
jo-mel
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Everything posted by jo-mel
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ghostrider -- The Pathmark in Lackawanna Plaza?? Is that Pathmark closing down?
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One cookbook author called the technique 'oil poaching' rather than velveting. Same technique, tho. The oil is actually not that hot and the technique is described as passing thru warm oil. I mean, if you put your finger in the oil, it will be HOT, but not hot enough to really fry the meat. It simply seals the outside and lets the inside warm up. The meat inside is still raw, but finishes cooking at a later stage. Definite difference in texture between 'velveted' snd 'non-velveted'.
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With someone like DH who doesn't like to pick thru shrimp shells, I would do this with butterflied shrimp. Actually, I like to cut shelled shrimp in half for any dish I make. The halves coil up and seem to extend the dish. 1 pound of shrimp seems like 1.5 pounds. (I haven't been around recently. This will change when all the Christmas madness is over. I love this time of year, but boy-oh-boy ---- what work!!)
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I have had to stay away from Chinese restaurants and restaurants in general because of some elevated blood numbers. (drug reaction -- not food) BUT they are coming down and I am pulling at the bit. I miss China 46 SO much! I can hardly wait for January!!
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I had completely forgotten that Fragrant Harbor Tastes was a Ken Hom book! I really like that one. Each recipe has a 'side bar' of information that is informative. It is the books that go beyond just recipes that I have always liked. They have been my teachers.
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I will go with Fage, or I will go without!
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As far as how clean or sterile a clothes hanger is, it is just as clean as any utensil anywhere. I had mine for years and they never even rusted. Also , they are strong enough to hold a duck. There are several guages of wire that I have seen. A thin white one which I didn't use. a much thicker one which I didn't use either, and a middle thickness which I used. If you bend the wire over and over, metal fatigue sets in and it breaks right off. Then find the length you wish and work on that end till it, too, breaks. Then just form an "S"and there you have it!
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Looks wonderful, hzrt!! I was almost afraid to look. When I saw the nuts, I knew you weren't going to get into the middle of that fray between the chefs. I could smell the Sichuan pepper just from the picture. Mmmmmmmm!
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Ken Hom's books may not appeal to purists, but there are those who want a Chinese flavor without all the fuss. I once was asked to do a demonstration/lunch for a group of elderly church women. This was when supermarkets carried only La Choy stuff, but that is what they wanted -- nothing they couldn't find in the local supermarket. They got it! Hamburg with peas / Chicken with Plum Sauce (from the jam section) / Moo Gu Gai Pan as plain as could be, and lo mein with spaghetti. They were delighted!!!! But otherwise, the techniques were Chinese and the flavor was almost completely Chinese. It's not my cup of Gunpowder tea, but it does suit some people. If he can sell books, I say go for it. I know some people in my cooking classes would be delighted with it. AAARRGGHHHHH!
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I've made a hook using a thin wire clothes hanger. Just twisted the metal till it broke and then used a length to form the s-shaped hook.
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(I love threads like this!) Jason -- your comment on Chinese cooking techniques and methods --------etc. brought to mind what I would say to the people in my cooking classes when we were discussing just what is meant by "Chinese cooking". I would give them the scene of a Chinese and a non-Chinese in a kitchen with the usual condiments you would find in a household. The refrigerator has chicken, carrots, celery. The non-Chinese would poach the chicken, add chunked carrots and celery and when it is almost finished she would add some Bisquick dumplings on top and have a Fricasse with Dumplings. The Chinese lady (or lord) would slice and marinate the chicken, slice the celery and make a simple Chicken Vegetable Stir/Fry. With the Bisquick, she would make an accompanying Ox-Tongue Steamed Bread. Style and technique can be the difference.
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I used to live on Grove St, and I tried Golden China Gourmet once. I wasn't a fan at all, and never returned. Perhaps I ordered wrong. It would have been nice if they were decent, as the were witin walking distance. Instead, I chose to make the drive over to Wah Chung, because I felt they were far superior. To put things in perspective, neither of these places is in the same league as Hunan Cottage or Chna 46. ← Golden China use to have a Chicken with Black Pepper Sauce that was wonderful. But I guess there was a change in chefs, because it is different now. Their food is pretty standard. But one time I saw a can of shredded Sichuan pickle that they use to make Pork and Pickled Cabbage Soup - one of my favs. I asked them if they would make me a pork and pickled cabbage stir/fry. They did and I was happy! Hunan Cottage/China 46 are WAYYYYYYYYYY beyond these or any other take-out or even any of the local Chinese restaurants. China Gourmet on Eagle Rock Ave (down from Pals and across from Mayfair Farms) was one of my favorites before Hunan Cottage and China 46 came along. I heard recently that they had dropped in quality, but I don't know that firsthand. I loved their Skewered Oysters in Black Pepper Sauce on sizzling platter and Scallops with Black Pepper Sauce (I like Black Pepper Sauce!!) when I went there. Also they had a few good dishes in clay pot. Interesting that Chengdu 46 in ?Clifton? hasn't been mentioned. That was THE place to go for awhile. Good food, well prepared, costly, small menu ---- but--------------.
