I was talking to a friend last night who is a jazz singer. She works long hours and wants to have a light snack that is quick to prepare, when she come home late in the night. She said her favorite treat was homemade popcorn sprinkled with chaat masala. That got me thinking I should write about this!
Have you ever tried blending flavors from two different countries to create one stunning dish? The art has come to be known as “Fusion” and has gained significant popularity over the recent years. I believe there has always been some degree of fusion taking place but it’s been geographically limited to neighboring countries. For example, the Mediterranean countries borrow cuisines from each other. In the Far East, Singapore adopts spices from India, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Restaurants and chefs have gone a step further by combining distinct cuisines into one meal. Vermillion in Chicago, Mesa Grill in New York City and Lukshon in Los Angeles are a few top rated ones. Even on the show, Top Chef, the contestants were asked to create something by picking flags randomly. The Mexican-Chinese pairing was quite challenging!
If you want to experiment with international flavors at home, you need not be a Master Chef. Even if you know a few basics, proceed confidently.
Trick #1: You family already enjoys pasta. Why not grab a sauce from another country and add it to your favorite pasta. Here are some ideas to get you started…
Thai+Italian=Make a thai red curry with penne pasta, then add shrimp or chicken depending on what your family prefers.
Indian+Italian=Top chicken tikka masala on a flat bread or pizza.
Mexican+Italian=Serve a gazpacho with shells or macaroni pasta.
More tricks coming each week.
Have any tips of your own? Please share in the Comments section.
