuisines, however the flavor is different.  The food is spicier than Indian food (at least that available at most NYC restaurants), well seasoned and very herby - with lots of cilantro.  Cilantro (aka coriander) is one of those herbs most people either LOVE IT or HATE IT.  If you are one of those that hate it, you will not be having any fun at Himalayan Yak.

Their bread of choice is called Tingmo.  It is a multi layered steamed bread.  This, like the beaten rice, is very bland on its own, but perfect to slop up curries and sauces.  Tingmo is served with all of the vegetarian entrees. 

The condiments served with the food (a la Indian chutneys) are an avocado/coriander, bean and sesame.  The sesame is explosively spicy hot, but just as explosively seasoned and delicious.

The goat thali was perfect.  The goat was tender and flavorful, but fresh tasting because of all the fresh coriander.  The thali is the perfect way to sample the cuisine.  Your meat of choice is served with two vegetables, rice, black lentils and dessert.  They will also give you refills of whatever you want on the thali plates, with no extra charge.

Now, on to the Yak Dumplings - well seasoned with spices and herbs, most notably - the coriander again.  It taste most resembles lamb.  If no one told you it was yak, you would never know.


Yak Dumplings




Yak Dumpling Sauces



To try a uniquely Himalayan beverage, you may want to be adventurous and try the uniquely Tibetan beverage, pocha.  Pocha is black tea, flavored with milk, butter and salt.  Unless you are from this region and used to drinking this heavy, salty tea - this is definitely an acquired taste that I believe, would take years to acquire.

They also have a decent wine list and attentive staff, without being overbearing.  It was an entirely pleasant experience at Himalayan Yak and I strongly encourage you to sample this establishment, as long as you have the taste for spicy food!!!

Chef Mireille
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Smorgachef

Smorgachef is a wonderful little spot for a weekend brunch.  It is a small restaurant with a neighborhood feel to the place, frequented by locals.  You would need to be a local to find the place.  Stone Street stops on Broad Street and you can spend quite a while looking for where Stone Street continues, if you don't know you have to go behind 85 Broad Street and you will find the rest of cobblestoned Stone Street.  They have 3 locations in the city, however, only the Stone Street location offers brunch.

Once you do find Smorgachef, I promise it will be a pleasurable experience.  Whether it is the Vanilla Waffles, Smoked Salmon Eggs Hollandaise or one of the hearty omellettes served with several ingredients (for example, ham, cheese, mushrooms, vine tomatoes and asparagus), everything is cooked using fresh ingredients and simple cooking methods, mildly flavored with herbs and spices contributing to delicious, flavorful food.  The buttery mashed potatoes served with all the savory entrees melt in your mouth.

Well worth your money, $16.95 includes one glass of champagne or one of their champane cocktails.  Their Smorga Champagne is a delicious cocktail, citrusy and sweet at the same time, flavored with peach and fresh lingonberries, which is a wonderful finish to the drink.  For an extra $10, you may have unlimited champage.  They leave the bottle on the table and you never have to wait for your next drink.  Service is very attentive - refilling your glass before it is empty.  Even though it is a small sized restaurant, they never rush you out.  You can linger for hours and you never feel like you are overstaying your welcome.  The Scandinavian hospitality has crossed the Atlantic at Smorgachef, so I recommend Smorgachef for a little bit of Sweden in NY!!!



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Shopping Guide

Good Morning:

Since many of my recipes include International products that you can't always find at your local supermarket, here is a guide to International Shopping in the NYC area and online resources for those that don't live in the area:

