Fish in Green Curry Sauce with Spiced Rice - [Cooking]

(Since I have a number of vegetarian and vegan friends, I've designed this dish to be adaptable to their dietary considerations. To make this recipe vegetarian-friendly, substitute 2lbs of Quorn or firm tofu for the fish. To make this recipe vegan-friendly, substitute firm tofu for the fish and coconut cream for the butter.)

When I'm feeling tired or listless, I like to build a fire in my belly to rekindle the one in my soul. Nothing works like a nice hot curry for gustatory self-immolation. The more my throat and tongue scream, the more I smile.

"Curry" can be used to describe any number of dishes, often of Indian or Southeast Asian origin. The word comes from a corruption of the Tamil word "kari", which is used to denote side dishes meant to be eaten with rice. Nowadays, "curry" can mean any highly spiced dish with a sauce. While Westerners typically think of Vindaloo, Chicken Tikka Masala, Korma, or the Japanese Katsu Kare, curries can actually be put together from a variety of ingredients, and do not necessarily contain any spices.



My Green Curry Sauce is a simple, herb-based preparation designed to pair with mild proteins like fish and chicken. It also works well with a number of vegetarian and vegan protein substitutes. I like my curries spicy. If that doesn't work for you, feel free to cut back on the number of Thai bird chilies, but don't leave them out entirely. They're an essential flavor component.

Recipe for Fish in Green Curry Sauce

Gear (Fish in Green Curry Sauce):

1 large wok or saucepan
1 spatula
1 mortar and pestle
1 cutting board
1 knife


Ingredients (Fish in Green Curry Sauce):

2 lbs of firm-fleshed white fish (Cod or mahi mahi recommended. Substitute Quorn or firm tofu if vegetarian, firm tofu if vegan. Skinless chicken breast will also work.)
2 tsp of Kosher salt
3 tsp of course-ground black pepper

1 lemongrass stalk, cleaned
7 cloves of garlic, cleaned and peeled
7 Thai bird chilies
1/2 cup of almonds (sliced and toasted preferred)
1/4 cup of sesame seeds
1 tsp Kosher salt

1 tbsp of vegetable oil (rice bran or canola preferred)
2 cups of coconut milk
2 large bunches of coriander (a.k.a. cilantro)
1 lime, juiced
Kosher salt to taste


Prep work (Fish in Green Curry Sauce):



Cut the fish up into large chunks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides and set aside to marinate.



Thinly slice the Thai bird chilies, discarding their stems. Thinly slice the lemongrass, discarding the green upper portion and the wooden stem at the base. Trim the tips and ends off of the garlic.



Combine salt, garlic, lemongrass, and chilies and pound into a smooth paste using the mortar and pestle. Set aside.



Combine almonds and sesame seeds and pound in the mortar and pestle until the mixture reaches a rough, cornmeal-like consistency.



Add the paste of salt, garlic, lemongrass, and chilies back and continue to pound until fully incorporated. This seasoning paste can be made using a food processor. However, bruising the aromatics using the mortar and pestle helps release more of their essential oils, and I like the rough texture produced.



Finely chop the coriander. Set aside.


Instructions (Fish in Green Curry Sauce):



Fry the seasoning paste in the vegetable oil over medium heat for several minutes.



Once the paste reaches a light brown color and loosens, add the coconut milk, turn the heat up to medium-high, and let come to a boil.



Stir in the chopped coriander.



Gently add the fish and cover with the sauce. Wait for the sauce to come back up to a boil, the drop the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20-30 minutes until the fish is cooked and the sauce thickens.



Remove the wok from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Let rest for five minutes before plating.



Serves 4-6.

Recipe for Spiced Rice

Gear (Spiced Rice):

1 2-qt. pot or larger with lid


Ingredients (Spiced Rice):

2 cups of long-grained rice
3 tbsp of unsalted butter (coconut cream if vegan)
1 tsp of turmeric
5 cloves
5 cardamom pods
1 tsp of kosher salt


Prep work (Spiced Rice):

Wash the rice thoroughly in cold water. Set aside to soak for 15-20 minutes.



Add the turmeric to the butter and melt over medium heat. Leave on heat until butter stops frothing. Set aside.


Instructions (Spiced Rice):



Drain the rice, then add 3 cups of water, the cloves, and the cardamom.



Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to medium low and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in the turmeric butter mixture and salt. Cover and let simmer for another 5 minutes.

