Hi there and thanks for stopping by!
As you might have guessed, my hobby is Asian cooking. An amateur on a grand scale, I use this journal to chronicle both my successes and failures. It is my hope that by sharing my culinary adventures, I will learn from those who are more intimately familiar with the various cuisines I am attempting. Critical feedback is not only welcome but highly encouraged.
My interest in Asian cooking developed while living in Japan. Never having been particularly excited by Western cuisines, my exposure to Asian culinary sensibilities were a sort of awakening. Food at once became exciting to me. During my two years in Tokyo, I came to be particularly impressed by Korean food, thanks to a Korean woman who lived in shared accomodations. Mi-chan used to bring back homemade kimchees from her parents' home in Pusan, and it is from these impressions that I draw my original inspiration.
In the same vein as the musical genre known as Exotica, my hobby might appropriately be titled Cooking for the Suburban Savage. Just as the military men of the mid-century America period brought home slightly skewed visions of the "exotic" outside world and cultivated them in the remote privacy of their suburban backyards and bachelor pads, cooking for me is also an escape of sorts. After having spent many years of my life living outside the United States, "growing up" has meant settling down a bit. And while settling in a particular place in the world comes with it so many joys, it also means giving up one's freedom to roam around the world at will. Cooking allows me to have it both ways.
I have found that deprivation usually brings with it innovation. Living in the California desert, my hobby is a particularly challenging one because Asian spices, herbs, and vegetables are hard to come by. I view this as a personal challenge, however. This reality has simply led me to other adventures, such as gardening and growing my own herbs.
This blog continues to bring me a lot of joy. Comments left overnight are always something to look forward to in the morning. The act of cooking is also a form of therapy. In a world which is largely out of our control, cooking allows one to cultivate beauty and perfection. Food prepared by strangers is always a risk, whereas to prepare food with one's own hands is to exert control over an otherwise chaotic world.
I'm looking forward to your comments. Thanks for stopping by.
Comments
This stuff is really great and the Korean posts make me miss Korea a lot. Keep it up.
Posted by: Ashley | March 12, 2006 11:35 PM
The recipes for Malaysian food looks so delicious. Here I am a Malay lady living in Western Australian learning to cook my own food. You put me to shame....
Posted by: flower | March 16, 2006 01:21 AM
I've had a great time checking out your blog today, especially the Korean cooking section. My mother is Korean, having grown up in Pusan, and I am half. I miss her cooking so much, she lives in the Midwest while I'm in Southern CA. I can never really get the recipes right b/c she cooks purely off of feel. I'm lucky enough to live near many Asian markets. Your cooking adventures have motivated me to try out some more as well. If you ever make it to the San Diego area let me know, I'll recommend some of my favorite restaurants. Also some blogs of SD residents that have more knowledge of all the great ethnic restaurants.
Posted by: Christina | May 1, 2006 02:08 PM
I must say I havent seen this much variety of dished in any of the food blogs that I have been till date and I am so impressed by your blog. I am from India and all you Indian dishes and the photographs look delicious. Keep up the good job.
Posted by: Anu | June 13, 2006 04:14 PM
Amazing stuff! you live and breath food passion and infect others- love your work!!
Posted by: kelly | July 12, 2006 03:56 AM
Hi EJ! I need your help in recognizing this kind of basil I posted in my blog. Thanks so much!
Posted by: Daisy | July 31, 2006 07:27 PM
Evil jungle prince? I think not. Evil cooking genius, I name thee!
Bookmarked your blog for further lurking excitement and anticipatorily looking ever forward to your next post.
Posted by: Gwenny | August 5, 2006 03:18 PM
I have to hand it to you. Shooting photos of food is never as easy as you make it look! (which is probably why I don't put any on my blog) Thanks for sharing this passion for food, for colours, and ultimately, for fantasy, with us! I'm so glad I stumbled on this site. Oh, and I should explain that although my food blog is in Italian, I was born in Canada to Korean parents, and am perfectly fluent in Spanish. Like the person who left the comment about Korean food, I'm also learning that I miss it enough that, little by little, I'm learning new Korean recipes, and finding ways to cook them my way!