• 9th Ave. International Foods, 543 9th Avenue, NYC - African, Greek, Middle Eastern
• Asia Market Inc, 71 1/2 Mulberry Street, NYC - Thai, Indonesian, Malaysian, Indian, Vietnamese (fresh banana blossoms)
• Bangkok Center Grocery, 104 Mosco Street, NYC - Thai and other Southeast Asian Products- (fresh galangal, lime leaves, Thai basil)
• Lanka Grocery, 353 Victoria Blvd., Staten Island - Sri Lankan, Indian and Mexican products
• Buon Italia, 75 9th Avenue (inside Chelsea Market) - European products, mostly Italian and French
• Deluxe Food Market, 79 Elizabeth Street - Chinatown produce, meat, fish (game birds, Asian products, Chinese tea)
• Family Fruit Farm, 1823 Church Avenue, Brooklyn - Caribbean produce and product (Breadfruit, calaloo, sorrel, Trini Green Seasoning, Kuchela, Shadoe Beny.  Outside Haitian women sell Haitian products - djon djon mushrooms)
• Golan Gourmet, 1348 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn - Israeli products (dried fruits, nuts, figs, olives, dates, teas, coffee, fruits)
• Kalustyans, 123 Lexington Avenue, NYC - Middle Eastern, Southeast and South Asian, Caribbean, Greek/Mediterranean (fresh curry leaves)
• Kam Man Products, 200 Canal Street - Chinese products (dried sausage, dried seafood, tea)
• Sahadi's, 187 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn - Middle Eastern, Greek, Asian (olive oil, coffee, dried herbs, grains, nuts, dried fruit, cheese, dates)
• Oriental Pastry and Grocery, Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn - Middle Eastern (Middle Eastern cheese, grains, legumes, nuts, dried fruits, dates)
• Patel Brothers, 37-27 74th Street, Queens - Indian products
• Rio Bonito Market, 32-86 47th Street, Queens - Brazilian products
• Udom's Thai Indonesian Store, 814A Bayard Street, NYC - Indonesian, Thai, Malaysian products
• Odyssey African Market, Brooklyn, 1124 Fulton Street - West African products (gari, Palm Wine)
• East Village Cheese, 40 3rd avenue, NYC - Variety of cheeses

Websites:
Odyssey West African Market
Kalustyans
Patel Brothers (several locations throughout the US)
Thai Grocery Products Online
Sahadis



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Chicken Banana Flower Salad

Banana Buds aka Banana Blossoms are an underused item on American tables.  It's subtle sweetness is wonderful in salads, when mixed with fruit.  This recipe is made with chicken, however, shrimp, complements the banana bud wonderfully as well.  Due to its subtle flavor, I would not made this with red meat because it would overpower the flavor of the banana flower.

Fresh banana flowers can be found at Southeast Asian grocery markets in both Manhattan and Queens' Chinatown, as well as Lanka Grocery (353 Victoria Blvd.), in the Sri Lankan enclave on Staten Island.

 Chicken Banana Flower Salad
3/4 pound chicken thighs, skinless and boneless, cut into bite size pieces
Marinade ingredients-2 scallions, 1 lemongrass stalk, 1 inch ginger, 2 teaspoons chili paste, 2 teaspoons palm sugar, juice of 1/2 lime (or make it easy and just use 1 bottle - 1 tablespoon GTT Thai Spice Blend)
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 Asian pear, peeled and chopped
1 English cucumber, split lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 jicama, grated
1 jalapeno, cored and minced
1/4 pineapple, cored and thinly sliced
1 banana flower-remove the tough outer leaves (reserve a few to serve), quartered and sliced
1 large handful of mint, finely chopped
1 large handful of cilantro, finely chopped
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Shrimp crackers

Season chicken with marinade ingredients, coarsely chopped or use Global Tastes & Travels' Thai Spice Blend and save time shopping for all the ingredients.  Leave for a minimum of 1 hour, but preferably overnight in refrigerator.
In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil.  Stir fry chicken for about 10 minutes until cooked through.  Add coconut milk and honey.  Stir to combine. Let cool.
While chicken is cooling, prepare the vegetables, fruit and herbs for the salad.
Once chicken is cool, toss with all the vegetables, fruit and herbs.  Add salt to taste.
Deep fry shrimp crackers in peanut oil.
To serve, place salad in banana flower leaf.  Garnish with herbs and toasted sesame seeds.  Serve with shrimp crackers.

It is best if the salad is left for a few hours for flavors to develop, before serving.  This salad can be eaten at room temperature or cold.

If you can't find fresh banana flowers, they can be found canned in most Asian markets, and even some gourmet markets.  You can order them, along with many other Thai ingredients,  online here.  If you live in Ohio, you can find everything at Jungle Jim's.
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Tax on Soda

I live in NY state and my state has been in a fiscal crisis and one way the governor has proposed to raise funds is to start charging tax on soda and other beverages that have sugar added.  In the past few weeks, we have been inundated with advertisements in opposition to this tax.  The commercial has a mother talking about how hard it is to feed her family and how unfair this tax is to hard working, middle class families.  What's wrong with water, milk and natural fruit juice?  Soda is NOT a necessity to rear healthy children.  Instead, it contributes to diabetic, overweight children.  When I was a child, soda was a treat we had once in a while.  It was not something my mother purchased on a weekly basis.  If I had soda once a month, that was a lot.

