jhirshon

Cook a stew in it, with a thick sauce and lots of rock sugar - more often than not, it will heal the crack. cheers, JH

A tweaked version of my previous recipe - this worked better for me. cheers, JH The Hirshon Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients: 1 garlic clove 1 tsp ginger root (about 2 slices) ¼ pound ribeye steak, velveted: Slice the beef into shreds (partially freezing the meat helps a lot). Be sure to cut across the grain of the beef. To marinate the beef: use 1 tsp of light soy sauce, 1 tsp of Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp of cornstarch and 1/2 tsp of ground white pepper. Mix well. Set aside for about 30 minutes before cooking. Heat a wok to very high heat. Add 6 tblsp of peanut oil, allow oil to heat through thoroughly, then add beef shreds. Cook until slightly pink, then drain and reserve the beef. Don’t overcook it! 1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce ¼ cup bamboo shoots, shredded 5 dried shiitake mushrooms, top-quality 1 cup mushroom soaking liquid 10 dried lily buds (also called golden needles) 4 dried tree ear fungus (also called cloud ears) or 1 tsp. dried pre-sliced 4 cups homemade chicken broth 1 Tbsp Shaoxing 1 Tbsp Baoning Vinegar 1 Tbsp Chinkiang Vinegar 1 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar 1 Tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 Tbsp. water ½ cup diced firm tofu 2 Tbsp. finely shredded Szechuan Preserved Vegetable 3 sliced green onions 1 egg 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil (Kadoya brand preferred) or to taste 2 tsp freshly ground white pepper 1 teaspoon freshly ground szechuan peppercorn Hot Sauce to taste Directions: (1) Soak mushrooms cloud ear and lily flowers separately in hot water for 25 to 30 minutes or until soft. Reserve mushroom liquid in amount specified above, discard any sand at bottom of bowl and combine with chicken stock. Next remove stems from mushrooms; discard and thinly slice the caps. Pick off tough ends of cloud ear; discard ends; slice cloud ears thinly. Remove tough ends of lily flowers; cut flowers in half. Set aside until ready to begin cooking. Heat the chicken broth. (2) Mince the garlic and ginger with the shaoxing into a paste. Shred the bamboo shoots. Combine the cornstarch and the water. Lightly beat the eggs. (3) Add the beef and the soy sauce to the heated stock, cook for 1 minute more. (4) Add bamboo shoots, shiitakes, lily buds, Szechuan Preserved Vegetable and cloud ears, stir quickly for 1 minute. (5) Stir in chicken/mushroom broth, shaoxing paste and Baoning/Chinkiang Vinegars. (6) Stir cornstarch/water mix one last time and add it to the soup. (7) Add the tofu and bring the soup to a boil. (8 ) Turn the heat to low, add the green onions. (9) Add the beaten eggs in a slow stream, stirring several times. (10) Turn off the heat and add the sesame oil, rice vinegar, szechuan and white pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and serve immediately.

I couldn't agree more - like to like or yin to yang is what works in stir-fries. The 'kitchen sink' approach has its place - but not in classic Chinese cuisine according to the principles of Yuan Mei. For me - classic combinations include shrimp, pork or clams with black beans; chicken with hot bean paste; fish with ginger and scallion, beef with Sha Zha Jiang. I want to taste the main ingredient, complemented or enhanced by the supplementary seasonings - not a hodgepodge of muddled flavours due to poor choices of ingredients While I am a huge proponent of deep and intricate flavours (when well-balanced), sometimes the simplest combos (proven by thousands of years of tradition and tastings) work the best. My two cents - JH

