hzrt8w

Yes, correct! The Centre is really humongous. The exact address is Victoria City 2nd Floor, Sun Hung Kai Centre, 30 Harbour Road Wan Cha ← Oh, Sun Hung Kai Centre. Thanks! It is different from Hong Kong Convention Centre that I was thinking of. (See enclosed map). Sun Hung Kai Centre is where the "X" mark is. Convention Centre is a bit up north on the harbor front, where the "O" mark is. There are also cafes and restaurants inside the Convention Centre that offer excellent views of the harbor. Decades ago I used to work at Hewlett Packard (Hong Kong). Their office used to be right in the Sun Hung Kai Centre. There is an unobstructed view of Causeway Bay from this Victoria City restaurant because the building is next to a track and field. I couldn't see Gloucester Road and the highway, that's why I was puzzled.

Thanks for posting your pictures, Franci! Where is this Victoria City restaurant? (Which building?). From the buildings outside, my guess is it is in Wanchai? Near or inside the Hong Kong Convention Centre?

Indeed quite a few ingredients can be added to the Chinese green stir-fries. 1. They add flavor 2. They add a different texture The basics are garlic and salt. (Though from all the dishes I had, I don't think I had tasted one with "black pepper" or "white pepper" as in "typical salt and pepper" in Chinese green stir-fries - except in those stir-fries specifically feature black pepper (beef/chicken/bell-pepper/onion). ) Depending on the vegetable... sometimes you can add shallots, onion, ginger and other "aromatic" to enhance the flavor (e.g. string beans). And even slices of chili peppers (e.g. Tung-choy) The following ingredients can be added (in small amount typically) to make Chinese green stir-fries: - dried shrimp (e.g. string beans, Chinese cabbage, mustard green) - minced pork - dried oyster (soak and chop in fine dices) - lap cheung (Chinese sausages, chop in fine dices) - lap yuk (Chinese cured bacon, chop in fine dices) - yunnan ham (cut into small shreds) - ham yu (Chinese salted fish, chop in fine dices) The following sauces can be added: - shrimp paste (e.g. tung-choy) - foo yu (fermented bean curds, e.g. making tung-choy or bitter melon) - nam yu (red fermented bean curds, e.g. making lotus roots, Chinese cabbage or winter melon) - Sa Cha sauce (e.g. making string beans) - oyster sauce (just about any Chinese vegetable) - brown bean sauce (e.g. making string beans) - dark soy sauce mixed with superior broth and corn starch To cook a vegetable "feast" (a fancy word for "combination"), besides mixing vegetables you may add: - mung bean threads (soaked in water first) - reconstituted black mushrooms - reconstituted Lily buds - reconstituted "wood ear" fungi - reconstituted "cloud ear" fungi - reconstituted white fungi - ginkgo nuts - bamboo pith (soaked in water first) The combination can be endless...

My guess is something like: 1. "Superior" broth (chicken or pork typically) + dark soy sauce + salt + corn starch for the Northern style cooking. 2. "Superior" broth (chicken or pork typically) + oyster sauce + salt + corn starch for the Southern style (Cantonese) cooking. Or a combination of the above.

#77, Steamed Pork Spareribs with Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸排骨)

Pictorial Recipe Steamed Pork Spareribs with Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸排骨) This dish is very popular in Cantonese home cooking. It is very easy to make and most families know how to make it. Picture of the finished dish: Serving Suggestion: 2-3 Preparations: Main ingredients (upper left, clockwise): - about 1 1/2 lb of pork spareribs - 3-4 tsp of fermented black beans - 1 small chili pepper - 3-4 cloves of garlic - ginger, use about 1-2 inch in length Trim extra fat and cut the pork spareribs into easy-to-eat, bite-size pieces. Slightly rinse the 3-4 tsp of fermented black beans. Smash the black beans with the back of a spoon. Trim end and peel 3-4 cloves of garlic. Press the garlic on top of the smashed black beans. Use a small spoon to mix the smashed black beans and pressed garlic into a paste. Cut the chili pepper into small slices. Use about 1-2 inch in length of ginger. Cut into small shreds. To marinate the pork spareribs, add them in a mixing bowl. Add: - 1-2 tsp of sesame oil - 2 tsp of light soy sauce - 2 tsp of ShaoHsing cooking wine - 1-2 tsp of corn starch - 2 tsp of dark soy sauce - 1/4 tsp of salt (or to taste) - 1 tsp of ground white pepper Add the shredded ginger and smashed garlic/black bean paste into the mixture. Mix well. Set aside for 30 minutes before cooking. Cooking Instructions: Transfer the mixture on to a steaming dish. Add the chili pepper slices on top. Set on a steamer and steam for about 20-25 minutes. Picture of the finished dish.

