The Fabulous Asian-Mexican Fusion Food Fiesta

A few of us, Camille, Peter and I, among others who frequent the Mexican Kitchen Forum of Mexconnect.com were chatting about this and that some months ago. "Sergio Gómez" started the topic of "Fusion food". We then got the idea to get together in the Pátzcuaro area this summer when Camille was visiting, and cook and enjoy some Asian dishes.

The challenge is to make the dishes with the available local, Mexican ingredients. I'd promote the idea of finding common ground in both Mexcan and Asian dishes, that would would fuse in a harmonious way. Obviously, this approach is not for purists nor traditionalists. We just wanted to have fun and eat some delicious foods together.
We decided to have the vent on July 4th at our home on the Rancho, but nature and a broken water pump intervened, so we moved it to the home of our friend Didi. See La Semana Ch***ada, on my other blog, Surviving La Vida Buena, Amazingly, it all came together and it was very enjoyable, despite the water shortage here and the various strains.

Here's the menu and explanations of some of the dishes by the cooks.

Appetizers— Entradas

Vietnamese Spring Rolls with rice paper wrappers, shrimp and fresh herbs; Peanut Sauce. — Didi

“Vietnamese Springrolls with Thai peanut sauce and Salsa Mexicana con Mango*

The spring rolls consisted of red leaf lettuce, cilantro, mint (should have had basil but....next time) and shredded jicama and carrot with prawns, wrapped in a rice paper leaf.

The peanut sauce was in a base of coconut milk, fresh ground peanuts (because the peanut butter available here is NOT what I consider peanut butter), seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce (I used Valentinos) and a dash of sugar.

The mango sauce was just a standard Salsa Mexicana (jalapenos, jitomates, onion, cilantro with lime, salt and of course, mangos)"

Marble Tea Eggs, Ginger, soy, vinegar and sesame oil dressing —Don Cuevas. Photo courtesy of WikiPedia.org

“Based on recipes in various Chinese cookbooks, the eggs are first hard cooked, cooled, cracked with the back of a spoon, then simmered for three hours in salted tea, soy sauce, star anise and here, the untraditional chile morita. When peeled, the eggs have a fascinating marbleized effect and a subtle, nutty spice taste.”

Egg rolls made with masa wrappers, chicharrón filling. Sweet and Sour Chiles Rellenos en Cazuela — Peter

“Tere and I prepared sweet and sour chiles rellenos and egg rolls with a Mexican twist. Since the sweet and sour sauce was served alongside the chiles it is likely not everyone applied the sweet and sour sauce and there was also a standard salsa of tomato, onion, and flavored with some powdered caldo de pollo to also go on the chiles. The chiles were stuffed with the regular cheese and a mixture of cabbage, onion, egg, and chicharrón.

The egg rolls were also stuffed with the cabbage and chicharrón mixture (minus the cheese) and the wrappers were prepared with my pasta maker using half regular wheat flour and half harina maíz with a bit of corn starch to add crispness, water, and a touch of olive oil. These were also intended to be used with the sweet and sour sauce that was lightly flavored with raspberry and kicked up a notch with just a bit of serrano chile.

Croquetas de Salmón with Mole Sauce on the side. — Ron

Main Courses — Platos Fuertes

Chiles Rellenos en cacerola, Caldillo de tomate. (See description above.) — Peter and Tére

Green Mango and Shrimp Salad,  chopped roasted peanuts— Camille

“I did Som Tum, grated green mango and shrimp dressed with lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar, topped with crushed peanuts.”

Brochetas de Pollo o de Cerdo al Pastor, con pimientos dulces, cebolleta y piña. Don Cuevas.

“A take off on carne al pastor, but on skewers a la satay, with some Hue Spice powder in the adobo.”

Vegetarian Mushroom Lo Mein, Mu Hsu style — Don Cuevas.

“Fine Chinese noodles, tossed with wild Michoacán hongos and shiitakes, dried lily flowers and tree ears; in mushroom oyster sauce gravy.”

Sides and Salsas

Arroz Frito —Ann and Richard

“We brought the fried rice.  It was the basic fried rice recipe from About.com. This link should work. “ http://chinesefood.about.com/od/ricefried/r/basicfriedrice.htm

Setas a la Parrilla —Ron

Didi’s Mango Pico de Gallo See * above.

Don Cuevas' Salsa Borracha de Piña y Mango

“The chunks of pineapple used in fermenting the tepache were diced and mixed with fresh mango, red serrano chiles, lime juice and sweet red pepper.”

Shirley’s Purple Asian Plum Sauce

“The recipe I used was from the Internet RecipeZaar, called "Asian Plum Sauce"  Check it out.  I didn't have all the ingredients; soooo, here is my recipe."— Shirley   

4 garlic cloves minced

Zest of 1 lime (to replace a 1/2 oz. I didn't have)

1 sm onion minced

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 white sugar

2 cups water

1/8 cup soy sauce (recipe called for 1/8 c. Teriyaki, I didn't have it)

pinch of Hot pepper powder  (recipe. called for 1/2 tsp crushed pizza pepper, I didn't  have)

11/2 pounds of plums pitted and quartered

1 lime juiced

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp water

1 tsp butter

Place first 9 ingreds. into pot bring to boil stir and cook for 30 mins.

Cool a bit then put in BLENDER to liquify all the solids.  Then STRAIN it back into the pot.

Start to heat it again and when hot add butter and melt.  Mix cornstarch and water and add stirring  and cook to the thickest you want.   It will be thicker at room temp.

I really liked the addition of the " Salsa Chle de Árbol Cosecha Purhépecha" that was on the table at Mariscos La Güera.” — Shirley Ashely

Don Cuevas' Yellow Plum and Chile Perón Sauce:

“Don’t ask! It was a RPITA to make."
(Next time, pit the plums before cooking, as it's the lesser of two friegas.)

Peter’s Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Ron’s Mole

Drinks Bebidas

Tepache with green orange and ginger. 

Naranjada de naranja verde, hecha con agua mineral

Agua mineral with Ginger-Sichuan Pepper-Star Anise Piloncillo Syrup (The three above by Don Cuevas)

Beer, wine, assorted spirits

Desserts Postres 

Key Lime Pie — Shirley

Peanut Butter Cocolate Kiss Cookies — Georgia

“My contribution wasn't really an Asian fusion dish.....and I am not sure what they are called.  Peanut butter cookies kissed by Hersey's?!”

HELP
Great help from Doña Cuevas, Doña Lupe and her son. Mil gracias a Didi for rescing us from impending disaster.

So concludes the First Annual Asian—Mexican Fusion Food Fiesta.

Slide show photos courtesy of Shirley Ashely and Camille Waters. More coming.