(no subject)

[coraa]

The Bellevue Uwajimaya does Asian cooking lessons which seem to be fairly well-regarded, and I'm interested in taking some. Problem is? I'm interested in all of them, and there are ten classes for the fall series, and at $65-75 apiece, I can't really afford to take them all. I'm going to limit myself to four, and I'm interested in what everyone else thinks would be good to take. :D

I'm not going to promise to go with what the poll says -- I know I like weird seafood more than some of you, which will skew things, and I'll probably be partly going for a mix (different countries, types of food, etc) -- but I am interested to see what everyone thinks. This is a poll because everyone loves tickyboxes, but I'd be curious to hear why the various classes sound good to you, too. (And I do love to cook for people, so if you're local and would be interested in trying some stuff once I learn to make it, mention that too. One of the classes is vegetarian food.)



Sushi I
Sushi rolling is easier than you think! Learn the basics of this Japanese art using your own two hands. Start with the essentials of preparing perfectly seasoned rice and popular roll fillings, then create your own rolls and traditional starters.

Dishes made: Miso Soup, Futomaki (Big Roll), California Roll (Inside-out Roll), Hosomaki (Small Roll), Sunomono (Cucumber Salad)

Sushi II (Requires Sushi I)
Take your sushi-rolling abilities to the next level with Chef Hajime Sato. Trace the history of sushi from its traditional roots to its modern day offshoots. Learn how and why to eat sushi with ginger and wasabi, what flavors blend in a roll, and when to add special sauces to enhance your rolls. Then practice making your own rolls.

Dishes made: Spider Roll, Tempura Vegetable Roll, Caterpillar Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, Hand Roll

Sushi III (The Art of Nigiri Sushi) (Does not appear to require Sushi I or II)
Bring a sharp knife and an apron and get ready to raise your sushi IQ. Hajime Sato, owner and sushi chef of Mashiko, will show you how to cut sashimi fish and demonstrate expert preparation of Nigiri-style sushi. Then it will be your turn to practice!

Dishes made: Sake (Salmon), Tako (Octopus), Unagi (Eel), Gunkan Maki (Battleship Rolls)

Dim Sum
Literally meaning “to touch your heart,” bite-sized Dim Sum morsels originated in the teahouses of China long ago. And they’re as fun to eat as they are to make. Enjoy the hands-on experience of pinching, rolling, steaming and baking a cornucopia of delightful Asian delicacies.

Dishes made: Vegetarian Spring Rolls, Scallop Sui Mai, Hum Bow (Steamed Buns), Lo Mai Gai (Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf)

Thai Curries and Seafood
Throughout SE Asia, cooks use freshly made curry pastes because they deliver the best flavors. You can learn to make your own curry pastes quickly and easily in this hands-on class. We cover which pastes go with different ingredients, then you get to make each paste and a delicious dish to compliment it.

Dishes made: Thai Red Curry Paste-- Curry with Kabocha Squash and Chicken, Thai Green Curry Paste—Cod in Green Coconut Curry Sauce, Thai Mussaman Curry Paste-- Massaman Curry with Beef

Noodles and Stir-fry
Cooking dinner is a breeze when you make these traditional Asian family favorites. Discover how to add whatever’s fresh and in season to your noodle or stir-fry dish. Plus, pick up a few shortcuts that make whipping up a delightful, home-cooked meal even easier.

Dishes made: Hong Kong Style Chow Mein, Chow Fun with Black Bean Sauce, Shrimp in Lobster Sauce, Baby Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce

Sweet and Spicy Indian
Who said vegetarian meals have to be bland or boring? These delicious veggie dishes are bursting with the intense flavors of India! The roasting and melding of spices into curry mixes lets you use market fresh ingredients with exciting results. And you can always include meat and seafood when you make these recipes at home, if you’d like.

Dishes made: Toor Dal Soup with Vegetables (Yellow Lentil Soup with Vegetables), Sambaal Saag (Daal Curry), Peas Pulao(Spice-Scented Basmati Rice with Peas), Sweet Sour and Spicy Eggplant and Squash

A Homemade Chinese Dinner
Amaze your friends —and yourself —by cooking up an authentic Chinese dinner quickly and easily in your own kitchen. Join our newest instructor, Christina Chung, as she shares recipes from her Hong Kong homeland that are a snap to make at home.

Dishes made: Wonton Soup, Steamed Chicken with Wood Ear Mushrooms and Gogiberry, Pan-fried Buddhist Rolls filled with Vegetables, Glutinous Rice Balls with Sesame Filling and Shredded Coconut

The Vietnamese Table
Vietnamese dishes are the perfect choice for creating a light, fresh and flavorful dinner for friends or family on a warm summer night. Each of these zesty recipes is quick to cook and sure to tickle your taste buds.

