my version -- home made vol-au-vent filled with indonasian beef rendang served with sautéed spinach avacado mousse... When I was growing up, my mom, aunt, and grandmother will often make some kind of spicy beef stew, porata (buttered bread), and simple sautéed spinach or greens. My grand mother’s clay pot (in her village home) on open fire will quite often be over flowing... This dish of mine [specially made for my son, who these days needs to eat a lot of protein and greens] is an homage to my south asian heritage with french and japanese culinary techniques infused with aromatic spices and herbs like lemongrass, ginger, kaffir leaves, star anise, and panch phoron. [Panch Phoron (also called panch phoran or paanch phoron) literally means “five spices.” It is a spice blend commonly used in Eastern India and Bangladesh and consists of the following seeds: Cumin, Brown Mustard, Fenugreek, Nigella and Fennel]. A vol-au-vent is a small hollow case of puff pastry. It was formerly also called a patty case. A vol-au-vent is typically made by cutting two circles in rolled out puff pastry, cutting a hole in one of them, then stacking the ring-shaped piece on top of the disc-shaped piece. - Wikipedia See more on my beef randang dish here. "A mousse (/ˈmuːs/; French: [mus]; "foam") is a soft prepared food that incorporates air bubbles to give it a light and airy texture. It can range from light and fluffy to creamy and thick, depending on preparation techniques. A mousse may be sweet or savory. Savory mousses can be made from meat, fish, shellfish, foie gras, cheese, or vegetables. Hot mousses often get their light texture from the addition of beaten egg whites.” -- Wikipedia another day... here is a quicker version of the same dish using ramekin... behind the scene...

my version -- with potatoes, chickpeas, onions, grated boiled eggs, and cilantro foam... “chotpoti and fuskas are a roadside dish originating from Bangladesh —- consists mainly of potatoes, chickpeas, and onions and is usually topped with chillies or grated boiled eggs. It is spicy and sour in taste.“ "If you have been lately missing the innocuous, small, unassuming, crispy hollow ball of fried dough, filled with a spicy stuffing made out of a potato-chickpea mash dunked in really tangy spicy jal jeera water, liberally infused with mint leaves with a dash of meetha chutney (optional) … well, your favourite phuchka, then here’s a history of how it came to Bengal. Bengal’s phuchka is unique. You can never compare it with its sisters Gol gappa, pani puri, pani ka pataasha, gup chup, tikki --- similar snacks that one gets in other parts of India. The name of this snack might have been derived from the word ‘phuch,’ the sound it makes when you take a bite. The unique feature of the phuchka lies in the fact that it is made of whole wheat, unlike the other varieties, where the body is made of flour (maida) or semolina (sooji). The phuchka water is also a lot more spicier and tangier than that used in the rest of the country. The origin of phuchka is mired in mystery. According to a legend, it first came into existence in the ancient Indian kingdom of Magadha. One of the 16 ‘Mahajanapadas’, or ‘Great Kingdoms’, of ancient India, the Kingdom of Magadha corresponded to what is now called South Bihar, that later became part of Bengal residency. While the exact time frame of its existence is unclear, it reportedly existed prior to 600 BCE. Both the Maurya and Gupta Empires had their origins in Magadha, and the region has fostered the birth and development of Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism." -- GetBangal

From my neighbors fantastically grown butternut squash and lemon grass..my lemon grass butternut squash carrot coconut bisque with torched butternut squash, leak, bok choy, beets, cilantro mint oil, and crab meat… "Bisque is a smooth, creamy, highly seasoned soup of French origin, classically based on a strained broth (coulis) of crustaceans. It can be made from lobster, langoustine, crab, shrimp, or crayfish. Alongside chowder, bisque is one of the most popular seafood soups. It is thought the name is derived from Biscay, as in Bay of Biscay, but the crustaceans are certainly bis cuites "twice cooked" (by analogy to a biscuit) for they are first sautéed lightly in their shells, then simmered in wine and aromatic ingredients, before being strained, followed by the addition of cream. The term 'bisque' is also sometimes used to refer to cream-based soups that do not contain seafood, in which the pre-cooked ingredients are pureed or processed in a food processor or a food mill. Common varieties include squash, tomato, mushroom, and red pepper. -- Wikipedia Squash soup is a soup prepared using squash as a primary ingredient. Squash used to prepare the soup commonly includes acorn and butternut squash. Squash soup is a soup in African cuisine. It is a part of the cuisine of Northern Africa, and the cuisines of Mozambique and Namibia, both of which are located in Southern Africa. Squash soup is also served in other countries and is a part of other cuisines. -- Wikipedia another day... "By afternoon, the light began to recede behind dark clouds, and the heavy sky began its letting go. We left the windows wide open, bundled up with blankets and listened to the drenching rain pour down hard – it felt like music. That evening, a comforting bowl of soup seemed to be just thing we needed… and this is how this glowing healing bowl of soup came into being. Glowing Carrot Ginger Turmeric Soup with Coconut Milk is light, luscious, earthy and flavorful. Fresh turmeric root gives it a hint of the exotic. I used carrot juice for part of the base to make it doubly carrot-y … which is optional, but adds even more carrot flavor, which I love. Serve this with hearty bread for a simple tasty meal. If fresh turmeric is nowhere to be found in your area, of course, you can use ground turmeric.” -- Feasting at Home "If you’ve never bothered to make your own lobster stock before, you may be wondering what all the hubbub is about. Can’t you just buy the canned broth or stock? Well, yes — and I won’t pass judgement on you for keeping a few cartons of chicken or beef broth in the pantry for a last minute meal. But when it comes to lobster stock – no. And here’s why – it’s not readily available – they don’t sell lobster stock in a convenient 1 quart carton — and even if they did, it wouldn’t be lobster — it would be salt with lobster-esque flavorings. “ -- Garlic and Zest

by spirited © Faisal Hoque from father to son korean night salmon tandoori slow-roasted lamb leg pasta al nero di seppia frenched lamb chops baked cod with hollandaise sauce barramundi over butternut squash bisque rice bowl 1 2 3 4 5

by discovery © Faisal Hoque poulet rôti (french roast chicken) poule au pot pie kobe beef au poivre spinach cheese soufflé provençal-roasted leg of lamb unadon (鰻丼) eel rice tuna tartare eggplant tarte tatin ossobuco alla milanese with saffron risotto 1 2 3 4 5

by mindful © Faisal Hoque french-japanese fusion torched carrots overflowing veal pot with spinach mousse japanese delectables salmon over veggie mousse yesso (英文) scallops baked flounder with red sushi rice kaiseki (懐石): my journey through rural japan japanese chilled tofu -- hiyayakko (冷奴) salmon teriyaki mishti doi (মিষ্টি দই) an homage to my mom's cooking 1 2 3 4