Kosher Critic: The three basic methods of combination cuisine

For the average restaurant patron, navigating the landscape of modern cuisine is becoming increasingly difficult. In part because we, as the consumers, are demanding a greater range of creativity from the chefs who cook for us and these chefs respond by changing up ingredients and techniques to accommodate our diversifying tastes. This results in what is referred to as “fusion cuisine” which is defined as a method by which various culinary ingredients, traditions and elements are combined.
There are three basic methods of fusion cuisine.

The first and simplest is when the food from a series of different regions with similar culinary sensibilities is combined. This is most commonly seen in restaurants that refer to themselves as “Asian Fusion.” Often this means that the restaurant offers dishes that utilize from countries throughout Asia not specifically focusing on any specific one.

The second method of Fusion cooking involves working with a specific regional cuisine but then utilizing ingredients that are specific to another region. For me nothing exemplifies this style of fusion more then a wonderful hole in the wall called The Thai Grill in Jerusalem that makes a Thai stir-fry but uses lamb that is distinctly Mediterranean.

The third and my favorite style of Fusion cooking is a food form that mimics one style of cuisine but uses the ingredients and flavors of another. A great example of this is Noi Due restaurant on the upper West Side. Its Sigari are Moroccan Cigars filled with ricotta and basil dipped in marinara. The result is a dish that is both distinctly Moroccan and Italian.

I recently decided to try creating my own fusion dish that utilized this culinary technique. After seeking advice from a friend on what food medium to try this with, I eventually ended up making an Asian Edamame Hummus. The flavor is a wonderful blend of Asian and Mediterranean. I served it with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and rice crackers.

In case you would like to try it for yourself here is the recipe:

Ingredients
1 pound cooked edamame
2 cloves of minced Garlic
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
3 tablespoons of wasabi powder
4 tablespoons lime juice