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Golden China Gourmet (take-out / no delivery) is not bad. They are on Grove Street, right near Grove Pharmacy in Montclair. I can't compare with Wah Chung as I've never been there, but with that GREAT take on the name, I should! Another good regular (plus takeout) is Joy Luck Chinese Pavilion on Northfield Ave, in West Orange -- across from the Arena. Also ask for the Chinese menu. They serve liquor. They deliver BUT only locally, so Bloomfield is out. You can go east to China 46 , on 46 East-- almost to the Hudson. Big followers by those on the Chinese Forum. They are also big fans of Hunan Cottage. (so am I!) Let us know where you go and what you think, will you? OH! Almost forgot! Hunan Palace on Glenwood Ave. Is it still there? When I used to go there, it was excellent and the only place in the area that dared to stray from chop suey. Glenwood Ave is an extension of Broad Street, with Bloomfield Ave. being the divider. Glenwood is south of Bloomfield Ave.
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My favorite flavoring on steak is oyster sauce, (right from the bottle) but I don't call it a Chinese dish. It is simply a great way to use oyster sauce. I was reading the 'editorial reviews' that was on the link. It does say that Hom's book is cooking 'with an Asian flair', not really Chinese cooking, but if that dish is what you described -- steak with noodles, then it will be a bust. First of all it is not fast when you have to cook the noodles and marinate and grill a flank steak. Also, if the cooked noodles (spaghetti) is just plunked on a plate without a sauce, then in just a few minutes it will just be a mass of spaghetti. It will stick to itself and the steak on top won't help. Hom should have stuck to his Quick and Easy Chinese Cooking. In that book, he has a grilled and sliced steak with an oyster/oil/scallion/ginger topping that goes well with rice. To me, fusion cooking (as with Hugh Carpenter) may taste great, but it is not authentic Chinese. But then, when the Hong Kong chefs start using mayonaise as in Shrimp and Walnuts, then what do we call it? The use of basil is starting to show in Chinese dishes. Even tho it has been in China for centuries, it is rarely mentioned (if it even is) in Chinese cookbooks. I understand that it was used as a perfume in gardens to offset the odor of fertilizer. So where does basil stand in present day Chinese cooking? Classical or eclectic?
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As I understand it, there's no evidence at all that eating the Cholesterol contained in shrimp contributes to blood cholesterol, so enjoy. Same with eggs. ← Check here for shrimp/cholesterol. (scroll down for cardiovascular benefits) http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=107
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Are lap yuk and lap cheung still used as offering to the Gods/ancestors? I typically see the white cut chicken and roast pork. jo-mel: lap yuk is 臘肉. Lap cheung is 臘腸. Lap Ngap is 臘鴨. ← Thanks, hzrt! Now that my NJStar Chinese site has been reactivated, the words make sense. The 'la' is described similar as Fengyi said earlier. "The ancient practice of offering sacrifices to the Gods in the twelfth month of the lunar year, hence the term 'sacrificial' for the twelfth moon; cured ( fish, meat, etc, generally done in the twelfth month)" (LOL! The etymology of the traditional character is interesting!)
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Is that LA-PYUK?? Just kidding! So what are the characters for lap yuk? (lop yuk / lop yoke)
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Right! There's no such thing as a single moth. Last infestation, when I put out scent traps, I rarely saw a moth, but MANY got stuck in the traps. You see a moth and for sure there are going to be maggots somewhere. One box or bag with larva means that everything has been visited. Sam - Bird seed is notorious! I keep all mine in a metal garbage can in the back yard. Maybe I should toss some bay leaves in with the seed! What do seed stores do? Use professional strength stuff? Sometimes I see moths in the stores, and sometimes I don't.
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Why are these things around so much, lately? I don't remember them as a kid, and not when I first married (45+ years) and even up to about 30 years ago. Were they always there and I just never noticed?
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Scallion Pancakes with oil can't compare to Scallion Pancakes with lard! Everytime I cook with it, (not often) I can taste my Mother's pies. I always keep some on hand as I use it in bird pudding. Lucky birds!!