Remove from heat. Fluff the rice with chopsticks or a fork. Cover and let sit for an additional 10 minutes before plating.



Serves 4-6.




My favorite way to enjoy this meal is with a simple salad and a frosty bottle of Asahi Super Dry. The only thing that can help quench a good curry fire is the cooling kiss of a tasty lager.

Good eating!

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Thai Bamboo Bistro - Irvine, CA

Every so often, Cat and I decide to go on a driveabout, which is a walkabout adapted to the suburban sprawl that is Orange County. With no destination in mind, we point our car down random roads and allow the streams of humanity to carry us away. It's a relaxing way to spend an afternoon. You never know where you might wash up.

Sailing the wine-dark asphalt can give this pandanaut a mighty hunger. As satin-tressed Night covers the sky, our driveabouts inevitably end with feasting to celebrate our heroic adventures.


(Lighting the darkness.)

We discovered Thai Bamboo Bistro at the end of one such journey. It had been a long day, and I honestly had very low expectations when we pulled into a darkened shopping center in Irvine's Shady Canyon neighborhood. The Quiznos, Starbucks, and Sharky's Mexican Grill did little to reassure me. Fortunately, there were a few interesting dining options available as well. Thai Bamboo Bistro seemed to be the most promising amongst them.


(Panda Math: posh digs == 20% markup)

With muted tones of wood and gold, the decor of the restaurant was highly appealing and somewhat unexpected, given the other inhabitants of the strip mall. The suspicious bastard lurking inside of me immediately adjusted the expected cost of the meal upwards by 20%.

Our server was a very friendly and very knowledgeable young Thai man who was amusingly obsessed with my cell phone. He added a light-hearted note to our dinner that I found quite enjoyable.


(Hard to eat.)

Shockingly enough, the prices on the menu were very reasonable, although there was still a slight markup. Cat and I shared a chuckle over some of the typos, which were even funnier given our server's self-avowed interest in cell phones.


(A little off.)

Cat decided to order a Pink Lemonade for her beverage. She found it serviceable, but remarked that it tasted a little funny. I tried some and advanced the theory that the restaurant used palm sugar instead of cane sugar as a sweetener. The lemonade was tasty enough that we didn't bother checking.


(You put de lime in de coconut...)

All the bamboo decorations had me feeling a bit tropical, so I decided to order the Young Coconut Juice. Since a number of Southeast Asian restaurants purchase this beverage canned or jarred, I was expecting it in a glass with ice.


(Pandanaut + Coconut = Pandanut)

Instead, I was thrilled to receive a chilled, fresh, neatly decapitated coconut with a spoon that I could use to dig out the tasty flesh. I was thrilled. I was also a dork and had Cat take my picture with my new best friend.


(Strange shrimp.)

As Cat had graciously decided to buy me dinner, I let her order for us. True to form, she chose the Traditional Pad Thai, which is also one of my Thai food favorites. How can you go wrong with shrimp, chicken, pressed tofu, eggs, rice noodles, and raw and cooked bean sprouts stir-fried in a sweet and spicy peanut sauce? It's even topped with more peanuts! Decadent.

Thai Bamboo Bistro's rendition was very good, although I could tell that the seasonings had been adjusted for Western tastes. All of the classic components were there, but the balance was skewed. In addition, Cat complained about a slightly chemical taste to the otherwise plump and juicy shrimp, which I was also able to pick out.

Consuming the off-tasting shellfish didn't have any detrimental effects later that evening. The portion was large and I liked the taste of the sauce. Based on that, I would probably order it again. However, if the shrimp tastes strange during my next visit as well, there probably won't be a third one. Food doesn't have to be 100% authentic in order to be good, but it needs to be fresh.


(Beefy goodness.)

At our server's strong suggestion, Cat also ordered the Black Pepper Steak. This proved to be a simple stir-fry of bell pepper, steak, and onion in a savory black peppercorn sauce. Cat and I loved the tender steak, although I would have liked more black peppercorns in the sauce. As with the Pad Thai, this dish had obviously been adjusted for the Western palate, but was enjoyable nonetheless.


(No charge!?!)

Thai Bamboo Bistro scored additional points by not charging us for our rice. This Taiwanese panda grew up with steamed rice in restaurants offered gratis, and has always been annoyed by Thai or any other restaurants that charge per bowl of rice. I was happy to see that Thai Bamboo Bistro offered its diners as much rice as they wanted free of charge. That's the right way to do it.