All - I decided to move forward with creating my own version of Suan La Tang, one that (I hope) is both authentic in provenance and taste to its Szechuan roots. First things first - I decided to use beef as the shredded meat, rather than the customary pork. My understanding of Szechuan cuisine is that beef is the usual choice of meat in that province, as opposed to pork. I've velveted the meat to add some additional savour and flavour prior to using it in the soup. Second - I added in some shredded Szechuan preserved vegetable, which being both hot and sour, in my opinion complemented the various tastes. Using the smoky Baoning Szechuan vinegar also added a new dimension of flavour - adding sweetened black vinegar and rice vinegar helped balance out the tastes. Using the dried mushroom soaking liquid also really adds some smoky undertones to the soup. Adding the garlic and ginger as a minced paste with Shaoxing helped to spread the flavours and avoid fiber in the soup. Adding heat via white pepper and a ma la effect using freshly-ground Szechuan peppercorns worked well for me - and is far more authentic, as far as I am aware. The original Suan La Tong added heat by 'barbarian' pepper (aka peppercorns), not by the much later to arrive Chili pepper. I look forward to everyone's comments on this - especially Ms. Dunlop, whom I know frequents this forum. cheers, JH __________________________________ The Hirshon Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients: 1 garlic clove 1 tsp ginger root (about 2 slices) ¼ pound ribeye steak, velveted: Slice the beef into shreds (partially freezing the meat helps a lot). Be sure to cut across the grain of the beef. To marinate the beef: use 1 tsp of light soy sauce, 1 tsp of Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp of cornstarch and 1/2 tsp of ground white pepper. Mix well. Set aside for about 30 minutes before cooking. Heat a wok to very high heat. Add 6 tblsp of peanut oil, allow oil to heat through thoroughly, then add beef shreds. Cook until slightly pink, then drain and reserve the beef. Don’t overcook it! 1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce ¼ cup bamboo shoots, shredded 5 dried shiitake mushrooms, top-quality 1 cup mushroom soaking liquid 10 dried lily buds (also called golden needles) 12 dried tree ear fungus (also called cloud ears) 4 cups homemade chicken broth 1 Tbsp Shaoxing 2 Tbsp Baoning Vinegar 1 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar 1 Tbsp. Sweetened Black Vinegar 2 Tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 4 Tbsp. water ½ cup diced firm tofu 2 Tbsp. finely shredded Szechuan Preserved Vegetable 3 sliced green onions 2 eggs 3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil (Kadoya brand preferred) ¾ tsp freshly ground white pepper ½ teaspoon freshly ground szechuan peppercorn Directions: (1) Soak mushrooms cloud ear and lily flowers separately in hot water for 25 to 30 minutes or until soft. Reserve mushroom liquid in amount specified above, discard any sand at bottom of bowl. Next remove stems from mushrooms; discard and thinly slice the caps. Pick off tough ends of cloud ear; discard ends; coarse chop cloud ear. Remove tough ends of lily flowers; cut flowers in half. Set aside until ready to begin cooking. Heat the chicken broth. (2) Mince the garlic and ginger with the shaoxing into a paste. Shred the bamboo shoots. Combine the cornstarch and the water. Lightly beat the eggs. (3) Add the beef and the soy sauce to the heated stock, cook for 1 minute more. (4) Add bamboo shoots, shiitakes, lily buds, Szechuan Preserved Vegetable and cloud ears, stir quickly for 1 minute. (5) Stir in chicken broth, soy sauce, shaoxing paste and Baoning/Black Vinegars. (6) Stir cornstarch/water mix one last time and add it to the soup. (7) Add the tofu and bring the soup to a boil. (8) Turn the heat to low, add the green onions. (9) Add the beaten eggs in a slow stream, stirring several times. (10) Turn off the heat and add the sesame oil, rice vinegar, szechuan and white pepper. Season to taste and serve immediately.

