36 PreparedFoods.com SEPTEMBER 2017

CULINARY CREATIONS

CONSUMERS ARE finding them-

selves with an ever-growing appetite for

adventure when it comes to their food.

Yet they also are finding themselves

short on the time it takes to forage and

build the food—fundamental experi-

ences when cooking at home.

Meeting this demand is the grow-

ing availability of prepared simmer

sauces, flavored broths, spice packets, and

ready-to-heat accompaniments in the su-

permarket. Answering the call from the

other side is a surge in meal kit home-de-

livery companies, such as Blue Apron Inc.,

Meez Meals LLC, and Hello Fresh AG.

What these modular meal concepts

share is a distinct culinary shift to the

East: Consumers are showing their

adventurousness by requesting Asian

culinary experiences from these sourc-

es. And not just any Asian, but more

eclectic experiences, from pan-Asian

“broth bowls” to Korean bulgogi to the

classic Bangkok dish, pad Thai. South

Asian cuisines, too, are having their

moment in the limelight, with such

recipes as Indian biryani and Malaysian

Panang curry landing on dining tables.

Driving these trends is the fact that,

while these cuisines are in high de-

mand, they are not easy to make from

scratch. Whether it is unfamiliarity with

the finer details of their favorite foods,

lack of time or skill, or just difficulty

in finding the ingredients, consumers

are turning to meal kits, bought or

delivered, to satisfy their cravings for

culinary exploration.

While these emerging and flourish-

ing food trends are coming from Asia

with the speed and sizzle of oil in a hot

wok, chefs are enjoying the opportu-

nity to flex their expertise and create

the components that make it all hap-

pen. But for the creative research chef,

a major portion of the process is all

about sourcing the right ingredients.

The ingredients for these more ex-

otic culinary creations must, above all,

be authentic. For example, Thai Direct

Inc., established last year, bills itself as

“the first authentic Thai meal kit com-

pany...bringing authentic Thai fresh

ingredients and best recipes.” The com-

pany stresses that, through its service,

“all home chefs can cook homemade

Thai meals and enjoy the authentic

Thai food experience without the trou-

ble of finding Thai ingredients, such as

fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, galangal,

Thai chili peppers, Thai holy basil, etc.,

that are rarely available at typical super-

markets or grocery stores.”

DIY AsianAsian food and beverage products are in high demand, and definitely on trend.

KEYPOINTS1. As Millennials show increased interest in home-

made meals, processors are developing modular

components to appeal to the demographic’s

demand for convenience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2. South and Southwest Asian flavors are

spreading beyond cookie-cutter Indian and

incorporating more regional aspects of the

subcontinent as well as cuisines of the

surrounding areas, such as Pakistani,

Afghani, and Sri Lankan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3. Indonesian, Filipino, and other less-

represented culinary influences are gaining

interest among chefs as Asian offerings continue

to expand beyond the now-mainstream Korean,

Thai, and Vietnamese products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4. American consumers hunger for more exotic

Eastern flavors, and processors turn to the

growing availability of unique ingredients to

serve them. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

John Umlauf, Contributing Editor

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Even for developers making the kits

or components, genuine ingredients

might not be readily available from a

current vendor or distributor. It’s also

possible that members of the purchas-

ing department might not know what

the ingredients are that are being re-

quested of them.

To meet the challenge of creating

“modular” Asian foods that meet

consumer demands for authenticity,

convenience, and flavor, experimen-

tation and creative sourcing will be

necessary. But it is here that interplay

with other team members, colleagues,

and ingredient suppliers can be of the

highest value.

Sauces on Simmer

American Halal Co. Inc.’s Saffron

Road Foods launched its line of

pouched simmer sauces back in 2010.

Converting authentic, intricate South

and Southeast Asian cuisines to such

a “heat and eat” format proved to be a

significant challenge. Not many man-

ufacturing plants for hot-fill pouches

were available at that time because the

category was still relatively new in the

US. Once that hurdle was surmount-

ed, sourcing some of the ingredients

was difficult.

This was compounded by the fact

that the plant that could perform the

hot-filling of sauce pouches was under

strict kosher supervision. In many

cases, rare ingredients might only be

available from small purveyors or for-

eign countries. Those purveyors might

not have the resources or funds to

undergo kosher (or halal or similar)

supervision and certification.

For example, it was necessary to

develop and manufacture such fun-

damental ingredients as red and green

Thai curry pastes from scratch instead

of using purchased versions. In recre-

ating many of these formulas stateside,

the bar is raised to adhere to authentic-

ity in the absence of the right regional

ingredients.

In classic Thai curries, coconut

milk is a key component. However,

true Thai food is not typically over-

ly “coconutty”, that is, the coconut

flavor is delicately balanced with a

careful ménage of leaves, roots, and

spices. These ingredients elevate

the experience beyond mere for-

mulaic recipes.

Coriander, cumin, birds’ eye

chili pepper; lemongrass, kaffir

lime leaf, and galangal root engage

in nuanced interplays of flavor and

aroma. But, while these ingredi-

ents are readily available as dried

ground powders, in Thailand they

would be fresh.

