Is it really April?

"Kill with a Borrowed Sword"
                                  -Stratagem 3, Thirty-Six Strategies of War in ancient China

      I was surprised by the richness of "wind over sand, chicken". The seasonings work in harmony with the natural flavor of chicken. Lightly salted skin gives way to juicy meat, like a nubile virgin dropping her panties. The name of the dish refers to the roasted garlic scattered over the skin. Rare a few years ago, "wind over sand, chicken" has since become a common menu item in Chinese restaurants around Queens, New York.

Although eating well-cooked chicken is perfectly safe, raising chickens in Asia can be hazardous. One example is the recent human outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza (flu) in Southeast Asia. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report in their Jan. 27th, 2004 conference call that 8 people have died out of 10 confirmed cases of H5N1 avian flu; three confirmed infections in Thailand and seven infections in Vietnam.  

Influenza viruses are designated as either type A, B, or C, based on the antigenic features of the viral matrix and nucleocapsid proteins. Influenza B is considered "human influenza" and has been responsible for severe epidemics, but it is influenza A "bird flu" that has caused the devastating worldwide pandemics. Influenza C causes a mild cold-like illness that no one really cares about. Here's a quickie explanation of influenza virus nomenclature:
     
 

      The flu season was especially bad last year because the A/Fujian/411/02 strain was markedly different from the attenuated virus strains included in the 2003 flu vaccine. Unlike polio, which has remained static over several hundred years, influenza viruses undergo high rates of mutation through a strategy of genetic drift and  genetic reassortment. In genetic drift, the influenza RNA transcriptase introduces point mutations during viral replication. Genetic reassortment refers to the swapping of RNA segments among different influenza viruses infecting the same host cell. Like trading yu-gi-oh cards, a duck influenza virus (H5N2) can pick up a gene from human influenza virus (H1N1), resulting in a hybrid duck-human influenza virus (H5N1).

Over the past few years, Dr. Yi Guan and Dr. Joseph Malik Peiris at the University of Hong Kong have published evidence that H5N1 avian influenza were spread by aquatic birds to chickens to humans (1,2). Their genetic analysis concluded that the 1997 Hong Kong H5N1 outbreak arose from a reassortment between A/Goose/Guangdong (H5N1) and A/Quail/Hong Kong (H9N2). Dr. Guan proposes that the goose influenza virus donated its H5 hemagglutinin gene to the quail/chicken influenza virus.

Acquiring the H5 gene allowed the hybrid virus to undergo an antigenic shift. In addition, chicken/quail influenza H9N2 viruses are capable of infecting humans. The end result is a novel H5N1 virus that no human immune system has experience defending against.

 (i drew this)

However, H5N1 influenza is better adapted to infecting chickens than humans, so human-to-human transmission has been inefficient in the early stages of the outbreak. Scientists are afraid that the next reassortment event will trade human influenza virus genes with H5N1 avian influenza genes, generating a virus that is easily spread human-to-human. The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging the killing of all infected H5N1 chickens in Asia to prevent this nightmare scenario. Hong Kong public health authorities stopped the last two H5N1 flu outbreaks in 1997 and 2002. Hopefully, the Asian governments can do it again.       

It is interesting how the strategy of "Kill with a Borrowed Sword" applies to avian influenza virus. The virus adapts to a new host by acquiring the strengths from other influenza viruses.

1. Guan, Y. et. al., (2002) Emergence of multiple genotypes of H5N1 avian influenza viruses in Hong Kong. PNAS. 99(13):8950-8955.  
2. Li, K.S. et al., (2003) Characterization of H9 Subtype Influenza Viruses from the Ducks of Southern China: a Candidate for the Next Influenza Pandemic in Humans?. J. Virology. 77(12):6988-6994.

[updated from original post on Dec. 21st, 2002 ]

My love affair with Japanese food began years ago with a girl named Lisa. She and I shared the same classes all through elementary school. At a junior high potluck she introduced me to okonomiyaki. They were wonderful japanese pancakes filled with meat and vegetables. After high school Lisa went to Berkeley, but I took my memory of okonomiyaki with me to NYC.

Roughly, okonomiyaki translates to 'cook what you like'. It originated as a dessert pancake (funoyaki) during the Edo Era (1603-1867) and evolved over time into a full entree. The batter is made of wheat flour and water. As it cooks on the grill, you mix in powdered bonito, chopped scallions, chicken, eggs seafood, etc. A sweet 'special sauce' and mayo is drizzled on when its all cooked.

 There are three popular styles of okonomiyaki: Kansai (Osaka-style), Hiroshima, and Monjayaki (Tokyo-style). I like Hiroshima-style the best since the yakisoba noodles really fill you up. There is no particular right way to prepare the dish. I have found all the major variations represented in restaurants around Manhattan.

A good place to start is the porch kitchen at Otafuku, on 9th St (b/t 2nd and 3rd ave). They offer some of the best okonomiyaki in the city for less than $8. Unfortunately, Otafuku is a shack with a grill, two cooks, and a bench outside. That's it. No indoor seating. You have to eat standing up or carry it over to Washington Square. But the food is great. I prefer the pork and squid okonomiyaki stacked high with dried bonito. If there's room in your belly, then try an order of takoyaki (fried octopus fritters) too. Wash it down with a tall can of Asahi. A visit to Otafuku is best enjoyed on a muggy summer night.

  6 proto-okonomiyaki's at Otafuku

Another good restaurant is 'Go' on St. Mark' s Place (b/t 2nd and 3rd Ave). While their okonomiyaki is saltier and less meaty than Otafuku, 'Go' does have conventional seating, a standard menu, and puts yakisoba in their okonomiyaki. Look at the walls before you order for seasonal specials. There are usually a few gems in the selection. 'Go' ranks well in the price to quality ratio.

Lastly, just a few stores down is Yakitori-taisho on St. Mark's Place. Years ago, it was a great yakiniku joint with reasonable prices. I could get a decent bang for the buck on the chicken skewers set and a mug of apple chu-hi. One of my favorites is their grilled squid plate (ika yaki). Recently, the quality of the food has declined. Two years ago, their okonomiyaki was a mountain of cabbage, squid, and ginger. Over the past few months their okonomiyaki has become a manhole cover of burnt cornstarch. I just can't recommend it there anymore.

Otherwise, -Taisho a fun place to chug down beer with friends. Plus, most of the waitresses and a few of the NYU students are kinda cute. The restaurant is small with a couple of tables and a line of bar stools. Waiting can be long (15-45 min) on weekend nights. A word of advice: DO NOT wear your good clothes to Ttaisho. Sitting there for a few minutes will leave your clothes reeking of grilled chicken. And they don't serve any sushi.

[tangential note- the hostess at Taisho- *I swear* she has these Pikachu-like eyes that make you wanna say "I choose you!"..  Okay, maybe not.]