Thai Bamboo Bistro - It may not be authentic, but it's pretty good. A nice place to take the family if you're in the neighborhood and want a change from the usual dining rotation.


The Bill (for two):

Pink Lemonade - 2.00
Young Coconut Juice - 3.00
Traditional Pad Thai - 11.00
Black Pepper Steak - 17.00

Tax - 2.56
Tip - 6.00

Total - 41.56


Flavor: B
Ambience: A-
Service: A
ROI: C+

Overall: B+


Thai Bamboo Bistro
6715 Quail Hill Pkwy.
Irvine, CA 93603
1-949-509-4771

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Malicious Scripts in Blogger - [Crazies]

Quick public service announcement. Slashdot is running an article this morning about Google Blogger's template tool falling victim to malicious phishing scams.



You can get detailed information from Fortinet's website about the types of scams being run.

Google hasn't made any announcements about whether they can/will be putting in a fix to prevent these exploits. However, for those of us in the blogosphere, these articles serve as reminders that we should practice safe clicking, particularly when following trackbacks, commenter blogs, Technorati links, etc.

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Knowlwood - Irvine, CA

(Pictures for this review taken with my Canon PowerShot SD100.

Thanks again for the well-wishes, private and otherwise. I'm all better and Cat is on the mend. Let's get back to the tasty foodings!)

Cat and I love a good burger. There's something about this all-American treat that, despite the depredations of major fast food chains, still appeals to my inner child. I don't know if it's the result of public school lunches or the McDonald's meals my parents used as the occasional reward, but I'm hard-wired to feel warm and fuzzy when biting into one of these classic bits of Americana.

Irvine, or "Stepford" as some of us like to call it, is replete with national fast food and restaurant chains serving burgers. However, Cat and I like our burgers to have a bit of bite, a bit of soul, and only a bit of grease. We're not fond of the dripping oil spills served up as burgers by many of the local eateries and, with the sole exception of In-N-Out, we avoid fast food like the plague. Fortunately for us, Irvine boasts its very own Knowlwood, where we can always get a great restaurant-style burger in a casual dining environment.


(Old blacksmith shop.)

Founded over fifty years ago by the Knowlton and Wood families, Knowlwood is an Orange County institution with five locations scattered behind the Orange Curtain. Although it qualifies as a chain, there's a certain quality to these short-order restaurants that sets them apart from the corporate theme eateries that infest the city. Step into one and it feels like you've stepped back in time to a simpler era.


(Irvine is historic?)

Part of Knowlwood's retro, American Gothic ambience comes from the chain's habit of purchasing and preserving interesting historic sites as locations for the restaurants. The Anaheim branch is located in an old barn. The Fullerton branch occupies an old train station. The Irvine branch, the most unique of the five, inhabits a former blacksmith and machine parts shop in Historic Old Town Irvine. Dating to the turn of the last century, the site includes buildings that were once a lima bean warehouse, granary, blacksmith shop, general store, and employee housing, The structures were renovated for use by a number of local businesses, and are the only remnants of Irvine's agricultural past as part of the Irvine Ranch.


(Pre-soccer moms, American trucks were smaller.)

The interior of the Knowlwood in Irvine incorporates many of the original artifacts into the decor, from this repainted truck to the blacksmith tools mounted in display cases on the walls.


(Cat getting our drinks.)

Large windows throughout the restaurant help light the dark, cavernous space. Signs and other fixtures hang from the heavy wood beams crisscrossing the high ceilings. The overall affect is early 1900s industrial. This was a place where men labored, bending steel to their wills and maintaining the machines that helped make Orange County the agricultural juggernaut it was during the days of John Steinbeck, Edgar Alwin Payne, and Granville Redmond. Despite the kitsch and sometimes garish additions used to make the restaurant more appealing to diners, you can feel the weight of the history in the building. If you have trouble visualizing, the La Quinta Inn next door houses an impressive collection of photographs from this time period.

]
(Cafeteria-esque.)

The significance of the location aside, Knowlwood is a comfortable restaurant that evokes memories of 1950s era soda jerks, malt shops, and car hops without the contrived feel of corporate chains like Ruby's or Jonny Rocket's. It's simple American fare, prepared by short-order cooks and served in a casual environment. Cat and I find it very soothing.


(Grandiose name.)

Cat likes ordering the World's Best Cheeseburger. It doesn't quite live up to its name, but it's a good, filling burger that isn't greasy at all. The fries are great; nice and crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. They also avoid the feeling of having been cooked in too much oil.


(Beefy.)