I browsed some more Vietnamese/Chinese grocery stores in the area over the weekend. Lo and behold... I finally located one store that carries the canned Pennywort drink. Not just one, but 2 different brands! I immediately bought half a dozen. Then more good news... I found another Vietnamese take-out place that actually makes them fresh! They always carry it but I just didn't notice the drink because the label was only printed in Vietnamese "Ngoc Rau Ma" - and I didn't know what it meant until now. I bought a bottle of the fresh ones too. Mmm.... the herbal grassy taste of pennywort is unmistakable. I haven't had one for over 20 years... It is not as good as I remember... but memory can be false. Thanks to this thread that prompted me to renew my interest in this drink.

#76, Dace Fish Cake with Lettuce in Soup (生菜鯪魚球)

Pictorial Recipe Dace Fish Cake with Lettuce in Soup (生菜鯪魚球) In the streets of Hong Kong, there are two popular street eats: Fried Dace fishball, and Dace fishballs with lettuce boiled in soup. I am presenting both dishes here as they are quite similar. You may also add tofu and Chinese mustard greens to make the soup. They are very simple to make. Picture of the finished dish: Serving Suggestion: 2-3 Preparations: Main ingredients (lower left, clockwise): - 1 container of fresh fish cake, about 1 lb (you may also use other kind of fish cakes) - cilantro, about 10-12 - 3-4 stalks of green onions - 1/4 head of lettuce Chop the lettuce into fine shreds. Finely chop the cilantro and green onions. Cooking Instructions: To make the fried version, heat up a small pot over high setting on the stove. Add 1/2 cup of frying oil. Note: To add more fragrance, use a mix of 2/3 frying oil with 1/3 of sesame oil. Scoop up the fish cake with a large spoon and spoon off into the hot oil. Fry the Dace fish cake for a few minutes until the outside turns golden brown. Meanwhile, use another pot to boil 2 cans of chicken broth. (Sorry about the blurry picture.) To make the boil version (maybe half and half), simply boil the Dace fish cake in small pieces in the broth. To assemble the dish, use a medium size soup bowl. Lay the shredded lettuce on the bowl. Lay the fried or boiled Dace fish on top of the lettuce. The heat from the boiling soup will cook the lettuce. Quickly pour the boiling soup in the bowl. Before serving, add the chopped cilantro and green onions on top. Add some (go heavy) ground white pepper and drizzle a few drops of sesame oil on top. Picture of the finished dish.

I hope that I don't sound like a pin-head. Actually the words "Ba Se" [Mandarin] - the word "Ba" itself means "to pull". "Se" actually means "silk". Together they describe pulling the sweet potato (or apple, or other featured ingredients) pieces apart, while the sugar syrup still links betwee the pieces. The ends look like silk. That's how this dish got its name.

u.e.: Did they specifically say it's "smoked" firm dofu? The picture looks like those pressed tofu that I usually buy, which has been cooked (boiled) with "Lo Shiu" (the master sauce with five spice) that gave it the dark brown taint but not smoked.

Most of the wonton counters that I have seen have a big pot of boiling water and a smaller pot of broth on the side. I think they blanch the vegetables in boiling water, as they do with noodles. If you cook vegetables in the broth, it would introduce the "green" taste in the broth and I don't think that's desirable.

Sorry. I don't know what Korean dried squid is like. Are they different from Chinese ones?

How long can the fresh pennywort last in the fridge?

Thanks for the report. Looks like they do import the canned Rau Ma drink into North America. I need to browse some more stores.

Where I live many Chinese grocery stores are run by Vietname Chinese immigrants, so the selections are typically a Vietnamese/Chinese mix. However, after browsing a few of them I still could not locate any Rau Ma drink in cans like the ones shown in the picture linked upthread. I would love to buy some if I find them. Has anybody seen the Rau Ma drink sold in the US grocery markets? They probably didn't bother to import it...

