jo-mel

Hi Hzrt! Hao jiu bu jian! About the dried scallops/conpoy. Would a bit of anchovy add that flavor? Or how about using Chinese ham. That seems to be a staple in Winter Melon soups. (or Smithfield, or Virginia ham) Hard to believe an An Asian store without dried scallops. But they can be ordered on-line ---- and they last forever.

Chengdu 1 is probably my favorite restaurant right now. (I live in Essex Cty.) Great place, and a wonderful menu. Another is Hunan Gardens on 46 East. The person I'm looking up the information for, lives in Union County ---- but I also gave him links to the above, as well as Noodle Chu.

I had forgotten Cathay 22. Thanks. It's been years since I was there, but a google shows it is still there and has mixed reviews. The menu doesn't have Chinese characters naming the dishes --- which tells me something. And the dishes themselves are pretty standard. Probably good, but --------

Any names of really good Chinese restaurants in Union County --- where I can take someone from China? Specialty places where a region is highlighted, general places, dim sum, and/or maybe places that have a separate menu where you won't find chop suey?

Medium grain rice is my choice. It is nice when rice has a flavor all it's own, but to me I like the chewy texture of the medium grain, and having the flavor come from whatever I'm eating with it. When sauce, from a dish is on the rice, the rice stands out because of that texture. It also sticks together enough so that you can get a chopstickful in one scoop.

Let us know how you feel after having a few. Then, maybe I'll buy some. (?haha?) A google showed that it was back in the market last April. http://www.china.org.cn/business/2009-04/16/content_17615066.htm

After Thanksgiving, I used the bones to make a stock, and it came out just great, with just the addition of ginger and scallions. Clear and tasty. I also had a whole breast bone and some extra thigh bones, from which I made another bit of stock the next day. BUT -- as it came to a boil, I was distracted for just a few minutes and by the time I went back to the pot --- it was creamy!! Ah-- well, I'll use that stock for a creamy dish I guess. Tastes fine --- just not clear because of those few minutes of boiling! Evidently the boiling breaks up the fat particles and causes the cloudiness --- or so I read somwhere. But a good stock from fresh chicken is just the best. I had the most wonderful and memorable pork and Sichuan vegetable soup in Hong Kong one time (my fav Chinese soup). This one was out of this world --- because of the stock. Forgot the pork and vegetable and just enjoyed the soup liquid itself!

Ben -- you BOIL the broth -- as in 'boil the hell out of it'? Is Shanton broth supposed to be milky? Or do you mean to simmer until all the flavor is in the broth instead of in the bones and meat? I always bring just to a boil, scoop off the residual that rises to the top, and then simmer for hours. Ginger and scallions for flavor, except when I have a piece of ham hock. The result is a nice clear broth.

I wish there was a recipe for the Sesame Noodles one found in NYC Chinatown at the Hua Yuan back in the 80s. ( ?Hua Yuan Szechuan? on E Broadway?) I think Sesame Noodles were made popular because of that restaurant! They didn't have a thick opaque sauce at all. The sauce was actually clear and I don't remember any pieces of anything, except a few fine scallions. But they were fantastic. I've tried to replicate them with the sesame flavoring from sesame oil, and the wet with a strong clear chicken broth, and chili oil for the heat, however they weren't quite the same. I've never found any to match those at Hua Yuan.

Do you have more specifics on the ribs? (I almost ate the picture!) I have my pretty standard recipes, but none with Sichuan pepper. And, how did you get that beautiful crust in a low oven? Last minute high temp?

Did you check the bottom of the bottle ? Any cloudy sediment? Sometimes I see that with the vinegars, so I just toss them.

The "Ma Family Cookbook" (Swatow food) said it is probably difficult to obtain. The ingredient list doesn't give a brand name, or explain if it is different from other fish sauces..

According to Grace Zia Chu, the name Chrysanthemum Fire Pot is used even if no fresh petals are used. "If you use a copper pot with a 'cage' for the liquid alcohol, the flames shooting out wil be vari-colored and give the illusion of a flower". I always think of it as a regular firepot, with a variety of ingredients - with or without the flower leaves. Some recipes start with a base of plain water and some call for chicken broth.

I forgot where I first read it (?Barbara Tropp?), but when adding garlic to the hot wok, just cook it until it is aromatic -- and then quickly add the next ingredient or mix. The idea of cooking it for 30 seconds, is really too much. Just a whiff of its aroma is enough (a few seconds at the most)--- and quickly continue with the recipe. Chinese cooking really needs the senses, and the nose and ears make a difference, along with ones eyes. But I LOVE charred garlic! Once when I was leading a large Chinese cooking class in a home-ec high school setting --- each group was at their own cooking station. I cautioned them about overcooking the garlic, and that if they did, they would have to clean out the wok and start again. And -- to bring up their charred garlic to me! HeeHee! Well, quite a few burned their garlic and I enjoyed their 'mistakes'. Yum!

