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Vince

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    Momo

    in Elsewhere in Asia/Pacific: Cooking & Baking

    Posted · Edited by Vince (log)

    I was introduced to these by a local Himalayan restaurant.  They only offer the beef version, sha momo.  They offer it either steamed or deep-fried.  Looking around on the Internet I see there are numerous variations such as chicken (chasha), vegetable (Tse), and spinach (tsoma).

    At the local restaurant the seasoning for the beef momo seems to be minced onion, garlic, and a bit of soy sauce.  Maybe salt and pepper.  Anything I'm missing?  Anyone familiar with making momo and its varieties?

    Momo's are just large dumplings, like the ones in the picture. They are a "Tibetan" food and the traditional version is with yak meat, though you won't find those kind in the US.

    If you are interested, yak meat is avalable here.

    Char Siu

    in China: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    What I find a little confusing, is everyone so far has referred to Char Siu as BBQ but no one has mentioned cooking it over a charcoal grill or a woodfire.

    I think stickly speaking the term "barbeque" is referring to cooking in slow heat in an oven. When you grill something over open fire, it should be called "grilled". A lot of people mis-labelled their dish. (e.g. "Come to my house to do some barbeque!", and they refer to grilling some hamburger patties on a home "BBQ" stove)

    Okay, but you can cook something slowly on a wood or charcoal fire (ribs are a great example). Has anyone tried making char siu on a charcoal or wood fire, and if so how did it stack up against the oven version?

    Several years ago, after tasting Char Siu from a store that grilled it over charcoal, I decided to make my next batch that way. The "hardware" required some creativity (I added a piece of aluminum flashing on edge to raise the cover of my Weber grill about 18") and even though the first attempt was only "OK" (a little overcooked :sad: ), now it is the only way I make it 10 months of the year (Sorry, but the dead of winter is NO fun). The flavor is FANTASTIC! I have also tried cooking Char Siu over the charcoal, but adding some hickory wood to give it some "smoke" flavor. Also very good. In fact, a friend used my Char Siu marinade for a Barbeque Cook-Off and won Second Place! :biggrin:

    Vince

    Sichuan Peppercorn

    in China: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    I recieved my package from Buffalo Creek last week. They are very good, I could smell them before I even opened the box. They have a great spicy/numbing effect once you bite into them.

    However, I was walking through the spice isle in my local mega Asian store today where before I was told that I cannot buy Sichuan peppercorns because of the FDA ban and lord and behold, they have them now. They even have two brands both made in China and both very fragrant. Although, nowhere on the bag does it say Sichuan peppercorns, only "dried peppercorns". So, what's the story? Is tha ban lifted (I heard rumors of that)? Or did the store simply decide to start selling them again under a new name???

    Anyone has info on this?

    Elie

    Thanks for the feedback on Buffalo Creek.

    BTW, what part of the US do you live? I have yet to find any Sichuan Peppercorns in any of the local Asian markets here in the the Northern Virginia area. But perhaps it is time to look again.

    Sichuan Peppercorn

    in China: Cooking & Baking

    Posted · Edited by Vince (log)

    I think it does not need to be freezed or refigerated. Like other kinds of spices, you'd better wrap it well, keep it in dry condition, and finish it as soon as possible.

    Storing time is the most important consideration.

    While I will agree that storing time is important, ALL spices suffer from two distinct forms of flavor degradation. The first is the loss of some of the volatile essential oils that give the spice its flavor and the second is the slow process of oxidation mediated by the moisture in the air.

    The best approach for storage of nearly all aromatic spices is the same - package them well to seal out the air and moisture and then keep that package as cold as possible. Small, glass jars with TIGHT fitting lids that are kept in the coldest part of the storage freezer will prolong the life of most aromatic spices ten-fold.

    Vince

    Sichuan Peppercorn

    in China: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    I may have located a source for Sichuan peppercorns - Buffalo Creek Spices.  They sell spices in relatively large bulk volumes (pound), and they have the following:

    PepperCorns

    Whole, Sichuan-Sold by the pound

    for $8.01/pound.  Shipping is a reasonable $4.00.

    Has anyone tried this source??

    I purchased a pound from Buffalo Creek and received them last week. Good "buzz" and numbing taste. I would suggest that people consider this as a source if you have no other options. (a pound is a LOT of peppercorns! :wink: )

    Sichuan Peppercorn

    in China: Cooking & Baking

    Posted · Edited by Vince (log)

    thought of this thread when i was in fresno last week working on a story. there in a hmong market, locally grown sichuan peppercorns: fresh and dried, packed with leaves and without

    Is there a possible mail order source for us for whom this is not quite "local"? :hmmm:

    Edit addition:

    As I continued to think about this, these peppercorns would NOT subject to ANY restrictions whatsoever since they are being grown in the US!! Where is an entrepreneur who wants to start a new business supplying eGullet members with this essential ingredient? :wink:

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