I cannot give you a generalization. That would be unfair. I would give you my observations on my parents-in-law and my father's eating habits. They are typical of the older Chinese generation. All 3 of them grew up in rural Chinese villages. Though most of their lives were spent in big cities (Hong Kong and Sacramento), their food choices seem to be wired to their childhood upbringing. - No Cheese of any kind, soft or hard, mature or not, just no whatsoever - No milk - No cheese cake - No catsup - No pizza - Spaghetti (resembles chow mein?) is okay, no tomato sauce. No Alfredo sauce either. - No mayo - No mustard - No horseradish - No hot dog - No hamburger - No "salad" (raw lettuce, raw carrot, raw cucumber, raw tomato) - No raw onion Would that give you an idea? The list can go on and on! Would their food preference be different if they grew up in the USA? Most definitely I think. This middle age Chinese, Yours Truly, who grew up in the modern city of Hong Kong would take most of the items in the above list: except mayo and cheese cake! I don't like cheese cake. In fact, I don't like sweets of most kinds... But that maybe just me...

Let's talk about something less exotic than stinky tofu, pig brain or chicken feet. Let's look at some more common food items. So what is it so special about Sweet and Sour Pork (or many of its variations)? When I worked as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant in San Diego over 20 years ago, this dish was (probably still is) the most popular dish. Probably at least 1 out of every 5 parties would order it. (Or Almond Chicken for that matter) A big blob of red color with pungent smell and sweet taste. Do Chinese eat it? Sure we do. Just probably far less frequently as the Americans. In fact one would't even think of recommending this dish to Chinese patrons. How about Cantonese style steamed whole fish with shredded green onions and ginger spreaded on top and a dash of soy sauce (or any fresh (live) shellfish cooked in a similar manner)? Chinese see this as a "luxury" (one would definitely order it and eat it if there is no economic constraint). Most Americans: they wouldn't know what to do seeing the fish head on the plate with the eyes popped out. Is it texture thing? I think it is just an excuse disguising the underlying fear of the unfamiliarity. Do Americans eat Chinese squid dishes (especially the ones cooked with shrimp paste)? Most would avoid it, complaining the squid is too rubbery. (Note: no batter) But the same group may have no problem eating Italian "calamari", breaded, deep-fried, dipped in marinara sauce. Would they dive in eating "to fu fa"? No way! Yet the same person may have no problem eating yogart or crème brûlée. What texture thing? I have 2 Caucasian sister-in-laws in the family. I have observed them in family dinners over the years and found: What they will eat: - Cantonese Fried Chicken (a favorite in fact) - Cantonese Roast Pork or BBQ Pork - Thick steak stir-fried with gailan - Scallops deep-fried in batter and sprinkled with salt and pepper - Sweet and Sour Pork (another favorite) - Capitol Pork Ribs - Chow Mein (may be it resembles spaghetti?) What they won't eat: - Crabs stir-fried with ginger and scallions (can't take the crab meat and shell in sauce together) - Salt and Pepper Shrimp (because they are cooked with shell on with seasoning outside - hard to peel) - Rice noddles, whether it's in soup, stir-fried or steamed - Scallops sauteed with mixed vegetables (no batter) - Steamed whole fish with shredded ginger and green onion and dash of soy sauce on top - Braised sea cucumbers (too soft?) - Braised abalone (too chewy?) - Jelly fish (taste too bland? Too rubbery?) - Mix seafood sauteed with vegetables in a bird nest (they will eat the bird nest - because it is fried potato) Well, of course two individuals cannot represent the American population at large. But they are good examples to illustrate the culinary cultural differences. Can texture be a good explanation for all these? Or it's more like "I won't eat anything that require me to spit out bones, skin, shells at the dinner table, or anything that doesn't resemble chicken, beef, pork or shrimp?"

To us Chinese, Chinese food is... Food!

You got the Mandarin version? ← Sorry I only know the Cantonese naming. In Mandarin dialect they might call it something different in Chinese.