I, for one, am 100% in support of this tax.  Soda and sugared drinks have absolutely no nutritional value, whatsoever.  It is not milk, water or natural fruit juice that the governor is taxing.  It is a toxic bottle of sugar and chemicals.  Now don't get me wrong - I drink soda and I love the taste of soda, however, I am fully aware of the evil I am putting into my body and willing to pay a tax for it.  Hopefully, it will make me drink it less, as I should.  In addition, people who drink soda in large quantities on a regular basis usually develop diabetes and other health issues.  They are major contributors to the national healthcare costs.

As healthcare is moving towards government regulation, our tax dollars will be going towards a national healthcare plan, so it is very much my business what other people put into their mouths.  If the nation's tax dollars are going towards everyone's healthcare costs, people who choose to put unhealthy things like soda into their bodies, should pay a tax.

This is my opinion.  Please comment.   I would love to know your opinions.



Chef Mireille
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Volunteer Vacations

Volunteer Vacations are a wonderful way to see a new country, meet new people, experience a different culture and give back to a local community.

There are many companies that offer volunteer vacations.  I am going to highlight three of them here.
Global Volunteers is a wonderful organization that has projects located internationally, as well as here in the United States.  I participated in one of their domestic projects in Worthington, MN several years ago.  I volunteered in a variety of ways, including teaching English to new immigrants, teaching children about different cultures to instill tolerance via language skills and cooking lessons and working to put together an International Fair to highlight culture and food from the recently arrived immigrants.  At the time, this was a community struggling with an influx of immigrants, mostly from Laos and Cambodia, although Latin America and Africa were also represented.  It was a way to teach the Americans about the new people in their community, to help break down biases and assumptions based on nothing but ignorance and fear.  I met some of the nicest people in Worthington, including my host family.  They were an older couple whose children were no longer living at home.  It was a peaceful place with an endearing host who was always trying to feed me.  It was a rewarding experience I will NEVER forget.  Depending on the project, housing is sometimes provided in apartments or dorm like scenarios.  You may also be placed with host families.
Planterra is another company offerring volunteer vacations to global destinations.  These are different in that they include more touring.  There tours will include sightseeing like any other vacation tour, but it will also include a few days working on a community project like the Los Pinos Coffee Cooperative in El Salvador where you will assist in the activities of the cooperative as well as teaching English to the children or the Kathmandu Valley Project in Nepal where you will help the community in reforrestation and planting after mudslides ruin crops.
Young Judaea: Amirim is limited to those committed to living a Jewish life.  Part of Hadassah, the world's largest Zionist charitable organization in the world, it is a wonderful option for young people, aged 18-27.  Housing, public transportation, health insurance, weekly day trips and a 2-day tour is included in the program fee.  Participants are placed in various volunteer organizations in Israel, according to their interests.  You can choose to be based in 1 of 3 locations in Israel: Bat Yam, Jerusalem or Arad.  This is a great summer option for college students or young teachers who have the summer off.

Depending on the organization, part of your flight costs may be tax-deductible.

Have a wonderful vacation and feel good, knowing you have given back to the community, while gaining insight into their culture through personal interaction with locals.



Chef Mireille
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Baggage Fees for Carryons!!!

Spirit Airlines has recently announced that they will charging $45 for carry on baggage.  These additional fees that airlines are charging are really getting ridiculous.  Spirit Airlines claims most of their fares are being reduced about $40.  Why not just leave the fares as is, with no additional cost for baggage?  It is deceptive marketing, making you believe you are getting a good deal for a cheaper ticket, when actually you are going to have to pay what you thought was money you were saving when you check in, for your baggage.

As a tour operator who packages all-inclusive culinary tours, it is becoming increasingly difficult to accurately price a tour with all of the additional fees the airlines are tacking on. When an average person takes a vacation, they need to budget for all costs.  These extra fees which are constantly changing make it difficult to budget for a vacation because you never know what extra fees you are going to have to pay when you check in.

