Читать книгу Asian Accents - Lisa Kim-Tribolati - Страница 10

form & feng shui

fragrant rice & rolls

A cantilevered staircase, magically suspended in the air like a huge sculpture, descends to the ground floor.

This elegant home is a play on form, function and feng shui. Feng shui, the ancient Chinese art of placement, holds that the proper placement of furniture and objects will greatly enhance the flow of chíi, or energy, and bring prosperity to the prudent occupants of the feng shui building.

Everything in this architect's home flows in perfect harmony. The monochromatic color scheme was chosen to expand the long narrow space imposed by the structure of the shophouse. This subdued background also serves to highlight the Southeast Asian paintings hanging on the wall In fact, the house was built to showcase the family's much-prized collection of Asian art, which includes rare and exquisite sculptures as well as paintings. It is obvious that careful attention was paid to the positioning of each piece—whether in deference to the art of the geomancer or just the art itself An otherwise stark wall on the first floor provides the perfect backdrop for the drama of the traditional Japanese wedding kimono. The elegance of its design and the subtlety of the fabric's colors and textures are just some of the aspects of its beauty.

"Good fortune" is the theme of the dining room featured on page 31, hence red, considered an auspicious color in Chinese culture, is the keynote color of the decor. The shapes and colors used in the lantern festival painting are echoed in this table setting for a formal lunch. Traditional Chinese plates decorated with dragon motifs symbolizing prosperity are placed on the red paper fans which are an exotic alternative to placemats. Inlaid enamel chopsticks rest on pewter fish and the Winter Cherry flowers used as the floral centerpiece repeat the lantern shapes in the painting. Gold Chinese lunar calendar animals are scattered around the table for more good luck and to add a quirky and personal touch. In contrast to the refined opulence of the setting, lunch is classic Singaporean hawker stall food: Popiah (a version of fresh spring rolls), and the ubiquitous and much loved Hainanese Chicken Rice.

The beautifully designed staircase cuts a strong vertical swathe through the dining room. The functional elements of this home have been considered as carefully as the decorative ones.

A rare Chinese stone frieze decorates a wall of the indoor pond. Koi, the good luck fish, play beneath the surface

This stunning glass dining table is a collector's item. An antique Chinese drum made of leather and brass fittings has been put to ingenious use to create the base of the table.

For lunch, dishes synonymous with Singapore were chosen: Popiah and Chicken Rice. Popiah are the Singaporean version of fresh spring rolls and have been modified here so they can be served as a first course. In case the authentic wrappers are hard to find, we also used crepe wrappers, shaping them into small packets stuffed with the filling. Chicken Rice is simplicity itself, consisting only of poached chicken and aromatic rice flavored with chicken stock. Serve with chili sauce for an added punch of flavor. Following the main course, fresh fruit and nuts dipped in chocolate are served near the tranquil koi pond. If you prefer to continue with the Chinese menu, serve egg custard tarts bought from a Chinese bakery.

easy popiah

i n g r e d i e n t s

filling

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound pork loin, cut into very thin strips

3 cups finely sliced jicama

1 cup finely sliced carrots

1 cup water

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

for wraps

60 (5 x 5-inch) frozen spring roll wrappers or 45 (8 x 8-inch) crepes

Hoisin sauce

1 1/2 cups bean sprouts

1 cup snow peas, blanched, refreshed, and finely chopped

3/4 pound small shrimp, cooked and chopped

1/2 pound Chinese sausage, steamed for 20 minutes, cooled, and thinly sliced

45 scallions, green part only, blanched and refreshed in ice water

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add pork and cook until no longer pink, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add jicama and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly-Add water and oyster sauce and bring to a boil Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until jicama and carrots are tender and most of the water has evaporated. The mixture should still be moist. When cooked, remove the vegetable-pork mixture from heat and let cool.

For the popiah wraps:

If using spring roll wrappers, defrost and keep covered with a damp tea towel to prevent wrappers from drying out. Take one wrapper and cut into 3 equal strips. Lay a wrapper on your work surface with one of the corners toward you. Place one strip across the center of the wrapper. (You will need 4 wrappers for every 3 rolls.) Spread 1/2 teaspoon of hoisin sauce on the center strip. Top with a tablespoon or so of the pork mixture. Then scatter some bean sprouts, snow peas, shrimp, and sausage over the filling.

Fold the corner closest to you toward the far corner but stop about an inch short of the corner. Then fold the right corner over the center followed by the left, making sure they overlap. Take one scallion, gently wrap around the roll and tie to hold the roll together. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and ingredients. Keep the finished popiah covered with a damp tea towel until ready to serve.

If using frozen crepes (as shown here), defrost, and using a 6-inch diameter pastry cutter, cut circles out of each crepe. Keep the crepes covered with damp tea towel to prevent them from drying out. Follow the instructions above, using 1 teaspoon of the hoisin sauce, 11/2 tablespoons of the filling and slightly more of the individual toppings. If using crepes, there is no need to add the extra strip as the crepes are already sufficiently thick. Makes 45 popiah packets.

note: Pork-vegetable mixture can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. The other ingredients can also be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated. The rolls can be made an hour in advance but should be kept covered with a damp tea towel at room temperature.

chili sauce

i n g r e d i e n t s

1/4 cup chopped red chili pepper (remove the seeds and inner membrane if you prefer a milder sauce)

4 cloves garlic, sliced

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste

Put all the ingredients into a blender and purée.

Makes about 1/3 cup.

note: Chili sauce can be refrigerated in a glass jar for up to a week.

chicken rice

i n g r e d i e n t s

chicken

6 chicken breasts on the hone, with skin

Salt

5 quarts water

1 (6-inch) piece ginger, cut into 1 -inch thick slices and bruised with the side of the knife

rice

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

3 cups long-grain rice, rinsed and drained

6 cups chicken stock from above

1/4 teaspoon salt

garnish

Cucumbers, tomatoes and cilantro (optional) for garnish

To cook the chicken: