Tuesday, August 14, 2012

asian fusion explosion

Merriam Webster dictionary describes fusion cuisine as "food prepared by using the techniques and ingredients of two or more ethnic or regional cuisines".

i love fusion cuisine especially asian-fusion and going by that definition, just about everything i cook or eat at home is fusion!  (except one or two. maybe.)  and it never occured to me when i was growing up in the Philippines that i was practically raised on fusion food!

Filipino food is a flavorful combination of Chinese, Malay, Spanish, Thai, Indonesian and a little bit of American cuisine.  its an amalgamation of the different cultures that sat down at our tables and contributed to a diverse and vibrant palate. 
as a nod to my north, i made scallops and prawns in tarragon and lime with spaghetti topped with spring onions (quite a mouthful, literally!) the other day and it was an explosion of flavors!  we wanted something light and this fits the bill.  perfect if you're staying in for a hot and humid summer night :)

here's how you make them (easy, i promise!);

ingredients:

cook spaghetti pasta for two in salted boiling water and set aside

a handful of prawns, peeled and cleaned
6-8 scallops
a tablespoon of butter
a tablespoon of tarragon
juice of one lime
salt and pepper
a sprig of spring onions (to serve)

procedure:

(1) heat butter in a wok (or pan) over moderate heat.
(2) season prawns and scallops (make sure they are dry) with salt and pepper
(3) saute scallops and prawns (about 3-4 minutes). stir in lime juice and tarragon.
(4) toss pasta in and season (according to your taste).
(5) serve while hot and garnish with chopped spring onions on top.

remember:  feel free to add in or subtract from the ingredients featured here.  for my vegetarian friends, you can substitute prawns and scallops with shiitake mushrooms (always a yummy alternative).  after all, it is FUSION cuisine :) experiment and enjoy!

8 comments:

  1. Thanks for the veggie alternative! Sounds amazing. I could live on noodle dishes. So nurturing and yummy! :)

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  2. i made empanadas last week & for some reason thought of you! still can't wait to try the lumpias - it's next on my list ;)

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    1. hahaha woohoo! are u by any chance doing a post on ur empanadas? they are delicious arent they? enjoy ur lumpia sarah! u must be psychic cos my next post IS empanada hehehe

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  3. This dish looks fantastic! Really fresh and light. Plus it doesn't look really complicated to make either which is always a huge bonus! Thanks for sharing!
    xoxo Lauren

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  4. I'm not a scallops person, but the substitution suggested sounds wonderful. I'm pretty sure that I have had a dish similar to this at Ruby's. She has welcomed us to many Filipino feasts, she actually loves to cook!

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