Gastro888

Oh goodness. I don't know if the Heniz catsup is the same formula over there that it is over here. You know companies do change their formulas based on the demographics of the region they're shipping their products to. Oh boy, I hope this works. You're welcome!

Burger Joint's cute in concept but the burgers aren't any tastier than what you get at the Shake Shack. Me, personally I like the SS burger and fries but the Burger Joint does a decent job. Plus, since it's so small, you're going to walk out smelling like the food when you're done. Like a pho place, the smell stays with you long after you've eaten.

The E-noodle is the way we spell "yee fu mein" in English on the menu. My mom told me geniune "yee fu mein" is hard to find in the States now. They are thick, ropy, chewy, dense and oh so yummy when chowed with lobster, ginger and scallion. I would ask the elders of this forum if the noodles contain egg or not. I don't know if they do. They're just super yummy! Re: A vegetable. It's funny - I read this thread and for some reason the Cantonese phrase "A-A jai" comes to mind. My mom would use it in conversation. I do believe it's slang for a picky cranky kid but I could be mistaken. Or maybe it's just a phrase my mom made up to describe someone's undiscplined son!

I saw it in the Asian grocery store today and the sign said "AA Choy". It looks like a pale heart of romaine.

I think that's called "dun" in Cantonese. I think it would translate into "double boiling". We usually "dun" tonic soups - my mom did fa kei sum (Chinese ginseng?) that way when I was growing up. I've never seen her use it for anything other than medicinal herbs. When I was a kid and I saw my mom breaking out the vessels to "dun tong" (double boiling of soup) I'd groan. That was a signal that for three days I wouldn't be allowed to eat anything foreign, junky or "yeet hay". Which to an eight year old would be akin to torture!

Try smoking a salmon with a bit of the Cuban tobacco. The flavor would probably go well with the oily fish. Durian's banned in alot of Asian hotels and airlines. In the US: mangosteen, uncooked salted duck eggs...and all of my loot that I snuck in from Florence!

Definitely Men Kui Tei for lunch. Before 12:15 they have the gyoza and set rice special. It's 50% off from 12:00-12:15. Odd but cute.

I do the fingertip method and adjust after the first time I use a new bag. I can't be bothered with measuring rice & water, it just feels weird for me to do so as I grew up watching my mom do everything freehand. (no pun intended) I make my congee/jook with a 1:8 ratio of rice to water.

David Chang is an incredibly brillant man. I had the pleasure of hearing him give a lecture a several months ago and he's definitely got the cojones to do what he does. I'm sure whatever he says to the media is carefully thought out. Now as for the music...honestly, not too crazy about it. Then again, I prefer very quiet background music. I might be the only one who does!

I can tell you where not to go. Don't go to Rue 57 or Brassierie 8 1/2. The food at both places is mundane and nothing to write home about. I would've had a better meal at Men Kui Tei!

I didn't know you were in Australia! We are using the industrial size cans but I am approximating wit the 16oz (1L?) size.

The American bacon "bacon"? Or Chinese laap yuk "bacon"? Mung bean threads (Fun See) is indeed difficult to cook by itself. I typically only use it in other Cantonese stir-fried dishes to soak up the extra cooking liquid. ← Both. American bacon and laap yook. She usually uses American bacon and adds celery to it as well. It's really good stuff. I love fun see. I wonder why Toisanese use it so much.

New South Wind chachangteng (teahouse) off Division and Catherine on the right hand side has the best hai mei cheong fun - lightly oiled rice noodle sheets studded with bits of stir-fried seasoned ground pork, dried shrimp and scallions then rolled into a fat sausage . So good with oyster sauce, hoisin sauce or hot sauce on top. Best eaten fresh as they do not keep well overnight.

Fun see is the tastest dish for when I'm not feeling very "hoi way". My mom likes to put oyster sauce or soy sauce depending on her mood. Sometimes she puts in bacon, which is super tasty.

HA! I posted the modified recipe for S&S sauce just now. Pass the hung bao!!!! (Just teasing!)

Try this: In a large heavy bottomed pot over a medium - low flame add: 1 bottle Heniz catsup 1.5 cups of white sugar Stir until sugar is dissolved. This should yield a a thick liquid. It should not be so thick that it's a paste but the mixture should be thick and slightly grainy. A spoon will stand in it for a second when you plop it in the middle. I know, I'm so friggin' technical...ha! Add: 1/3 cup white vinegar Stir. Add: 1 tsp of salt Stir. Add: 1 tsp of Lea and Perrins Worcester sauce. OK at this point make sure everything's well combined and the sugar's dissolved. Stir and stir until everything smooth. It should be nice and thick. TASTE carefully (try not to burn yourself). If the ratios are wrong, which they might be (b/c remember I know how to make it for a restaurant by sight only and not by exact recipes), correct the seasonings with the proper ingredient. When everything's to your taste, bring the contents to a gentle boil then thicken the contents of the pot with a cornstarch slurry (1:.5 ratio of cornstarch to water). Stir for a few minutes to combine everything and let it gently boil for a few minutes more. Then when you're done, add some chilled & drained Dole pineapple chunks. I hope this finds favor with you! Good luck! ETA: My dad said the salt and the Lea and Perrins are key ingredients to this sauce. In order to have a balance of sweet and sour, you need the salt to round out the flavor and bring it out. The Lea and Perrins add a savory dimension to the mix, like a faint base note to the flavor. You can't have just sweet and sour, it would be too harsh on the palate.

