Tokek's Playground

Vietnam’s most challenging foods

2011-03-29T19:59:00.001-07:00

by: Adam Bray
Source: Yahoo.com

To much of the world they're pests to be exterminated or animal parts to be thrown out; in Vietnam they all go into the cooking pot
There is a local Vietnamese saying that when a man encounters a new animal, his first question is: “Is it dangerous?” and the second question is: “Is it edible?”

The Vietnamese are adventurous eaters, and they're not afraid to eat the whole animal, blood, guts and all. Here are six Vietnamese dishes to chew over.

Bugs

Vietnam’s ethnic Khmer in the Mekong Delta are among the country’s most adventurous eaters of insects and arachnids, though some hill tribes also enjoy snacking on giant water bugs, tarantulas and scorpions. The most commonly eaten include crickets, bee larvae and silk worms. Most bugs are fried and take on the flavor of their seasonings. They have very little flavor of their own.

Frogs

Vietnamese don’t just eat frog’s legs. After gutting and skinning these tubby, cartoonish bullfrogs, they then fry, steam or grill the whole animal. One exception: on the evening of the first heavy rain, villagers gather a particular species of smooth-skinned toad, which is boiled whole, the stomach muscle removed, and then the entire animal eaten -- skin, guts and all, with some lemon, salt and pepper.

Pha lau

Vietnamese don’t waste any part of the animal. Pha lau stands display piles of beef and pork intestines, lungs, kidney, heart and stomach. The tasty innards are chopped up and loaded into baguette sandwiches or sold by the plate to accompany rounds of beer or rice wine.

Squid teeth

Squid teeth (rang muc) are another example of Vietnamese resourcefulness. The mouth parts of squid form a white, marble-sized ball with a tiny black beak protruding at the end. Steamed with ginger, grilled on a kebab or friend in batter, they are a popular after-school snack or market food for moms on-the-go.

Fetal duck eggs

Fertilized duck eggs are a very popular snack, appetizer or beer food. The contents are much harder than a conventional boiled egg, with a partially formed duck fetus inside. There may be visible signs of feathers but they dissolve in the mouth. The top is cracked, juices slurped, and then the contents are eaten with a spoon. Popular condiments include lemon and black pepper, fresh herbs, pickled veggies, raw garlic and green chili.

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KFC Secret Recipe

2011-01-27T19:24:00.001-08:00

Found this after googling…

KFC Extra Crispy
* 1 whole frying chicken cut up
* 6-8 cups shortening
Coating:
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1 cup milk
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 3/4 teaspoon pepper
* 3/4 teaspoon MSG
* 1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder
* 1/8 teaspoon Baking Powder
How to Cook
* Trim any excess skin and fat from the chicken pieces.
* Preheat the shortening in deep-fryer to 350 degrees.
* Combine the beaten egg and milk in a medium bowl.
* In another medium bowl, combine the remaining coating ingredients (flour, salt, pepper and MSG).
* When the chicken has marinated, transfer each piece to paper towels so that excess liquid can drain off.
* Working with one piece at a time, first dip in egg and milk then coat the chicken with the dry flour mixture, then the egg and milk mixture again, and then back into the flour.
* Be sure that each piece is coated very generously.
* Stack the chicken on a plate or cookie sheet until each piece has been coated.
* Drop the chicken, one piece at a time into the hot shortening.
* Fry half of the chicken at a time (4 pieces) for 12-15 minutes, or until it is golden brown.
* You should be sure to stir the chicken around halfway through the cooking time so that each piece cooks evenly.
* Remove the chicken to a rack or towels to drain for about 5 minutes before eating.

Translate to Bahasa by Trisna

KFC Extra Crispy

1 ekor ayam utuh potong2 menjadi beberapa bagian
6-8 cangkir shortening ( minyak beku )

Bahan2nya :

1 butir telur yang sedang besarnya
1 cangkir susu
2 cangkir tepung serba guna
2 1/2 sendok teh garam
3/4 sendok teh merica bubuk
3/4 sendok teh MSG
1/8 sendok teh Bawang Putih bubuk
1/8 sendok teh soda kue

Cara buat :

