Trans Chef

With the rise of social media over the last decade or so I’ve seen a 500% increase in kitchen “tools” hitting the market. From a $150.00 “multi-function” pan that only lets you make one item at a time to countertop ovens that cost more than the security deposit I’ve paid for most of my condos, while limiting to a single cooking method; to the rise of the silicon coatings on everything… While these tools are often beautifully designed and the technology in some is impressive, the truth is 90% of them you simply do not need to cook the majority of dishes you will prepare throughout your life.

Your first impression of using fermented foods and condiments might be a little off-putting, but think of the many ways we use…

Kobbari Chutney Pudi, or Dry Coconut Chutney Powder, is something I’ve only recently discovered through an ex-partner. From time to to time his family would send these lovely little care packages brimming with sweet and spicy treats from home. It was the first time I had smelled such an interesting mix of sweet, spicy and buttery aromas that had me hooked on learning to cook Indian food after years of only eating the typical dishes you’d find in American “Indian” restaurants in the early 2000s.

Ratatouille is one of those country dishes that, despite its simple ingredients and appearance, is surprisingly complex to produce well. If you’re not careful it can easily turn into a watery/oily bowl of mushy vegetables. Something no one ever wants! However, with a couple simple little steps you’ll be well on your way to mastering not only ratatouille, but a whole world of wonderfully exciting veggie dishes that will keep your family coming back for MORE!

If you’ve eaten Asian food there’s a good chance you’ve had 5 spice powder (wǔxiāng fěn, 五香粉, Pong Palo). Especially if you’ve had dishes with fatty meats, braised dishes or many stir-fried noodle dishes. It offers a deep, rich flavor that helps cut through the fat and I’ve heard it said “it brings harmony to chaos”. (Sadly I don’t remember where I heard the reference.)

Growing up, I spent a good bit of my early years living on a farm just outside Crawfordville, Fla. The majority of the food we grew was for our personal use. We’d grow the normal stuff you’d expect… tomatoes, watermelons, okra, bell peppers and greens were pretty much always on the list to plant. As you’d expect, we’d do various things to preserve the fruits of our labors. The most commonly used method was canning. (Followed by open-air dehydrating.)

I LOVE DIM SUM (點心, 点心, diǎnxīn, dímsām)! I love it so much in fact that over the years I’ve learned to make quite a few of my favorite dim sum dishes, and make them pretty regularly. (A few times a month if I’m being honest.) I love how the simplest of ingredients can turn into something so complex and mouthwatering that people will drive for hours, spending hundreds of dollars for a meal of it! Not only is dim sum delicious, it’s also a wonderful way to bring friends, family and even strangers together in a way that is sadly missing in today’s fast-paced world.

When I was growing up there wasn’t really ‘vegan’ or ‘vegetarian’ food in the South. That was only for those “hippies in…

My family loves Asian food, and one of our favorites is Chinese-inspired egg rolls. Pork, chicken, or shrimp, yes please! More times than I can count, I’d come home and my mom and I would spend a whole night rolling egg rolls. Looking back, we’d end up eating almost as many as we’d roll, but hey, memories right? Hehe!

Growing up, we didn’t eat a lot of fresh lemons in our day-to-day lives. I don’t mean that we never had lemons.…