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I can put the black bean sauce in a Chinese "wide neck" thermus to keep it warm. So at the casino it would be luke-warm. The king crab legs are steaming hot so I think it would be all right. The casino provides soy sauce with red chillis (for the potstickers)... I can get some over there.

Longan (spelled correctly) is similar to lychee. In Chinese, the literal meaning of longan is "eye of the dragon". Longan is smaller than lychee. So, lychee is "more bang for your buck" (longan is typically more expensive too). But the taste of longan is more intense.

Thank you for all your responses everyone! Jo-mel Ma Ma! Long time no see! How are you? It is just my preference to have the king crab legs "Chinese style". Looks like Sheetz's idea is a winner! I've never thought of that! I will make some ginger/scallion oil and bring it to the casino next time. The king crab legs taste very good and fresh, albeit a little blend by themselves. With these condiments I think they will taste fabulous! I also am thinking of cooking some Cantonese "black bean sauce" - with a bit of garlic, smashed fermented black beans, fresh chilies, ginger shreds... something like that. It would be similar to the Cantonese "clams with black bean sauce".

Why add sugar in Chinese vegetable stir-fries?

The nearby Thunder Valley Casion offers seafood buffet for $24.99 in weekends. All-you-can-eat king crab legs! This single item alone would worth the ticket price. The king crab legs are served hot - steamed - with the customary melted butter. The butter tastes good but I got stuffed quickly. Next time, I am thinking of bringing some Chinese sauces or condiments to the buffet. What I have been thinking are: - A jar of Yank Sing Hot Sauce or XO Sauce - A mix of sesame oil and Chinese red vinegar Can you think of any other Chinese ready-made sauces/condiments that would go well with steamed king crab legs? Maybe soy sauce?

I don't recall seeing any Asian market in PG, or for that matter in Monterey. I assume that the Asian population is not too high in that area. There are some Asian ingredients in local stores such as Safeway. But the selections are rather limited. Do you travel from the north through the San Jose area when going down to PG? If so, I would suggest you shop in the Asian markets in the San Jose area (e.g. Milpitas). There are many locations for the 99 Ranch market. Stock up on your ingredients, both fresh and dry and sauces, and store things in the fridge.

In Cantonese wonton noodle shops, the hot spicy paste that they put on the table is usually a mix of deep-fried garlic, chili pepper flakes, fermented black beans, tons of MSG and plenty of oil.

In Chinese, the term "干妈" (Gan Ma in Mandarin) has a meaning that is similar to "Godmother" in Christian-based worlds. Someone who is not your mother but will look after you as if she is.

Hello everybody! Thank you so much for all your kind words and well wishes! I am moved seeing all your responses. Unfortunately due to my job and health situations, I don't have the same level of access to eGullet in terms of time and connectivity as I once had. Circumstances do make one re-prioritze what's important in life. I am hoping to continue to partipate in the forums as an individual - time permitting. Xie Xie [in Mandarin] Doh Jeh [in Cantonese] (Thank you) - Ah Leung

I think there is a small problem with this statement... doesn't sound too good.

Ah, steaming! That looks like the Cantonese dim sum item "lor mei gai", which is conventionally wrapped with a lotus leaf and steamed.

It is interesting that you combined the ingredients of Lor Mei Fan and the wrapping and presentation of Joong. Did you boil your creation in water? For how long? Did you use only 2 bamboo leaves for 1 Lor Mei Fan/Joong? They must be very wide. I have not seen a wrapping done like yours: first along the length then wrapped across.

It sounds like this "chuen fun" is the same as the one described upthread - the one eaten as is, and not for stir-fries. Cheung fun is easier to make at home. The stir-fried kind of rice noodle (Ho Fun), may not be.

"Dry" is the key in keeping the, duh..., dry ingredients for long. Tiny amount of moisture... either they will start turn mouldy or insects will lay eggs in them. Inspect your newly bought dried mushrooms. They should be dry to the touch and hard. If they feel soft, beware. You can lay them out under the bright sun for a day to dry them up. Store in air-tight glass jars is the best. If the dried mushrooms feel mooshy... they are already gone.

3 whip? what does it mean jo-mel? some animal inside I'm guessing it's not the alcohol with lots of snakes inside is it? ← LOL! Whip (鞭) = male animal organ 3 whips... 3 different kinds of animals used. The Chinese male-enhancement liquor.

I do like the food at Lee Hou Restaurant on Clement Street. I haven't tried their dim sum but I trust that they can do a good job. In the close-by neighborhood, on Geary at around 27th there is May Flower. Their dim sum is really good but the place can be crowded. Across the street on Geary near around 23th there is Parc Hong Kong which I also like (though not as good as May Flower IMO).

You can take this recipe: Beef Shank Braised with Five Spice and Soy Sauce (五香牛腱) Plug in chicken heart for beef shank. Cooking time is probably much shorter. May be braise for an hour over slow fire.

In Chinese, the banner said "self-selected quick meal". It gives a whole new meaning to the term "fast food"! The name of it escaped me. This round thing can be broken up (or chopped open with a cleaver) and cooked for Sichuan style dishes, such as the "water-boiled pork" that you made. Or use it to in braising lamb/muttons.

This is amazing... street food vendors in suits? Wow! But perhaps that's the common dress code over there, seeing another person wearing suits while walking a bicycle.

They look absolutely fantastic, Prawncrackers!!! Now I know where to knock on the door when I fly across the pond. Forget about London China Town...

What Peony made was "cheung fun". The one that is eaten "as is", with some sweet sauce, soy sauce, sesame sauce and sesame seeds. Though made from rice also, the texture of "cheung fun" is very different from "ho fun". I don't know what the process is for making "ho fun". If you, however, use "cheung fun" for stir-fries, I think the result will greatly disappoint you (too soft, not holding up, falling apart). Just my experience.

The sichuan peppercorns tend to lose the potency over time. I used to think sichuan peppercorns did not seem such a big deal when I chewed on them... that was based on a jar that I bought way back when (stored for many years). When I bought a new package from the market and tried it out.... it's like novacaine. If you chew on the sichuan peppercorns and you don't feel the numbing effect, just ditch them and buy some new ones. I got mine in the USA (Sacramento). I think these things are imported from China so it shouldn't matter where they are sold.

Are you sure they are noodles? They look like dragon beard candy dusted with peanut powder. A very traditional and extremely famous dessert in China. ← Yeah. I agree. I missed the caption. Those are dragon beard candy ("lon so tong" in Cantonese), not noodles.

Condensed milk is very sweet by itself. That's what's typically in the cup, no sugar. The imperial rolls look great!

Could these be Agar Agar? With color added? I cannot imagine what they are used for except desserts. When buying these Thousand Year eggs (the ones in the front), it's best to buy with with the brown stuff on them. These mud substance can keep the eggs from drying out. These days they sell Thousand Year eggs already cleaned up. The down side is the shelf-life is shorter. If you eat them right away, no problem. But after a while the egg inside dries up. The basin on the left looks like beef tripes? The basin on the right, and the small one on the top look like some intestines? Chicken intestines?