Buang gelambir2 lemak yang terdapat pada ayam.
Panaskan miyak terlebih dahulu di dalam wajan atau wadah untuk menggoreng sampai panasnya mencapai 350 derajat{di-kira2 aja panasnya)
Campurkan susu dan telur. Aduk2 biar rata. Sisihkan.
Campurkan tepung, garam, lada , MSG, bawang putih bubuk dan soda kue
Letakkan masing-masing potongan ayam ke serbet agar kelebihan cairan dari ayam bisa dihilangkan.
Celupkan potongan2 ayam tersebut ke dalam campuran telur dan susu lalu guling2kan ayam dengan campuran tepung kering, celupkan kembali ke dalam campuran telur dan susu, lalu guling2kan kembali
Amati masing-masing potongan ayam apakah sudah berlapis tepung dengan baik.
Sisihkan ayam yang sudah terlapis tepung pada piring
Masukan potongan2 ayam yang sudah terlapis tepung ke dalam miyak yang sudah panas tadi
Gorenglah minimal 4 potong ayam selama 12-15 menit, atau sampai kecoklatan

Source: here

Only in Japan Part 3

2011-01-26T19:28:00.001-08:00

Unusual food in japan

1. Kujira & Iruca 「くじら & いるか」(Whales & Dolphins)

Whale Sashimi

Dolphin Fresh Meat

3. Basashi 「馬刺し」(Raw Horse Meat)

Due to its deep pink color raw horse meat is called “sakura” or “sakuraniku”. “Sakura” means cherry blossom, “niku” means meat. However, when your equine is ponied up raw in thin sashimi slices it is called “basashi”. The prefectures of Kumamoto, Nagano and Ōita are famous for basashi, and it is common in the Tohoku region as well. Nice with some ranch dressing.

Straight from the horses mouth, there is also a dessert made from horse meat called basashi ice cream.

3. Shirouo no Odorigui 「シロウオの踊り食い」(Dancing Icefish)

Shirouo are very small transparent fish that are eaten alive. They dance in your mouth whilst being eaten (“odorigui”).

4. Fugu 「河豚」(Poisonous Fish)

Fugu is the Japanese word for pufferfish and is a delicacy in Japan. It is highly dangerous because the skin and organs are poisonous.

Or maybe try some deliciously deadly poisonous “Fugu no ransou” (Puffer Fish Roe) that apparently, if cooked correctly, has all of the deadly poison removed.

5. Shirako 「白子」(Fish Sperm)

Shirako is the male genitalia of fish, a sack that contains its seminal fluid. A popular dish at most izakaya (Japanese pubs) and sushi bars.

6. Inago no Tsukudani 「いなごの佃煮」 (Grasshoppers)

“Inago no Tsukudani” is a traditional Japanese insect cuisine popular in the inland rural communities of Yamagata, Nagano and Gunma prefectures.

“Inago” is Japanese for “grasshopper” and when you stew your mouth-watering locust with “tsukudani”, a sweetened soy sauce simmered with mirin, you get the delectable bug banquet – “Inago no Tsukudani”.

This food similar with extreme food from Indonesia. I will write about it later.

7. Nattō 「納豆」(Fermented Soybeans)

Nattō is a powerful smelling, strong flavoured, sticky web of fermented soybeans typically served with a Japanese breakfast. It’s really delicious, please try it.

8. Hachinoko 「蜂の子」(Bee Larvae)

When your local pub runs out of beer nuts and you need a hit of protein there is nothing like some crunchy, maggotty bee larvae to do the job.

Apparently one of the late Emperor Hirohito’s favorite foods was fried wasps with boiled rice seasoned with sugar and soy sauce.

9. Zazamushi 「ざざ虫」(Aquatic Insects)

Another widely available product in Japan, both canned and in restaurants, is zazamushi, the name for aquatic insects inhabiting gravel beds in rivers. Zazamushi is not a single variety of insect, but is a catch-all name applied to the larvae of insects that live at the bottom of rivers. The name “zazamushi” means insects (mushi) that live in a place where the river makes the sound “zaazaa” as it flows.

10. Shiokara 「塩辛」(Fermented Seafood)

Shiokara is Japanese fermented seafoods with a fishy and salty taste.

11. Wasabi Beer

Are you kidding???

12. Octopus Ice Cream

If you like basashi Ice cream, please try it.

13. Placenta 10000 Jelly Drink

Placenta?

14. Wasp Crackers

Source: here, here

Mr. Curry Review by Tokek Sr

2011-01-25T23:55:00.001-08:00

Curry Rice

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Sebelum saya (biar sedikit formal makanya pake ‘saya’) me-review bagaimana rasa makanan di resto satu ini, saya akan becerita penyebab saya bisa makan di resto ini. Selain itu biar blog ini jadi agak panjang, yang ga mau baca bisa skip langsung ke paragraf 4.

