My Extracurricular Films for the Month of

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

Throughout each month, in addition to my Chopstick Cinema selection, I watch lots of other films. This month they were:

A Couch in New York - With co-stars like William Hurt and Juliette Binoche, I thought this movie would be better than it was. It's an obvious adaptation of a French film, in which two strangers swap apartments. William Hurt is a high-profile psychiatrist with a penthouse in New York, and Juliette Binoche is a Parisian woman with a complicated love life in a flat in Paris. When both need a respite from their respective lives, they decide to swap apartments through a personals ad. Neither has met the other, however they are soon immersed in each other's lives. Silly, improbable, and contrived.

Get Shorty - Turnabout is fair play in this wiseguy comedy starring John Travolta as Chili Palmer, a small-time mafia collection agent with a vendetta against Dennis Farina over a leather jacket. When his collection work takes him to Hollywood, Chili becomes implicated in subterfuge involving a movie script, a drug deal gone bad, and the retrieval of a duffel bag filled with cash. There is no end to the thieving and doublecrossing, but Chili plays it cool to the end. Entertaining and amusing.

Dr. Zhivago - In this epic love story, Omar Sharif stars as the title character, a Russian doctor, caught up in political revolution and torn between the love of two women, Tonya his wife (Geraldine Chaplin) and Lara his lover (Julie Christie). Told from the perspective of Dr. Zhivago's brother Yevgraf (Alec Guiness), a general in the Red Army, the film encompasses the full scope of the revolution, from the Bolshevik uprising to World War I, and traverses the frozen tundra from Moscow to Yuriatin. Well worth watching, even the third time around.

Sybil - This remake of the TV classic stars Tammy Blanchard in the title role that won Sally Field an Emmy, with Jessica Lang as her therapist, reprising the role originally played by Joanne Woodward. Sybil is a psychologically scarred young woman who develops seventeen distinct personalities to help her cope with the horrors of her childhood, and under the patient guidance of Dr. Cornelia Wilbur, embarks on a journey to become whole again. Although this version is well acted and faithful to the original, it offers no new insights.

Miss Potter - Renee Zellweger plays the title role in this utterly charming biography of children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter of Peter Rabbit fame. Miss Potter was born into an upper class English family, but headstrong woman that she was, never succumbed to the foppish parade of suitors her mother foisted upon her. Instead she became a woman of considerable means through the sales of her children's books and went on to become one of the most significant women in literary history. Excellent from start to finish.

The Third Man - By far, my favorite film noir, The Third Man is based upon a novel by Graham Greene, and stars Joseph Cotton as a successful Western fiction writer who goes to visit his friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles) in Berlin during World War II, only to find that he has been killed by a car accident of dubious credibility. Not only is the story masterfully and mysteriously told, the film sets the bar for black and white cinematography. Positively luminous.

Brian's Song - For some odd reason, I got the notion that I wanted my son Will to see this film. Made for TV in 1971, Brian's Song stars James Caan as rising football star Brian Piccolo, and Billy Dee Williams as his friend and teammate Gayle Sayers. Their interracial friendship stood as a shining example amid troubled times, and personified what it means to 'go the distance'. Very dated after more than 30 years, but a classic 'guy flick' nonetheless.

The Hand - How I managed to miss this gem in the more than twenty years since it was made is a mystery. Directed by Oliver Stone, The Hand stars Michael Caine (my favorite actor) as a graphic novel illustrator who loses his right hand in a freakish car accident caused by his wife. Robbed of his career as an illustrator, he has little choice but to become a teacher. But when he separates from his wife and moves to California, he has the dreadful feeling that 'the hand' has taken on a life of its own. Good mystery and psychological drama.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

11:16 AM PDT Permalink |

Cambodian Barbequed Pork Ribs

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

I was pleasantly surprised at the way this dish turnd out. I started with some plump boneless pork ribs, which I marinated and braised in soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic, with a dash of the secret ingredient: cinnamon. Once the ribs were tender, I drained off the braising liquid, thickened it with a little cornstarch, and then used it as the basting sauce for the browning phase of the cooking process. The finished ribs were moist and tender and browned to a deep mahogany brown in a richly-flavored glaze with just a whisper of the secret ingredient.

The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my 'Lord Jim' film review.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

11:06 PM PDT Permalink |

Cambodian Fish Cakes

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my 'Lord Jim' film review.

I've made variations of this dish for menus from several Asian cuisines, including Indian, Korean, and Japanese. The batter is a basic flour, egg and water base, to which I added some coarsely chopped catfish, along with garlic, scallions, water chestnuts, carrot, green chili pepper, soy sauce, Asian fish sauce, and a dash of sugar. The dipping sauce is Asian fish sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and a few drops of chili oil for spice.

The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my 'Lord Jim' film review

To subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

11:05 PM PDT Permalink |

Cambodian Barbeque Chicken Wings

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

This recipe was so tasty, I've made it twice this month. The marinade is a combination of soy sauce, Asian fish sauce, chili oil, lime juice, ginger, garlic, and scallions. The barbeque sauce is a simple blend of brown sugar, honey, and oyster sauce. The chicken wings are braised in the marinade for most of an hour, and then finished in the broiler with a slather of the sauce. So easy. So tasty.

