-By Alka Ahuja

Asia, the world's largest and most populous continent, is also its most diverse. Given its size (it covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area, or 29.4% of its land area) and diversity, Asia is more a cultural concept incorporating a number of regions and peoples (over four billion people inhabiting 37 countries, or more than 60% of the world's current human population) than a homogeneous physical entity.

Chiefly in the eastern and northern hemispheres, Asia is traditionally defined as part of the landmass of Eurasia -- with the western portion of the latter occupied by Europe -- lying east of the Suez Canal, east of the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas. It is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Indian Ocean, and on the north by the Arctic Ocean. It is little wonder then that the cuisines of Asia are as varied and difficult to define as its people.

Some definitions of Asia exclude Turkey, the Middle East, Central Asia and Russia while only considering the Far East, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent to compose Asia, especially in the United States after World War II. And that is the definition, limited though it may be, that we will use for the purpose of this culinary exploration.

As the birthplace of two of the world's oldest civilizations -- the Indus Valley and the Huang He -- Asia is often called the "cradle of civilization." And it is from such illustrious ancestry that Asian cuisine descends. But what exactly is Asian cuisine? While in the United Kingdom, Asian cuisine is synonymous with Indian food (lyrically introduced by Senior Editor James Mellgren in the July 2007 issue), in the United States, the term usually refers to cuisine from the countries of East Asia, particularly China, Japan and Thailand. There are, however, many more hidden gems that are only just beginning to emerge from the lush paddy fields and the picturesque mountains and plains that comprise East as well as Southeast Asia -- the cuisines of Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Here, we take a closer look at the cuisines of Korea and Vietnam, both predicted to make an impact on the American palate (and specialty store shelves) in the coming months.

Korea
The Korean peninsula, comprising both North and South Korea, is located in northeast Asia, and is one of the world's most mountainous regions. It is surrounded by the Yellow Sea and the East Sea, and shares its northern border with China and Russia. With an abundant and easy access to fresh seafood and a countryside that produces a range of vegetables and grains, Korean cuisine is as healthy as it is exotic. From the Land of the Morning Calm, as Korea is poetically known, the two most well-known culinary concepts that have been beguiling American foodies of late are Kimchi and the Korean barbecue.

As is true of all of its neighbors, Korean cuisine, too, is largely based on rice, tofu, vegetables and meats. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes (banchan) that accompany the ubiquitous steam-cooked short-grain rice and soup. Every meal is accompanied by numerous banchan, the most popular of which even today is Kimchi. A fermented, spicy vegetable dish usually made of cabbage (baechu), radish or cucumber, at least one type of Kimchi is served as banchan at virtually every meal, year-round. It is also a common ingredient in other Korean recipes. Traditionally, Kimchi was prepared at home by inserting pepper, garlic, seafood (such as shrimp, anchovies and fish) and other seasonings such as salt and sugar to cleaned, halved Chinese/Napa cabbage (or other vegetables) between the leaves, to enable the fermentation process. The vegetable would then be put in special large pots with a narrow bottom submerged in the ground. The shape was to ensure that sunlight warmed the contents evenly, and maintained a desirable temperature for storage in the days before refrigeration.

Today, to accommodate contemporary lifestyles, Kimchi now comes packaged for the busy housewives, sodium-reduced for the health-conscious.

Another popular banchan is kongnamul or soybean sprouts, usually eaten in boiled and seasoned accompaniments.

Koreans traditionally believe that the taste and quality of the food depends on the spices and sauces used -- its essential ingredients. Some of the more commonly used for seasoning are sesame oil, doenjang (fermented soybean paste), soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, fermented shrimps and anchovies, and gochujang (red chili paste).

Among the rice and noodle dishes on offer, the most popular are bibimbap ("mixed rice"), rice topped with vegetables, beef and egg, and served with a dollop of chili pepper paste. A variation of this dish, dolsot bibimbap, is served in a heated stone bowl, in which a raw egg is cooked against the sides of the bowl. Yukhoe, another popular version, comprises raw beef strips with raw egg and a dash of soy sauce mixed with Asian pear and gochujang. Everything (seasonings, rice and vegetables) is stirred together in one large bowl and eaten with a spoon. As a representative of Korean cuisine, bibimbap is being served by various airlines connecting to Korea, including not only Korea-based airlines but also foreign air carriers such as Lufthansa.

Naengmyeon ("cold noodles"), a popular summer dish, consists of several varieties of thin, handmade buckwheat noodles, and is served in a large bowl with a tangy iced broth, raw julienned vegetables and fruit, and often a boiled egg and cold cooked beef. This is also called mul ("water") naengmyeon, to distinguish it from bibim naengmyeon, which has no broth and is mixed with the chili paste gochujang.