Of course, the airlines are companies that need to make money, however, they need to be upfront with the costs.  They should just include the costs of baggage etc. into the price of the ticket.  This would be honest and easier, instead of people having to guess what the new costs are as they seem to be ever changing.  You would then know exactly how much money you were paying with no surprises when you got to the airport.  The airlines sometimes act like we all have money trees in our backyard where we can just pull the money for unexpected fees, when it was not in the vacation budget.



Chef Mireille
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New Asha Sri Lankan Restaurant and Sri Lankan groceries in NY

For authentic Sri Lankan cuisine in the NYC area, Staten Island is the place to go.  Victory Blvd. is home to a variety of Sri Lankan restaurants and markets where you can purchase dry and canned products, cooking appliances like traditional clay pots and fresh produce like banana blossoms.

Lanka Grocery, 353 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, has the largest variety of products of all the grocery stores.  Varieties of dried fish, cooking utensils, fresh produce, spices and grains can all be purchased here.

For the best Sri Lankan food on Staten Island, New Asha is the place to go.  It is a small establishment with just a few tables.  They mostly do take out.  The restaurant can accommodate about 12 people.  Due to their small size, they don't usually prepare a lot of food in advance.  Most of their business comes from local catering.  If you are going with a group, the best thing to do is to call the day before to make sure there is enough food and they will make exactly what you would like to order.  The owner is very nice and accommodating.

If this is your first experience with Sri Lankan cuisine, the best thing is to ask the owner to bring you a variety of the food she has.  She will bring you everything from Fish Egg Rolls to Kottu to Chinese Fusion Chicken to a variety of Curries and Biryani.

What they call Rolls are fried appetizers that can be stuffed with a variety of  fillings from lamb to fish and egg.  The Dutch influence on the country is apparent in these appetizers as these are basically Dutch croquettes, which are very common in the Netherlands.  You can buy them at street side stands all throughout Amsterdam.

Kootu is the next dish you must try if you go to any Sri Lankan restaurant.  It is stir fried strips of roti bread with onions, spices and whatever meat you desire.  The photo here is Chicken Kootu.  The vegetarian version with lots of coconut was the best tasting dish at New Asha.  The fish curry in a coconut milk curry was a close second.  They even offer Sri Lankan's version of Chinese chicken which is like their version of Sweet and Sour Chicken but way better than you would get in any Chinese restaurant - not that disgustingly sweet, syrupy sauce.  Instead, it is well flavored chicken with just a hint of sweetness (see top photo).  The other photo here is young jackfruit.

Although there are some similarities to Indian food - like Biryani, Curry and Vadaas, Sri Lankan cuisine is unique in its own way.  They use more spices in their food - cumin, fennel, star anise, pandan, etc. but not as much chile.

This is a great way to spend a beautiful afternoon.  Enjoy a nice boat ride on the Staten Island Ferry (which is free).  When you get to Staten Island, a 10 minute bus ride will take you the heart of the Sri Lankan enclave.  You can walk the distance but it is mostly uphill, so I advise taking the bus, but then walking on your way back to the ferry so you can stop at all of the markets on the way.   In addition, this is a multi-cultural neighborhood of Staten Island, so you will pass Trinidadian, Polish, Senegalese and other restaurants on the way back.  You can buy some take out food at one of these other establishments and enjoy yet another cuisine for dinner.



Chef Mireille
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A Different Kind of Crisp

A fruit crisp is one of the most classic American desserts, usually made with either apples or blueberries.  This is one of the easiest desserts to make - a great dessert to introduce culinary arts to young children.  Usually you sprinkle the fresh fruit with a little lemon juice, water, sugar and cinnamon.  Spread it on the bottom of a baking dish.  Cover with a streusel topping and bake for 30 minutes.  What could be simpler than that?  But what if you don't have enough fruit in the house to make 6 cups (which is what you need) and you already promised your 7 year old you would make crisp together today and there is 5 feet of snow outside so going to the store is not an option?  Knowing the right substitutions is the key to avoiding the tears and disappointment in your child.

Most people usually have some kind of jam or preserves in the house.  Jam is the key and it really doesn't matter what you have - the more variety of flavors in the crisp gives it a more complex flavor and makes it even more delicious.  This recipe was created when I needed to make a dessert for some house guests and I had to use what was in the house. Use this recipe as a guide and use whatever you have in the house and make your own version of a crisp.

