Friday, January 27, 2012

Meat...Around the World!

For the experiment on meat I decided to go cross culturally. For thousands of years, humans have been experimenting with pairing meat with separate flavors such as spices, sauces, marinades, and garnishes. Every place in the world has their own particular foods that have become tradition, and for many cultures, some of these traditional dishes are based around a variety of meat. For this experiment, I chose to do a sensory evaluation that samples traditional meat dishes from India, China, and Sicily. I chose to pick a dish from these three locations because each place embraces flavors that are different from the others. I chose dishes with three different meats, three different cooking styles, and three very different results!

INDIAN TIKKA KABOB
1 pound boneless lamb, cut into 2" pieces
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp garam masala
2 1/2 garlic flakes
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp sour cream
salt to taste

Puree all the ingredients, except the lamb, together in a blender. 

Pierce the cubes of lamb with a thick skewer or sharp knife so that a visible hole is made in the meat.

Place in the above puree in the hole of the meat and marinate overnight in a cold area (refrigerator). The idea is to allow the meat to marinate properly, which is the entire secret of the recipe.

When you are ready to cook, place the kabobs in a broiler pan to drain off excess juices. 

Heat the oven to a full broil for 15 minutes and place the kabobs in the oven.

Broil for about 15 minutes and remove from the oven. 

Turn the pieces over and broil for another 15 minutes. 

Sprinkle some fresh coriander leaves and serve hot. 

[RESULTS]

I marinated this for 2 days, and it was so worth it!
  • Odor
    • musky
    • deep
    • spicy, but not so much that it burns your nose
    • sweet and cinnamon-y
  • Touch
    • rough
    • crisp in thinner areas
    • muddy in very marinated sections
  • Taste
    • tangy
    • spicy
    • sweet
    • juicy
    • fresh flavors
    • strong and super flavorful from the long marinating period
  • Texture
    • hard to cut through at first
    • tough on the outside, soft on the inside
    • stringy in the center
    • compact fullness in the pieces
    • falls apart easily when chewed

EASTERN CHINESE SWEET & SOUR SPARERIBS
1/2 lb baby spare-ribs, cut into 1 1/2 inch in length
4 oz. vegetable oil
3/4 cup chicken stock 

(Seasoning) 
2 tbsp dark soy sauce 
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp red vinegar
1/4 cup green onion, cut into 1 inch in length 
1/4 cup ginger, threaded

Heat the oil in a frying pan, fry the spareribs until golden brown. Remove the spareribs and drain the oil. 

Place the spareribs in a non-sticking wok, add chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar, green onion, ginger, slow cook for about 20 minutes until meat is soft and little juice is left. You can adjust the juice during the cooking by adding a few tablespoons of water or turning the temperature higher to evaporate the water faster.

Add red vinegar in the wok, mix for 30 seconds and remove to serve


[RESULTS]




  • Odor:
    • sweet
    • tangy
    • pungent
    • smooth
    • savory
    • garlicky
  • Texture:
    • chewy 
    • spongey
    • rough
    • very slightly sandy
  • Touch:
    • crispy on the outside
    • sweet on the inside
  • Taste:
    • sweet
    • tangy
    • the kick of the ginger in the back of my throat
    • a little spicy

ITALIAN BEEF SPIEDINI WITH MOZZARELLA
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
2 tbsp chopped, fresh Italian parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound top round steak, cut into cutlets and pounded thin
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into thin sticks

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. 

Spread half of the seasoned crumbs evenly on a piece of wax paper. 

Brush 1 side of each cutlet with some of the oil. 

Transfer 1 beef cutlet, oiled-side down, to the wax paper and press gently so that the crumbs adhere. 

Place 1 piece of cheese and 1 tsp of the reserved crumb mixture along the short edge of the cutlet. 

If necessary, trim each piece of cheese so it does not protrude beyond the cutlet.

Roll the cutlet tightly, beginning at the cheese end to form a neat roll.

Thread the roll together with toothpicks. 

Repeat with the remaining cutlets.

(They can be covered and refrigerated for up to several hours before cooking.)

Preheat the broiler to medium. Broil, turning as necessary, until the meat is brown on the outside but still slightly pink in the center, about 5 minutes per side. 

[RESULTS]

  • Odor
    • very garlicy
    • savory and flavorful
    • slightly sweet, also salty
    • oil
  • Texture
    • digest-able
    • tender
    • melts/dissolves when chewed
    • chewy
    • stringy
  • Taste
    • buttery
    • juicy
    • savory
  • Touch
    • rough
    • sandy
    • moist
    • spongey

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