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Monthly archives for September, 2009

11 compelling reasons to try liquid nitrogen ice cream

Sep29
2009 5 Comments Written by chefshane

Liquid nitrogen ice cream. Why?

  1. LN2 ice cream is so FRESH. It's only 2 minutes old when you eat it.
  2. It's made in 60 seconds to 3 minutes – so it's fast. It can be done artisan style, or scaled up for groups 
  3. Making the ice cream is a pretty awe-inspiring show with thick plumes of vapour billowing everywhere
  4. The -196ºC temperature stops lactose crystallisation, which = the smoothest ice cream physically possible.
  5. Health. Ingredients are all natural – no preservatives, stabilisers, emulsifiers or artificial additives needed  
  6. Can be adjusted to almost any diet: vegan, vegetarian, diabetic, low GI, allergies, low fat – almost anything.
  7. The ice cream can be adjusted to personal taste, sampled and changed as you go
  8. LN2 is cold enough to freeze alcohol, caramel and sweet syrups – difficult to do with 'normal' ice cream
  9. Guests love it. It's become the most popular selling item at Boudoir Kazakhstan, Centara Grand Beach Resort Krabi, and now at Pullman Beach  Resort Danang
  10. Money. It doesn't cost a lot, and it gives far better texture and taste in ice cream than using a $10,000 ice cream machine. 
  11. If you need a LOT of ice cream – no problem. Make one very big batch :-)

Liquid nitrogen ice cream is one of my 'signatures' and I've been making it table-side in my hotels and restaurants since 2007.
It became a firm favourite when I tried making it for the first time in "Boudoir", located of all places in Almaty, the "City of Apples" and the old capital of Kazakhstan.
Boudoir was a lounge bar restaurant and our clients were insanely wealthy Kazakhs, the designer-dressed 'social set', the diplomats, bankers, oil tycoons and the expat business leaders.

We charged a small fortune, and specialised in live mud crab "Singapore peppercrab" style, stunning oxygen foam "cocktails", and of course the liquid nitrogen ice cream.
Kazakhstan is also pretty famous (or infamous?) for their huge consumption of horse meat, which is on display at the central market

To make Liquid Nitrogen ice cream you need liquid nitrogen of course.
The keep liquid nitrogen (also known as "LN2") you need a special vented insulated container made especially for liquid nitrogen.
This stops it evaporating to quickly, and is safe to store and handle. The container cost is pretty high – over $1000 for a big one, so that investment puts a lot of people off.
LN2 can be VERY dangerous under certain conditions, and it must NEVER be put into a sealed container, or a "non-approved" container.
As it warms, it expands rapidly, so if it has nowhere to expand to, it can explode!
Here's an article I wrote on LN2 ice cream with a little more detail

The place you buy the liquid nitrogen from will usually sell the storage 'dewar', or maybe can loan/hire/rent one to you.
This is essential in a country with OHS laws!
We didn't have that issue in Almaty, so we picked up our LN2 in a local Kazakh Thermos flask with an ill-fitting cork lightly sitting on the top, allowing us to keep the LN2 for 48 hours. The glass inside the thermos would shatter from temperature shock every few weeks, but at $7 each it was more of an inconvenience than a financial problem

It turned out to be a huge success, and these days I have proper equipment – a 45 litre liquid nitrogen storage dewar, a 3.8 litre portable LN2 dewar, service trolleys, bowls, whisks and some sexy carved marble ice cream bowls that we designed specially.
We keep them in the freezer and the ice cream doesn't melt so quickly

As I mentioned in point 11:  If you need a LOT of ice cream – no problem. Make a very big batch 
I wasn't joking. We often do just that. It looks cool, and it's a LOT of fun.

Now we offer 21 flavours on my liquid nitrogen ice cream menu which is a popular treat as we're located right on the beach in central Vietnam.
Once again, this is a best seller, and almost everyone who stays here tries it.

It's still going strong in Centara Grand Beach Resort Krabi, and you can even make it yourself at home using a product called 'dippin dots

This is a 'must try' food, and once you try it, you'll love it.

 

Posted in Dessert, Sweet, Pastry & Bread, Exotic meats & ingredients, Fusion & Contemporary, Gluten free - Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Toasted coconut liquid nitrogen ice cream LN2

Sep29
2009 Leave a Comment Written by chefshane

Today I gave some of the chefs in my brigade an introduction to using super-cold liquid nitrogen (known as LN2)…..to make ice cream.

We introduced a dedicated liquid nitrogen ice cream menu a few weeks after this video was shot, and we ended up with 
 five great flavours made at the table by our Thai chefs and service staff.
 The chefs were hyped up by the demonstration, and couldn't wait to start this in the restaurant.

We did a few demo runs with me making the ice cream, and then we did hands-on training focused on safety, handling, 
and getting the texture and flavour just right.

Interestingly I was the first to introduce liquid nitrogen ice cream to Kazakhstan, the first to introduce it to South Thailand, and also the first to introduce it to Vietnam. Where next?  ;-)

This version is made with toasted coconut, coconut palm sugar, whipping cream and coconut milk.
 You can make a Vegan version by replacing the dairy whipping cream with thick coconut cream.

Like to find out more about liquid nitrogen ice cream? here's a post about why it's so good
Still keen to know more?
Check out this ezinearticle about Liquid nitrogen ice cream,
or fast forward to August 2012 and have a look at
my current LN2 ice cream menu
at Pullman Beach Resort Danang in central Vietnam

Posted in Exotic meats & ingredients, Fusion & Contemporary - Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Barramundi, Sea Bass, whatever!