Berry Crisp
4 1/2 cups of mixed berries (strawberries and blueberries were what I had but any combination will work)
1 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup sweet orange marmalade
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup oats
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Wash berries.  Place in a large bowl with jam and marmalade.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and mix thoroughly to combine.
In a separate bowl, combine oats, sugar, flour and butter.  Using a fork, stir to combine.
In an ungreased square baking dish, place fruit mixture on the bottom.  Spread evenly. Cover with oat-flour mixture and spread evenly.
Bake for 30 minutes, until top is golden brown and fruit is bubbling.
Remove from oven and let cool. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

I would love to hear feedback on what fruits and jams you used, so please comment!!!


Chef Mireille
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Picket Fence in Ditmas Park

Ditmas Park, the little neighborhood in Brooklyn where I live, is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country, as reported in the NY Times.  Large populations of Caribbean, Eastern European (Russian, Polish), South Asian (Bangladesh, Pakistan) and Latin American (Mexican) live peacefully together.  There is a mosque across the street from a synagogue with no issues.  Kosher rabbis shop at Halal markets, although a new Kosher supermarket, Pomegranate, recently opened but it is a bit pricey so the Halal markets are still getting business from the Jewish population.  This diversity has attracted a lot of young singles and couples to the area, especially bi-racial and same sex couples who don't get a second glance here.

There are a few blocks on Cortelyou Avenue that is considered the trendy part of Cortelyou Avenue, with bars and a few restaurants that can rival Manhattan. Picket Fence is a quaint little restaurant with shutter window and stained glass decor.  Popcorn, instead of bread being brought to the table, further inspires a feeling of home and comfort as you sit down at Picket Fence.  The diverse menu includes a lot of all American comfort food like Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Chicken Pot Pie, but you can also get options like Grilled Scallops and bar food like Fried Calimari and Crab Cakes.  The Indian owner and chef have definitely influenced the American food you get here, like introducing a Chile Lime vinaigrette with the Calimari, instead of traditional Marinara Sauce.

Although not advertised, the food here must be organic.  Simple preparation, the food is bursting with flavor - leaving you begging for more.  Perfect coconut shrimp, with a very thin batter and lots of taste was the appetizer special of the night.  What made this dish spectacular though was the mint chutney it was served with.  The spice of the chutney complemented the sweetness of the shrimp.  Although served with a small Mesclun Salad, 3 shrimp were not enough.  They allow substitutions for a $2 charge, which allows you to customize your entree.  They have a diverse menu of side dishes including polenta cake, vegetable risotto, an out of this world smoked gouda mac and cheese and a variety of vegetables.  The snow peas were absolutely delicious - simply prepared with garlic and olive oil - I went ga-ga for snow peas - which leads to my organic assumption. All the food was cooked to perfection - nothing overcooked - so you can appreciate the natural flavor in everything from the scallops to the broccoli.

Service was a bit slow, but not unbearable if you have good company.  My one big complaint was the price/portion size value.  For the price and location, the portion sizes should be larger.  Although portion sizes in most restaurants in NY are too large (leading to America being one of the most obese countries in the world), you should at least leave a restaurant feeling full enough so that you don't need to have a snack after dinner.  $51 for one appetizer and two entrees, you should not be feeling hungry just a short time later.


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New Website and Lyceum Spring Food Show

THANK YOU all for your support and comments as this company is growing.  Thank you all who signed up for cooking classes, use our personal chef services and ordered products off line. Ordering has now become easier as all products can now be ordered online via our website.  It is no longer necessary to email me directly.  You can sign up for cooking classes and send information requests.  It is now a 100% functional website, making all of our services and products more accessible to the most important people, our clients.  Please take a look at the new website, at your convenience.

The Brooklyn Lyceum venue is celebrating the Spring Food and Craft show May 1st and May 2nd.  Saturday is devoted to craft demonstrations and Sunday is devoted to food demonstrations.  We will be teaching an interesting seminar, The Versatility of Plantain, where you will learn how to make 3 plantain dishes, all for only $10 at 11:30am on May 2nd.  Click here to RSVP.

Again, thank you all for your support and continued patronage!!!

P.S. I hope the recipes posted here are useful to you and please use this location as well as facebook and twitter as an open forum to ask any culinary or travel questions you have.  I look forward to all feedback.



Chef Mireille
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