What is the new hot ingredient?

[The Shocker]

Was watching food porn yesterday & every show was using Tamarind.  Is that the hip, new thing?  Something else?

[Lumpy]

Whatever it is, it's not available at a local grocery store. Macadamia nuts, duck fat, lardo...

[strangelight]

quinoa!

[MadJohnShaft]

Yeah, what's the deal with Tamarind?  I have a jar and it seems to be sold in dozens of formats.

[RAGER]

Yeah kale and quinoa have been abundant on menus for quite a while and sriracha is making it's way into main stream flavors like chips and stuff. 
but around here lately I've been seeing farro on menus.  It's kind of a grain product.  Chefs around here like to braise it or put in salads.  Also it's pretty popular to put an egg on everything.  A kind of cool thing too that I see on happy hour menus is just a grilled seasonal veggie with a really simple light sauce or kinda spicey.  Rapini or asparagus right now is what's going on.  I'm pushing for more kimchi in dishes you wouldn't normally see it.

[yeezuz]

Yeah kale and quinoa have been abundant on menus for quite a while and sriracha is making it's way into main stream flavors like chips and stuff. 
but around here lately I've been seeing farro on menus.  It's kind of a grain product.  Chefs around here like to braise it or put in salads.  Also it's pretty popular to put an egg on everything.  A kind of cool thing too that I see on happy hour menus is just a grilled seasonal veggie with a really simple light sauce or kinda spicey.  Rapini or asparagus right now is what's going on.  I'm pushing for more kimchi in dishes you wouldn't normally see it.

Tin Star (local taco joint) used to have Cowboy Kimchee as a condiment. basically kimchee with chipotle and cumin. where else does kimchee belong? i have lots of it

[RAGER]

Not that they don't exist but I like kimchi pancakes.  Kind of unusual in the mainstream.  Chop up some kimchi add some of the juice with a little flour and fresh scallions.  Pan fry into little patties.  I like to adorn mine with a simple omelette julienned on top.

I also like to puree it and use it as a base for roasted veggies, especially brussels sprouts.

There's a food cart here that does catering too.  It's called Koi Fusion.  That have awesome bulgogi tacos and kimchi quesadillas among other killer items.

[Lumpy]

Kimchee goes great in packaged ramen soup, if you're feeling lazy.

[yeezuz]

kimchee fried rice. make rice but instead of water use the juice from the kimchee jar and some chicken stock. once the rice is cooled, put it in the freezer (this is the trick to non-sticky fried rice) until cold, almost frozen. fry it up with remaining kimchee and stuff you like.

so RAGER, those pancakes are called paejon in Korean or chichimi in Japanese. if you want to have extra piss in your pancake, go to Korean restaurant and order a chichimi. the most delicious one i've had stateside was made with baby octopi, their lil tentacles are so tender and you can eat the head too. i have to try the kimchee and brussel sprouts sometime soon, you know when i can afford to make a trip to the Tooter Mansion.

[RAGER]

Do Japanese have a word for kimchi?

[yeezuz]

Do Japanese have a word for kimchi?

hahahaha not really, it's phonetically spelled kimuchi. another loan word of course.

that sort of pancake in Japan, is called an okonomiyaki - literal translation = things you like cooked (on a griddle in this case). this is makin me hungrrrrryyyyy. oh man, mochi - cheese - corn - shrimp is my favorite.

[RAGER]

My new hot ingredient is annatto oil.  look into it.

[mortlock]

eggs..

[Dr.Zayus]

This is the best drink you can get off the truck with your taco's. I'm totally down with tamarind, though I haven't tried cook with it myself. Seems like everyone is putting arugula on everything now too. Can't say I'm a huge fan of that.

[mortlock]

is that the same stuff that is in the fountain next to horchata in mexican places..

[RAGER]

I don't think so.  Jarritos comes in 2 litre like bottles also.  I fucking love arugula also called rocket.  Makes a great pesto or and additive to Italian salsa verde.

Pan roasted chicken breasts sauteed first in annatto aoil and finished off in the oven.  sauteed some veg in annatto oil and then added jasmine rice so it all turned a great golden color.  Topped with some sour cream and chipotle salsa.

[MadJohnShaft]

Annatto is primarily a colorant with barely a flavor.  It's in Arapas and the otherSA corn stuff that are yellow to orange.



I've been sticking Tamarind paste in homemade granola, is nice.


I like Guascas dried leaves, good in chicken soups.

[RAGER]

Annatto does have flavor foo!  But it is a great colorant asswell.

[MadJohnShaft]

I'll have to try some Annatto by itself again, I thought it is like turmeric in that regard.

[Ryan]

Annatto does have flavor foo!  But it is a great colorant asswell.

     Asswell ?   Just what is being implied here?

[MadJohnShaft]

Science.

Did you ever roast a lime on the grill?  You will put it in everything. Let it cool first before penetrating or you will be burned.

[RAGER]

Been doing that for eons.  Makes them really juicy.  Roasted lime michelada anyone?

[Lumpy]

I'm pretty sure the hot new ingredient isn't going to be Reduced Fat Sour Cream.