liuzhou

青口螺 (qīng kǒu luó, literally ‘green mouth shell’), Perna viridis or Asian green mussels are what we usually see round here. They only occasionally turn up in supermarkets or markets, but are widely available in seafood restaurants and night market food stalls. The are available to me for delivery from a couple of places live or cooked. They tend not to be common in tropical waters, so most here come from the cooler north-eastern waters off China. They are extensively farmed. 乳山 (rǔ shān), a city in Shandong province is famous in China for its mussels. The locals cook them strangely to my western mind. I prefer the simple European styles - moules marinière or moules-frites. Home made moules Also, although it is highly atypical for me, but I do reluctantly admit to liking the Cantonese* favourite, mussels in soup with fermented black beans. However, I prefer my own take on the combination, cooking them broth-less with the black beans. Mussels with Fermented Black Beans The locals nearly always shuck them and grill them covered in minced garlic. Nothing wrong with that, but I don't want it every time. Grilled Mussels with Garlic *My least favourite type of regional Chinese cuisine.

Another crab we get is the 三点蟹 (sān diǎn xiè), Portunus sanguinolentus, known variously as the three-spot swimming crab , blood-spotted swimming crab or red-spotted swimming crab. This confused me at first as the three spots on the shell are often decidedly black and not red. However, when cooked, they do turn red. They are native to the inter-tidal zones of river estuaries in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean areas (see map below). They can grow as large as 20 cm / 8 inches wide, but those sold as food, both fresh and frozen, tend to be younger specimens around 10 to 15 cm / 4 to 6 inches. Image licenced by AquaMaps (2019, October). Computer generated distribution maps for Portunus sanguinolentus (threespot swimming crab), with modelled year 2050 native range map based on IPCC RCP8.5 emissions scenario. Retrieved from https://www.aquamaps.org. These crabs can be steamed or fried. I like them simply steamed and served with a soy and vinegar dip.

Spicy shrimp orzotto.

I think that unlikely. More probably targetting Chinese (or other Asian immigrants) to Australia.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/nov/29/it-looks-like-fresh-sewage-we-taste-test-christmas-dinner-flavoured-foods-from-soup-and-crisps-to-sarnies

I'm not up to date with 'state of the art' and have no real desire to be. I've never found found one implement that covers every situation. I have a ricer which I like to use for potato pies (fish pie or shepherd's pies) etc where I want a particularly smooth mash. I found that in a shop here in China around 2000AD. The owner asked me what it was! I have a standard no-brand-name stainless steel masher which my daughter brought me from England last century at my request. I couldn't find one here then. I guess she picked it up at her local supermarket. I use this for more rustic things like 'mince and tatties'. Also for fish cakes where I want a more robust mash. Then, I often just use a fork on the plate on rustic multiplied to near infinity occasions.

Abalone 鲍鱼 (bào yú) Haliotis, Abalone are not to be confused with halitosis, which is something very different. Whether eating haliotis causes halitosis is not for me to speculate. The little muscles of sea snail are a luxury item here. To say they are tough is to be polite. They are sold cleaned but have to be trimmed of their outer skin, then sliced thinly and beaten into submission. This can take some time and effort, but you will eventually feel that muscle relaxing (unless you have given up in disgust after the first hour). Then they can be eaten as sashimi, if that is your preference. Or they can be cooked in one of two methods. Either they can be flash fried at high heat for mere seconds (about 5 on each side*) or they can be slow -cooked in not quite simmering water (92-95℃ 198-203℉) for up to six hours. For obvious reasons, I’ve only ever used the former method. That said, I’ve only ever cooked them once. Too much trouble, but I will have them in restaurants. They are said to taste like foie gras crossed with scallops. Hmmm. *Some online sources suggest up to two minutes per side. That seems excessive to me. They are, I’m told, sold canned (not here) but I can’t comment on how good they are. I avoid cans. The only abalone product I do sometimes use is this abalone sauce, which is an upmarket variation on oyster sauce.