I can't read a word of Pinyin, but it COULD be red-in-snow, as one of the plants is red - this is a plant that is first to sprout in the late winter and is pickled? Just a stab in the dark - JH

Sounds appetizing, jo-mei - care to share that recipe with us? cheers, JH

This sounds AMAZING - a must-visit next time i'm in London. cheers, JH

All - I am seeking one of my holy grail recipes - an authentic hot and sour soup that rivals the best i've ever had - that at Mayflower Chinese Restaurant in Milpitas, CA. This was stingingly hot from white pepper and sour from top-quality Chinese vinegar - who has the ultimate recipe for this - post here and share your secrets! Yes, I know the original recipe calls for blood, we can skip that part, I think. cheers, JH

Methinks we need an Ah Leung pictorial recipe for Typhoon-style crab or shrimp, with the laap yuk! cheers, JH

the closest to true Jinhua or Yunnan ham in the states is Smithfield ham, available by mail order or at most Chinese markets. It is EXTREMELY salty, and while it can be eaten raw, is best stir-fried to let its fat, smoke and flavour infuse whatever you are cooking with. The best brand of Smithfiled ham is Gwaltney, and it can be ordered from here (though it is a LOT easier just to get it pre-sliced at Ranch 99 or a Chinese grocer: http://www.smithfieldhams.com/vcart/itemblock/?itemblock=6 cheers, JH

Here is a recipe I found for it: Ingredients 150 g fresh red chillies 江瑤柱（干貝）　半斤 250 g dried scallops (conpoy) 蒜蓉　三兩 150 g garlic, minced 乾蔥蓉　三兩 150 g onion, finely diced 蝦米　二兩 100 g tiny dried shrimp (unshelled variety) 金華火腿　一兩 50 g Jinhua ham 槽白咸魚　一兩 50 g salt cured fish (see notes) 蝦子　半兩 25 g large dried shrimp (shelled variety) 黑胡椒粉（粗）　半湯匙 ½ tbsp coarsely ground pepper (see notes) 做法： Instructions 1. Seed and wash chillies, then briefly stir fry over low heat until heated through. Remove from heat and drain. Dry in the sun for 2-3 days, until completely dried - this is an important step, do not omit it. 2. Wash and clean conpoy. Soak in water for 2-3 hours, then steam for 3 hours until soft. Cool. Finely shred the conpoy by hand. Reserve the liquid accumulated as a result of the steaming. 3. Soak the shrimp in water for 3 hours. Drain and mince finely. 4. Finely dice the ham into 2mm cubes. 5. Dice the fish into 3mm cubes. 6. Heat “4 bowls” of oil over high heat. Add garlic, onion and shrimp and fry until the mixture stops “steaming”. 7. When the mixture stops steaming, add chillies, ham and fish and continue to cook until the chillies become translucent. 8. Add the conpoy and shelled dried shrimp and “pepper” and reduce heat to low. 9. Continue to cook until only a little steam rises from the mixture. Remove from the heat and allow to cool thoroughly. 10. Place in a container and seal - be sure and store in refrigerator.

tokyogurumegal - many thanks for your kind words and suggestions, they are very much appreciated! As it happens, we changed Maisen to Katsukura as it is much closer to our hotel, but I'll be the first to admit my knowledge of Tokyo geography is just awful. If you (or anyone else) have any suggestions on rearranging the order of the restaurants to make it easier, (as in closer) to one another, I would greatly appreciate it! cheers, JH

Ah Leung or others - an actual recipe for this dish would be very much appreciated, if possible. cheers, JH

True - I've eaten at Honmura An several times and loved it, but all the others are new to me (deliberately so, I like to broaden my horizons on every trip). I'll happily report back on my impressions. cheers, JH

