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Spamtastic: The History of SPAM® An Eat My Globe podcast with audio and transcript. Audio Only Download

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They and the chillies are dried. Yes, I've propagated lemongrass many times in the past.

An online purchase of (mostly) fresh Thai ingredients arrived today. Happy kitchen. Dried chillies and kaffir lime leaves Limes Galangal Lemongrass Cuttings of the lemongrass and galangal shall be planted out in hope of propagation.

Mission accomplished. Picked up a couple of taro and chocolate ice creams.

Both. The magic word “pixian” indicates quality Sichuanese doubanjiang.

I had some "taro and chocolate" ice cream yesterday. It was good! I might get some more today.

Yes, but the brands mentioned are Cantonese, not Sichuan style doubanjiang. They are different.

It has become very difficult in recent years to find round bottomed woks, even here in China. Most department stores, supermarkets and other domestic kitchen supply shops etc only stock the (at least slightly) flat bottomed type. The reason is very simple. Induction cookers. Whereas in the past people used gas burners for the ever-popular table top hotpot style of cooking (even in restaurants), it quickly became apparant that free standing induction cookers were more convenient and safer. I'd say that that's what 90% of people use now. It is still possible to buy the traditional type, but only in artisan craft shops or professional, restaurant suppliers' places - sometimes not even there. I have both types.

Don't they all do that? Every one I've had did. My current one does beep then switch off, but there is a reasonable time delay before the power cuts. I've never timed it. I'll test it later, if I remember. It's 2,100 watts which I find more than enough for stir-fry wok cooking when I have to use it that way, but that happens very infrequently. I mostly use it for long, slow, acidic wok braises. 🤣

I've met her sister!

Lunch in a 串串 (chuàn chuàn) restaurant with my dear friend, J. Bits of meat and vegetables on sticks with a partitioned pot of boiling stock. Plain one side; spice laden the other. For more on the concept of these restaurants see here.

One fact is that I've been cooking such things in a wok for a quarter of a century without problems.

Most people have two burner stoves (including me). I do the orzo on the second burner in a regular pan. Rice, I do in the rice cooker.

Yes, exactly. People just bung a little cold water in and swirl it around over the heat while scraping with their scoop if necessary, then run under the cold tap to remove any debris.

My late sister-in-law regularly made 4 or 5 dish dinners plus soup. All cooked in the same wok. No one here would even think that remarkable. It's normal.

What I was trying to say, you have done more eloquently. Only one thing. Few Chinese home kitchens have a hot water supply.

I haven't posted many dinners recently. It's been a strange week. Still is. Wok-braised chicken with morels and Agaricus subrufescens or 姬松茸 (jī sōng róng), also known as almond mushroom, mushroom of the sun, God’s mushroom, mushroom of life, royal sun agaricus, himematsutake. Served with orzo. Braise included Shaoxing wine, garlic, shichimi togarashi, coriander leaf, scallions, potato starch slurry for thickening. Photographed through steam.

Chinese way would be to finish the braised dish, then stir-fry the veg in the same wok (after a quick clean). After all, how long does it take to stir-fry a vegetable side? Alternatively, revolutionary idea, have more than one wok! I have three, but rarely use two of them.

I'd say "Yes". I often make curries in my woks and have never had a problem. Also, some Chinese dishes can be rather acidic - especially when I make them!

Yes. It didn't come with the wok. I bought it separately. In fact, woks seldom come with lids here.

Probably got into some raw vegetables. I've always thought more a case of stage fright.

It would, but food is seldom portioned out in China - at home or in restaurants. We are 100% into family style dining, even when there are just two of us. Damn it! Even when it's just me. But of course, there are no rules! Use your wok the way that works most efficently and comfortably for you!

... and here is my restaurant size ladle. 2 ft / 61 cm from top to toe. a companion for the restaurant sized scoop which is 30 inches / 76 cm long.