liuzhou

Yeah, they don't keep well, but then Chinese shoppers tend to only buy what they will prepare that day, or next at worst, so it doesn't really matter a lot. I couldn't do the canned ones again. but after 23 years in China, I don't have to. I've never seen them canned here but then again, I see very little canned. .

I did intend to cook them tonight, but fate intervened and I had to go out for dinner. I'll deal with them tomorrow and let you know. They are often pickled and I've eat that many times, but I've ever had them fresh before.

This morning, I came across something in the supermarket that I don't recall seeing before. I had a vague inkling as to what it might be, but wasn't sure. When this supermarket opened a few years back, it seems they had a competition among the staff to see who had the best Chinese handwriting. The person who came in last was given the job of writing all the hand-written signs in the fresh food area. They are illegible. The only way to identify things you don't know is to ask the staff at the weigh station or take a chance and then read the label their scales magically produce indication the price and identity. This cunning ruse failed immediately. As I approached the station, the guy behind it looked at me most strangely as if I had deliberately smuggled some alien vegetable life form into his store just to upset him. "What's that?" he asked. "I'm not sure," I wittily responded. Several seconds of silence ensued as he stood there panicking, then he said "wait a minute" and ran off in search off a manager. Miraculously, this was a successful strategy and he returned to consult his long list of vegetables to find the code he needed to enter. Then he handed me my choice of duly labelled produce. I immediately looked at the printed name and read 肉芥菜 (ròu jiè cài). My inkling was spot on. Mustard root! The leaves of the plant are ubiquitous in the local cuisine - I featured them pages back, but now we have the roots, which research informs me is the new big thing. They can be treated like any other root vegetable: boiled, roasted, steamed; and of course stir fried. (One source gives me the very useful information that, in parts of Africa, they are considered to be an aid to promoting lactation in those people who do such things.)

Sorry. Don't understand the question. What makes you think they only work in "highly seasoned" contexts? I gave only one example of a use. Don't extrapolate that into different areas. They are just fine by themselves with a touch of salt and pepper. But perhaps your idea of what constitutes high seasoning is different from mine. Please elucidate.

Only several million. Shrimp kung pao from Sichuan? Sichuan is land-locked. Freshwater shrimp are everywhere. Even in tiny Britain I ate freshwater shellfish. River snails are THE speciality where I live. That said, I prefer sea shellfish, but the idea that freshwater shellfish is a no no baffles me.

Pork slivers stir fried with fresh cepès, porcini, penny buns, boletus edulis, 牛肝菌 or whatever. Garlic, chilli, ginger, Chinese chives, Shaoxing wine and soy sauce. Served with rice and stir fried lettuce with oyster sauce.

1-10-10 chicken breast with morel cream sauce.

北京炸酱面 (běi jīng zhá jiàng miàn ) Beijing Zha Jiang Mian - Noodles with Soy Bean Paste - Beijing's favourite noodle dish, perhaps. But this example was eaten in Nanning in Guangxi.

The local, overpriced, state-owned department store's basement supermarket had these on offer today on special. Grabbed a couple of bags. Beer food.

Relatively easy to find chilli tuna here in China, too. Also, fermented black bean tuna.

Yes

Lemon pork with asparagus.

Exactly why I made it!

Yes. Olive oil, garlic, shallots and chilli. Prawns were cooked perfectly, thank you.

Fresh (as in live a few minutes ago), wild prawns with linguine. Quick, simple and delicious.