New Asian Cuisine » Pichet Ong

Chocolate Kumquat Spring Rolls

grace — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:47:45 +0000

Spring rolls are the quintessential Asian appetizer, but I think they have the potential to be so much more. When cooked, these rolls are like cylindrical molten cakes with warm chocolate oozing out of an impossibly thin and crisp “pastry” shell. The kumquats not only cut through the richness with their distinct citrus tartness, but also are a symbol of good fortune, as “kum” is a homonym for “gold” in Chinese.

Chocolate Kumquat Spring Rolls

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Makes 3 dozen

5 (56 grams, 2 ounces) kumquats, cut into 1/4-inch slices crosswise and seeded
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (127 grams, 4 1/2 ounces) heavy whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 1/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon butter, softened
36 5 X 5-inch square spring roll wrappers
1 large egg, lightly beaten
canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil for deep-frying

Chef’s Tip: Make sure you use thin spring roll wrappers, which can be found in Asian markets, and not egg roll wrappers

1. Put the seeded kumquat slices and their juices into a small saucepan. Add the cream and salt and warm over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat.

2. Put the chocolate into the bowl of a food processor and pour the hot kumquat cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes, then process until the mixture becomes smooth and shiny. Add the egg yolk, Grand Marnier, and butter and process to combine.

3. Line an 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan and transfer to the freezer. Freeze uncovered until completely hard, then unmold and peel off the plastic wrap. Cut the chocolate bar in half lengthwise, then cut each bar into 1/2-inch slices crosswise. You should have 36 2 X 1/2 X 1/2-inch chocolate bars.

4. Take a spring roll wrapper and lightly brush the entire surface with the beaten egg. Align the wrapper so that you see a diamond. Lay a chocolate bar at the end closest to you so that the corners of the bar meet the two adjoining edges of the wrapper to form a triangle. Take the corner closest to you and wrap it around the chocolate, then roll the chocolate away from you one full rotation. Tightly fold the two opposing corners in towards the center, then continue to roll to the end of the wrapper, making sure the end is tightly sealed. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and chocolate. Freeze the spring rolls for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 days, and take them out only when you are ready to fry them.

5. Fill a small saucepan with the oil to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 350°F. When the oil is ready (a tiny pinch of flour will sizzle), add a few spring rolls, taking care to not overcrowd the pan. Cook, turning occasionally and adjusting the heat on the stove to maintain 350°F, until golden brown, 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Chocolate and Vietnamese Coffee Tart

grace — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:47:45 +0000

This was an incredibly popular dessert at Spice Market. People just love the way the coffee cuts through the richness of the chocolate and imparts exotic, smoky overtones. Limiting the sugar added to the tart itself allows the chocolate flavor to really come through. For an added treat, top each slice with a little scoop of sweetened condensed milk ice cream or good vanilla ice cream – Pichet Ong

Chocolate and Vietnamese Coffee Tart

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Cocoa Tart Pastry
1/2 cup (113 grams, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (113 grams, 4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (23 grams, 7/8 ounce) cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
1/4 cup (23 grams, 7/8 ounce) almond flour
1 1/3 cups (203 grams, 7 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring
1 large egg
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Chocolate Coffee Ganache:
1/4 cup (75 grams, 2 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 3/4 cups (392 grams, 14 ounces) heavy cream
1/2 cup (113 grams, 4 ounces) evaporated milk
1/3 cup (28 grams, 1 ounce) Vietnamese, chicory, or French Roast coffee powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk ice cream

Chef’s Tip: You can substitute good vanilla ice cream for the Condensed Milk Ice Cream.

1. To make the tart shell: Put the first six ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal. With the machine running, add the egg, and process just until the mixture comes together. Form the mixture into a ball, press it into a 1-inch thick disc, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, at least 4 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or an 8-inch tart ring set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

3. Lightly flour a work surface and a rolling pin. Roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, rotating the circle a quarter-turn with each roll. Lightly flour the surface of the dough and loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin. Unroll the dough into the prepared tart pan and press the edges up along the sides, trimming off any excess.

4. Freeze until hard, 30 minutes, then line the shell with parchment paper, fill with pie weights, like dried beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the shell from the oven and remove the pie weights and parchment paper and bake until the dough is dry to the touch, 5 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

5. Meanwhile, make the ganache: put the chocolate in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Stir together the cream, evaporated milk, coffee powder, and salt in a small saucepan and set over low heat. As soon as it simmers, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve over the chocolate. Immediately begin whisking, incorporating the chocolate into the cream. Once the chocolate melts and the mixture becomes smooth and shiny, whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then the sweetened condensed milk. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and pour into the cooled tart shell.

