liuzhou

Homemade pork wontons in an equally home made chicken broth. The broth was garlicky and peppery with white pepper.

Somehow, I had almost forgotten this topic, but a recent encounter reminded me. So another ham for your delight – this time one of the most interesting rare and, in my view at least, one of the finest. I’m talking about 诺邓火腿 (nuò dèng huǒ tuǐ), Nuodeng ham (above) from Yunlong County, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan province. This is a highly protected product which can only be made under strict conditions in one small village and its surrounding mountains and valleys. Nuodeng village 诺邓村 (nuò dèng cūn) is populated by people of the Bai ethnic minority. Nuodeng Village - image: guzhen100.com The hams come from a local, black skinned breed known as 诺邓黑猪 (nuò dèng hēi zhū), Nuodeng Black Pigs which are relatively hair-free. These roam freely in the mountains eating wild plants and herbs. When they reach the right size they are fattened for about a year by being fed corn and soy beans. Curing begins around the Spring Festival which is just over, so basically they are working on them as I write. The legs are carefully bled and as many blood vessels as possible removed. Then they are sprinkled with the local grain wine. After being left for a day or two, they are then salted. But not with any old salt. The area is known not only for its pigs but for its salt wells which have been mined since the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 CE). It is high in potassium, magnesium and other trace elements. The legs are covered in this salt which is massaged into the flesh. This procedure is then repeated and the hams placed in wooden barrels, covered with a lid and left for around three weeks. After that, the hams are removed and again covered, this time in a mix of ash, salt and the local mud. These muddy hams are then suspended from the peoples’ rafters for a minimum of a year but more typically three to five years. After two years, the hams develop a green mould, which looks like they are spoiled but when this outer coating is removed one can see that the insides are unaffected but, according the locals, the taste is much improved. Nuodeng hams drying and showing the characteristic green mould I have only ever eaten the 3-year version and it was great. Easily as good as jamón ibérico, if maybe not jamón ibérico de bellota. Of course, it doesn’t come cheap. $USD 180 / kg. expensive by Chinese standards. I spent $55 for 300 grams. 150 gram pack of Nuodeng ham

Re： Chinese Cardamom (Lanxangia tsao-ko or in older texts, Amomum tsao-ko). Also referred to in English as Chinese black cardamoms or Chinese red cardamoms. They are mainly used especially in Sichuan, Yunnan and neighbouring provinces and in Vietnam where they are an ingredient in the broth for phở. We border northern Vietnam and Yunnan so, they are readily available here, too. So they should be available in Chinese or S.E. Asian markets/stores. Here mainly used in hotpot broths. In Chinese they are: 草果 (cǎo guǒ); in Vietnamese: thảo quả. Here are some I bought in Guangxi recently. The largest is just over 1 inch long.

Dinner tonight in a local Chengdu style, Sichuan restaurant 酸菜鱼 (suān cài yú), fish (carp) with pickled mustard greens 炒花菜 (chǎo huā cài), stir-fried cauliflower Rear: 蒜蓉粉丝虾 (suàn róng fěn sī xiā), Garlic shrimp with vermicelli Front: 钵钵鸡 (bō bō jī), Chicken skewers in chilli oil broth Not pictured: more stuff for dipping in that oil soup. Including kelp, quail eggs, tripe and lotus root To finish: 冰芬 (bīng fēn), a famous Chengdu dessert of iced jelly with fruit. I didn't partake.

I don't know what you've been told about "typical UK weather', but sun drying is certainly possible. South Asia has a lot more rain! When I was still in the UK (where I lived 45 years) I regularly sun-dried all sorts of things including cherry tomatoes, my own grapes and other fruits.

When someone tells me they are a fabulous cook, my instinct is to reply "I'll decide that!" Some have been correct; most haven't (at least in my opinion). And that includes my sister who thinks her very, at best, average food deserves five Michelin stars. I also hate when chefs and menus describe dishes as "beautiful", "delicious" etc. I'll decide that, thank you! I love the Chinese custom of doing exactly the opposite and criticising their own cooking. That way you get the delight of finding out how good it actually is rather than being disappointed or worse.

