liuzhou

The vegetation is similar and there are many in common. Most spices not at all. I can buy "Indian" spices, but only by the kilo and at exorbitant prices. Anyway back to Chris and his torturous posts!

The word 'farls' is certainly Scottish - it meant a quarter - but in Scotland usually refers to oat cakes. Potato farls are, I'm very sure, Irish. Maybe Scots Irish. My confusion arose from my not noticing your caption indicating the potato farls (I have problems with low contrast in pictures. My problem; not yours) There are many varieties of bánh cuốn!

They are at it again. Pizza Hut are now promoting this for the upcoming Chinese New Year (February 16th sees in the Year of the Dog). This monstrosity is shaped like a traditional Chinese coin, a symbol of prosperity, the main wish expressed in New Year greetings. It must be all that communism. Most of the text is about money rather than food. They want your money and what they sell is only notionally food! As far as I can make out, it appears to feature abalone, shrimp and broccoli. The Chinese small print is saying that if you want more details, see the in-restaurant menu. No! I am not going in! 88元 is $14 USD, but has been chosen, not for any economic reason, but because 88 is a very lucky number in Chinese superstition.

I hate this topic! I love Indian food, and I've drooled so much over my keyboard, I'm going to have to buy a new one. Unfortunately, it is near impossible to buy Indian spices here (China and India have long had a poor relationship), but I'm due to visit Hong Kong in March and will be heading straight to one of the many excellent Indian restaurant there (after a pint or three of Guinness in my favourite HK Irish bar). Until then I'll be reading every post and cursing in envy.

Mere hours after muttering on the Dinner topic lamenting the lack of basil here in southern China despite being very near the Vietnamese border, I go out this morning and, near my home, find this place that wasn't there last week. I passed by and went to do what I had come out for, but returned for lunch. Despite the name (in which the Vietnamese is slightly wrong - it should be Bánh Cuốn Việt Nam), it was entirely Chinese run, but the bánh cuốn was just like I have had in Hanoi. I forgot to take a picture, but here is a public domain image found via the interwebs which s very similar to what I ate. They weren't quite so generous with the basil. Of course, I asked where they got the basil and was given a withering stare and told "Vietnam". By the way, the Chinese name of the restaurant, 正宗越南卷粉 zhèng zōng yuè nán juǎn fěn means 'Authentic Vietnamese Rice Rolls".

Matar is Hindi for 'peas'.

Which part is Scotland?

Yeah, I know. I have a thriving community of plants on my balcony and every window sill, all raised from seeds. The basil seeds were stone dead.

Yes It is illegal to import seeds. I did buy some here, but none germinated.

Pork and Pasta. Linguine with pork, shallots, celery, carrots, garlic, chilli, cherry tomatoes. Quick and simple. I'd sell my grandmother for some decent fresh herbs, but China doesn't do anything other than coriander leaf/ cilantro (occasionally mint and parsley, but neither are in season now - not that I'd want mint in my pasta) and I refuse to use dried basil - pointless stuff. Yet, I'm just north of the border with Vietnam where basil is ubiquitous. While China is known for eating everything, in fact it's quite conservative in which varieties of anything it eats.

Kidney, intestine, tripe, heart and unidentified frying objects.

After exhaustive investigations and torturing of suspects, I can now elucidate. The buns are a feature of Northern Chinese cuisine and are known as 窝窝头 (wō wō tóu) which means nest-like things. They are made from corn, sorghum or millet flour. I think the ones I ate were millet. They also contain brown sugar which may contribute to the colour, although I didn't find them particularly sweet. They are, as I suspected, formed by hand by pressing the thumbs into a ball of dough to make the requisite shape, then steamed. I bought some this morning and am now thinking what I can fill them with. The possibilities are endless.

I thought someone might be interested in this. More information here, Closing date March 1, 2018.

A little. It is tofu which has been frozen then defrosted and fried. The freezing changes the texture and causes those bubbles you may see. I couldn't work out what the sauce was. It was fairly bland.

I think it's more American than totally western. I'm western, too. Europe is a lot less squeamish about offal. I was brought up on the stuff. That said, I do remember a good Austrian friend in Vienna being horrified at what I ordered in a restaurant - but it was very Austrian food!

I like the sound of that!

They are steamed, yes. Brown buns are relatively common, but I forget how they are made. They are not flavoured, but rather it's the flour used, I think. I also think the dough is just formed by hand into that cup shape then steamed. Pathetic answer I know, but I'll try to find out more. I was too busy eating them to ask tonight! The Pig Offal Soup with Goji Vegetable was delicious!

I didn't actually use the dipping sauce, but from previous visits to that restaurant, I think it's white rice vinegar and sesame oil with chopped Chinese chives and garlic.

Another day; another dinner. This time dinner with four friends in a nearby restaurant specialising in local food. Snow Peas, Wood Ear Fungus and Baby Lotus Roots Mixed Cured Pork and Chinese Sausage White Cut Chicken Tofu Rice Paddy Fish with Vegetables Dry Fried Beans with Pork Spicy Pork Ribs Pig Offal Soup with Goji Vegetable Bun Cups with Minced Pork and Vegetables Bun Cup with Minced Pork and Vegetables

From the late, great Dave Allen.

I seem to have perfected the art of visually unappealing dishes over the last couple of days. Whatever you do, don't look at my latest offering on the Breakfast topic. I blame distracting circumstances. And a 5ºC kitchen when it warms up. Tropical winter. That said, please believe me, they tasted fine. Would I lie to you? So, tonight, something I'm sure I've posted before. A favourite in Castle Liuzhou. Steak and kidney without the pie. Rough mashed potatoes. None of your puréed baby food nonsense! Cabbage was on the side but couldn't fit on the plate and, anyway, I find green clashes horribly with my delicately composed tableau.

Somewhat beige but delicious just the same. Fried duck egg and foie gras on toast. Double duck. Actually, I wanted to poach the egg, but my eggs weren't fresh enough.

It's the light and the bottle. Not the water. The water is crystal clear. Like Perrier water isn't green!

I should add that no one in China drinks tap water. It isn't safe. In the past people boiled water, but today it is nearly all from bottles. Most home, offices etc have these water dispensers. This one, in my home, both heats and cools the water. Some only do the former. Chinese people often drink plain hot water and many consider drinking chilled water to be fatal! I make a phone call when I need a new bottle and the delivery guy usually turns up within the hour - 7 days a week. Around $3 USD for 20 litres. This is non-carbonated, non-sparkling purified water, not mineral water. I've never seen a Chinese sparkling water, although imported varieties such as Evian or San Pellegrino are available at astronomical prices.

Finally, for now, this gem. Ten years ago, I flew from Hong Kong to London for a short visit and was handed this bottle of water when I boarded at Hong Kong airport. Gleneagles is not far from my birthplace, so I was initially quite amused. But then I thought about it. This water had already been flown across the half the planet and was about to fly back again. To compound the air miles, I never actually remembered to drink it and ended up carrying it back to Hong Kong, then on another flight to my home on the Chinese mainland. Three intercontinental trips. I still have it untouched ten years later. I am planning a trip back again relatively soon and will take it with me. It will probably be the best travelled bottle of water ever!