Jajangmyeon is a variation on a Chinese noodle dish that is extremely popular in Korea. It is made with a black bean sauce, usually with some sort of meat and a variety of vegetables including zucchini and potatoes; and is usually ordered and delivered, like pizza.

An interesting feature of the Korean table (as in most traditional Asian cultures) is that there are no courses; all dishes are served at the same time, with either the oldest person at the table or the guest of honor always being the first to start the meal.

Bring on the BBQ
Of the main meat dishes, the most popular, both here and in Korea, are those that are traditionally grilled at table. In restaurants, meats are cooked at the center of the table over a charcoal grill, surrounded by various banchan and individual rice bowls. The cooked meat is then cut into small pieces and wrapped with fresh lettuce leaves, with rice, thinly sliced garlic, ssamjang (a mixture of gochujang and doenjang), and other seasonings. The more common dishes (and some uncommon, at least so far, to American palates) are:
Bulgogi: Thinly sliced or shredded beef marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sugar, green onions and black pepper, cooked on a grill (sometimes at the table). Bulgogi literally means "fire meat." Variations include pork (Dweji bulgogi), chicken (Dak bulgogi), or squid (Ojingeo bulgogi). Galbi/Kalbi: Pork or beef ribs, cooked on a metal plate over charcoal in the centre of the table. The meat is sliced thicker than for bulgogi. It is often called "Korean BBQ" and can be seasoned or unseasoned. A variation using seasoned chicken is called (Dakgalbi). Jokbal: Pig's trotters served with a red salted shrimp sauce. Samgyeopsal: Unseasoned pork bacon cut from the belly, served in the same fashion as galbi. Sometimes cooked on a grill with Kimchi troughs at either side. Commonly grilled with garlic and onions, dipped in ssamjang and wrapped in lettuce leaves. Hoe (pronounced "hweh"): Raw seafood dish dipped in gochujang or soy sauce with wasabi, served with lettuce or sesame leaves. Sannakji or live octopus, served … well, live and still moving on the plate. Not for the squeamish! Makchang: Grilled pork large intestines prepared like samgyeopsal and galbi. Often served with a light doenjang sauce and chopped green onions. Gobchang: Similar to makchang except prepared from the small intestines of pork (or ox).
Korean desserts are either fruit- or rice-based, such as daechucho, fresh or dried dates stuffed with pine nuts and simmered in honey; baesuk, Nashi/Asian pears stewed with ginger, sugar and black peppercorns; and hwajeon or sweet rice pancakes made with sticky glutinous rice flour.

Ginseng is an immensely revered herb in Korea, and while it is used in every form of the cooking, it is perhaps imbibed most commonly as a tea (insam cha). Danggwi cha is made from dried Angelica root and is touted as ginseng tea for women. Saenggang cha is a tea that uses ginger root that has been marinating in honey for a few weeks. Each of the teas is meant to serve a particular health function, reinforcing the Oriental view of food as medicine.

Vietnam
Lying on the eastern part of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam is an S-shaped strip of land, with China to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and the South China Sea to the east. Since three-quarters of Vietnam is covered with mountains and hills, many of which slide gradually down to the sea, fresh produce -- whether from the fertile and fecund land or from the bountiful if unpredictable sea -- is plentiful.

Vietnamese cuisine is known for its common use of fish sauce, rice, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables. Traditional recipes use many vegetables, herbs and spices, including lemon grass, lime, and kaffir lime leaves. Throughout all regions, the emphasis is always on serving fresh vegetables and/or fresh herbs as side dishes along with dipping sauce. The Vietnamese also have a number of Buddhist vegetarian dishes. The most common meats used in Vietnamese cuisine are pork, beef, chicken, prawns, cockles and various kinds of seafood. Duck and goat are less widely used.

Certain dishes which have become trademarks of Vietnamese cuisine here in the U.S. include Phııı, Bún Bò Huııı, Bánh Mì and Gıııi Cuııın.

Vietnamese cuisine can be basically divided into three categories, each pertaining to a specific region. With North Vietnam being the cradle of Vietnamese civilization, many of Vietnam's most famous dishes (such as phııı) have their birthplace in the north. The cuisine of the north is more traditional and stricter in choosing spiciness and ingredients. The cuisine of South Vietnam has been influenced by the cuisines of southern Chinese immigrants, and thus southerners prefer sweet flavors in many dishes. As a new land, the cuisine of the south is more exotic and liberal, using many herbs. The cuisine of central Vietnam is quite different from the cuisines of both the northern and southern regions in its use of many small side dishes, and also its distinct spiciness when compared to the others.

