Open Sesame
When I was up in Maine 2 weeks ago visiting Rooms*, she took me to this totally kick-ass Asian market – Tran’s. I fucking love Tran’s. We combed through aisles of amazingness. Although I love my neighborhood Hispanic market, I’d totally welcome a Tran’s to the ‘hood.
Here’s the list of shit I stuffed into my suitcase, all $40 worth:
- Noodles: Buckwheat, Udon, Corn
- Oils: Sesame, Chili with chili flakes, Szechuan pepper
- Curry Pastes: Penang, Red, Green
- Sesame Seeds
- Coconut Milk (Sure, I could get this in DC, but would it only be $1.29?)
- Whole Peppercorn Blend (Huge container!)
- Sesame Crisp Flakes (Haven’t tried yet, but it was a Rooms suggestion. It’s like a snack or something.)
- Curry Powder (Indra brand)
- Thai Coffee Grinds (Ingredients: roasted coffee beans, soybean, brown rice, caramel. Unfort, my last coffee maker got broken before I moved into my current apartment and because 80P doesn’t drink the Joe, I never ended up replacing it. Now though I really want a French Press – any suggestions on brands/sizes?)
- Onion Flavored Naan (Who knew that naan is also an amazing vehicle for fried egg with cheddar cheese.)
I think that’s it, but maybe Rooms can correct me. Oh, and Tran’s also carries avocados, so really, it’s perfect. Now that I have all of these new Asian flavorings, I recently took an old standby and made it, um, Asiany. Wow, that’s incorrect.
Recipe post jump.
Actually, I have a bit more to say before I get into the recipe. This July fourth, BS kicked fucking ass as he was interviewed on a nationally broadcast sports radio show. I made this dip to go to Julie and Elizabeth’s BBQ but ended up having to miss it so 80 and I could prep BS with talking points. I then served the dip to the ES editorial crew, plus Alex, and then snacked on leftovers the rest of the weekend. The dip is really rich, without having to be creamy, like hummus. I was impressed.
Chickpea and Sesame Mash
Drain/rinse a can of chickpeas. Add maybe a tablespoon+ of sesame oil to the c-peas and mash with a potato masher (this kind, not that kind, although clearly I own both.) Feel free to leave some of them whole; this is rough mash – not hummus. While mashing, toast sesame seeds and when slightly browned, add to mash. Next toast cumin seeds in that same dry pan, when fragrant, add to mortal and pestle and manually grind. Then add that to the mash. Also toss in lots of chopped FRESH garlic, chives, parsley, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix to combine. Serve with torn pieces of whole wheat pita.
*Rooms is actually her real name and not just a cutesy “handle” or whatever they call blog nicknames. See, Rooms and I were frosh/sopho year roommates, so obviously, I named her Roommate, which quickly turned into Rooms. And, the chives and parsley were from Rooms’ garden. But more on her field of greens later.
holy cow what a shopping list! You better report back about the sesame crisp flakes – I am inrigued
mmm… definitely different from hummus. Do you have leftovers?
the ONLY way to go with a french press is Bodum.
omg – there are so many – help!
Nah, Asiany isn’t ‘incorrect’, Orientally, slanty eyed, or chinky would be ‘incorrect’. Hahaha.
(If this offends, sorry, delete, I just thought it was funny.)
That sounds delish but I’m confused why this is Asiany… the cumin?
the sesame oil and seeds, no?
and thanks for your blessing on using “asiany.” if i had serious cooking ability, id be able to know which “asian” ingredients/flavors go with each nation. one day.
I think cumin might be somewhat Indian in flavor, but sesame oil/sesame seeds- in regular hummus, there’s tahini which I believe is sesame paste (and could be made from sesame seeds and sesame oil for all I know). Unless I’m wrong. Then I will shut up and sit in the corner, my bad.
tahini is pure ground sesame seeds.
gansie, don’t go crazy, get this one
I can’t think of what else you got at tran’s, but there had to be some things that we used here, because it is pretty hard to spend $40 on one trip to tran’s.
I love you Tran’s!!
I have also fallen in love with my Asian market in the burbs! Let me know if you want to join me on my weekly trip to Lotte’s in Silver Spring. Cheap produce too.
neat stuff; can’t wait to see what we’ll be cooking AND EATING THIS FRIDAY!!!! I’M SURE GANSIE WILL BLOG IT
Im a big fan of ethnic markets the best spices are found in latin and asian markets.