This is where some careful work-

arounds can help. It is possible, for

example, to build the galangal base

pungency and tartness with ginger (a

cousin of galangal), then accent that

Meeting the demand for do-it-yourself Asian cuisine is the growing availability of prepared

simmer sauces, flavored broths, noodles or rice, and spice packets.

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Ingredients for exotic

culinary creations must be,

above all, authentic.

38 PreparedFoods.com SEPTEMBER 2017

CULINARY CREATIONS

build the basic tartness with lemon juice and

add the characteristic earthy flavor notes with

lemongrass powder.

Fish sauce, too, has become common enough

to source easily. But it also presents allergen is-

sues. In this case, a dry tamari powder will work

as well. Nori powder can be included in minute

amounts to bring that seafood-like umami note

back into the picture.

Tamarind is also an essential component

of certain Thai dishes, especially a proper pad

Thai. Fortunately, since many Mexican and

Central American dishes also use tamarind,

the paste is easy to get. However, quality varies

greatly. Choose a tamarind paste that is moist,

free of pits, has minimal fiber and is low in pH

(high acid). The low pH will give it an improved

shelflife plus drive the final flavor as well.

Korean Is Hot

Korean cuisine has become especially pop-

ular in the US of late. Pungent and spicy

Gochujang sauce has been taking off as

the “next sriracha.” The classic version is

powdered Gochugaru chili pepper flakes,

compounded with fermented soybean pow-

der (known as mejukaru), plus a flour made

from either sweet rice, brown rice, barley, or

wheat and sweetened with rice syrup, barley

malt syrup, and salt.

Another ingredient considered indispens-

able to authentic Korean cuisine is doenjang, a

thick, fermented paste made from soybeans and

brine. It adds just the right amount of umami

and “twang” to a sauce or condiment.

In using this cornerstone of Korean cuisine

(completely unfamiliar to US consumers a few

with the easy-to-acquire galangal powder.

The latter will provide the key resin-like

high notes.

By the same token, a kaffir lime base

pungency and tartness can start with lime

juice that is enhanced with kaffir lime leaf

powder. Fresh lemongrass has become far

more available in just the past few years,

but if necessary, chefs may use it in puréed

form. Still, as a last resort, it is possible to

Crafting authentic

Asian cuisine some-

times calls for creative

ingredient sourcing.

40 PreparedFoods.com SEPTEMBER 2017

CULINARY CREATIONS

years ago) for a simmer sauce, it now

is possible to source the sauce itself

from a number of purveyors. Howev-

er, the Gochugaru pepper itself is crit-

ical to authenticity. Its fruity, some-

what musky-with-a-hint-of-tobacco

notes are unique, and it is important

to obtain it from a reputable vendor.

There are many versions of Go-

chugaru pepper available from

China. However, these do not have

the characteristic deep and earthy

flavor notes of Korean peppers.

The dried peppers have a shorter

shelflife than most other dried pep-

pers, so they should be purchased

when needed or as close to when

needed as possible. Another option

is storing the peppers in vacuum

packs in the freezer.

A suitable “Gochujang-like” sauce

can be prepared by combining Go-

chugaru pepper, rice flour, and white

miso. For a classic bulgogi preparation,

use pear juice to build the fruit and

sweet notes of this traditional sauce.

Pear juice concentrate is best, in this

case, because the concentration pro-

cess keeps pH and brix predictable.

These factors are extremely import-

ant when commercializing a simmer

sauce in a shelf-stable pouch.

Liquid Gold

Nona Lim Kitchens LLC is deep-

ly attuned to the DIY Asian ethos

trending in the US. The company’s

new Spicy Szechuan Bone Broth was

directly inspired by Spices, a small

but highly popular Szechuan restau-

rant in Oakland, California. The

complicated and exotic flavors of the

restaurant’s signature soups involve

complex spices, multiple types of

peppers in a single recipe, and truly

unconventional ingredients, such as

pig’s blood and pig’s stomach.

In creating its bone broth, Nona

Lim strived for that same level of

“wonderful complexity and punch,”

but with the ingredients the com-

pany positions as the healthy foun-

dation for accessible “everyday”

meals. To accomplish this, the chefs

started with an all-natural beef and

chicken bone broth slowly sim-

mered for 30 hours.

The challenge was to develop com-

plex flavor in the slow-cooked broth

using plant-based spices and vegeta-

bles. This included recreating it with-

out turning to MSG, shellfish, fish

sauce, or pork products.

The popularity of South Asian cuisine in the US can be attributed in part to the expert renditions of

its complex sauces in ready-to-use formats.

