Cyprus Today

Some trendy tastes

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AS ALWAYS at this time of year, it’s interestin­g to look back at what the pundits said would be the “hot” food trends for the past 12 months as well as looking forward, to discover what they are tipping as the up and coming ingredient­s and cuisines for 2018. Which prediction­s really took off (somewhere, if maybe not here), which ones crashed and burned, and which are still “bubbling under” in the hope of making a breakthrou­gh this time round?

Well, as far as I can ascertain, the “cooked jackfruit instead of chicken and pork” prediction didn’t come to anything anywhere apart from perhaps in places where they grow and eat jackfruit anyway; and the elevation of octopus as the “go-to” seafood doesn’t appear to have happened either. Neither of those prediction­s appears on this year’s lists.

Hyper-regional food, having continued to gain ground during 2017, is again touted for 2018, with some pundits giving it the extreme definition of “ingredient­s sourced within walking distance”. Unless a new and super fit breed of power-walking chef is waiting in the wings, that specific definition is probably unrealisti­c, especially in inner cities. Actually, it wouldn’t be all that realistic in downtown Girne. Neverthele­ss, promoting authentic, local produce and dishes has got to be a good thing and should be encouraged.

As gut health grows in importance in the wellbeing sector, pickled and fermented foods continue to grow in popularity. Last year sauerkraut was tipped to replace kimchi in the probiotic stakes but kimchi stood its ground and this year they share equal billing, with growing supermarke­t shelf space being devoted to shots of kimchi and sauerkraut juice. On a night out, the very brave can even order a pickleback; for the uninitiate­d, that’s whisky with a pickle juice chaser.

Kefir, the fermented milk drink that has been readily available here for several years, is still gaining in popularity in the UK. Quite apart from its cleansing and probiotic credential­s, it’s a good source of calcium and protein, so do try it if you haven’t already.

Insects are again being promoted as a desirable source of protein and the UN has declared edible insects to be the food of the future. Angelina Jolie claims her children snack on crickets “like Doritos” — make of that what you will, but I think it will be a while before the world’s most popular brand of tortilla chips disappears from supermarke­t shelves here.

As regards niche restaurant­s, the Cuban prediction seems to have come to nothing but Filipino cuisine gets a continuing nod for 2018. There are two Filipino-orientated restaurant­s that I know of in Girne, so we’re “on trend” there, thanks to our growing Filipino community.

Other cuisines being touted as “hot” for 2018 include Mexican (again), Korean (back on the list after falling from favour last year), Portuguese and Japanese, but not miso soup and sushi — apparently those are “so last year”. This year it is what the Daily Telegraph refers to as “Japanese dude food” that will be the “must eat” dishes, recreating the favourites served in the izikayas of “after-hours Tokyo” [bars that serve tapas-style food to share with friends over a few drinks].

Topping the list is yakitori. Technicall­y, yakitori is skewered chicken (any bit of chicken, from thigh or wing to tail and small intestine), marinated and cooked over charcoal but in the West, the term “yakitori” has come to mean Japanese-style marinated and skewered meat of any kind, with beef probably being the most popular.

If you want to expand your “kebab repertoire”, give this recipe a go. Ideally the skewers should be cooked over charcoal but if it is too wintry for you to light the barbecue, they can be cooked under an ordinary grill. Mirin is usually available in the better supermarke­ts but you can substitute dry sherry if you want.

Combine the sugar, soy sauce, mirin and ginger in a small pan, stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and simmer for two minutes. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish large enough to hold the meat and set aside to cool.

Cut the beef into chunks about 1cm thick and slice each of the spring onions into four pieces. Add it all to the marinade, stir gently to ensure everything is evenly coated, cover the dish and set aside for at least an hour. Meanwhile, soak four or six wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes and heat the grill to medium.

Cook the noodles according to the instructio­ns on the packet, then drain and toss in a tablespoon of the sesame oil.

Thread the beef and spring onions onto the skewers and grill for about eight to 10 minutes, brushing with the marinade and turning the skewers from time to time so that the meat cooks evenly.

Heat the other spoonful of sesame oil in a large nonstick pan, add the chilli, mushrooms and spinach and cook until the spinach wilts; it will only take three or four minutes. Tip in the noodles and any remaining marinade and heat until the noodles are hot through. Spoon into bowls or plates, arrange the beef yakitori on top and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve hot (serves two to three).

From North African spices to home-made pickles and condiments and from substantia­l breakfasts to edible algae and omega-9s, there are lots of other reported trends for us to look at over the next few weeks, but I will leave you with this quote from the ChicagoTri­bune: “Cottage cheese is the new Greek yoghurt”. Really?

 ??  ?? Beef yakitori with udon noodles
Beef yakitori with udon noodles
 ??  ?? A jug of kefir
A jug of kefir
 ??  ?? Figs with goat’s cheese and crickets
Figs with goat’s cheese and crickets
 ??  ??

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