Marcsch

Thanks for the Jian Bing links. I've scoured the internet and tried different recipes for it, and even went so far as to have a chef in shanghai give me a lesson. The results were passable, but not quite the same. Part of the problem was getting the right sauce components here in the states, and part of it was trying to find the fried item in the middle. When I've had jian bing, I've had it two different ways. Sometimes with the fried chinese cruller in the middle, which is still somewhat doughy in the center like a doughnut. Other times, I've had it made with a very crispy, flat fried object in the middle. I'm not sure what that was, but I liked it better. (It was fried--what's not to love?) I've tried making a few variations at home, and while the results were decent, they didnt have the same "blow your mind" aspect as those I've had on the streets when I've been lucky enough to get the real deal With the Guo Kui, I've had no luck at all! Thanks again for the kind and thoughtful replies! Marc

Thank you SO much. I'm a huge fan and have been cooking my way through her books! This dish and the Beijing Jian Bing are the two I've had no clue how to duplicate at home, and my instructors in culinary school had never heard of either, unfortunately! Thanks again. Much appreciated! Regards, Marc

Hello! I have taken quite a few trips to China and have done my best to take cooking classes, and capture new recipes while I've been there. My favorite foods are the street foods, and with the exception of Fuchsia Dunlop's amazing books, it has been very hard to find recipes for the "real deal". The memorable foods I've had in my travels were in Xi'an, in the Muslim district where they have stall after stall of amazing street food. My favorite food was Guo Kui, which was a flaky fried dough (almost pastry-like), stuffed with minced meat, sichuan pepper and chilies. It was incredible and I cant find anything online to tell me how it's made. I'm wondering if anyone out there has a recipe they can share? Fuchsia Dunlop describes this food in her newest book, Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, but unfortunately there is no recipe and I've found no way to contact the author. Any assistance is much appreciated! Thanks Marc

I purchased mustard oil at an indian grocery here, and it's not the same thing. Mostarda, in my experience, has a wonderful horseradish-like "kick" at the end of the delightful sweet taste. This mustard oil was far too mild to provide that. I could easily put my nose to the bottle without being overwhelmed. I have also searched the web, looking for a source to mail order the Essenza di Senape, with no luck. As a matter of fact, I asked a colleague working in Milan to bring some over for me for a recent meeting, but she was nervous that she'd get in trouble with customs at the airport, and instead brought me some mustard powder, and the instructions to dissolve it in hot wine Does anyone know of any source for this, anywhere outside of italy? Unfortunately, work doesn't take me there much but it does get me to other places in Europe and the US, and I'd love to be able to make Mostarda on my own. Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to provide. Marc