What's your culinary masterpiece or specialty dish?

@yna410 (429)
Philippines
November 11, 2010 8:34am CST
We all love to eat. I'm not sure if most of you here love to cook as well. I know I do. Food is one of our basic necessities in life. I became interested in cooking at a young age because I really love to eat. Eating my favorite foods became my first motivation in learning how to cook. I started just observing my relatives in the kitchen until they let me do some easy tasks. The next thing I know, they were already letting me cook alone. Now, one of my passions in life is cooking. I think cooking has its own advantages. It teaches us patience and determination; it enhances our use of creativity. The dishes we usually prepare at home also give a background of our culture; it lets us share something about our culture to other people as well as a part of our personality. My specialty dish are pasta dishes, spaghetti and carbonara that is. I've tried cooking it in several variations depending on my taste or cravings. It always turns out great. I love pasta dishes because it's one of the dishes we usually eat even when we're kids; it's my comfort food. I think pasta dishes have great flavors, they are really delicious and satisfying. How about you my fellow mylotters? At what age did you learn how to cook? What's your masterpiece or specialty dish? =)
3 people like this
8 responses
@durgabala (1360)
• India
12 Nov 10
I love cooking and my specialities are Rotis, parathas and subzis (side dish for breads). i am good at few sweet dishes too. I make good egg-less cakes too.
@durgabala (1360)
• India
12 Nov 10
They are Indian dishes. If u have an Indian restaurant at your place, u will get all these. side dishes varies to be wet to dry ones. i am vegetarian so I prepare vegetarian dishes consisting of mixed vegetables to cereals(except rice and wheat) our bread is made out of whole wheat and not baked. they are rolled with hands and put on a griddle for cooking. it is cooked dry or with little oil.
@yna410 (429)
• Philippines
12 Nov 10
I've seen some food shows where the dough is rolled using the hands until it becomes thin then they'll cook it with little oil. It can be cooked plain or with stuffing like eggs, cheese, sardines, etc. Most stores serve it with dips like curry sauce. I think it's called pratas. I'm not sure if there are Indian restaurants near our place. I'll check it out. =)
@yna410 (429)
• Philippines
12 Nov 10
I'm not familiar with those dishes you've mentioned. Are they all side dishes for breads? I love breads, I think they'll be great pairings indeed. Hope to taste them soon. =)
• Philippines
12 Nov 10
I really love to make desserts especially during vacation. One of my specialty is leche flan. I always dream of tasting the sweetness and goodness of the food. I'm fond of reading my mum's cookbook on desserts and I'm planning to study culinary arts this coming year. :)
• United States
15 Nov 10
I love leche plan, and I am doing a great job on making it. I think loving food will help you improve your cooking. For example, I really love leche plan but it is a little bit expensive to buy and then we have ingredients at home so I just experiment on how to do it and it turned out to be so delicious.
@yna410 (429)
• Philippines
12 Nov 10
I love desserts. I also know how to make leche flan but I haven't tried doing it all by myself. I guess I'm still not confident doing it alone. I want it to be perfect, eating a creamy and not stiff flan, sweet but not overly sweet, and just the right amount of syrup is just amazing. I just help my dad make leche flan usually when there's an occasion. I'm excited for you, I've always wanted to study culinary arts as well but I still need some more resources. Good for you. =)
@amirev777 (4117)
• India
22 Nov 10
Hi I do not have any culinary masterpiece or a specialty dish, but this spicy Indian dry chicken that i cooked was loved by my family members. Here's the recipe if you are interested: Ingredients: Chicken – 800 gm Ginger garlic paste – 2 Tbsp Lemon juice – 1 Tbsp Cooking oil – 4 Tbsp Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped – 2 Tsp Salt to taste For masala: Dry red chilies, whole – 6 Green chilies – 2 Cumin seeds – 1 Tsp Peppercorns – 6 Cloves – 3 Cinnamon – 2 sticks Sesame seeds – 3 Tsp Green cardamom – 3 Coriander seeds – 2 Tsp Dry coconut, grated – 1 cup Garlic cloves – 8 Ginger – ½ inch Onion, medium sized, finely chopped – 2 Mustard seeds – 2 Tsp Turmeric powder – 1 Tsp Method of preparation: 1. Roast all the spices one by one. Roast the coconut till golden brown. 2. Grind all the spices and coconut into paste along with ginger and garlic. 3. Clean the chicken and marinate it with ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, salt and half of the ground masala for upto 2 hours. 4. Pressure cook the chicken with three cups of water for about 8-10 minutes. 5. Once the pressure is released, leave to cook open till the remaining moisture dries up. 6. Heat oil in a pan and sauté onions till golden brown. 7. Add the masala paste and cook till the oil separates. 8. Add chicken and sauté till the spices mix well together. 9. Serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves. Serves: 3-4
@yna410 (429)
• Philippines
23 Nov 10
Hi amirev777. This dish requires quite a lot of spices. It must be that flavorful. I'll try to cook this dish soon. Thanks for the recipe. =)
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
11 Nov 10
I started cooking at an early age. I enjoy cooking alot even tho i have been doing it for such a long time. My dressing is always a hit w/everybody. There are quite a few things that people like that i cook. one is a sweet potato casserole, lasagna, a dessert called chocolate majesty, my homemade soup, chess squares to name afew. I was probably around ten or 12 when i started cooking.