Dishes made: Goi Cuon (Fresh Spring Rolls) with Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce, Tôm Rang Me (Shrimp in Spicy Tamarind Sauce), Golden Jasmine Rice, Goi Bap Cai Ga (Spicy Chicken and Vegetable Salad), Grilled Pineapple with White Pepper over Coconut Ice Cream

O-Shogatsu, The Traditional New Year’s Feast
Celebrate the Japanese New Year with tasty, time-honored recipes that represent good luck, good health and prosperity. This special meal is steeped in traditional foods and ancient lore. And it’s not just for holidays. You can make these fast and healthy dishes part of any dinner.

Dishes made: Ozoni Soup with Mochi, Shrimp Tempura, Sushi Hand-rolls, Kimpira Gobo (Stir-fry Burdock Root with Sweet Carrots), O-Nishime (Dressed and Simmered Vegetables), Namasu (Daikon-Carrot Pickled Salad), Kombu Maki (Rolled Seasoned Kelp)



So -- pick four. :D And then tell me why you picked what you did! (Although I will confess that I prefer if you refrain from saying how icky what you didn't choose sounds....)

[Poll #1242635]

Comments

[avani.livejournal.com]

I'd do sushi 3 over 1 and 2 as making rolls is actually pretty trivial once the fish is cut. Learning how to cut fish sounds like a really valuable skill.

The rest I picked because they seem generally applicable to making fast, tasty food. Also, with dum sum there seems like there has got to be some trick to it. So awesome. :)

[zalena.livejournal.com]

I just picked what I most want to eat at the moment.

[jmpava.livejournal.com]

Here's my take. I agree with Avani full tilt on Sushi 3 (I think nigiri sushi is more universally relevant and that's stuff we know we like), dim sum and thai curries (if it's REALLY the paste itself. Yum!). I would have continued to agree with Avani with noodles/stir fry as well... except I don't think you would really get much out of that course, frankly. You can already do those really well. Anyway, I really think all 3 of those seem definitely ones you should do.

For a 4th, I'm kinda torn between indian, chinese and vietnamese. The indian seems the most distinct, but it's also some stuff I don't traditionally like as much - but it IS stuff YOU tend to like, and I'm certainly open to trying them some more! Chinese seems pretty interesting, but we're already got a Chinese one with dim sum. Vietnamese is also distinct, but again I'm not AS taken with the selection. So probably a bit of a leaning towards Indian - if only becuase it's the most different from the rest - although I'm not sure I can actually vote for it outright ;->

I don't think you need to worry too much about sushi 1/2. Frankly, I think you could gain a lot more with sushi 3 then the items they are showing with 1/2.

[porfinn.livejournal.com]

Sushi rolls are remarkably easy--just a little practice is all that is necessary. What is more interesting is the phrase, "preparing perfectly seasoned rice". My seasoned rice is pretty good, but I used trial and error to get it how I wanted it. I would be curious if a class might have different techniques for varying the flavor of the rice to go with different toppings. Except for rice prep, just use it as a good excuse to go to sushi bars and watch the chief-- seems like a better way to spend money :).
Dim Sum is tricky. Watching videos online was a much easier way to learn how to make the little treasures, but the videos online were very good! (same for the nigiri and roll sushi). I'm not a big fan of cooking classes, but the dim sum sounds very worthwhile. I'm partial to the Thai curry/seafood because...well...I like them. Do you have to sign up for a bunch at once? You might try one and see if you like it (and also the other people in the class might have taken some, and can offer a review).

[coraa.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, definitely I'm signing up for the first one chronologically of the ones I decide to shortlist, and if I don't enjoy it/get much out of it, I won't go on. I just need to make my shortlist so I can figure out which one is first. :D

[emiliopounder.livejournal.com]

If I didn't have my bed bunked, I would have my bed up on cinder blocks and store them under the bed.

[bellwethr.livejournal.com]

having taken a bunch of classes, and TA'ed cooking classes in LA, the ones I tend to get the most out of are technique classes. In general, recipes you can pick up online or from cooking shows, but there's nothing like having a chef work with you on your technique--whether it be rolling sushi, working with a knife, the art of effectively stir frying, or what not.

go with your instincts, though. all of the classes sound good.

that said, i think the sushi basics i & ii sound great, primarily due to the techniques involved in wrapping and slicing rolls, cooking perfect sushi rice, and (hopefully?) selecting the right fish. anyway, my $.02. i'm actually contemplating getting into a cooking class series at a local community college. i want to learn classic french technique--i'm hoping i can find a place that offers something like that...