6. Turn the oven down to 275°F. Bake the tart for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for 10 more minutes. When done, the middle should still jiggle slightly, but not be wet. Remove from the oven, cool completely, and serve.

Vietnamese Coffee Fortune Cookies

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:47:45 +0000

Vietnamese Coffee Fortune Cookies

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Makes approximately 50 cookies

½ pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons condensed milk
1 ¾ ounce Vietnamese coffee powder
9 ounces all purpose flour
¾ ounce milk powder
7 ounces confectioner’s sugar
5 1/2 ounces egg whites

With the paddle attachment in an electric mixer, mix cream butter, condensed milk, salt and coffee powder just until combined, about 3 minutes. In the meantime, sift together confectioner’s sugar, flour and milk powder. Add sifted dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix to combine, scraping the bowl as necessary.

With the mixer at low speed, slowly add in egg whites and mix until incorporated. Scrape bottom of bowl again and mix well. Chill batter with plastic wrap covering directly on surface for at least 1 hour before use. Spread batter onto silpat using a stencil with 4” round circles. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven until done with surface dry to the touch, about 5 minutes.

Place fortune paper in middle of each circle, fold in half and then bring the two points together with the seam on the broad side. Lay into a ridged tuile pan to cool. It is imperative that the cookie is folded when hot otherwise the cookie will break.

Recipe Adapted from “An Exotic Finish” By Pichet Ong (Morrow-Harper Collins, 2007)

Spiced Coconut Brownie

grace — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:55:40 +0000

The combination of chocolate and coconut has long been a favorite pairing of mine. It tastes exotic, but it’s also immediately likeable. When used as the foundation for a brownie, the result is a chewy square with long-lasting flavor—not unlike a great candy bar. In this recipe, unsweetened coconut takes the place of excess flour for a rich, decadent brownie that tastes more chocolately than most. A pinch of spice goes a long way in this simple but sophisticated bittersweet treat. – Pichet Ong

Spiced Coconut Brownie

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Nonstick baking vegetable oil spray
5 cups (340 grams, 12 1/8 ounces) finely shredded unsweetened dried coconut
1 cup (155 grams, 5 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 1/4 cups (510 grams, 18 1/4 ounces) unsalted butter
18 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
7 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
7 large eggs, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups (458 grams, 16 1/3 ounces) sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup (198 grams, 7 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 12 X 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.

2. Spread the coconut on another rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until light brown and fragrant, 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, sift together the flour and baking powder and set aside. Melt the butter, bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, salt, and cayenne, if so desired, together in a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally to blend. When completely melted and smooth, remove from the heat.

4. Put the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk at medium speed until frothy. With the machine running, add the sugar and continue to whisk until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and doubled in volume, 8 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix to incorporate. Turn the mixer speed to low, add the melted chocolate in a slow, steady stream, and whisk for 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer, fold in the flour mixture, the cooled toasted coconut, and chocolate chips.

5. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake until a tester comes out barely clean, another 10 minutes. The surface should be dry to the touch. Cool in the pan and serve.

Chef’s Tip: You need to cool these brownies for at least one hour before enjoying them warm and at least two hours before you can cut them cleanly into squares. If you eat these brownies too soon after baking, the heat of the cayenne pepper may be overpowering.

Sesame Balls

grace — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:47:45 +0000

Sesame balls are classic dim sum—unadulterated and oh-so-good. In the yum cha (dim sum) culture, these sticky-sweet treats are eaten between savory bites throughout the meal. Traditionally, the dough is made only with glutinous rice flour, which is quite sticky and will leave you searching for a toothpick. I’ve added taro to make the dough more tender, more tasty, and a lovely shade of lavender. The contrast between the crisp sesame seed coating and soft chewy dough is remarkable. I have also substituted flavorful dates for the traditional lotus seed or red bean fillings. In Chinese cooking, sesame seeds are never deeply browned—their white color symbolizes purity. Be sure to start with untoasted white sesame seeds to achieve a light golden color when the balls are done. Most fried desserts are best eaten right away, but these stay delicious and crisp even at room temperature.