@yna410 (429)
• Philippines
11 Nov 10
That's an early age indeed. Your family's generations must have been great cooks. I love lasagna. I wish we're just neighbors. Hehe. I seldom cook it because other pasta dishes are easier to prepare. Your chocolate majesty is quite interesting, it's the first time I've heard about that dessert name. =)
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
12 Nov 10
i DID COME FROM A LONG LINE OF GOOD COOKS. I still cook for myself & others. I would share w/u if i was your nrighbor. Made a banana pudding for one of my neighbors tonight. She puts my paper on my strps most every morn. Good deeds have to be returned.
@shia88 (4571)
• Malaysia
12 Nov 10
Hi, I started do my first cooking when I was in overseas for my study, I have to be independent and I learn simple cooking method from my mother. When I was young, I never do any cooking except for instant noodle. I did not even know how to cook rice. But then I am willing to learn and now I am doing cooking for my family everyday. I don't cook those complicated dishes, I prefer to cook something simple and easy ,yet delicious. My specialty dishes will be curry chicken, as I love to eat spicy food,so cooking curry is my most favourite and specialty food in the kitchen. Even my husband love to eat curry chicken.it is good to eat with steam rice or vermicelli.
@yna410 (429)
• Philippines
12 Nov 10
Hi there. I learned cooking dishes first before I learned how to properly cook rice. I know, it's usually the opposite way around. I usually burn our rice, I think I like doing more things like in cooking dishes than just sitting and waiting for the rice to be cooked so I learned it last. I love chicken curry as well. I also prepare it at home though it may not be as spicy as yours because some of my relatives doesn't like too spicy foods. My curry is a simpler version. We eat it with rice. =)
@angelic123 (1108)
• United States
15 Nov 10
I know how to cook even before I began cooking, which was after I get married at the age 0f 22. My mom is a very good cook. So my taste buds are used to delicious meal. Sometimes I watched her cook, so I learn cooking by looking. My specialty is chicken adobo.It is easy to cook and I am sure everybody will love it.
@yna410 (429)
• Philippines
16 Nov 10
Wow, the famous chicken adobo. I love adobo. I like it dry, when the meat really absorbs all the flavors. I also like it a bit spicy. We usually cook adobo with both chicken and pork and we also add some potatoes. =)
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
12 Nov 10
What is my "culinary masterpiece"? Now that's funny! If I didn't cook quite so much maybe my creativity would be tacos with veggies from the garden.. or spaghetti sauce with lots of mushrooms and other vegetables.. or burritos made with homemade flour tortilla shells. But I'd have to have not cooked for a while for that last one.. Sometimes some sort of roast with the traditional potatoes, carrots and onions.. Lately been cooking grouse with a can of cream of celery soup, and can of cream of chicken and some sweet onions.. Started cooking when I was 12.
@yna410 (429)
• Philippines
12 Nov 10
I love burritos and nachos. I haven't tried making my own tortilla bread. I just buy those ready-made tortilla and nachos packs. Nice picture. =)
• Austin, Texas
19 Aug 15
Don't really have a special dish, although my family enjoys my seafood salad. I'm fond of a good bowl of chili.