spice monkey restaurant
Chef Kanitha Matoury
When a life’s story is rich, eclectic and flavorful, it shows. In the case of Chef Kanitha Matoury, the nuances of her past tales are told through her welcoming personality and creative expression in all she does today - her hand-crafted spice blends, loose leaf tea creations and nourishing food.
Born and raised in Cambodia until she was granted political asylum in the United State at age 14, the path Kanitha has traveled is a winding road filled with accomplishments. She boasts a business degree and stint in the U.S. Air Force, as well as experience working as a line cook, saucier, sous chef, and pastry chef. Fast-forward to 2005, and this dynamic entrepreneur added real estate to her dossier, becoming a café owner. Her eatery in Oakland, Calif., Spice Monkey, opened in 2007 as a place for animated conversation and playfully created food.
In 2015, Kanitha began working on a new project just next door to Spice Monkey. Howden Market soon opened as a charming market-deli-cafe that offers produce, coffee, prepared foods, deli goods, organic groceries, and more. Understanding that life should always be full of laughs, her market is also home to Comedy Oakland, winner of several "Best Place for Comedy" awards by East Bay Express/Oakland Magazine Reader's Poll.
Summer Spring Rolls
Makes 8-10 Servings
● 2 oz rice vermicelli
● 8-10 rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
● 8 large cooked shrimp - peeled, deveined and cut in half
● 3 sprigs fresh basil
● 5 sprigs mint
● 5 sprigs cilantro
● 8 leaves lettuce, chopped
● 4 teaspoons fish or Tamari sauce
● ¼ cup water
● 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
● 5 clove garlic, minced
● 2 tablespoons white sugar
● ½ teaspoon garlic chili sauce
● 1.5 teaspoon creamy Jif peanut butter Instructions: Cooking part:
● Soak rice vermicelli in boiling water for 7min.
● Cook the Shrimp in boiling water for 5min Sauce:
● Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and give it a good mixing or whisk
● Tamari or fish sauce, ¼ c hot water, lime juice, minced garlic, sugar, chili sauce, Jif peanut butter Combining:
● Prepare and clean the rest of the vegetables
● After everything is done, plate prepared ingredients and prepare for a party.
● Have your boiling hot water ready near ingredients
● Once you are ready to eat, quickly soak rice wrap paper
● Place ingredients into moist rice wrap paper
● Roll everything together into the rice wrap
● You are now ready to serve at your hot summer spring roll party!
Grandma’s Cambodia Steak Salad
Makes 5 Servings Steak Marinade
● 2.5lbs Filet Tips (cut the steak into cubes)
● 1c Oyster Sauce ● 1/2 c Minced Garlic ● 2Tb Black Pepper ● 1/2c Chili Paste
● 4Tb Fish Sauce
● 1c Tomato Paste
● 1/2Tb Honey Agave
● 2c Hot Water Instructions:
● Put the steak and marinade ingredients in a big mixing bowl
● Get pan super hot
● Throw garlic and marinated steak into hot pan
● Cook for 3 minutes so that steak is at medium-rare
● Remove steak from heat and put on top salad Salad:
● 1 oz vermicelli
● 3 oz box of spring mix
● ½ cup cherry tomatoes
● ½ cup sliced yellow onion
● 3Tb of Safflower Oil or Sunflower Oil Cooking Instructions:
● Get safflower oil very hot
● Toss vermicelli into hot oil
● When it starts to puff up remove from pan 2C Salad Dressing
● 0.17c Minced Garlic
● 2c Safflower or Blended Oil
● 1c Lime Juice
● 1.5Tb Fish Sauce
● 1 1/4Tb Black Pepper
● 1.5Tb Kosher Salt
● ½ Tb White Sugar or Agave Instructions:
● Put all ingredients into a big mixing bowl or a squeeze bottle and give it a good whisk or shake until all ingredients are evenly combined.
Complete: ● Combine all parts of salad and serve