A typical meal for the average Vietnamese family would include:
• Individual bowls of rice
• A roasted meat or fish dish
• A stir-fried vegetable dish
• Canh (a clear broth with vegetables and often meat) or other Vietnamese-style soup
• Prepared fish sauce and/or soy sauce for dipping

All dishes are communal and to be shared apart from the individual bowls of rice.

Vietnamese cuisine boasts a huge variety of noodle soups, each with influences and origins from every corner of the country, and each with a distinct and special taste. A common characteristic of many of these soups is a rich and very tasty broth.

Popular Vietnamese Dishes
Phııı: Soup made of boiled beef, noodles and broth; also made with chicken (phııı ga), and pork (phııı lon). The phııı in the south includes garnishes such as bean sprouts; chiles; fresh herbs like Thai basil, thorny cilantro, or spearmint; lime juice; and hoisin or hot sauce. Gıııi Cuııın: Mixed salad rolls, aka summer rolls or Vietnamese spring rolls, consist of pork, shrimp, herbs and rice vermicelli wrapped in rice paper. These rolls are served cold, not fried. Bún Bò Huııı: A soup noodle dish from central Vietnam, it uses rice noodles thicker than those used in phııı; the broth is made by boiling beef bones for a long period of time with shrimp paste, lemon grass and chiles, and includes thin slices of marinated beef shank, chunks of well-cooked oxtails, or pig's knuckles. Served with bean sprouts, lime wedges, cilantro sprigs and thinly sliced banana blossom. Bánh Mì: Both, the name of a Vietnamese baguette, or a sandwich made of the baguette, containing paté, Vietnamese mayonnaise, different selections of cold cuts and deli (most commonly ham, head cheese and a Vietnamese bologna), pickled daikon and carrot, and cucumber slices. Often garnished with coriander and black pepper. An inexpensive dish that traces its origins back to the French colonial era, it is very popular in Vietnam as a favorite of factory workers and school kids, and eaten for any meal of the day, commonly breakfast and lunch. There are a wide variety of bánh mì (with different meats) and many shops have popped up across North America primarily serving these Vietnamese sandwiches. Cà phê sıııa: Literally "iced milk coffee," it is traditionally made by brewing coffee using a Vietnamese drip coffee filter into a cup containing sweetened condensed milk. The coffee and condensed milk are stirred together and poured over ice. Can also be made hot by excluding the ice. Bánh bao: Steamed bun dumpling that can be stuffed with onion, mushrooms, vegetables, etc., bánh bao is an adaptation from the Chinese baozi to fit Vietnamese taste. Exclusively vegetarian bánh bao are also available, popular in Buddhist temples. Typical stuffings for bánh bao include slices of marinated xa xíu (BBQ pork from Chinese cooking) meat, tiny boiled quail eggs and pork.
Vietnamese desserts include Chè, a pudding made from beans and sticky rice. Many varieties of chè are available, each with different fruits, beans (mung beans or kidney beans), and other ingredients. Chè can be served cold, cool or hot. Fruit smoothies are also popular, made with sugar, crushed ice and fresh locally available fruits such as custard apple, sugar apple, avocado, jackfruit, durian, strawberry, passionfruit, dragonfruit, lychee, mango, and banana. Other favorite desserts are Vietnamese yogurt made with condensed milk, and flan, a tasty remnant of French colonial rule.

Bubble Tea
Bubble tea is a beverage of Taiwanese origin that is popular throughout Asia and gaining popularity in the West, but here again, it means different things in different countries. In Taiwan, Bubble Tea, a literal translation of a Chinese term, refers to a modern method of beverage preparation. To efficiently and homogenously mix various ingredients in these drinks (e.g., sugar, powdered milk, tea and ice), drink makers often shake the tea up as bartenders do with cocktails. A layer of foam (or tiny bubbles) forms on the surface, and any tea so prepared can be called bubble tea. "Foam black tea" and "foam green tea" are also common drinks made by shaking sweetened tea.

In the U.S., however, Pearl Milk Tea, another type of Asian beverage, was given the name "bubble tea." Since the most notable difference between this "bubble tea" and the other tea is the tapioca at the bottom of the drink, some assumed that the "bubble" in "bubble tea" referred to these tapioca pearls, though really the frothy layer created from shaking the drink is what gives "foam (or bubble) tea" its name. The pearls in "pearl milk tea," however, do refer to the tapioca "pearls." Confused? A sip of either tea should clear things up right away!