Yeah. I'll go with your assessment in this instance. Not a lot of meat. But, my neighbours don't think that way. The crabs wouldn't ever be served on their own, but as part of a larger meal with several dishes. Think of them more as a condiment. Or a starter, if Chinese cuisine really did starters. I do love crabs and shall return to some of the more common ones later. They make more complete dishes.

Rye Toast and Yellow yellow yolky boiled eggies. Sadly they were just past poachability, which would have been my preference after seeing @Anna N's a couple of days ago.

Cooked Hairy Crab 大闸蟹 (dà zhá xiè), Eriocheir sinensis, Chinese Hairy Crab, also known as 上海毛蟹 (shàng hǎi máo xiè ) or Chinese Mitten Crab, in reference to their hairy legs, are highly valued in China, especially in the east of the country around Shanghai. But I get them here, too. These small crabs are native to China and Korea but have been introduced in both North America and Europe where they are considered to be an invasive species. Possession or trading in them is banned in the European Union and in most US States. They inhabit rivers, lakes and rice paddies but, in autumn, move to saltwater to spawn. Most prized are those from Yancheng Lake in Jiangsu Province, with rich Chinese prepared to pay hundreds of dollars for each one. This lead in the past to massive fraud, until the Jiangsu authorities started laser etching individual security numbers on their shells to ensure traceability. This reduced the number of fakes significantly, but not entirely. Laser etched Yangcheng Lake Hairy Crab Doubly desirable are the females, especially just before spawning as their roe is particularly tasty! So, the two genders are usually sold separately in supermarkets, with the females attracting a premium price. The males make good eating, too though. Female (母 - mǔ) Hairy Crab in Liuzhou Supermarket These crabs are always steamed and their sweet meat picked using chopsticks or crab torture instruments such as these. Steamed Hairy Crab

Thanks for that. While I'm certainly not ruling them out, I'm not completely convinced, though. Of those pictured, although close, none quite match those I get. I will investigate further. I've already said which waters they come from proves nothing, (although West Pacific is more likely)

Improved flavour Lighter batter. Those with an aversion to alcohol can use natural sparkling mineral water or carbonated water for the same effect (but without the flavour).

I had poached eggs on rye a couple of days ago. Often do. Didn't take a photo, though. Yes, I prefer a wholewheat bread, but no complaints about rye.

Maybe related, but not the same, I suspect. The body shape is quite different. Mine are more rounded. Also, other distinct features and markings of that species are absent. But thanks for the suggestion.

If it were a secret they wouldn't have told you! Shepherd's Pie. Lamb filling cooked with beer.

金枪鱼 (jīn qiāng yú) Thunnus, Tuna is not an important fish in China. Both Thunnus albacares, Yellowfin Tuna and Thunnus obesus, Bigeye tuna were available a few years ago when there was a craze for “Japanese” sushi restaurants (all Chinese owned and operated) but that has faded. I’m not even sure if there are any remaining in town. There used to be four in my local shopping mall alone. One supermarket did sell fresh sashimi grade tuna, but hasn’t for a long time. Now I can only buy it online at crazy prices. Most tuna that is caught, is exported to Japan. Salmon and Tuna Sashimi In any case, bigeye tuna is considered to be an endangered species and should be avoided. Thai Tuna in Olive Oil Canned tuna in varous oils or water, mainly from Thailand or Korea, is available in speciality stores and online, but is expensive compared to the domestic canned fish I mentioned before.

If your tofu has the consistency of hard cheese, I strongly urge you to find a new vendor.

Trying out the Chinese goat milk cheese I received as a gift yesterday. With Scottish oatcakes. It is a pure white hard cheese but very bland to the point of tastelessness. Not a drop of goaty funkiness. Needs salt and some pickles or the like to lift it up.

They are similar but, as you say, himachi (Japanese amberjack) tend to be larger than mine. Also, they aren't native to local waters, not that that proves anything. Also, most of the images of himachi I can see seem to show more coloured heads in the himachi than in my find. I need to find an ichthyologist urgently!

