Do you see the universe on your plate? Vinita Chopra Jacinto wants you to.
The culinary instructor from CCA -- one of four panelists in a moderated discussion hosted by the Asian Culinary Forum on Food as Medicine: Cuisine, Curatives, & Culture -- doesn't see the food on her plate as a collection of commodities or functional prescriptions. When she looks at her plate, she sees her past (family memories), her culture (folklore), her impact on the world (whose culture is she borrowing from, what is she modeling for the future) and the whole balance of a healthy lifestyle. In other words, she sees the universe and her connection to it.

A small crowd of people gathered Tuesday night in a large meeting room on the second floor of the San Francisco Ferry Building. With the Bay Bridge illuminated in the background, we were there to talk about the relationship between food and medicine and the use of food as medicine. The result: less in depth discussion and prescription of particular ingredients and more passionate anecdotes about culture, healing and responsibility.

The evening started with an informal reception. Panelists and volunteers from the Asian Culinary Forum provided quite a spread of healing foods and spices, both for display as well as tasting. On display was a rainbow array of spices, stunning mushroom formations, goji berries, dragon eye, red dates, wood ear (black fungus), and snow fungus. Tastings included: bitter melon; two capsaicin spiced "elixirs" (I tried to figure out how to steal the case of the lychee wasabi flavor undetected, but failed to concoct a foolproof plan); a buffet of dried fruit, nuts, and an oyster mushroom and walnut pate; and three soups: Qing Ji Tang (herbal chicken soup with soft stewed hunks of ginger easily twice the size of my thumb), Miyeuk Guk (a Korean seaweed soup, thick and rich with sea vegetables and snow fungus), and Shu Jiao Jiang (pork ginger vinegar soup, a dark, fragrant caldron). They rolled out black sesame "truffles" sweetened with honey and covered in shredded coconut at the end of the evening, which were a perfectly balanced treat, not too rich or cloying, and completely satisfying, almost palate cleansing.

Moderated by Nancy Chen, a professor of anthropology at UC Santa Cruz, the panel included Jane Lin, who, inspired by the soups her parents prepared to help her recovery after the birth of her first child, launched Mama Tong as a way to bring healthy, healing, traditional Chinese foods to new mothers; Vinita Chopra Jacinto, a culinary instructor at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, where she teaches a new generation of culinary students old food wisdom; John Garrone, proprietor of Far West Fungi, an exotic mushroom company located in the Ferry Building; and Michelle Warner, a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist.

There was just a little bit of talk on the power of specific ingredients, without going too deeply into the science of how the foods work with our bodies: John Garrone provided a nice primer on the medicinal uses of some fungi he favors -- maitake tea for strength, tree oysters for immune boosting, and lion's head for digestion; Michelle Warner promoted mung beans and tulsi tea (holy basil), an adaptogenic herb that balances out just about everything; and Jane Lin gave several options for increasing milk production for nursing mothers, including fenugreek and high protein foods (she also strongly recommended sleep and proper hydration).

But more, over the course of the evening, the panelists shared their personal perspectives on what food means to them and how it integrates into the fabric of their lives. Jane Lin shared her reluctant acceptance of a traditional Chinese post-partum confinement after her first child's birth, and the strange looking but ultimately healing soups that came with it. John Garrone told the story of feeding his son strength-building maitake before difficult wrestling matches and Vinita Chopra Jacinto joyfully described her mother's masala dabba -- a jewelry box filled with traditional spices that she added to meals, a cross between a magician and a doctor, to keep her family healthy. All agreed that what is happening now with our culture's sharp focus on food, especially in the Bay Area, is that we are seeing an incredible opportunity to move beyond fad diets and build bridges between old traditions and contemporary applications.

When asked by an audience member how it all connects -- the nutrition science, the energetic sciences of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, and the cultural wisdom or folklore -- the panelists agreed that nutrition isn't an exact science yet, that the connections between theses perspectives are still developing, but that ultimately you get out of food what you want. It's your choice, when you look at your plate, to see random bits or your whole world.

At the end, the panelists agreed on some simple prescriptions:
• Eat in season. Eating in season is one easy, natural way to keep your body in balance from a healing perspective, plus food in season tastes better.
• Eat the full range of flavors (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, pungent, astringent) and colors in food.
• Taste matters. Taste your food, really chew your food and experience the range of flavors represented on your plate. Food, especially functional foods, should nourish your senses as well as your body.
• Prescriptive eating isn't enough; functional (medicinal) foods can only enhance the bigger picture lifestyle choices we make to support balanced health overall.

On Friday October 10th the Asian Culinary Forum kicked off with a sold out tasting event, The Six Asian Flavors. What made this program such a fantastic success was the opportunity to see, handle, smell and taste examples of the defining flavors of Asian cuisine that spans many countries.

Sour featured Sinigang na Baka a tangy soup made by Filipino chef Emmanuel Santos of Bistro Luneta and explanations from food writer Nancy Freeman. Fresh tamarind, limes, tomatoes, eggplants, green mangoes, long beans and taro root were all featured in their uncooked forms, as well as in the scrumptious and soothing soup.

Umami is possibly the least well known flavor. It is best described as "savory" and has a mouthwatering effect. It was represented by sake-braised shiitake and maitake mushrooms. On hand were also other examples of foods high in umami such as cheese, olives, miso and tomatoes. While this flavor is found just about every cuisine it is particularly important in Asian cuisine and was first identified in Japan.