MANY thanks to all for their contributions and suggestions - they are truly appreciated and I continue to remain amazed at the depth of culinary expertise here on eGullet. Given that my wife and I are sushi mavens, we are eating LOTS of it in Tokyo - we'll hit robbatayaki, chanko and other styles on the next trip - we go from the refined to the mudane. Before anyone says anything about the omission - we don't really drink, so Izakaya are out - we'll have some sake at one or more of the dinners, but only a glass. I hope this list will help others seeking to enjoy Tokyo and Kyoto's better restaurants and in creating their own ideal itinerary. So, without further ado, here is the final list: May 31 dinner: Sukiyabashi Jiro 03-5413-6626 Residence B, Keyakizaka Dori, Roppongi Hills, 6-12-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku One of the best Sushi restaurants in Japan - period. A favourite of Joel Robuchon and Daniel Boulud. Also close to the Grand Hyatt, to avoid going to far afield after we have just flown in. June 1 breakfast: 5:00 AM – Sushi Dokoro Okame 03-3541-5450 Chuo-ku, Tsukiji 5-2-1, Area 6 Opening at 5:00 AM, this is *THE* place for a toro sushi breakfast - they specialize in toro, omakase is about ¥3,650 6:00 AM - Sushi Bun 03-3541-3860 Chuo-ku, Tsukiji 5-2-1, Area 8 Another early-morning sushi shop in Tsukiji, been in business for more than 150 years. Specializes in seasonal and wild (non-farmed) fish varieties. Omakase course for about 3650 yen. Opens at 6:00 AM, come here after sampling the incomparable toro at Sushi Dokoro Okame at 5:00 AM. June 1 lunch: Miyako Zushi 03-3851-7494 10-12, Yanagibashi 1-chome, Taito-ku Superb sushi (5th generation of family!) - considered the best in Tokyo. No menu - Kato-san only provides the market's daily best through a unique relationship with Tsukiji. No plastic, bill is usually between ¥6,000-10,000 - it is next to the Asakusa temple. June 1 dinner: Chibo 5424-1011 Ebisu 4-20-3, Yebisu Garden Place 38F Great okonomiyaki - KILLER VIEW June 2 breakfast: Grand Hyatt June 2 lunch: Honmura An 3401-0844 Roppongi SUPERB soba - Honmura An offers two classic zaru preparations year-round: inaka soba (dark, thick, rough textured noodles made from the whole grain; $7.45 a portion) and seiro soba (lighter, thinner, smoother noodles made from the grain's kernel; $6.20 a portion). In addition, Honmura An offers seasonally flavored noodles for $13.85 a portion. In the winter, there is yuzu (an aromatic citron peel); in the spring, yomogi (a healthful green herb), and in the summer basil-like shiso that is finely minced and added to the noodle dough. These soba dishes are served with a very smoky, bonito enriched dipping sauce to which freshly grated wasabi (Japanese horseradish) and chopped leeks can be added. When soba yu is added to the dipping sauce, it becomes a lovely broth. Portions are small, and it's easy to manage two or three servings. Open weekdays 11:30 A.M. to 3 P.M. and 5 to 9 P.M.; 11:30 A.M. to 9 P.M. weekends and national holidays. Exit Roppongi subway station from stairway No. 4B. Walk straight ahead and turn right at the first corner. Restaurant is halfway down the narrow street, on your right. Sign on ground level; restaurant is up one flight. Hibiya subway line stops at Roppongi. June 2 dinner: Yama no Chaya 03-3581-0656 10-6, Nagatacho 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku THE place for kabayaki-style Eel - accept no substitutes. NOTE: closed Sundays, no plastic. Dinner is ¥17,000 per person June 3 breakfast: Grand Hyatt June 