This from the Guardian today amused me. (linking instead of copy pasting for copyright reasons.)

Here’s one I’ve come across before but not in China, although I know it’s native to East Asia and does grow here. 水芹菜 (shuǐ qín cài), Oenanthe javanica. The Chinese name means ‘water celery’ although it is not related to celery. Other English names include the equally misleading Javanese waterdropwort, water dropwort, Indian pennywort, etc. In Korean, it is 미나리 (minari) and in Japanese, セリ (seri). Vietnamese uses cần nước and Thailand, ผักชีล้อม (phak che laawm). Those stems are about 56cm / 22 inches long This is not one to go picking from the wild. Most varieties of Oenanthe are toxic, some extremely so. It is considered an invasive species in some American states. The taste is reminiscent of parsley but some people detect carrot flavours, too. It can be used raw in salads but of course China cooks it. Usually in stir fries, but also in soups. It pairs well with chicken.

I didn't use any light other than the natural light in my dining room, but I do remember the yolk having that deep yellow colour, but then these duck egg always do. There is a slight reflection. Does that answer your question?

I read this story this morning but in the Guardian, just after boiling my breakfast duck egg in 6½ minutes and thought screw that. A lot of palaver for little gain, if any.

I've long lamented the lack of lettuce in this locality. Apart from romaine / cos and celtuce there has been nothing. Today for the first time I found what they called 红叶沙拉生菜 (hóng yè shā lā shēng cài), literally 'red leaf salad lettuce' Some kind of cultivar, but I have no idea which.

Simple. Boiled duck egg on a super crusty baguette. (with apologies to the eggless)

Look out for this message about fictional recall on chicken, eggs https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/chicken-eggs-recall/

Look out for this message about fictional recall on chicken, eggs https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/chicken-eggs-recall/

I can't think why not; but I routinely ignore 'expire dates'. The producers just use them to cover their asses and no food suddenly 'expires' on a specific date. They build in wide margins.

Spicy chicken with olives. Beef and pickled mustard leaf fried rice.

I posted this years ago. Here.

Man. Menu. London. 1962.

I'm going Spanish in my dotage. Manchego and smoked gordal olives.

This had me laughing out loud, something I rarely do. ‘Free pint when Forest score!’: pub loses £1,500 after seven-goal rampage | Nottingham | The Guardian

I'm a nose-turner-upper. They were the only vegetable my mother seemed to know how to "cook" when I was a kid. However. I will make an exception for canned French Petit Pois. Must be a good French brand. I do miss frozen peas, though. No good peas in China, in any form.

Yeah. Most people in rural areas still make them themselves, but many in the cities do too. Yeah I love sand pot meat+rice too. But many other ways, too.

A very typical Chinese New Year / Spring Festival meal. Rice noodles with home cured pork. While you can buy this meat in the markets, people generally prefer to make their own (and their own sausages). And here are the cured meats. This makes the whole house smell like New Years past!

I have three hanging in the kitchen but rarely wear them. My favourite was a gift and reads which means 'Kitchen God' in Cantonese. 😂

Found this today. It’s mainly used in China as a medicine in TCM, but does also have culinary applications, more typically in Japan. But I’ll use it in China in the same ways. In Chinese, it is 辣蓼草 (là liǎo cǎo); in Japanese, either べにたで or 紅蓼 (benitade) depending on your choice of writing system. In English, red water pepper, marshpepper knotweed or, my favourite, arse smart! Scientific name: Persicaria hydropiper or Polygonum hydropiper. As you may have guessed the leaves have a peppery flavour and are usually served alongside wasabi and mixed with soy sauce to make a dip for sashimi. It is also sometimes added to soups.