WEEDS DAY WEDNESDAY

Cooking classes are really my thing.. in fact, going to anything with food is my thing.

In the previous year, I attended a lot of food exhibits, fairs, midnight markets and a whole lot of other  events related to food! I even make it a point to take a food/cooking class whenever I go abroad; it's my way of getting engaged with the culture.

Fig 1. Turkish-spiced Chickpea
Quinoa salad.

Today was a little different. I went to a cooking class at Ayala Alabang to learn about some 'Fantastic Salads'. I first encountered the teacher at a local magazine's food fair at Rockwell Tent last year. I didn't get to watch her segment much then, but my Mom was impressed with her. I found out more about her within the year as she replaced one of the columnists in the food magazine I regularly buy, with her section promoting healthier approaches to cooking. I was very much interested in her vegan profile, so I decided to check out her classes this year.

I headed down to her place and was amazed that she had an audience of nine ladies, even though it was the middle of the week. She served Kombucha, a fermented sweetened tea which tastes (and smells) like Apple Cider Vinegar while waiting for the others. As pictured, we whipped up four different salads- something I am not an expert at even if a lot of people have the wrong assumption that greens make up the bulk of any nutritionist's refrigerator.

The Quinoa dish was a hit. For people who can't stand the thought of not eating rice for lunch (like most of my guy friends), I guess this wouldn't be so attractive...AT FIRST! But the luscious combination of flavors was hard to resist after I swallowed my first bite- I just had to have another serving. I was so indulged with the rich contrast in texture and flavor, that I forgot that it was meatless. The beans were filling enough for my tummy, while the roasted eggplants and tofu gave a close-to-meat texture. The blend of colors was equally delightful that you can't stare at it without wanting to dig in. 

I thought her choice of ingredients was very interesting. There was an abundance of spice, herbs, and citrus zest- always a pleasure to my olfactory nerves. I also got acquainted with the Quinoa and Wakame (type of seaweed) during the lesson- things I have never used in my cooking before.

Fig 2. Kidney Bean Salad.

Fig 3. Mediterranean Green Bean Salad 
with Caramelized Onions.

Like all food classes, I expected to learn some scientific principles on cooking. Fortunately I was able to gather a thing or two from the discussion. For example, aside from different storage methods, shelf lives, and recommended cooking times for broiling vegetables, she introduced trivia about the saponin in quinoa. Saponin, which is used in making soap, is a bitter compound that covers the grain and keeps birds from preying on them. Likewise, it is washed off before cooking during the first rinsing of the grains. It is also responsible for the cloudy liquid that forms in the pot after initial rinsing (very similar to washing rice).

Fig 4. Seaweed Salad with 
Avocado and Tofu.

The class took about 4 hours. And I was really happy that everything was hands on. Every one of us had our own knife and board to work with, meaning everyone got their hands dirty. I was especially impressed with the different high-end kitchen equipment, colorful utensils and delicate China she owned. I AM SO HAVING THAT KIND OF KITCHEN WHEN I GET MARRIED.

We took pictures of the food after, ate the salads for lunch and even took the leftovers home. I wasn't sure if the plating of the dishes was really a competition but I wanted to nail it because (I believe) food styling and photography is my element. Honestly speaking, most of the photographs and styling I've done before were copied off a magazine. Still, it would be a shame if I couldn't show off any of that here. (I plated salads 1 and 4)

MY FAVORITES (IN ORDER): 
1st: Turkish spiced quinoa...because having been brought up in the Middle East, I miss eating cuisines with the same Arabian flair!
2nd: Seaweed Salad...after going to Japan last year, I have fallen in love with seaweed. And the thought of mixing it up with avocado and tofu is a GENIUS Asian culinary ensemble.
3rd: Med Green Bean salad... because it incorporated sweet potato- something i'd never do even in my most creative mode. And because I like green and orange (my 2 fave colors in the whole world)
4th: Kidney Bean salad... a 3/5. Mango is too cliche in my salads. I learnt how to make a Sicilian salad in an Italian restaurant before. It's very similar to this one, so that wasn't new for me. It was still delicious though :)

I brought a big container so I had 2 plates full of greens (leftover from class) for dinner earlier tonight. I wonder what time I'll be able to fall asleep later. Hopefully vegan diets won't cause me the same kind of insomnia any other regular dinner does...