Short Rib With Kalbi Marinade & Daikon Kimchi
This recipe comes courtesy of Chef Rachel Yang, who came to the country when she was 15, speaks fluent Korean, and helms Joule Restaurant in Seattle, Wash., with her husband, a fine dining restaurant offering contemporary cuisine with a touch of Korean influence. www.joulerestaurant.com


2 lbs. short rib

For Kalbi Marinade
1 pc. Asian pear
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup sake or white wine
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp chili flakes
2 pc. garlic cloves
1 pc. ginger, small

For Daikon Kimchi
1 pc. daikon
1 cup salt, coarse
1 cup chili flake
1 pc. Asian pear
1/2 onion
1 tbsp salted shrimp
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 pc. garlic cloves
1 pc. ginger, small

1. For daikon kimchi, cut daikon into 1/2 dice.
2. Toss daikon with the coarse salt. Let it sit for 30-45 minutes. Water will come out from daikon.
3. Rinse and drain well. Daikon should be little salty.
4. Make the kimchi marinade by adding all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
5. Toss daikon with the kimchi marinade. Let it sit at room temperature for two to three days.
6. Make the kalbi marinade by adding all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
7. Marinate the short rib for two to 12 hours.
8. Grill short rib and serve with daikon kimchi.

To Market, to Market…
A unique feature of most Asian countries is the tradition of open-air markets. Whether nestled outdoors in the highlands of Vietnam or located cheek-by-jowl to swish malls in Singapore, these "wet" markets are the Asian version of farmer's markets, but open daily. Here, baskets of brightly hued vegetables jostle for space with fresh-off-the-boat crabs, shrimp and varieties of glistening fish that defy description. Stalls hawking daily necessities like bread, sewing supplies and slippers, too, find a place in this melee. "Marketing," the Asian patois for grocery-and-produce shopping, is done on a daily basis, allowing friends and neighbors to catch up over a lighthearted haggle for fresh-pressed tofu or at the corner stall while the fresh coconut a vendor just cracked open is ground to order for the day's curry.

As mama-sans and amahs prod and sniff to check each tomato and mangosteen for freshness and ripeness (none of the neat, prepackaged and sanitized produce of the supermarkets, thank you!), life slips into a lower gear. Sipping their beverage of choice from innovative plastic packets slung around their wrists as to-go containers -- coffee or tea made with condensed milk, green tea or, increasingly, bubble tea -- shoppers wander around, planning the day's menu as per the meats and vegetables available. Amid the bantering of the chicken and pork vendors comes the occasional shrill yell from the durian seller, urging shoppers to try (and then buy) his odiferous fruit (see sidebar).

The Floating Markets of Thailand and Vietnam form a hub of economic activity with thousands of boats gathering each morning in river deltas to sell their wares. Most of this produce is sold to wholesalers who then go on to resell to food processing factories or ship them further inland to smaller markets.

Durian: So What's All the Stink About?
Durian, the oval, spiny, edible fruit of an East Indian tree (Durio zibethinus) of the bombax family, is revered in Southeast Asia as the "King of Fruits." Its pulp has been famously described by the 19th-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace as "a rich custard highly flavored with almonds." Its hard outer husk is covered with sharp, prickly thorns while the edible flesh within emits a distinctive odor, which is regarded as either fragrant, or overpowering and offensive, depending on which part of the globe you hail from. The odor of the ripe fruit is strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. Due to the unusual odor, the durian is forbidden from certain establishments such as hotels and public transportations in Southeast Asia. And yet durian connoisseurs (and they are legion) spend hours hunting out the perfect fruit, carrying their find home almost as one would a trophy; turning it into cakes, ice creams and other fancy desserts; and even devouring it au naturel.

Selling the Orient
If you can't take your customers on a slow boat to China, you can do the next best thing: recreate the magic of the East right here in your store. With the wide and exciting range of bamboo products available today, put together an Asian tableau using bamboo serving dishes, utensils and chopsticks together with exquisite accessories such as delicate chopstick rests and napkin holders. Using faux banana leaf table mats further sets the tone as do straw tatami-style mats.

An array of tiny porcelain bowls for serving the various dipping sauces along with the square- and rectangle-shaped dinner plates in different sizes also tell an Asian story. Silk table runners and matching cushions thrown about help create an ambience of the Exotic East. A discreetly burbling waterfall, Chinese lanterns and teakwood incense holders with incense sticks complete the look.

For more on the Cuisines of Asia, look for Editor-in-Chief Michelle Moran's report on her recent Culinary Tour of Singapore at www.gourmetretailer.com/asiancuisine.

Comments? mmoran@gourmetretailer.com