Here's one: CREAMED CELERY CABBAGE Ingredients: 1 pound celery cabbage 2 Tbsp. oil or rendered chicken fat 1 cup chicken broth Sauce: 1 cup milk 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 tsp. light soy sauce ½ tsp. sugar ½ tsp. sesame oil White pepper to taste 2 Tbsp. minced ham Preparation: -----Discard any wilted leaves from the cabbage and cut into 1 inch lengths or bite sized segments. -----Discard the core. -----Combine the sauce. -----Mince the ham and have ready. Cooking: --Heat a wok over medium heat. --Add the oil or chicken fat. --Add the cabbage and stir to coat with the oil. --Add the chicken broth, pouring down the sides of the wok. Cover the wok and cook about 2 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. --Mix the sauce well, and stir into the cabbage. --Cook until the sauce has thickened. --Place on a platter and garnish with the minced ham. --Serve. Notes: --- Celery cabbage is the squat one – Napa cabbage. Bok Choy can be substituted. --- Bok Choy can be substituted. Trim the leaves and cut into long segments or diagonal slices. --- Often found in banquets, the milk is a Manchu or Mongol influence

Again -- just to show that great Chinese food can be made in a skillet, check out the different recipe pictorial instructions in these great recipes by our own hzrt8W. (link below)You might not get 'wok hei' as produced by a powerful flame, but you will get great dishes. I have more woks than most (I teach) but a pan can be just as effective. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=75962 (Hi Xiao hrtz! )

Prawncrackers -- what did you do with the scrapings?

Why not make extra sauce for the fish, and serve it on a bed of rice noodles? You would have the delicacy of the rice noodles, sharing the sauce -----and not be a counter to it? And the rice noodles would love to sop up the yummy sauce.

That's a hard one! I looked in my different Chinese ingredient books, and one book devoted just to rice, and the only reference in one of them was a recipe where turmeric was added to give the rice the yellow color. On line, there was one about using saffron to give the color. But that isn't what Madam Chiang would be using. I did find this google link: http://www.angelfire.com/empire/g_stand/rice_variety Oh -- I just reread the recipe in her book and I think I found the answer. In the ingredient list, it asks for 1 Tbsp yellow rice in the left column. In the right column, it asks for wine or sherry -- but no amount. Sooooo I think it was just a funny misprint of the ingredients, and what you want is 1 Tbsp yellow rive wine or sherry. In the preparation of the dish, and in the actual stuffing mix, there is no mention of using rice. Could that be the answer? That is is just yellow wine? BTW -- I just love reading that book! I've reread it a couple of times, just soaking up her life. I had a chance to meet her in 1985 and she signed the book for me. a lovely and gracious woman!

My first thought was not to use a noodle that would not overpower the fish, but one to counter the mildness of the fish. And not so much the noodle, but how it is seasoned. Is that what you meant?

I would think that Inner Mongolia would retain its traditional foods, because of the geographical influences. Grasslands = lamb, beef, milk. But because of the culture changes over the years, the cuisine can't help but reflect Chinese tastes also -- especially when so many Han Chinese live there.. I've only passed thru Inner Mongolia on a train from Mongolia, tho. In Mongolia, itself, there was lamb in every way possible, be it stewed, souped, dumplinged, shredded. Yogurt and sour cream. Lots of potatoes, cabbage and turnip. (Russian influence?) Looking at my food menues of that trip, I see that as soon as we entered Datong, Shanxi Prov. -- right across the border from Inner Mongolia, the menus and food changed considerably in quality and selection, but it was still reflective of the geographical area. (I want to go back!!!!!!)

Hmmm -- some of the on-line stores I used to have bookmarked, are now gone. How about this one? http://www.goldencountry.com/china.aspx Look down to the 6th row of products. I have found the canned pickled vegetable just as good as th ones that use to be in the big open tubs in Chinese stores --- or that you use to find in Chineese grocery stores. Anyone

I do that with shrimp -- making them nice and firm. But never thought of oysters. You would have to rub gently, I would imagine.

Prawncrackers ---- Whitebait fish!! They were preserved? Salt or how? The first time I ever had them, I was with a tour group in WuXi, and at lunch was a platter of what we thought were strips of crisp fried onions. They were delicious and and a second platter was ordered. I was looking at a piece closely and noticed an eye and asked the waiter what the dish was, and that was when I found they were actually fish -- not a crisp onion! Come to find out, it is a WuXi specialty. I've had them since, In China, but never as good as that dish. Yum!

Too bad you live across the pond, or I'd be at your doorstep! What is the prawn dish? Salt/pepper? And what are the second and third down condiments?