liuzhou

This ugly specimen is 斑鱼 (bān yú, blotched black fish), channa maculata. Native to China but introduced as an invasive species elsewhere. Mildly sweet and flaky, these are usually 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches long.

After months of struggling, my Chinese burrito place has officially posted a notice stating they will permanently stop trading on February 6th, although they have already stopped delivery service. A nation (well me) is in mourning.

Not really fruit but always sold by the fruit people. Or street vendors. In the local dialect usually 甘蔗, which, to my confusion on first hearing it, is pronounced almost exactly like 'ganga'. It is of course sugar cane. Fruity and very sweet.

By farr, my favourite way to cook green beans. https://food52.com/recipes/20767-fuchsia-dunlop-s-sichuanese-dry-fried-green-beans

The book is interesting but the title perhaps somewhat misleading. It's basically a recipe book of classic French cooking as cooked in a 2 Michelin star restaurant by French chef. Certainly not a guidebook for beginners as you have described yourself.

To an extent it depends what sort of butter we're talking about. I only usually buy salted butter, which is difficult to find here, so I buy a few packs at a time and freeze them. The one in current use just goes into the fridge in its original packaging and lasts as long as it takes me to get through it. Certainly weeks. Living in the tropics, I'm careful not to leave it out any longer than necessary. Unsalted butter I'd be more careful with. Also with my annual treat of artisanal French butter imported at great expense !

@KennethT "non-cake bread is my little joke. Much of the bread in SE Asia has a texture that resembles cake. It's rare to find bread that has actual bread-like texture and crust." And in China, where it's also cake sweet. I keep telling them but they don't believe me.

My first lunch of the year and boy, was I ready for it! 手撕鸡 (shǒu sī jī), Hand Torn Chicken in a spicy sauce. With rice. Originally, a Cantonese dish it has been adopted China wide and modified to suit taste buds in other regions. Not many Cantonese people would want my spicy version. Their loss!

I've never tested the theory. My friends are generous and send me large bags which I do keep in the freezer. The vendor did advise them at one point not to send it in mid-summer when the temps were around 40C, worried wouldn't make it in good condition. So...

And finally, I cooked my dinner which I prepared last night minutes before the year changed. 辣子鸡 (là zi jī), Sichuan Chilli Chicken. With rice and stir fried greenery.

More importantly, although I've mentioned this rare ham before but never in this context. It is only made in one city in China and seldom leaves there. Fortunately, I lived there for two years back in 1997-1999. I have a few good friends there still who regularly send or bring it to me. 晒兰 (shài lán) is from Huaihua city in western Hunan Avocado for scale.

New Year's Dinner in Scotland was always locally produced ham, which reminded me of this topic. I finally got my hands on some Rugao ham, which I mentioned some few posts back. And here she be.

I woke up earlier that expected, mainly because I was hungry, I think. Luckily the congee was ready so I chopped some century egg and fried some lean pork mince, added it to the congee and let it warm up. Did the job. Now going back to sleep!

No lunch on New Year's Day. I was raised mostly in Scotland where New Year is the most important celebration of the year. We stay up all night, then sleep until afternoon for breakfast. Then a bit later straight to dinner.

Ten minutes to midnight in China. In addition to preparing breakfast (Breakfast 2026) I’m preparing New Year Dinner dinner now; it takes time. And I don’t want to be doing this tomorrow. First I have to half 50 grams of dried Sichuan peppers and shake out the seeds. The chillies are very light when dried so 50 g is a lot. Then I will debone some chicken legs and chop the meat into cubes. Then I will celebrate with a comfortable bottle of bubbly! Or two! 新年快乐！ Welcome to 2026 and congratulations on making it through!