Yuba is a thin skin of tofu that is a byproduct of making soymilk. It is pulled in sheets off the top of the pot of boiling soymilk, much like the skin that forms on a pot of simmering cow’s milk. It can be made at home, but I’ve never tried. I buy mine from …
Persimmons are in season right now, and I love them. For those of you not intimately familiar with this fruit, the most important thing to know is that there are two general types: fuyu persimmons (which I use in this salad) are short and squat, resembling an orange tomato. They are eaten while still firm.
Hachiya …
As unlikely as it may sound, the first time I ever ate beet curry was over a campfire in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I was dubious, but my girlfriend at the time had lived in Tamil Nadu for a year and knew what she was doing. Granted, everything tastes good around a campfire after an arduous …
I love tamales.
I love that they are a project, not something you simply throw together for a weeknight dinner. A project best done with friends and family, beating the masa and making fillings and sauces and forming the tamales together, before sitting down to a celebratory meal.
I love the aromatic cornhusk- or banana leaf- infused …
Ilan Hall's Top Chef Fideos
I'm an avid fan of Top Chef. Our family has a standing date to watch it on TiVO every week. Of the cooking reality shows (Next Food Network Star, Hell's Kitchen and so on), it is the only one that features people who can really cook, and spends most of the …
Braising is something of a lost art, which is a shame because it isn’t at all difficult to do. Learn a couple of basic moves and you’ll be rewarded with a succulent, richly flavored, rustic dish that will have you and your guests mopping up every last bit of sauce.
A proper braise is composed of …
If you've traveled in Mexico, or spent much time in Mexican neighborhoods in the United States, you've probably tasted fruit with a chile powder that is both tangy, spicy, and a little salty. It is amazing on mango and watermelon. This spice mix is known as chile con limon, or chile para fruta, and it …