Kejadian ini bermula saat saya dan pacar saya ingin makan nasi kari di Plaza Indonesia yang saya sudah lupa namanya. Setelah masuk ke dalam dan berputar-putar sampai saya pusing dan nyasar-nyasar, akhirnya saya tidak menemukan tempatnya . Dengan berat hati, berat dosa, dan berat perut (karena kebanyakan angin) saya pun meninggalkan Plaza Indonesia dan menuju ke Grand Indonesia.

Di Grand Indonesia, saya berencana untuk mencicipi masakan yang ada di Social House, tapi karena saya orang yang hemat akhirnya saya mengurungkan niat untuk makan disana (Fact: ga sanggup makan disana). Perjalan mencari makanan pun berlanjut, lantai demi lantai saya jelajahi. Sampai di Lantai 3A saya melihat sebuah resto yang bernama Mr. Curry. Akhirnya saya pun memutuskan untuk mencoba nasi Curry yang ada di sana.

Oke, saatnya untuk serius. Kesan pertama resto ini adalah rame. Saya harus menunggu 4 waiting list sebelum bisa duduk dan memesan. Tapi pelayanan disini cukup cepat, tidak sampai 5 menit saya sudah dapat tempat duduk dan langsung disodorkan menunya. Begitu membuka menu, saya langsung bingung melihat banyaknya menu kari yang ada di resto ini.

Keistimewaan dari Mr. Curry adalah mereka menyediakan berbagai macam kuah curry (saya tidak hapal) dan tingkat kepedasan yang bisa kita request. Akhirnya saya memutuskan untuk memesan Shrimp Curry Rice, Nasi goreng kari, Shrimp Omelette Curry Rice dan Es Krim Dorayaki (saya lupa namanya). Untuk kuah kari saya memesan yang original dengan level sangat pedas (disarankan oleh pelayannya) dan untuk nasi goreng kari saya minta ditambahkan cabai potong (disarankan juga oleh pelayannya).

Nasi goreng kari yang pertama kali saya coba, rasanya sangat unik. Nasi goreng ini sangat pedas tapi pedasnya baru terasa di lidah setelah kita menelan nasinya. Overall saya sangat menyukai nasi goreng ini.

Shrimp Curry Rice adalah korban selanjutnya. Sebelum memakan udangnya, saya mencoba terlebih dahulukuah karinya. Menurut saya kuah karinya cukup enak tetapi tidak pedas sama sekali, padahal saya minta sangat pedas. Akhirnya saya mencoba udangnya yang ternyata hambar. Tetapi setelah dicampur dengan kuah kari baru terasa pas. Sayangnya ada beberapa udang yang bau kaporit.

Shrimp Omelette Curry Rice mempunyai cita rasa yang tidak begitu beda dengan Shrimp Curry Rice. Udang yang menjadi bahan utama untuk omelette juga ada yang berbau kaporit.

Setelah puas menikmati nasi kari dan nasi goreng kari, datanglah dessert. Penyajiannya menurut pribadi saya sangat menarik dan membuat saya hampir tidak tega memakannya. Perpaduan es krim, dorayaki dan saus mangga sangat pas dan ditanggung ketagihan sekali mencoba.

Akhirnya selesailah misi saya dalam mencari nasi kari. Overall restoran ini bisa menjadi tujuan utama makan di Grand Indonesia. Dengan dana 50 rb s/d 80 rb sudah bisa menikmati sajian Curry Rice di Resto ini.

Mr. Curry Japanese Curry & Sweet House
Grand Indonesia Shopping Town
West Mall Garden District, Level 3A Unit ED 1-07
Jln. MH Thamrin No. 1, Jakarta Pusat
(021) 2358 1090
10.00–22.00

Only in Japan Part 2

2011-01-25T01:50:00.001-08:00

Awesome Rice Field Art

Only in Japan Part 1

2011-01-25T01:39:00.001-08:00

Gay?

Special car for your pet

Nintendo Tatoo

No comment….

Solar Powered Bra

You can charge an iPod or a mobile Phone

Tokyo Metro Posters

2011-01-24T22:29:00.001-08:00

Funny posters at Tokyo Metro Subway