I agree with Dejah. This plant is called 崩大碗 "bung dai wuan" [Cantonese] in Hong Kong. The literal translation is "big broken bowl". It's gotten the name because the leaves shape like a bowl with one side broken. Centella Asiatica Rau-Ma in Vietnam. Images on Google Quoting this page: http://cskiller.mocasting.com/p/41705 新鮮的崩大碗榨汁，加水去煮，就可以飲用，有很濃烈的青草味，但不會帶苦味，一般會加冰糖或蜜糖去調味，夏天喝一碗的確可以消暑解喝。不過也因為崩大碗性... [Translation] Use the fresh leaves to extract the juice, add water and boil. It is used as a drink. It has a strong grassy taste, but not bitter. Usually you add some brown sugar or honey to flavor it. It can crunch thirsts in the summer. I love this drink!

Did a little mouse get to these Baozi before they were served?

#75, General Tso's Chicken (左宗棠雞)

Pictorial Recipe General Tso's Chicken (左宗棠雞) I am going to publish my version of this controversial recipe: General Tso's Chicken. It is a very popular dish in Chinese restaurants in North America. However, most of the versions made, in my opinion, are overly sweet and the chicken pieces are unjustly deep-fried in thick batter first. This dish is controversial because there seems to be no general agreement of how it should be made. Therefore, many people have different versions or interpretations of this dish. I adapted my own version from the recipe published by Maria Lee: http://www.marialee.com/chinese/poultry4.htm (Recipe written in Chinese) This dish is quite easy to make at home. You may modify this recipe to adjust for your own taste. For example, you may want to add more sugar to sweeten it up. In the spirit of real Chinese cooking, however, I would not recommend deep-frying the chicken meat in batter. Picture of the finished dish: Serving Suggestion: 2-3 Preparations: Main ingredients (upper right, clockwise): - 3 pieces of boneless chicken breast, about 1.5 to 2 lb - Garlic, use about 4-5 cloves - Ginger, use about 1 inch in length - About 7-8 stalks of green onions - Chinese red vinegar (very important for this dish) Trim the fat off the chicken breasts. Cut into 1-inch dices. To marinate the chicken: Use a mixing bowl, add chicken dices. Add: - 1-2 tsp of sesame oil - 1 tsp of dark soy sauce - 1-2 tsp of light soy sauce - 1 tsp of oyster sauce - 1 tsp of ground white pepper - 1-2 tsp of ShaoHsing cooking wine - 1-2 tsp of corn starch - a pinch of salt (e.g. 1/4 tsp) Mix well. Set aside for about 30 minutes before cooking. Peel and mince 4-5 cloves of garlic. Grate or finely chop 1-inch of ginger. Trim end and finely chop 7-8 stalks of green onions. Cooking Instructions: Use a pan/wok, set stove at high. Add 3-4 tblsp of cooking oil. Wait until oil is hot. Velvet the marinated chicken meat first. Stir-well. It takes 2-3 minutes (or longer). Cook until the chicken meat is slightly undercooked - when the pink color just starts to disappear. Remove from pan/wok. Start with a clean pan/wok, set stove at high. Add 2-3 tblsp of cooking oil Wait until oil starts fuming. Add about 20 dried chilies. Add the minced garlic, grated/chopped ginger and about 3/4 portion of the chopped green onion. Add 1/2 tsp of salt (or to taste). Quickly dash in 2 tsp of ShaoHsing cooking wine and 2-3 tsp (or even 4-5 tsp if you want it on the sour side) of Chinese red vinegar. Stir well. Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of chicken broth. Wait until it starts boiling. Add corn starch slurry (suggest: 1-2 tsp of corn starch in 2-3 tsp of water) to thicken the sauce to the right consistency. Return the chicken, and add the remaining portion of the chopped green onions. Dash in 1 tsp of dark soy sauce and a pinch of sugar (e.g. 1 tsp). Mix well. Cook for another minute or two. Ready. Transfer to the serving plate. Picture of the finished dish. (Note: The quantity of food produced in this recipe is about twice the portion shown in this picture.)

The Cantonese style "sweet & sour" is more on the orange/red color side, cooked with bell pepper, onion, pineapple and such. This style of "sweet & sour" is popular in North America, I think, because early Chinese immigrants who popularized Chinese food in North America were mostly from Toisan (in the province of Canton). The Hangzhou style "sweet & sour" is brownish in color and they don't cook with pepper/onion/pineapple.