3 lunch: Maisen (03) 3470-0071 4-8-5 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku Any argument over which restaurant in Tokyo serves the best tonkatsu—Japan’s beloved plate of deep-fried pork cutlet, rice and cabbage—should end with Maisen. The restaurant has made an obsession of perfecting a dish that is usually cooked quickly as standard daily grub. The secret to Maisen’s success is that cutlets can be doused in one of three tangy sauces brewed on the premises. Our favourite is a fruity concoction served with the house special, a delicious cutlet made from kurobuta, a black hog from Kagoshima. JH prefers the ‘rosu’ cut, which is fattier - but the ‘hire’ or fillet cut is also good. This large, crowded restaurant is tucked away in a converted old bath-house off the main Omotesando drag. Be prepared to wait at least 20 minutes for a table and expect to sit on the floor. If you hit the weekend rush and the queue seems too daunting, buy one of the superb tonkatsu sandwiches from the Maisen stand outside the restaurant. June 3 dinner (Kyoto): Hotaru 075-441-4411 nakadachiuri,shinmachi-Dori,kamigyo-ku The restaurant of Chef Mitsuro Harada, winner on Iron Chef - superb Kyoto cuisine in the Brighton Hotel, the city’s finest western-style hotel. Kyoto cuisine both refined and elegant in a western setting. June 4 breakfast: Kyoto Brighton Hotel June 4 lunch: Menbaka Ichidai 81-75-812-5818 Marutamachi Chiemitsuin Higashi iru Minamigawa, Kamigyou-ku *THE* place for negi ramen (ramen with a lot of chopped scallion). The heated oil that a waiter pours over the bowl catches fire in front of customers sitting on the couter stalls. The shop is quite famous for this unusual service. June 4 dinner: Kushi Kura 075-213-2211 Takakura Dori, Oike-agaru. Just north of Oike Dori, Central Kyoto Some of the finest yakitori in Kyoto - open for dinner 5-11. Housed in a 100-year-old warehouse with heavy-beamed, dark-polished wood and whitewashed walls, this yakitori-ya serves specially raised chicken grilled over top-grade charcoal, with an English-language menu offering various set meals and a la carte selections. You can watch the action while you're comfortably seated at the counter with its leg wells. A large selection of sake (including the local Fushimi brew) adds to the great atmosphere here. June 5 breakfast: Ryokan breakfast (TBD) June 5 lunch: Tenryu-Ji Temple Shigetsu 882-9725 Inside Tenryu-ji Temple in Arashiyama Open 11:00-14:00 daily. Vegetarian, Zen cuisine served by the chefs of Kyoto's famousTenryu-ji ZenTemple. Ingredients include tofu, yuba (dried bean curds), nama-fu (raw wheat gluten) and seasonal vegetables. Enjoy your meal while watching their exquisite Japanese garden- experience the essence of the Zen spirit. Reservations necessary. 3.000 yen, 5.000 yen, 7.000 yen, plus tax. Admission to Tenryu-ji Temple 500 yen. Takes plastic. June 5 dinner: Yasaka Endo 075-551-1488 Komatsu-machi, Yasaka-dori Higashi Oji Nishi Hairu, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City Superb tempura, kansai-style. Located in a traditional area, close to Yasaka shrine and Kennin-jiTemple; enjoy fine tempura cuisine in an old building(interior maintained) that was originally a teahouse where geiko and maiko lived; freshest ingredients of the day; lunch: tedon (1,500 yen; a big bowl of rice topped with a selection of tempura), tempura course (3,000 yen), tempura kaiseki (6,000 yen); dinner course and kaiseki (from 8,000 yen); single tempura items (seafood,Kyoto vegetables, etc.) are also available; reservation required

