liuzhou

I started off with my favourite clam and mustard green soup in a peppery chicken broth. Then moved on to dish that is very special to me. It was first cooked for me by a dear Chinese friend, probably the best cook I've ever met. Like me, she hated to share her kitchen with anyone else, but, although she never gave me her recipe, she did impart at least some of her technique. Sadly, she passed away a couple of years ago at a very young age from complications of diabetes. Every time I make it as near as I can figure to her recipe, I think of her. Miss her a lot. Pork ribs. A two day cooking process. First the ribs, chopped into bite size pieces (as always in China), are simmered in water for about an hour, drained and cooled. (Water can be re-used as a pork stock with noodles). When cool, the ribs are marinated with garlic, ginger, chillies, Shaoxing wine, red vinegar, potato starch, a tickle of cumin and a little honey. Stuck in the fridge and left 24 hours. Next day, they are drained from the marinade and fried until browned. The reserved marinade is added along (with a splash of water if they look like drying out) and simmered for a couple of minutes. Finished with chopped Chinese chives. I served with rice and stir fried baby bok choy.

Sausage Baguettes with Whole Grain Dijon Mustard.

Don't set your alarm clock!

Jiaozi with Thai Sriracha.

These are very addictive.

Top: Shop's Cheese and Durian Cake Bottom: Shop's Cheese and Banana Cake

Frozen/defrosted tofu is a regular hotpot ingredient which I always look forward to.

Chicken, garlic, ginger, chilli, capers, olives, Chardonnay, asparagus, garlic shoots. Couscous.

Not around here.

Wontons in a spicy chicken broth.

I like both. Depends on the dish.

韭黄肉丝 (jiǔ huáng ròu sī). Pork with yellow hothouse chives. Rice. Also in there is garlic, chilli, ginger, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, Zhenjiang vinegar, potato starch.

Scored myself some beautiful, large, live, wild caught shrimp. Cooked with a lemon (zest and juice), olive oil, garlic, ginger and chilli sauce. Served with tagliatelli. Finished with black pepper (freshly ground, of course!)

I had a Nyetimber when I was back in England last year. It is extremely good!

1-10-10 chicken breast with a Sriracha mayo (homemade mayo) sauce, Emilia sonchifolia salad with a simple vinaigrette, couscous.

Wontons in peppery soup with Emilia sonchifolia.

It's not related to dandelion, but to sunflowers. But yes, mildly peppery.

Here's one I knew about but only saw in the supermarket for the first time today. Simplified Chinese 一点红; Traditional Chinese 一點紅 (Mandarin: yī diǎn hóng; Cantonese: jat1 dim2 hung4). Emilia sonchifolia, lilac tasselflower or cupid's shaving brush. Mostly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), but the leaves and shoots are edible. Note: The literal meaning of the Chinese is "one spot (of) red", which is blatantly untrue, as the 280 grams of greenery I bought contained not one, but two reddish flowers.

Thai / Vietnamese inspired stir fried beef with garlic, chilli, mint, coriander / cilantro, Thai fish sauce, soy sauce, scallions and fresh straw mushrooms. Rice.

Squid with fermented black beans, garlic, ginger, chilli, oyster sauce and snow peas - a local traditional pairing. Served with orzo - a not at all local or traditional pairing. But it worked.

Jiaozi with "Super Hot" Sriracha. The sauce wasn't that hot - to my ravaged palate.

Comfort food, although I wasn't feeling uncomfortable. Pork cutlets, buttery fork mashed potatoes and asparagus. With an elegent side of HP Sauce.

Spicy shrimp with shallots, chilli and hothouse garlic chives. Black pepper. Rice.

Chicken and Chips.