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Sesame Balls

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Makes 25 2-inch balls
Time: 1 hour, with prepared filling

Sesame ball dough
2 cups (16 ounces) sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
5 ¼ ounces taro, generously peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices crosswise
1 1-pound bag glutinous rice flour
Grapeseed, corn, or canola oil for deep-frying
1 cup white sesame seeds

Date Filling
1 pound dried dates
½ cup maltose sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

1. To prepare date filling, puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, scraping bowl as necessary. Refrigerate until use. Put the sugar, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix well and set aside. Prepare a steamer, with the water at a rolling boil. Add the taro and steam until very soft, 10 minutes; it will fall apart if poked with a knife. Immediately transfer the taro to the electric mixer bowl with the sugar mixture and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is pasty.

2. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Turn the mixer speed to low and add the glutinous rice flour. When the mixture is crumbly, add the boiling water all at once. Continue beating the dough until it is soft and only slightly sticky. Squeeze the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, then refrigerate until completely cooled. When cool, shape the dough into a log 1-inch in diameter and cut the log into 2-inch lengths. Flatten each piece of dough with your palm into a circle, 4-inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick. Put 1 tablespoon of the Drunken Fig Filling into the center of a circle, then bring the edges together and pinch shut. Pinch off the excess dough at the two end points, then roll the filled dumpling into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough circles and filling.

3. Fill a deep, heavy saucepan (at least 6 inches wide) with oil to a depth of at least 4-inches. Bring to 300 degrees . Fill a shallow dish with water. Roll sesame balls in the water, just enough to moisten, then roll in the sesame seeds. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower half of the coated balls into the oil and cook until they float, about 5 minutes. Do not disturb the balls at all when they cook. Carefully remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining balls. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Recipe Adapted from “An Exotic Finish” By Pichet Ong (Morrow-Harper Collins, 2007)

Tangerine Pie

grace — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:40:45 +0000

“Just to clarify—there are no tangerines in this dessert and it doesn’t look like a pie. But it’s still delicious. In Singapore, this is a highly prized gift for Chinese New Year. Traditionally, people give away fresh tangerines (“tangerine” is a homonym for “gold” in Chinese). When Western-style baked goods were introduced, this round turnover was created to resemble the real thing – thus, its crackly orange egg yolk wash and clever little clove on top. This is the first dessert I ever baked. My late aunt Jessie taught me this—and many other family recipes—when we lived together in Singapore. After we packed these pies into little boxes, we would surreptitiously confer about which family members deserved the fruits of our labor. And there always seemed to be only one clear answer—we did!”

Tangerine Pie

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Makes 5 1/2 dozen, about 12 servings

Pastry Dough:
2 cups (300 grams, 10 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (50 grams, 1 3/4 ounces) custard powder
1 tablespoon dried milk powder
3/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon (180 grams, 6 3/8 ounces) unsalted butter
2/3 cup (70 grams, 2 1/2 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3 egg yolks, beaten
66 whole cloves, optional

Pineapple Filling:
2 small pineapples, trimmed, peeled, cored, and finely diced
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (180 grams, 2/3 ounce) palm sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. To make the pineapple filling: Put all of the ingredients into a medium saucepan and set over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has melted and the liquid evaporated, 45 minutes. When the mixture is completely dry, transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and as long as overnight.

2. To make the dough: Sift the flour, custard powder, and milk together and set aside. Put butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until the sugar has dissolved, 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the flour mixture, and mix until incorporated. Add the egg and mix just until the dough comes together. Form the mixture into a ball, press it into a 1-inch thick disc, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, at least 2 hours or as long as overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the chilled dough and form it into 1-inch balls. Using your fingertips, press a ball into a 3-inch round disc, 1/8-inch thick. Alternatively, roll the whole disc of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness and cut out 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. In either case, put 1 tablespoon of the pineapple filling in the center of the dough circle, fold it in half, and pinch the edges together to seal. Press and gently roll the half moon shape into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Put the filled balls on a baking sheet, 1-inch apart, and chill until firm, 15 minutes. Brush the balls with the egg yolks and stick a clove in the center of each. Bake until golden, 12 minutes, cool completely, and serve.

Chef’s Tip: Don’t eat the clove. It is only a decorative touch and tasting it will definitely ruin this dessert for you.

Chinese Almond Cookies

grace — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:47:45 +0000

These are a staple in traditional Chinese restaurants. Unfortunately, the store-bought variety tends to be hard and tasteless. But this version is wonderfully light, with a crisp edge and chewy center. The traditional cookies are also a dull, dark yellow from an egg yolk wash. I use an egg white wash to get the same glazed effect in a creamy shimmer. Finally, the slivered almonds on top add a nice crunch and a fresh, toasted nut flavor.- Pichet Ong

Chinese Almond Cookies

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Makes 3 dozen

1 3/4 cup (272 grams, 9 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (210 grams, 7 1/2 ounces) sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups (132 grams, 4 3/4 ounces) almond flour
1 cup (226 grams, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup (60 grams, 2 1/8 ounces) slivered almonds
1 large egg white

1. Sift together the flour, sugar, and baking soda and set aside. Put the almond flour, butter, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Paddle on medium speed until the mixture resembles cornmeal, 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the egg and almond extract and mix until well-incorporated. Turn the speed to low and add the flour mixture. Mix just until no traces of flour remain.

2. Transfer the dough to a large sheet of plastic wrap, flatten into a 1-inch thick disc, cover tightly, and refrigerate until hard, at least 30 minutes. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Form the dough into 1/2-inch balls and put on the baking sheets 1 inch apart. Use the palm of your hand to press the balls into 1-inch circles. Press 4 slivered almonds into each cookie, decoratively arranging them to look like an X. Brush the tops of the cookies with the egg white, then bake until golden and crisp around the edges, 15 minutes. Cool completely on the cookie sheet and serve or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Persimmon and Olive Oil Cake

grace — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:47:45 +0000

Persimmon and Olive Oil Cake

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Serves 20

Cake
14 ounces all purpose flour
½ ounce baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
18 ½ ounces sugar and 1 cup additional for lining molds
7 ounces almond flour
9 eggs
zest of 2 oranges
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces extra virgin olive oil and 1 cup additional for lining molds
4 ripe fuyu persimmons
2/3 ounces raw sugar

1. Brush cake mold with additional olive oil and line with additional sugar. Set aside until use. Sift together flour, almond flour and baking powder. Trim off skin of persimmon and cut each half into 8 wedges.

2. In a mixer, beat eggs at medium speed with orange zest until frothy, 1 minute. Add sugar and salt and beat at high speed until ribbon stage, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and beat for another minute. Whisk in dry ingredients at low speed until incorporated. Take some of the batter to make a liaison with oil. Fold into rest of batter, making sure that there aren’t any lumps.

3. Fill cake mold with cake batter and place 3 wedges of persimmon in the center. Use remaining additional olive oil to brush the top of persimmon. Sprinkle the top of persimmon wedges with a pinch of raw sugar. Bake in preheated 350ºF oven until tester comes out clean in the center, about 12 minutes. Let cool slightly before unmolding.

Almond Tofu with Kiwi in Rock Sugar Syrup

grace — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:47:45 +0000

Almond Tofu with Kiwi in Rock Sugar Syrup

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Time: 30 minutes plus 3 hours to chill

Almond Tofu Base
1 tablespoon gelatin powder
1½ cup almond milk
1½ cup soymilk
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond oil
Pinch of salt

Kiwi in Rock Sugar Syrup
4 ripe kiwis
¼ cup Chinese yellow rock sugar (2 ounces)
½ cup water

Method

For Almond Tofu Base
Sprinkle gelatin over almond milk in a large cup and let sit for a minute. In the meantime, bring soymilk and sugar to a scald in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in the gelatin and almond milk mixture. Add almond extract and stir to blend. Pour into 8 glasses or molds and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.

For Kiwi in Rock Sugar Syrup
Bring sugar and water to a boil. Let sit until all the sugar melts. In the meantime, peel and cut kiwis in half. Cut each half into 4 wedges and place in a bowl. Pour the sugar syrup mixture onto the kiwis and refrigerate the mixture completely before use.

Assembly
For each portion, serve almond tofu with 4 pieces of kiwi and about 4 tablespoons of syrup.

Recipe adapted from “An Exotic Finish” by Pichet Ong (Morrow-Harper Collins, 2007)

Interview with Pichet Ong

admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:57:34 +0000

Named as one of the“2005 Ten Best Pastry Chefs in America”, Pichet Ong is well known for his innovative and delicious desserts that are both appealing to the eyes and the palate. Also an architect, Pichet Ong embraces authentic flavors of Asian ingredients into his exotic creations.

NAC: How would you describe your approach from architecture to cooking? Has your degree in Architecture helped you in your present career?

I come from a family where education is very important. My father always used to say “You can do anything as long as you have a degree.” Though I had a passion for cooking, for me going to school for Masters in Architecture made more sense than going to Culinary school. The way I see it, a lot of what you do, you learn it from your job. It’s obvious that there aren’t a lot of similarities between Architecture and cooking. But , the concept of the creative process is very much complementary. Being an architect requires creativity and focus on context of design and construction; on the same hand, being a chef requires creativity and focus on context as to who and what you are serving.

I learnt the fundamentals of cooking from my mother and aunt as I grew up in Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore. I like food, I like eating a lot, and I wanted to make it my world, so finally, I ventured into cooking.

I think education is really important. When I studied in Brandeis University in Boston, I had Mathematics and English literature as my major courses. I always felt Mathematics was my ticket to getting good grades- it just came to me! I don’t think I have applied anything directly to cooking but the concept of Mathematics, English literature, and Architecture has helped me in more ways than I know.

NAC: Tell us about the restaurants you have worked in the past?

After working as an architect for a couple of years, I have worked for a variety of cuisines and restaurants, a majority of them are French based. I began working at local bakeries and restaurants in the Bay Area, including Chez Panisse. I served as pastry chef at La Folie, where I also ventured into savory cooking. I also worked in the kitchens of Olives in Boston and Jean Georges in New York City. I work in many seafood restaurants in New York.

As a Chef, I have gained a lot of fame and notoriety at the same time. I’ve had a lot of people come for Asian flavors like Thai juice and also get a lot of people who’ve never tried Asian flavors. Many Asians who come in have enjoy the desserts as they get a taste similar to that at home. Reviews have been tremendously good, but some are skeptical as they don’t believe there’s anything like Asian desserts!

NAC: How did you enter the world of desserts? And what inspires you to create your desserts?

I like desserts a lot. It is always the favorite part of my meal. I started my cooking career with desserts. Later, I moved on to cook savory foods, pasta, salads, meat and fish. I am back to dessert-making now. I was sick of the smell of meat and fish; Dessert making is a lot better! Basically, it’s a professional choice and I see a lot of potential in incorporating interesting Asian ingredients into American desserts. The seasonal produce is the biggest inspiration when I create my desserts. I start off with the seasonal produce and I create a recipe around it.

NAC: So, what do you think is the most popular dessert of your creations?
Kulfi ( Indian Ice cream) with Ovaltine is really popular and is also one of my favorites. I was allergic to milk when I was younger, so the only thing that I had for an alternative was Ovaltine. I really like the flavor and now I enjoy it with Kulfi.

NAC: We’ve been told you help organizations that help AIDS victims? Can you tell us a bit about this?
I joined Project Open Hand in San Francisco in the early 90s. I had friends who were AIDS victims, so I had an attachment to the project. I volunteered and got my first job as a cook . I was in charge of cooking special meals for dietary restricted meals as well as Asian meals.

NAC: Can you tell us why and how you started your monthly dinner gathering of pastry chef community, “Pastry Chefs Night out”?
These gatherings are more like a social get-together than a business meeting. I wanted to open up a network to know and build up relations with pastry chefs. There aren’t a lot of pastry chefs and this dinner gathering creates an open forum for pastry chefs to make friends, discuss problems and enjoy each other’s company.

NAC: What’s the buzz about your new restaurant?
I am looking for a spot in New York for my restaurant P*Ong. Most probably, P*Ong will be set by next fall. I plan to have it as wholesale, retail place as well as a sit down for desserts. P* Ong will focus on puddings, cookies and ice creams with a lot of Asian ingredients. I will also use my architectural skills to design P*ong.

NAC: We hear that you are coming up with a book. What is it about and when will it be released?
The book is called “ An Exotic Finish” and is all about Asian ingredients and techniques you can apply to American desserts. There are many interesting recipes. I plan to release it in the Chinese New year 2007.

NAC: What’s next for you?
I want to open a sandwich shop. I love sandwiches and the shop would be an entry for me to go back to savory foods.

NAC: What kind of knife do you recommend?

Always use a sharp knife when you are cooking. I like Misono knives, the UX10-Deba is my favorite shape. That’s a cross between a heavy Asian style cleaver and a Western style 9″ pointed tip, but only a bit lighter and smaller. It is made of soft swedish steel which is easy to sharpen. I like it for its versatility, small enough to handle fine cuts and thick enough to split open large fruits.