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Make Nice with Rice

Rice and rice noodles, a fundamental component of Asian cuisine, have undergone a revolution. But

differentiation in these ingredients has only come recently to consumers. Leading this development is a

special kind of rice from Thailand, the world leader in rice exports. Thai hom mali rice (also called Thai

jasmine rice), a highly aromatic, medium-grain rice, adds an extra dimension to meals by imparting its

own singular, yet non-intrusive flavor. Consumer awareness of the rice has led to increased demand for

it by name, and processors are responding. For example, earlier this year Lundberg Family Farms Inc.

worked with the Thai Organic & Fairtrade Agriculture Group and a select network of Thai rice farmers to

bring organic, fair-trade, non-GMO Thai hom mali jasmine rice to the US in fast-prep heat & eat packets.

The company offers brown jasmine and red jasmine varieties, as well as a special red and white blend.

SEPTEMBER 2017 PreparedFoods.com 41

The final formulations also used, depending

on the product, many kinds of peppers, garlic,

and Asian flavors, including mushrooms, lime

juice, ginger, bay, white peppercorns, cinna-

mon, star anise, and cloves among others.

The company’s Vegan Miso Ramen Broth

also needed to meet the challenge of attain-

ing a meaty depth of flavor, yet without

using any animal-based flavors. The result

ended up employing ingredients such as

seaweed, tahini, red miso, and sake in a veg-

etable broth. When combined with noodles

or rice and fresh sliced veggies, it makes a

fast and flavorful vegan lunch.

Marketing the broths as kits to serve with

pad Thai noodles, bean sprouts, and choices

of protein (such as pork belly or beef skew-

ers) puts Nona Lim squarely in the center

of the modular concept of DIY Asian cui-

sine. The company’s products are quick to

prepare, full of flavor, and convenient as an

easy lunch or dinner.

Emerging food trends travel on adaptability

to American preferences, like re-imagining

popular Vietnamese lettuce wraps with good old

American turkey.

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Rice Noodles at the Ready

Another big DIY inspiration for the Nona

Lim brand came in creating a line of glu-

ten-free rice noodles. For these, Nona Lim

turned to her youth in Singapore, a na-

tion known for its dozens of noodle stalls

lining the streets. These walk-up venues

specialize in noodles for soups and stir-

fries that are a lunchtime standard for

Singaporeans.

At Batory Foods we offer a powerful mix of the highest quality

protein products and industry knowledge to make your

formulation a success. Whether you’re looking for a

single protein ingredient or a full complement of plant or

animal based proteins, you’ve come to the right place.

For more information, talk to our Protein Experts at

SSW booth II165, visit batoryfoods.com or call 800.367.6975

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42 PreparedFoods.com SEPTEMBER 2017

CULINARY CREATIONS

Paying homage to the traditional rec-

ipes but as gluten-free and non-GMO,

Nona Lim Kitchens created a versatile line

of Indonesian laksa, pad Thai and pad

see ew rice noodles. Each of them can be

prepared with just a one-minute blanch

in boiling water, then added to broth or

lightly sau téed with Asian sauces, vege-

tables and/or protein. The result is a DIY

Asian stir-fry in under five minutes. The

noodles replicate the street-food level of con-

venience but are designed for home kitchens in

the US.

Saffron Road recently teamed up with

Nona Lim’s Kitchens to create a club-store

version of its pad Thai frozen entrée for the

refrigerated case. Rice noodles are delicate

and usually have a short shelflife, which

could have been a major concern. However,

Nona Lim’s contribution to the collabora-

tion was authentic, precooked noodles with

a shelflife of more than 60 days.

The resulting meal kit consists of a

pouch of fully cooked and ready-to-heat

Nona Lim Pad Thai Noodles with a pouch

of Saffron Road Pad Thai sauce (made with

tamarind and fish sauce), plus a pouch of

fully cooked boneless chicken. Also in-

cluded are a pouch of fresh yellow soybean

sprouts and carrots for garnish.

The ingredients for successful exotic culinary

creations must, above all, be authentic. But

putting it all together must be foolproof.

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Frozen Shredded Agé(tofu pouch)

Frozen Organic Cubed Tofu Cutlet

Japanese Mixed Rice withAgéCu

bed

Tofu

Cutlet Stir Fry

44 PreparedFoods.com SEPTEMBER 2017

CULINARY CREATIONS

The noodles plump correctly when

microwaved, while the sauce does not

break and the chicken stays moist. All the

consumer needs is a handful of crushed

peanuts, and a true DIY Asian meal is on

the table in under 15 minutes. PF

John Umlauf

began his career

at the feet of an

old-time butcher

in a corner meat

shop and became

a meat-cutter

apprentice by

age 16. Moving

into a culinary

career, he became an executive chef before

returning to the meat business in 2002,

where he helped to found several successful

“new paradigm” meat brands, including

Dole & Bailey Inc.’s Northeast Family Farms.

Umlauf also was a founder of Twin Rivers

Foods Inc. certified halal grass-fed meats in

2005 before becoming senior vice president

of culinary operations at American Halal Co.

Inc.’s Saffron Road Foods. He can be reached

at John@SaffronRoadFood.com or through

this magazine.

Spice blends and flavored broths can take the complication out of replicating some of the compli-

cated—and less familiar—seasonings that distinguish different Asian cuisines.

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