Salty took the form of fish sauce provided by Viet Huong, producer of the Three Crabs and Flying Lion brands. While fish sauce is made with salt, not every style is very salty. Several bottles from a local producer were available and guides explained the differences and offered up rice paper rolls to dip in various sauces.

Spicy was a bit of a surprise, because it wasn't necessarily "hot." Thai Sriracha, Vietnamese chile salt and a Malaysian sambal were offered with a savory selection of bites including pork belly, cucumber and shrimp. Each offered a different twist on spiciness.

Bitter might be the toughest for Western tastes to accept, it is the opposite of sweet. Nutritionist Karen Diggs presented the health benefits of bitter including stimulating bile production, expelling "heat" from the liver, and toning digestive organs and the heart. A bitter tonic primed the palate for a stack of bitter melon, shiitake mushroom and a goji berry.

Sweet was presented last, much as it is in Western cuisine. Writer Robyn Eckhardt of Eating Asia presented various palm sugars and a sweet Malaysian dessert called onde onde, made from coconut, pandan, coconut palm sugar and glutinous rice. Each component was sweet and together they created a decadent and rich morsel.

Next weekend, the inaugural Asian Culinary Forum kicks off at the San Francisco Ferry Building and the theme is Asian Food Beyond Borders. There will be tours, classes, workshops and panel discussions. Learn about chutneys, kimchi and sambal, how to pair wine with Asian food, all about Asian diasporas, the delights of South India and so much more.

One highlight of the weekend will be the program The Politics and Practicalities of Rice, a panel discussion and tasting, taking place on Saturday October 11th from 10-12 at the Ferry Building and tickets are only $20, $12 for students/seniors. On the panel will be Ross Koda, of Koda Farms, a Japanese American family rice farmer from the Central Valley, Kenneth Lee, president of Lotus Foods, specialty rice importer and distributor, Kent McKenzie, researcher and director of the California Rice Experiment Station and Raj Patel, food policy analyst and author of Stuffed and Starved. Learn about farming techniques, global food policies, and environmental issues. You'll also get a chance to taste half a dozen different varieties of rice from California and around the world.

What: Asian Food Beyond Borders presented by the Asian Culinary Forum

Where: Events take place at the Ferry Building in San Francisco and at various other locations for tours

When: Friday October 10 - 12, 2008
How: Purchase tickets.

Why: Hear from speakers ranging from Maddhur Jaffrey, to Martin Yan, local farmers and chefs with ties to Japan, Korea, Indonesia, India, Vietnam and more. Taste, talk, explore!

About 3 million people depend on rice for survival. This simple rice soup is almost endlessly versatile. Recipe adapted from Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, by Asian Culinary Forum co-director and co-founder, Andrea Nguyen.

Basic Rice Soup "Cháo"
Makes about 8 cups, to serve 4 as a light lunch or 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes

3/4 long-grain rice
2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) chicken stock
4 quarter sized slices unpeeled fresh ginger
2 scallions, white part only
Salt

1. Put the rice in a 4 quart saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Stir the rice with your hand 8 -10 times then let the rice settle. Drain the water and rinse the rice to remove some of the starch.

2. Add stock, ginger, and scallions and ring to a oil over high heat. Lower the heat to a vigorous simmer , and then cover partially. Cool for 5 minutes, stir the rice to make sure it is not sticking and gently simmer.

3. Recover partially and continue cooking for one hour or until the rice has thickened and turned creamy white. Discard the ginger and scallions and salt as necessary. Use this soup base with chicken and cilantro, seafood, shredded pork or salted preserved eggs.

The Asian Culinary Forum is hosting a panel discussion with a group of celebrated San Francisco chefs. They'll share how they developed their signature styles and how their personal and professional experiences have shaped their vision of Asian cuisine. Learn about Asian flavors and how local chefs successfully challenge public expectations.

The panelists are:
Kelly Degala, executive chef, Pres a Vi and Va de Vis
Eric Gower, personal chef and author Breakaway Cook
Michelle Mah, formerly executive chef, Ponzu
Kirti Pant, executive chef, Junnoon
Charles Phan, executive chef, Slanted Door Slanted Door
Linda Carucci (moderator), chef director, International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California -- San Francisco

What: Are You What You Cook Panel discussion and wine reception. Slanted Door and Va de Vi will provide a light buffet of savory appetizers. Elaine Villamin, Eden Canyon Vineyards’ owner and winemaker, will be pouring tastes of her family’s fine Cabernet blend. Cookbooks written by the chefs will be available for purchase on-site from Book Passage, and the chefs will be happy to sign copies following the evening’s discussion.
Where: One Ferry Building, 2nd Floor, San Francisco
When: 6:00pm-8:30pm, Monday, July 21, 2008
How: $35 general admission, $25 restaurant trade or full-time student (with ID) Register to attend.
Why: What's particularly compelling about the panel is the amazing diversity of their backgrounds and styles of cooking. For example, consider Eric Gower, a chef we interviewed on Bay Area Bites last year. We also reviewed his latest book, the Breakaway Cook. His experience living in Japan and curiosity about Asian ingredients have inspired a unique perspective and cuisine.

Here's an example of his style of cooking. This recipe comes from The Breakaway Cook and is perfect for Summer.

Moroccan Morokyu

2 (or more) fresh cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and sliced into spears about 3 inces long and 1/2 inch thick
1 Tablespoon yellow miso
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses

Arrange the cucumber spears on a plate. Mix together the miso and pomegranate molasses in a small bowl and place the bowl on the plate to serve.