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Timely subject! I was ready to do ANOTHER google to look for help! I opened 'general' and here it was! During the summer, I had a terrible infestation in dried fruit. Tossed almost the entire cabinet contents including all the small spice containers. Scoured the shelves, bought all new stuff and froze it all for 48 hours, put bay leaves everywhere inside packages and out ----- and thought I was finally on easy street. I even had several of those moth traps with pheromone, lying here and there as a lure to trap the male moth. Not so! Even tho I thought I froze everything before it went in the cabinet, I must have missed something, because day before yesterday I saw a moth and sure enough --- they were back! So back to basics again! I tossed, scoured, rebought and everything new is in the freezer. Also some new traps are lying around, and fresh bay leaves are everywhere. What I will do this time, that I didn't do last time is use heavy zip-lock bags for the grains and dried fruits, and look for suitable jars and containers. When I first had an infestation ------ aeons ago, I heard about bay leaves and they worked for years and years. But now there are more grains in my cabinet than I've ever had. Couscous, quinoa, different rices and crumbs and so on. Could it be the foodie generation is the cause? LOL! I even saw them INSIDE of unopened packages of Kasha. Not the box --- the hermetically sealed plastic package. They never got out of the package, but they were alive and well inside! Also --- I read somewhere that before Jan. 2000, all spices and herbs were legally radiated. When Y2K came, the law ran out and all those little containers started bringing in the eggs and whatever. During one infestation, I checked each and every container, and sure enough, just under the screw cap, on the screw 'line' there were little cocoons with the worm inside. Today, when I was in an A&P -- a large busy one, I saw a moth. I checked the plastic bags of brown rice. Sure enough! There were worms on the sealed edges of the packages!! The plastic packages I did buy, (from another brand) were washed thoroughly before they went into the freezer. Sorry for the long rant, but it was therapy for me!! BTW, I'm in Northern NJ. Those bugs live anywhere and everywhere!
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I took a look at the recipe. Calling for 1/2 cup of brown bean sauce. That's almost 3/4 jar. It seems a lot for cooking a pig's head. It also calls for 1 cup of honey for basting. It also seems a lot too. And just one tiny teaspoon of five spice powder. Seems disproportionated. ← C'mon--- its a pig's head -- not a chicken head!! Think boar! Think hog! Think big! LOLOL!
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I googled and found a couple of recipes: They are both the same, just different formats. http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/asia/ch...00/rec0004.html http://www.recipeland.com/recipe/7131/ Let us know if you make it!
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Is 'gow choi fan' the same thing as 'jiu cai hua' 韭菜花??? It is one of my favorite vegetables and if I see it on a menu, I order it. Here's a place that covers chives -- scroll down to get the yellow chives as they are not grouped with the flat or flowering. http://www.foodsubs.com/HerbsAsian.html This is a recipe I've use for beef with flowering chives. I'm reformatting it so as to conform with legalities. I hope it is understandable. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- FLOWERING CHINESE CHIVES WITH BEEF Use ½ pound Chinese flowering chives. -Wash and dry them. Trim the tough bottoms about 1 ½ to 2 inches, then cut the chives into 2-inch lengths. Slice 1/2 pound steak across the grain into thin slices, then shred the slices into match-sticks the same size as the chives. This is easily done if the meat is partially frozen. I usually use flank steak. Then marinate the steak in 1 tsp. hoisin sauce / 1 Tbsp. soy sauce / 2 tsp. sherry or Shaoxing wine / ¼ tsp. sugar / ½ tsp. cornstarch, for 15 minutes. Cooking: --Heat a wok. --When wok is hot, add 1 Tbsp. oil --When oil is hot, add the chives and stir fry a minute or so or just until tender but still crispy. Remove. Add another 1 Tbsp. oil and when hot, add the steak strips in its marinade, and spread in the hot wok, pressing the strips into the sides of the wok to sear them. Turn the slices and press the other side until steak is just about 90% cooked. Return the chives to the pan and stir in for a minute to reheat. If you want ultra tender steak slices, you can velvet them in oil instead of stir/frying, but the above recipe is easier.
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I thought the term sandy pot and clay pot were the same, as the pot is composed of both sand and clay. The unglazed exterior has the color and texture of sand and so is usually referred to as a sand pot. Confusing if the totally glazed pot is called 'clay pot'. But I guess they are interchangeable. And where do earthenware pots fit in? Yunnan pots are made of what? But they don't belong in this discussion because they don't go directly on the fire. I've always followed Barbara Tropp's direction in that she never soaked her sandy pots first. I don't soak and have never had any trouble -- as long as I have food in it when it goes onthe flame. The totally unglazed terracotta pots have to be soaked, but those pots are another ballgame. She also said that sandy pots with cracks ---- (even cracks that go thru to the glazed interior) will often heal themselves. I have a much used one with a crack on the bottom and sides but not in the inside. It cooks beautifully. About the water on the bottom --- maybe the heat would not be evenly dispersed if there was water there when the pot is heated? I don't have any totally glazed pots. All are of the sandy exterior type in different sizes and shapes. I even have one that is 3 inches across! But just as a conversation piece!