Unfortunately that's pretty much the case with any Korean BBQ restaurant. You're going to smell like BBQ afterwards so I definitely would not wear anything nice. Although I'm always amazed at the well-dressed Korean families that go to these places during the weekend!

Is mung bean noodles a Toisanese tradition as a CNY dish? I saw the very same thing in my MIL's kitchen last night. And... this mui mui doesn't deserve a lei see. All I heard were promises of a recipe. ← Maybe, I don't know. I don't remember it being on the table that often during CNY. Wait, I did specify that the recipe for gai loong is coming along. I can't give you one if my mom's not willing to cook until the spring time. She's not like Dejah who goes and grills in Artic cold- she's 75 and is kinda frail!

The Fage yogurt can be used in cooking & it won't curdle. Just slowly add it into your dish while you're stiring over a medium flame. In regards to the 0% to full fat, I gotta say that a bit o' fat makes a world of difference. I like the Total Light (aka Total 5%). It's really rich but not too much. Oh I just tried their new peach flavor that's out - in full fat AND the 2% yogurt! It's like the honey where the yogurt's on one side and the topping is on the other. Super yummy. I don't know which I like better, peach or honey. They're both good. The problem is with the honey I like to add walnuts which I sometimes don't have on hand.

Oh oh oh! Me first! I'm the youngest! (hee hee) (That is, until herbacidal or aznsaliorboi shows up again) My mom and dad cooked for me this weekend. We had the traditional jai, bak chet gai, roast pig, and fish. My mom made soy sauce mung bean noodles which were super yummy. She sent me home with a braised chicken dish that has tree ear fungus, shiitake mushrooms and salted turnips. I love my parents. OH! And she gave me some "fat goh" that my aunt & her friends made. Bleah, they suck compared to hers. Tough crumb, no "may-doh" and not bouncy. She doesn't make them anymore due to her diabetes and my father's borderline high blood sugar. Mom makes the best "fat goh" and "but gai goh". ETA: Oh yeah, when I go home in the spring, I'm going to ask for gai loong so it'll be a few months before I post the recipe for that.

Hmm....adding soy sauce while the fish steams...will discolour the flesh of the fish. It should be added after the fish is done, whether by steaming or frying. Sesame oil is fine, a slight drizzle will do. Cooked sesame oil smells a bit off, pungent. I do use it to lightly oil my dish though. ← Oh, I never knew that! My mom's the one in charge of cooking fish so I don't know exactly how she does it. Thanks, Tepee!

Thomas Keller uses Illy pods for the espresso at Cafe Bouchon... ← NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Oh, I see. That would be a problem. I'll ask around and see what I can find for you.

I'm sure there must be, however, I just suggested going out to Flushing for a better experience. Maybe try asking someone at the local temple? What about the one that's at Canal near the bridge? Not to be funny but maybe they would know best? ETA: In regards to oyster sauce being a staple in Cantonese cuisine, that's not really true. It is a staple in the kitchen pantry, but the majority of Cantonese dishes do not use oyster sauce as a primary flavor. It's not oyster sauce that makes traditional Cantonese cuisine non-vegetarian/vegan - it's the use of seafood, chicken and pork in dried and fresh form.

I never said that there are no vegetarian dishes amongst the Chinese cuisines. However, Guangdong cuisine (Cantonese) is intrinsically non-vegetarian (oyster sauce is simply a staple)...although a pescaterian might get by. Fujanese cuisine is heavily seafood oriented. I believe these the two most represented Chinese cuisines in Chinatown. Which is why your comment: "You wouldn't find a good vegetarian/vegan restaurant in Manhattan proper" proves my point. ← In general the restaurants in Manhattan's Chinatown aren't that great. That's why I suggested Flushing. There are more cuisines in Chinatown now than just the Guangdong and Fuijanese/various Northern styles. However, Flushing offers more variety and definitely better food. For whatever reasons (overhead costs, etc), the good restaurants and chefs are out in Flushing. Guangdong food and its people are known for eating anything and everything. Personally, I think it's one of the best cuisines in China however I do love a good dumpling and fried montaou from the northern cuisines.