Well, buon appetito, as they say in Italian.
Posted by: Anita | September 6, 2006 09:14 AM
I just knew about your blog from my friend. It's good to know. Nice blog! Keep up the good work
Visit my blog at http://indonesia-eats.blogspot.com please.
I have a passion for food, esp Indonesian cuisine, a place where I came from, but currently living in Winnipeg, Canada.
Posted by: Andaliman | December 24, 2006 09:10 AM
I'm amazed you got the spelling right for all the Indonesian dishes. The recipe books sold @ BnN/Borders don't even come close. Keep up the good work!
Posted by: yuli | January 7, 2007 05:08 PM
hey jonny. i love your excellent photos, yummy recipes and great garden so much! looking forward to checking your updates in this blog. and by the way, you really should try the petai beans. i bet you're gonna love it!
Posted by: lestat | January 13, 2007 12:51 AM
hi there, i linked via Julia's Jam. i'm really impressed at your cooking overall but especially impressed by the fact that you actually make kimchi. that's precious.
Posted by: lovein2languages | March 8, 2007 12:06 PM
Truth, it is a beautiful writing. The passion and spirit of adventure overflow.
Posted by: youngsil KIM | June 29, 2007 11:02 AM
Cooking as a means of exerting control over the world? interesting thought
Posted by: Maninas | July 2, 2007 03:08 PM
Thanks for a great blog. I've been reading for the past few months and always enjoy your posts.
Posted by: Bora | July 4, 2007 02:28 PM
Hi. I stumbled upon your site while searching for thai and vietnamese recipes and I must say, you have inspired me to continue to experiment in the world of cooking. I had an epiphany! Your introduction was wonderful. I can't wait to start trying some of your many recipes. I love that you also post pictures. They are extremely helpful. Thanks EJP.
Posted by: Belinda | September 13, 2007 02:22 PM
i just found your site the usual way: i was wandering around on google, looking for one thing and quite by surprise, ended up in a parallel universe. i'm looking forward to trying out the mango lassi ice cream and the pad kee mao.
thanks so much for the recipes- and the good vibes!
Posted by: Mary | December 10, 2007 08:36 PM
Love your blog site!! Overwhelmingly impressed with your style of cooking. I am a native Japanese however Japanese food is my least favorite ... only because it' doesn't offer much of a "free style cooking". Anyway, your site will add a lot of new and exciting dish to my household. for that, Domo Arigato, Mr. Evil Jungle!
Posted by: hoho | January 12, 2008 08:05 AM
I just stumbled on to your website and after looking at a few recipes I thought you were Indian, thanks for proving me wrong.
You are a wonderful writer.
Posted by: Sidharth Varma | April 29, 2008 09:38 AM
I came across your blog a few days ago and have been back a number of times since. You've done a great job with it, and what a great resource it is for people like me, who are lovers of world cuisines and enjoy dabbling around i n the kitchen.
I'm currently living in South Korea and enjoying the immersion of my Asian surroundings -- this is my second stint living in Asia, and this time around, I feel even more prepared to soak up its wonders. I wrote a piece on my own blog, http://somewheresouthofseoul.blogspot.com/ -- which references yours. Really enjoyed your cooking "philosophy." Thanks for some great recipes and great reading.
~Melanie
Posted by: Melanie | October 2, 2008 10:08 PM
I was looking for guava recipes and came upon your creative cooking site. Did you know there is a (or was - don't know if they're still making it) sauce called "Evil Jungle Prince", made by "Broke da Mouth" Co. here in Hawaii. They specialized in very exotic combinations. Just a FYI.
Posted by: Claudia | October 9, 2008 05:27 PM