Sep25
2009 Leave a Comment Written by chefshane

In October I have a few food promotions to do, and in Lotus Court restaurant the theme is “Going Bananas”.
When I first got here to Krabi I found an excellent fish, referred to as “Sea Bass”.
It’s not the Chilean or Euro one.
It is actually BARRAMUNDI, which I have always been told is native to Australia.
The name is, but nobody told the fish that it had to swim close to Cairns and Darwin.
And they are ig, wild, affordable,sustainable and….well…..just awesome!

I have this passionate love affair with bacon and bananas ever since my Grandma and Mum tried to fatten me up with that combo at breakfast as a wee lad.
When I got older I did the ‘prawns in bacon’ thing, and after discovering Thai food and becoming an old jaded chef it sort of morphed into prawns wrapped in bacon with banana massaman curry.
Being easily bored, and rarely satisfied, this week I tweaked it a bit and came up with the best combination ever.
Sea Bass roasted in pancetta, with banana massaman curry, and fresh coconut, green apple & ginger salad.

This is actually a little dangerous to eat on holiday, because its almost better than sex.
Imagine going on honeymoon, and your newly betrothed cannot be coaxed into the bedroom due to a gustatory fixation with the new fish dish!

Barramundi / Sea bass 2x220g
pancetta, thinly sliced, 4-6 pieces (enough to wrap 2 pieces of fish)
mature brown coconut
green apple
fresh julienne of young ginger root
lime juice
roasted sliced coconut
bananas – 2 each
butter – 15g / 2-3 tsp
massaman curry paste – 1 dsp/30g
coconut milk 200ml / 3/4 a cup
brown sugar 1 tsp (5g)
fish sauce (Thai nam pla) 2-3 ml (a few drops to taste)
sweet basil leaves (Thai if possible, or Italian)

Basically, you need to:

  1. Get a nice FRESH 220g fillet of barramundi/sea bass with the skin on, and wrap it in a couple of thin slices of pancetta. Pan fry it briefly to set the pancetta, then  finish in the oven at 180 degrees C. About 9-12 minutes if it is nice and thick
  2. Sauté the Massaman curry paste in the butter (medium heat) for 30 seconds, and when it smells great, add a little coconut milk. Split, then add the rest, simmer and add the rough chopped bananas. Saute another 1-2 minutes, then season with brown sugar, fish sauce, basil leaves and a touch of frshly ground black pepper.
  3. Make the salad FRESH. Open and slice the coconut, thicker than matchsticks so you keep some crunch. Toss with the fresh green apple and ginger root julienne strips. Season with a squeeze of lime and a dash of fish sauce.
  4. Serve, and be idolised.
Posted in Uncategorized - Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

A sexy Thai salad

Sep24
2009 Leave a Comment Written by chefshane

I was just playing around with one of my sous chefs this week (in the nicest possible way) and we ended up getting a wee bit creative.
The the commis from the Japanese kitchen chimed in, and we suddenly had an enthusiastic kitchen, all trying to do cool things.
You know, that is REALLY what it is all about.
That, and the guests who take the time to comment – to care – and to enjoy.
We started off with the old standard “yum pla duk fuu” – or crispy catfish salad. A traditional Thai dish (well – Isaan to be picky), outrageously flavoursome and packed with textures and flavour contrasts.
Prapan suggested some black chilli jam and sweet crisp anchovies. I demurred, he smiled and talked about lemongrass, I said add basil, and we both agreed on roasted coconut and coconut milk.
WOW.
This is my new favourite salad.
Crispy fish salad with black chilli jam, roasted coconut, lemongrass and palm heart

One whole catfish (300-400g) or similar soft fleshed, tasty fish
120g fresh young coconut palm heart*
salt
Fresh Thai sweet basil leaves
spring onion
shallots (small red onions)
nam prik pao (black chilli jam)
coconut milk – freshly squeezed is best
mature coconut flesh (sliced thin & roasted or pan fried)
lemongrass, husk removed, & white part very finely sliced
Bake / grill or roast the fish. All of it. Skin on.
Remove the skin, flake off the cooked fish, then pop it onto a chopping board.
Chop it with a sharp knife until it looks – chopped! Not mashed.
Get a wok, and put a couple of cups of oil in, and heat it quite hot.
This bit is tricky. Too hot, and it’s going to burn.
Too cool, it’s going to ‘poach’ and get oily.
You are aiming for a brisk heat where you can ‘rain’ the chopped fish into the oil, and it starts to froth and sizzle with a bit of attitude.
It should take about 1 minute to cook.
When you sprinkle it quickly into the hot oil, push it towards the centre, and as it goes crisp and golden, turn it over and deep fry the top.
When crisp and golden, take it out, and drain it for 20 seconds. It should be a tasty, crispy lattice of pure fish that looks like a sea sponge made out of fried breadcrumbs.
Take the ‘nam prik pao’ (sold commercially as ‘chilli paste in soybean oil’) and mix in some coconut cream until it tastes great. About 2 tsp/ 20g of nam prik pao, and I’d say 100ml / 5 tbsp of coconut cream.
Slice the fresh coconut palm heart into thick julienne. Too fine, it loses it’s crunch.
*No FRESH coconut palm heart? then grab a mature (hairy brown) coconut, get the flesh out, and slice that. AWESOME!
Toss all the ingredients – but only half of the crispy fish.
After LIGHTLY combined, add remaining crispy fish, toss for 5 seconds very lightly, and serve!
Garnish with coconut cream, and some roasted dry red chillies.
This is SERIOUSLY good tasting, and caters real Thai to even the most jaded Asian food aficionados.
Done Thai every day and sick of it?
Try it. Tell me I’m wrong :-)
Posted in Uncategorized - Tagged , , , , , , , ,
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