The Asian Food Pyramid

Q & A with Professor Michael Pardus

A Certified Hospitality Educator Professor Michael Pardus teaches Asian Cuisine as the Culinary Institute of America. Pardus created the Asian version of the USDA Food Pyramid for New Asian Cuisine.

NAC: Can you tell us about the Asian approach to cooking and eating and what sets it apart from Western cuisines? MP: Western diets have a larger amount of animal protein and saturated fats and fewer grains and vegetables. Historically, the Asian diet has used meat as a garnish, an adjunct, a flavoring ingredient to contrast with the vegetables and grains. Another big difference is the use of fermented protein products (soy sauce, bean pastes, fish sauce, shrimp paste, etc.). These are the hallmarks of Asian cooking to most westerners. Western food has come to depend on richness and opulence for its appeal. Big steaks, rich sauces, and mounds of fried foods have been the mainstay for ¡§satisfying¡¨ western diners. A good western cook fills the guest up. A happy diner is one who can¡¦t move at the end of a meal. Contrast this to the Asian propensity to use meat as a garnish, a flavoring ingredient while the rest of the dish is filled with grains, vegetables, herbs, and spices. A good eastern cook is mindful of the health of the diner, a happy diner is content at the end of a meal, balanced ¡V not over-stuffed.

NAC: We know you have a degree in business administration. What made you change your career? MP: With New Asian Cuisine we thought that we should highlight the healthy aspects of the Asian diet for the "uninitiated" and give examples of ingredients from the Asian market places which correspond to the more familiar Western products. We also had in mind that Asians who grew up with ingredients such as water spinach would be more comfortable using the pyramid guidelines if these correlations were made. Applying the USDA Food Pyramid guidelines to the Cuisines of Asia was not particularly difficult, the dishes are inherently healthy. What has been challenging is to bring a note of authenticity to each Pyramid by noting the distinct and varied ingredients from across a large, diverse region. The cooking of Japan is as distinct from that of Thailand as Boston baked beans are from New Orleans jambalaya. NAC: The Asian Food Pyramid includes a variety of Asian ingredients. Is it possible to buy such authentic ingredients in the United States? MP: The lists in each Pyramid category are compilations of items from across Asia. To compile the lists I asked associates in almost every country from Japan to Sri Lanka to identify 5 common items for each category that would be found in their local markets. Many of these items will be difficult to find outside of ethnic enclaves of major Western cities. However, reasonable substitutions are fine and encouraged. Can't find gai lan? Substitute broccoli or broccolini; spinach for water spinach,etc. If you are not sure what would constitute a "reasonable" substitution, go online. Most food related sites will give you an approximation of what something looks, tastes, or feels like. In New Asian Cuisine,there is a list of all the Asian supermarkets, Asian food malls and shops in the US - all 1400 of them. You can access them at here. NAC: New Asian Cuisine talks about adapting to the traditional principles of Asian dining for a healthier future. Can you explain how one should introduce authentic Asian cuisine to their diet? MP: Cooking good, flavorful, and healthfully balanced meals is not a daunting task. This book contains only a handful of recipes, but they are authentic, true to their country of origin and ¡V most importantly ¡V easy to improvise from. Once you have tried a recipe as it is written, feel free to apply the technique to other ingredients from the same region ¡V odds are that you will end up with something which is not only delicious and healthful, but ¡§authentic¡¨ as well. NAC: How can you integrate Asian ingredients into your diet? MP:You would use New Asian Cuisine the same way that you would use any other cook book. Read through and find recipes that sound good to you, read them completely to make sure you understand the preparation and techniques involved and that the ingredients are available to you (either locally or via internet ordering). Then, go for it! It should go without saying that a complex dish that you've never tried before might be a better Saturday afternoon project than a middle-of-the-work week one. Start simple and build from there.