The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my 'Lord Jim' film review.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

12:45 AM PDT Permalink |

Cambodian Prawn Stir Fry

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

According to my research, this dish is a Cambodian favorite, and now it's one of mine. The stir-fry is a medley of shrimp, garlic, carrot, mushrooms, onions, and baby corn in a sauce of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and brown sugar, thickened with a little cornstarch.

The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my 'Lord Jim' film review.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

12:36 AM PDT Permalink |

Spicy Cambodian Noodles

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

No Asian meal is complete without a bowl of spicy noodles. These were made with ginger, garlic, mushrooms, carrot, scallions, water chestnuts, cabbage, and sesame oil over vermicelli noodles, in a sauce of soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili oil, and chicken stock.

The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my 'Lord Jim' film review.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

12:10 AM PDT Permalink |

Cambodian Beef Skewers

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

This was a simple and tasty addition to my 'Lord Jim' Cambodian menu. The marinade is a classic Southeast Asian blend of sesame oil, lemongrass, garlic, scallions, sugar, Asian fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chili oil. For the dipping sauce, a mixture of soy sauce Asian fish sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, ginger root, and garlic.

The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my 'Lord Jim' film review.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

04:43 PM PDT Permalink |

Cambodian Shrimp Skewers

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

This recipe was so tasty that I'm going to add it to my permanent collection to enjoy on a regular basis. The reicpe is deceptively simple and easy, needing nothing more than a pound of shrimp, some scallions, garlic, salt and pepper, and a little cornstarch to hold it all together. After shaping the shrimp paste on bamboo skewers, I grilled them to a golden brown on my electric grill. The finished appetizers were so tasty that they needed no condiment, and disappeared faster than you can say 'bamboo'.

The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my 'Lord Jim' film review.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

01:28 AM PDT Permalink |

Deep-Fried Spring Rolls

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

These crispy little treats were the star of the show. I used ground turkey for the meat element of the filling, along with shredded carrot and cabbage, scallions, and garlic. I seasoned the filling with fish sauce, soy sauce, and oyster sauce, and served the deep-fried rolls with sweet chili dipping sauce. The result was so tasty that I was grateful that the recipe made two dozen rolls, so there were enough left over for dinner the next evening.

The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my 'Lord Jim' film review.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

05:01 PM PDT Permalink |

Rice Paper Fish Rolls

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

Every time I make any kind of Southeast Asian cuisine, I always make some variation of these light and lovely rice paper rolls. This time, I grilled some catfish to add to the filling of red leaf lettuce, fresh mint, grated carrot, and julienne cucumbers. The flavors of Asian fish sauce, lime juice and rice vinegar in the dipping sauce completes the dish.

The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my 'Lord Jim' film review.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

05:11 PM PDT Permalink |

Spotlight on Spice: Lemongrass

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

Lemongrass is one of the most widely used elements in Asian, Caribbean and African cuisines. Its scientific classification is Plantae Magnokiophyta Liliopsida Poales Poaceae Cymbopogon. There are about fifty five different species of lemongrass, which are also known as barbed wire grass, fever grass, citronella grass, silky heads, and Hierba Luisa. Lemongrass is a perennial, native to temperate and tropical climates, where it grows in thick tufts.

Lemongrass adds a citrus-like flavor to recipes, and is available fresh, dried, or powdered. Only the soft, inner core of fresh lemongrass is edible, but the harder stalks may be crushed to release its flavor and aroma. Lemongrass is used to flavor teas, soups, and stews, and is also valued for its antiseptic and medicinal properties. Citronella grass is used as a mosquito repellent, as well as in perfumes, soaps, and candles.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

02:08 PM PDT Permalink |

Sources for Cambodian Ingredients

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

Many if not most of the ingredients needed to prepare a Cambodian meal are quite readily available at grocery stores and Asian markets. But in the event that you don't have a variety market in your community, you can order most of these products at AsianFoodGrocer.com, GroceryThai.com, and ImportFood.com.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

04:10 PM PDT Permalink |

Cambodian Serving Dishes

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

When I make tropical foods, I like to use colorful serving dishes. Most of the time, I like to use natural materials such as baskets and bamboo. And since there's a lot of seafood on this menu, I'm going with standard ceramic dishes in a palette of blues and greens.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

04:08 PM PDT Permalink |

Special Cambodian Cooking Utensils

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

In addition to my regular cookware, for my 'Lord Jim' Cambodian menu, I will need a wok, and a grill. Since a charcoal grill yields better flavor, I'm going to make the extra effort to build a fire instead of using my electric countertop grill. The dishes that will be grilled outdoors are the beef skewers, the pork and pineapple skewers, the chicken wings, and the pork ribs.

To subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

04:06 PM PDT Permalink |

Beverages to Go With a Cambodian Meal

This Month's Film: Lord Jim
Cuisine: Cambodian

Most of the Cambodian beverages I've been able to discover are fruit based concoctions like blended smoothies and tropical punch. Cambodia also has a national brewery, however, I doubt that I will be able to find any Cambodian beer here in town. So I may have to settle for a more widely distributed Asian beer like TsingTao. Or I may even serve a lightly sweet wine such as White Zinfandel or Johannesburg Riesling. The flavors of Cambodian food are quite similar to Thai food, with lots of coconut milk and ginger, both of which go well with sweeter, more fruity wines. Hibiscus tea also sounds tasty. So...Maybe I will serve a variety of several different beverages.

For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com

04:02 PM PDT Permalink |