Ce'nedra

I often enjoy this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/foodiejenius/2307464772/ when eating out at local Chinese restaurants so I was wondering, does anyone have a fool-proof recipe for it? The version I prefer is tofu and seafood. Also, I'm pretty confident that I can taste the sesame oil in the smooth sauce. It's so good with white fluffy rice

Gosh! The thoughtfulness of the hearts are so adorable! And cheating or not, that is one BEAUTIFUL pie. That looks so delicate and delicious; almost melt-in-the-mouth. Please do post here as often as possible Would you say the dry cherry could be substituted with Shaoxing wine (sounds traditional too)? Also, are those greens spinach?

For a second, I thought that was shark fin soup! In any case, it looks really good! Any chance you know the recipe for it? Don't tell anyone from Taiwan that! While it may be true that many mainland Chinese (including my parents) fled to Taiwan when the Communists took over; Taiwan can only be seen as part of China as interpreted by the Chinese government. The food, culture, language, etc. of native Taiwanese differ immensely from those of the mainland Chinese. In fact, the current ruling government of Taiwan seems intent on remaining independent from China, despite the wishes of China. As far as I understand, should China attempt to re-take Taiwan by force, the US have already pledged to come to Taiwan's aid. That being said, this appears to be the appropriate forum for posting about our trip to Taiwan. Far be it for eGullet to address international diplomacy through the naming of their forums. Sorry to ramble on off-topic. I just wanted to continue my string of being censored. ← I think it can be said that Taiwan is closer to a specific region of China, i.e. Fujian (the language, the food).

Mmm that looks good! What kind of wrap did you use? And how did your flavour your pork & mushroom?

Easy aye, seems to interest me Would you say it's a good substitute for mash? The vibrant green of your puree is also very pleasing to the eye hmm...

This should be banned from posting unless you can share. Btw, HORAAYYY!!! The vegetarian period has finished! Today, mum and I made something I have been craving for the past two months... honey grilled mullet with rice paper Well actually, I had to bake it because our grill doesn't work atm but usually, we would grill the fish. Anyway, it was the best meal I've had in AGESSSSS. oh and this was my last roll so I tried to stuff as much inside it as possible hehe (just thought I'd share a picture of my nice fat buddy).

I use this free-program they offer for download on the BLURB website -it's called Booksmart. I think it's fairly easy to use although it's taking me agess (I'm a slow learner). jsmeeker: I don't use MAC but iPhoto a software from BLURB? dockhl: Please do make a BLURB cookboooook! So far I've only managed to write up 2 recipes (no pictures yet), back and front cover (I'm getting hard cover) and an introduction for the front cover flap (very cool!). Took me ages to simply take ANY photos that I could be satisfied with...and yet, they're still very plain! But I think I'll just stick with it. My front design so far (with intro at the flap) My back design

Has anyone ever tried making their own personal cookbook using BLURB? Any pointers on making the book as professional as possible (I've just begun!)? For those who are thinking of writing their own cookbook or simply compiling recipes from family and friends for personal enjoyment (like I am), I highly recommend http://www.blurb.com/. You could also sell your book on the website! Check here: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/category/Co...g?ce=dailyolive Please do share/give us a peek of your BLURB cookbook if you've already done so

I've heard (and believe) the exact opposite. Restaurant pho just can't compete with homemade pho -AND I mean the ones from scratch, not ones where you throw in a packet. I made pho with my mum before but it was only once (she cooks it herself every other time) so I don't recall all the ingredients. I can ask her some time later if you want...when I'm not so lazy hehe. The reason why restuarant pho isn't that rich is most likely because the ratio of water to proper seasoning is high, high, high! They're not going to use all that much of the REAL stuff (star anise, etc) for you because it'll cost them money! They probbably just throw in some artifiical flavourings and a heap of msg to make up for the lack of it. Whereas at home, you know exactly what you put into your pho soup and you're using good produce/seasonings/whatever. And THAT is why homemade pho is better than restaurant pho. With that said, a tad bit of msg in pho is not a bad thing at all. It definately enhances the flavour -however, NOT the amount that restuarants give you. THAT can't be too healthy. Anyhow, my mum's pho is the BEST!