When I am in Tokyo in 3 weeks, I plan to eat here: Chibo 5424-1011 Ebisu 4-20-3, Yebisu Garden Place 38F Great okonomiyaki - KILLER VIEW Shrimp and bacon is the best combo, IMHO. cheers, JH

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Sweet and sour 'squirrel-cut' carp fillets are classic Shanghai - and have a nice Ashkenazic Jewish taste as well. cheers, JH

Irwin et. al. - many thanks for everyone's comments and suggestions - I have modified the above recipe to include everyone's comments - hopefully, this will be indexed by Google soon and then people can find a truly authentic recipe for this dish - many thanks to all. cheers, JH

Actually, the recipe I found on the net used this as the name - struck me as weird too, but search on pai gwat in Google and that's the name that comes up EVERY TIME. Also, the oyster sauce is not my addition, that too was in the original recipe, assumed it belonged there. cheers, JH

Appreciate the feedback - this is my tweaked version of the recipe, thanks to all for the comments. The Hirshon Pai Gwat (Steamed Spare Ribs In Black Bean Sauce) 3/4 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons shaoxing (or dry sherry) 2.5 tablespoons oyster sauce 5 tablespoon fermented black beans, rinsed twice and mashed in the shaoxing 4.5 tablespoons tapioca flour 3/4 teaspoon sesame oil (Kadoya brand preferred) 1/2 teapoon hot sesame oil 8 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon baking soda thinly-sliced red jalapeno or fresno chilis (to taste) 1 pinch white pepper Have butcher trim enough spare ribs so that you will have 2.5 lbs. net. Cut spare ribs into 1 or 2 inch cubes. Add cubed spare ribs to marinade ingredients (minus the tapioca starch), mix thoroughly, then massage in the tapioca starch to the ribs to seal in the flavours and refrigerate overnight in heatproof dish - bring back to room temperature before proceeding. Put 3 cups of water in wok and bring to a boil. Put the marinade and spare ribs in steamer and place on wok. Steam for 90 minutes, stir, place ribs in individual bowls, replenish water if needed and steam an additional 20-30 minutes. Add a few drops of sesame oil to each prior to serving. Yield: 6 servings

You might want to check this thread: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=86705 cheers, JH

The Hirshon Zhoug 1 cup of fresh Coriander, including stems 1 cup of fresh parsely, including stems 7 (use more or less depending on your spice tolerance) Jalapenos, stem ends removed 3 serranos, stemmed 8 garlic cloves 3/4 teaspoon caraway seeds 2 teaspoons freshly ground cumin 2 teaspons freshly ground coriander Seeds from 5 cardamom pods 1/2 teaspoon salt (add more if needed) 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (add more if needed) About 3 tablespoons of olive oil (add more if needed) Finely grind the cardamom pods and caraway seeds in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, then sift to remove the husks. Grind all in a food processor to a paste - cover and store in the refrigerator.

A tasty and unusual departure from the norm, traditionally served by Yemeni Jews on the High Holy Days - do give it a try (and you don't have to wait till the High Holy Days either!) Wink Allez Cuisine - JH ______________________________________ The Hirshon Yemenite Spicy Chicken Soup (Modified from a recipe originally published by Joan Nathan) 3 celery stalks, cut into large dice 1 medium zucchini, peeled and cubed 3 carrots, cut into large dice 1 large tomato, almost quartered but not cut apart at bottom 3 potatoes, peeled and diced, kept in cold water 3 pounds cubed beef stew meat (fat removed) 3 pieces (about 2 pounds) marrow bones 3 pounds of bone-in chicken breast, cut into pieces by the butcher Up to 5 quarts water (JH note - be sure and use bottled water - not even all these spices can overcome the carcinogens in San Jose water!) 12 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly cracked 9 very small onions, peeled and cut in half (the Italian cipolini onions are perfect here - they are a small, flat onion similar to pearl onions) 1 large white turnip, peeled and cut into pieces 1 cup bottled, cooked chick peas, drained 8 green onions, coarsely chopped 1 small bunch fresh parsley, leaves only Salt to taste 1 tablespoon hawayij (Yemenite spices), or to taste - Hawayij Recipe Source: "Yemenite-Jewish Food and Culture" (in Danish), by Benjamin Katzir Papyrus, Horsens 1993 2 tbsp black peppercorns 1 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tsp cardamom seeds 1 tsp saffron 2 tsp turmeric Grind the spices together thoroughly, and store them in an airtight jar. Place the beef, marrow bones and chicken in a large kettle with enough bottled water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, until a froth forms. Remove the meat and bones and discard the water. Clean the kettle. Put the beef and bones back in the kettle and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil again. Lower the heat and add the garlic, onions, turnip, and green onions. Cook, covered, about 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat seems fairly tender. Remove the marrow bones, add the chicken, cover, and simmer another 20 minutes. Let cool and refrigerate overnight. Bring the soup to a boil. Add the celery, zucchini, carrots, tomato, chick peas and potatoes. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer another 20 minutes. Just before serving, add the parsley, salt, and hawayij and cook, covered, for a few minutes. Eat by dipping a good crusty bread into the soup, scooping up the meat and vegetables.

In response to a call for Yemenite recipes, I will post several I have collected or created - others feel free to add here, as the cuisine deserves better representation. cheers, JH