Indeed, but Xi'an isn't low-carb. It's bitterly cold there in winter and the locals like to fill up on bread and wheat noodles. I had a look at Famous Food's menu online. It's quite limited. For comparison, here is the menu from my local restaurant from 1996, when I lived in Xi'an. That place really became my dining room! Ignore the prices. They are 25 years old. Thought it might be of some interest. My translation. Any errors entirely mine. Xi'an.doc

Another mystery today. These are labelled as 黄尾鱼 (huáng wěi yú) which translates as “Yellowtail fish’. Given that hundreds of different species are labelled as ‘yellowtails’, this is less than unhelpful. They are about 15 – 18 cm / 6 - 7 inches long and I would classify them as an oily species, similar in taste to mackerel, but not so strong. I like them a lot and would love to finally nail down an identification. They are usually gutted and fried whole, but would work well on a grill, too I suppose.

Just a small dinner cooked by some friends' 23-year-old daughter.

This was unexpected, but when It turned up I knew immediately who had sent it. About a week ago, I had a conversation with a friend who is from and still lives in Yunnan province in the south of China, bordering Burma/Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Tibet as well as Guangxi where I am. It is largely a rural area with many ethnic minority peoples. Anyway, said friend (delightfully her given name is 莹莹 pronounced "YIng Ying"), and I were chatting about foreigners' perceptions of China and, in passing, I mentioned that most foreigners think China doesn't do dairy - especially cheese. She found this hilarious. Yunnan is famous for its cheeses, as are Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang regions in the north and west of the country. Yunnan specialises in goat's milk cheeses. This evening, this unexpectedly arrived on my doorstep. I haven't tried it yet. Maybe after dinner. I will report back.

The Chinese love 鱿鱼 (yóu yú), Squid. 70% of the world’s catch is landed in China. In order to satisfy the demand, fleets of boats travel all over the oceans in search of the shrinking squid populations. This naturally causes disputes and recently the Chinese agricultural ministry has announced that they will limit the amount permitted to be caught. Whether they follow up on that remains to be seen. The squid I buy is fished in the Gulf of Tonkin area and landed in the coastal city of Beihai a short way south of me near the border with Vietnam. The city is famous for its squid and squid products. Exactly what species of squid, I’ve never been able to determine. In fact, it may be a mixture of species from the Loligi genus. Public Domain image. It goes by many names in English. I’m using ‘squid’ as it seems to be the oldest, but it is also known as ‘calamari’ (in various spellings), cuttlefish, pen fish etc. Of course, they aren’t fish, but cephalopods. Here, I never let the fish sellers clean them for me. They only know one recipe and always prep the critters for that dish. There is nothing wrong with that dish (I often make it myself), but I also use it in different ways. Anyway, I like cleaning squid! Although, they occasionally surprise me. Surprise! Squid hadn't finished dinner. Now he's my dinner. Their preferred dish is made by removing the innards, then cutting open the body sac and scoring a cross-hatch pattern before cutting them into bite size pieces. These and the tentacles are then stir fried with garlic, ginger and chillies along with snow peas, before being dressed with soy sauce. The snow peas go in early as the squid is only fried for the briefest of times. Once it curls up, it’s done. I never order this in restaurants; it's always overcooked. The skin is edible, but is normally removed for aesthetic reasons. Cross-hatched squid To my eternal amsement they also do squid tentacles which they call 鱿鱼须 (yóu yú xū, literally 'squid beards'). And dinner... Squid with snow peas We also get baby squid which are cleaned but left whole and stir fried. Baby Squid I should note here that the 'salt and pepper squid' which seems to appear on so many 'Chinese' restaurant menus, I've never seen here. It may exist somewhere, but... Also very popular is dried squid which comes in many forms. I see it as whole animals and as strips sold as snacks. Many bars will serve you some dried squid with dips as beer food. Apart from t hat it is also used to add unami to soups and hotpots etc. Whole Dried Squid Dried Squid Strips Dried squid served with dips in a local bar. Top: soy sauce and fake wasabi. Bottom: Black rice vinegar. And if you still haven't had enough: