Cookwithlove

Hey Fat Guy, Here is my chinese version of Szechuan hot and Sour Soup. Heat a pot till slight smoke, add some oil, dashes of hua teow wine, add stock(prerefable chicken ), bring to a rapid boil and throw in the following shredded sauces and ingredients; chinese black vineager,sesame oil, sweet and sour hot hot bean sauce, light soya, shredded black fungus(boil till soft before adding, Beancurd strip, shredded bamboo shoot and bean sprout(last minute) baby shrimp and pork strip(blanch before adding. (omit meat if you don't like.) Bring to boil again and simmer for 5 to 7 minute before thicken with corn starch(adjust consistency must be thick. Finally bring to a rapid boil and off the flame before stirring in slowly the egg white to produce a white strip. Color of soup reddish black. Taste must be hot(spicyness comes from hot bean sauce and sourness comes from black vineager(prefer brand Chin Kiang black vineager.) voila!

My interest in chinese dessert soupy 糖水 is greatly influence by my cantonese speaking friends from Hong Kong and elsewhere and over the years I learned on my own through trial and error and my family loves it and ask me to make whenever I am free. However I substitute it with raw sugar or rock sugar which is healthier. I like to make the Black sesame paste or red Bean paste with Glutinous rice ball and others varieties like Hasma with red date and gingko, Sai Mai Lo, Sweet Almond soup, Sweet Walnut soup and others. I live in a tropical climate and I don't know what dessert you normally eat in colder climate? my 2 cents...

Hi Ah Leung, Could you elaborate on your Seaweek tread with sesame and also how do you pickle cabbage, carrot and daikon the chinese way? Thanks

Dear Fellow chinese food enthusiasts, Normally most of the times chinese cold dish combination comprises prawns salad on bed of fruit cocktail, mini spring roll, jelly fish, chix BBQ coin,Baby Octopus, any ideas to expand the items listed? Thanks

<Drooling> Ah Leung, how could we duplicate this at home? Do I see a pictorial coming soon? ← Betty: I finally tried making this Cantonese roast chicken with nam yu at home yesterday. The result was pretty good. I must say it's not as good as what I got from Won Kee, but it is pretty good for a home production. I have taken some pictures. Will post this coming Saturday. ← Mr. Leung and fellow chinese food connoiseurs, Anyone have a good recipe for 烧鸡水the honey sugar colour solution to dry the chicken before roasting and also the huai yan(淮盐）？感谢您

Appreciate comments and inputs by Fuju, Dejah, Prawncrackers and Muichoi and keep the new ideas flowing. Take good care!

For added textured garnish: Fish Bone crackers(smaller fishes), Crispy fried paper thin dried fish(baby sardine leaf?), Crispy fried dried squid(small ones), different shaped fried wonton, small bundles of fried noodles, marsh crabs. Tofu can be cut into shape to be used as a base or garnish for other proteins. Taro chips, lotus chips, vegetable or hebs in tempura(sage leaves are great). For Colour: Fresh bamboo shoots(even the leaves as a serving vessel), red, yellow and green wasabi tobiko, shiso leaf. Brunoise of purple yam and orange yams. You mentioned sweet potato leaves, there are green and purple varieties. Maple leaves are a common garnish for added colour as well. Edited to add: Not all of these items I mentioned are Chinese though but a crossover fusion. ← Fugu, great ideas where do get Baby sardine leaf from? Satisfying to learned from you. Do u have any photo to share? Tq.

Recently I cook chinese haute cuisne for a table of 10 VIP and my western colleague dressed the food in western presentation. It was an excellent western presentation which makes the food real striking. Some of the garnisehes used were sweet potato leaf, Baby sardine leave, opha leave boat and others. Could anyone cares to shares some garnishes ideas? Many Thanks

If you don't open your mouth, i won't say you're dumm!

Many Thanks. To cut the long story short, I know what i had in mind. Been cooking professionally for some 30years I have hands on working experience in practically most session of the kitchen in diverse cuisine in many countries.

Thank Phodni, will take a look. Good day!

Spaghetti Alio Olio. NormallyBasil it's very easy to grow at home. Any potting mix ,airy evironment with at least 4 to 6 hours of sun will do. my 2 cents

Hmm...I think the proper English name for it is 'Vertical Grill' or maybe 'Vertical Rotisserie Grill'. Usually in Lebanon, since it is used exclusively fro Shawarma, we just call it 'Shawarma Grill' . ← Thanks you.

Hi! Could someone kindly share video site that feature on western classical or fine dining? Endless appreciation!

Hi Gautam, Thanks again for your very comprehensive reply to my questions. Gradually my knowledge of Indian food is increasing. You have a wealth of knowledge on food particularly Indian. If those are not bread, just discard them. I enjoyed and benefited watching the many cooking videos produced by Chef Sanjay Thumma. By the way where are you located? I have a list of the various calling names of Indian food, perhaps in this short space we have, could you kindly educate me on the list of calling names appended below. I have make a list of all the ingredients when I last visited Mustapha shopping cente some times ago. Meaning of the followings: masala, paneer, Halwa, puranpoli Bohathlu, Pulao, Aloo, Hyderabadi, Palak, Korta, Blendi, Sooji, Tikka, Kadai Bhendi, Semiya Paysam, Ka Meeta, Channa, Korma, Podimes,Burji, Vada and Palak. Dear Gautam, let me double check with you again Bhatura(Is a big poori is that correct? Lastly before I forget you know about Putu Mayam and where can I buy the Putu Maker? Take care and take your time.

I went through my first hurdle in understanding the various types of Roti(Bread served Indian food. The Indian vegetarian is very healthy and the range of bean products is abundance. Now I would like to understand some of the popular dishes that goes well with the following roti: Chapati/Dosa(Thosai)/Puram Poli/Roomali roti/Pakora Pakoda/Naan/Poori/Bhatura. Let me know if I miss out any? Namaste

Thank V. gautam for directing me to all those videos which I spent considerable amount of time , making notes here and there and importantly am I able to get the ingredients. Here Mustapha should have it, will check it out. My favourite is Thosai masala we called in here in Singapore and otherwise known as Dosai(Please correct me if I am wrong. Now I have an clear ideas what is Puran Poli, Roomali, Pakora, Naan, chapati and poori( I seemed the smaller one but not the larger one(Batura) and perhaps more to come. Gautam any delicious accomplishments would you recommend me to go with the various roti? Foodman, I am still checking on the later book you recommend, Lebananese manouche, is not in our local Library? I am still very interested in those middle eastern bread, keep the informations coming in. Take care and may you be well!

Hi Foodman, The top of the picture with the Chef standing to do a carving on the big skewer, may I know what is the name of the machine? Thank you.

Hi, I am enthusiastic about naan which I know of 3 variations Butter, Garlic and Kashmiri naan and wonder anyone willing to share the recipes and the method of preparation? Thanks

Salutation to Gautam and Smithu for sharing theirs rich experiences about middle eastern cuisine to a novice like me in such a short e-mail space like this. I derive great joys in looking at all sorts of sophiscated bread ranging from Indian chappati, naan, tsosai to pita, khobz, manoushi and sorji mountain bread. If you come across any photos or video on how to make those bread mentioned I appreciate you highlight to me. Thank once again

Hi! I am new to middle east cuisine. I read in Saha(A chef's journey through Lebanon and Syria) by Greg and Lucy Malouf. I have tried making middle eastern spiced calamari with fettucing. I must say most of the spice we have here except ground SUMAC which I must get or else it's not middle eastern food. The spice paste to marinate the calamari is aromatic and Alison's peach yoghurt pannacotta my son like it so much. I hope fellow members would kindly highlight and share with me some outstanding or world famous middle eastern dishes? I want to learn how to make manoushi, stuffed lebanese pastry, naan, sori mountain bread spread with yoghurt chesse and may somemore? my 2 cents and keep the topics alive. Wishng all Good health and a blessed and peaceful 2008.

I like the aroma of using herbs for cooking and some of these are Basil for Alio Olio, for chinese seafood dish(dry). the thai uses lots of Sacred basil, hoarse basil and sweet basil in their cooking.

May i seek advice from experienced chefs on the best method to tenderize a forzen or chilled steak ? Many Thanks, Alex

Thanks spaghetti for the excellent photos she posted on Kuih. What exactly is Kuih Lapis, how many version are there and can some share his/her recipes? Terima Kasih Thank you

← Panosmex hi! You're right how to maintained it, could you share your experience? G'day