When I'm feeling nostalgic, I order the Frisco Burger, which is served on grilled sourdough with caramelized onions and Thousand Island dressing. The meal hall at the UCI dorms used to cook up a rather decent rendition of this dish. It was one of the rare, palatable specials they served up during the ominously named, once a week "Premium Nights". We smuggled out plates of these when I was Freshman and stashed them in the dorm kitchen for late night study breaks.


(Ask for extra pickles.)

The Knowlwood rendition tastes surprisingly similar to the ones from my memories, although it's almost undoubtedly made with better quality ingredients. My only complaint is that it rarely has enough Thousand Island dressing, whose tangy flavor usually gets lost in the thick wedge of lettuce used to top the sandwich. I compensate by asking for extra dressing and pickles. They pick the Frisco Burger right up.


(It's healthy! Sorta...)

My favorite is the Grilled Mahi Mahi Sandwich, which features a hefty slab of mahi mahi fish and is served on a hamburger bun with lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce. The fish is always moist and when paired with a nice wedge of pickle, it's the type of sandwich that happy panda dreams are made of.


(Dead sexy.)

If I've got the hankering for something naughty, I add on an order of Fried Zucchini. Thick fingers of zucchini are breaded, deep-fried, and served with Ranch dressing. Probably the best and least healthy way in the world to enjoy squash.


Knowlwood - Classic American food in a great environment. The portions are large, the prices are low, and everything is freshly made on site. These are burgers the way they were meant to be enjoyed; fresh, flavorful, and grease-free.


The Bill (Multiple visits):

World's Best Cheeseburger (meal) - 6.69
Frisco Burger (meal) - 8.19
Grilled Mahi Mahi Sandwich (meal) - 7.59
Fried Zucchini - 3.09


Flavor: B
Ambience: B-
Service: C
ROI: B-

Overall: B-



Knowlwood in Old Town Irvine
14952 Sand Canyon Avenue (& the I-5 freeway)
Irvine, CA 92618
1-949-857-8927
http://www.knowlwoodrestaurants.com/


Other Locations:
Anaheim, Fullerton, Laguna Niguel, and Santa Ana.


Read ChristianZ's review in Orange County Mexican Restaurants!

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Lucia's Tacos and Mulitas - Huntington Beach, CA [CLOSED]

(Pictures for this review taken with my Canon PowerShot SD100.

I'd like to thank everyone for their support online, offline, and through email. It meant a lot to me. I seem to be on the mend this week. I'm back in the office full time, and every day I get a little bit better from what I now know was the flu. Sadly enough, Cat has fallen victim to it as well. She was very gentle and caring during my first week with it, so now it's my turn to take care of her.

Edit 08/25/2013: Lucia's Tacos and Mulitas has closed. The entire strip malls seems to have been devastated over the past five years.)



Lucia's Tacos and Mulitas (a.k.a. Lucia's Tacos y Mulitas) is one of those earthy, local joints that can be very intimidating to the uninitiated. Located at the end of a tiny strip of service stores and dwarfed by both the Valero gas station and the liquor store that share the same lot, it doesn't stand out. If you do happen to notice and decided to investigate, you'll be confronted by a cramped space featuring menus and specials heavy on Spanish, and a staff who are light on English. The clientele are a mix of day laborers, mechanics, blue collar types, and a few out-of-place office workers, such as your's truly. However, don't be scared by the rough customers, mismatched tables and chairs (often dirty), or the language barrier. For those who are adventurous enough, Lucia's Tacos and Mulitas offers a true taste of authentic Mexican street food that will delight the tongue and satisfy the stomach.



Here are some simple instructions for navigating Lucia's Taco and Mulitas:

Step 1: Secure a table. The place is small and they're in high demand during lunch. Bring a friend so one can guard the table and the other can order. You may need to wipe down your table and chairs, and bus any dishes from the previous diners.

Step 2: Check to see if your table has a salt shaker with salt in it. The salt is important, since the cooks prepare everything lightly salted so that you can adjust it to your liking.

Step 3: Figure out what you want to eat by reading the big menu on the wall. There are helpful English translations for most, but not all of the items. However, anyone who's lived in Southern California for a while should be able to suss out the rest.

Step 4: Step up to the cashier and order. Try not to mangle the Spanish bits too much. Pay immediately.

Step 5: Hit the salsa bar. Get lots of limes, containers of salsa, paper napkins, plastic cutlery, and salt packets (if you weren't able to score a salt shaker with salt when you got the table). Everything here is self-service. If you don't get it, no one will bring it to you.

Step 6: Wait and listen for the cook to call your order. It will be in Spanish and spoken very quickly, so listen carefully.

Step 7: When your order is called, go get it from the cook. It's eatin' time!

Sounds complicated, huh? Trust me, it's worth it. Good god is it ever worth it. Don't believe me?



Take a gander at this gorgeous plate of tacos, each made using a fresh, flour tortilla hand-made by the cooks. On the right, a Taco Al Pastor. Spice-marinated pork is slow-roasted on a vertical rotisserie. Thin slices are shaved off, chopped, and used to generously stuff the tortilla. Powerful and piquant, it packs a pleasurable punch. I usually just hit mine with a squirt of lime before snarfing.

On the left is a Taco de Cabeza, which in this case consists of braised beef cheeks that are like none I've ever tasted. Rich with fat and gelatin, unctuously soft, and delightfully decadent, it flows across the tongue like the finest tendon and marrow. A little salt and lime juice adds a great counterpoint.

In the middle is a Taco de Lengua, filled with a juicy heap of chopped beef tongue that has been braised until meltingly tender, with a flavor like slightly rare rib meat. A dash of salt, some lime juice, and a little of their hottest salsa are all I need to make it perfect.

Those of you who are squirming can stop. Lucia's Tacos and Mulitas also offers the standard Carne Asada, Carnitas, and Pollo for any of their tacos, burritos, and platters. I'm just very fond of the nasty bits.



If you like tacos, but want to try something a little different, I highly recommend the Mulitas. These are essentially kicked up, meat-packed quesadillas made with fresh Queso (cheese). This one was a Mulita de Cabeza.



You can also try one of the Sopes. Your choice of meat is piled on a fried flour tortilla, covered with shredded lettuce and cheese, smothered in sour cream, and topped with a few tomato slices. Undoubtedly good, but also definitely not for anyone with a heart condition. This one was a Sope de Lengua.



Before we go any further, I need to mention Lucia's hand-made tortillas, which are amazing. They're served warm with every soup or platter, and their soft yet chewy texture is perfect for sopping up broth or wrapping up meaty morsels. I even like eating them plain and enjoying the fresh taste of the wheat flour.



The truly hungry should get one of the meat platters, which are essentially build-your-own-taco plates. You get a good-sized portion of the meat of your choice, Mexican rice, beans, a salad, a hefty wedge of queso, and a stack of five or six tortillas.



In addition to the configurable tacos, mulitas, sopes, and meat platters, Lucia’s also offers burritos and Tortas (Mexican sandwiches). However, their best dishes are their specials, which are printed on separate sheets of paper and taped up under the menu. For example, this Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Shrimp in Sauce of Garlic), which I rather enjoyed. The garlic, garlic, garlic, more garlic, and butter puree the shrimp were poached in may be a bit strong for some. However, I liked the kick, and made sure none of the sauce escaped the sopping power of my tortillas.



My favorite special is their Menudo, which is quite possibly the best I've ever had. Menudo is a soup made of all four kinds of beef tripe (cows have four stomachs, ya know) slow-cooked in a strong broth of chilies and other spices. While it has great flavor, Lucia's menudo broth is surprisingly gentle spice-wise...



...which is why I kick it up with lots of cilantro, onion, oregano, lime juice, and Chiles de Arbol (a common kind of small, dried chili). Ahhh... Heaven...



I don't recommend trying Lucia's tamales. I find them much too tough and dry for my taste. Fortunately, I think they've been taken off the menu.



No lunch at Lucia's is complete until you pick up some of their Pan Dulce, which are mildly sweet, Mexican breads often topped with sugar. They're great for snacking on back at the office and sharing with friends.


Lucia's Tacos and Mulitas - Authentic Mexican cuisine at amazing prices. Follow the steps and you'll be just fine. Don't forget to score some limes and salt.


The Bill (Multiple visits):

Tacos - 1.75
Mulitas - 3.75
Sopes - 3.75
Meat Platters - 7.00
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo - 9.99
Menudo - 7.00
Tamales - 1.50
Pan Dulce - 1.00 (for 3)


Flavor: B+
Ambience: D-
Service: C-
ROI: A+

Overall: B-


Lucia's Tacos and Mulitas
(corner of Beach and Warner)
16952 Beach Blvd.
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
1-714-842-2404
(If you have difficulty being understood, ask for Lalo.)

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