I've heard whispers that banh xeo is a Vietnamese-inspired crepe but the truth is that banh xeo predates the time the French colonised Vietnam. Banh xeo is a very traditional dish. It's just a coincidence that it's similar to a crepe. There are several crepe-like foods around Asia

Yes, I have actual jars that say this. One jar is labelled "Mam Ruoc Chau Doc -- Fine Shrimp Paste". The other jar is labelled "Mam Ruoc Da Nang -- Fish Sauce". Both jars list the contents as "fine shrimp and salt." I have a third jar that is labelled "Mam Tom Thuong Hang -- Shrimp Sauce (Finely Ground)". The contents of this jar are listed as "Fermented shrimp and salt". The content of each jar is a slightly different color. Maybe the labels reflect a translation problem? I know Chau Doc and Da Nang are towns in Vietnam, so I was thinking that the first two jars contained different regional versions of shrimp paste? But what about the jar labeled Mam Tom? It's a mystery!! ← Ahh then it's probably (I assume) really bad translation? The 'sauce' was most likely referring to 'paste'. Maybe in the Vietnamese language, they don't really differentiate betwen 'sauce' and 'paste'? Anyway, I just asked my mum about 'mam tom' and she said yes, that is different from 'mam ruoc'. Problem is she's not familiar with 'mam tom' because it's (apparently) essentially a Northern Vietnamese thing, which she doesn't really know much about... She said she'll check up on what's the difference for me though ← Please thank your mother for me! I have been wondering what the difference is for a long time. I will be sitting on the edge of my chair waiting to hear.... ← Sorry for the late reply! We've been fairly busy with personal issues these few days so I never really got around to getting a proper reply! Knowing that, I went straight to my dad instead. 'Mam tom' uses whole shrimp, unlike the shrimp paste that is 'mam ruoc'. For 'mam tom', they leave the shrimps in a jar for around 6 months in a mixture of salted water and fish sauce (much like other pickling). BUT to further complicate matters, because Vietnam has 3 main regions (north, middle and south), 'mam tom' and 'mam ruoc' may be referred to the SAME thing, but uses different names depending on the region. In the case of the jars you have, I think your 'mam tom' might be the same as 'mam ruoc' (shrimp paste). Check which region of Vietnam you bought it from. I think (note I am only repeating what I hear as I don't know much about this) the Southerners refer to shrimp paste as 'mam ruoc' and the whole shrimp as 'mam tom'. Whole shrimp or shrimp paste, that is the question. Edit: I just read that Northerners refer to 'mam ruoc' as 'mam tom'. Re-edit: I just realised that everything I said must have confused you even more...sorry!

Wow I haven't even seen any of those dishes before. Thanks for the insight! How would you describe the cuisine in this region?

Would you say Taiwanese food is mainly based on Fujian cuisine? I always thought Fujian cuisine was considered fairly subtle in its flavourings though hmm...

OH MY GAWWWDDD! Food heaven in Taiwan!!!!!!! I do have an unhealthy obsession with street food and this looks just like the kind I love. Did you get to try popiah? Edit: P.S. Xiao long bao is my most favourite sort of dumpling (or bun, whatever) ever!

Hey guys, I found this awhile ago and forgot to post it. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think this is the same dish. It's actually a recipe by Fuchsia Dunlop. Polo (Lamb Pilaf) This version of pilaf, known as 'polo', comes from the Xinjiang region of north west China Servings: 4-6 Level of difficulty: Easy Preparation Time: 20 minutes, , plus soaking Cooking Time: 40 minutes Ingredients 400g rice, (ideally Turkish medium-grain rice called baldo or Italian arborio or carnaroli) 400ml hot water 1 pinch Salt 1 handful dried sultanas, (about 30g) 2 tbsp groundnut oil 6 lamb chump chops 2 Carrots, cut into strips 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1.5 tsp ground cumin For the side-salad: 1 salad onions, red or white, finely sliced 1 pinch Salt 1 green pepper, finely sliced 1 bunch Coriander, finely chopped 1 dash of chilli oil, to taste 1 dash of black vinegar, (such as Chinese Chinkiang vinegar), to taste Method 1. Cover the rice in the generously-salted hot water, and leave to soak until the water has cooled. 2. Half an hour before you start cooking, set the sultanas to soak in hot water. 3. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the lamb chops for a minute or two over a high heat until browned. 4. Add the carrots and onions, cover and fry gently until they are tender. 5. Add about 450ml water from the kettle to cover, with cumin and salt to taste, and simmer for ten minutes. 6. Scoop out any excess liquid and set it aside. 7. Drain the rice and then lay it carefully on top of the meat and vegetables, making sure it does not touch the sides of the wok. 8. Return to the boil, and then cover and cook over a very low heat for 10-15 minutes. 9. Then turn the rice so that the top layer can absorb some of the meaty juices, and drizzle the reserved liquid around the edges of the pan. 10. Bury the drained sultanas in the rice. Cover again and leave on the stove until fully cooked, about another 10 minutes. 11. While the polo is cooking, prepare the side-salad. Sprinkle the onion with salt and leave for a couple of minutes. Then scrunch it with your hands, drain well and mix with the sliced pepper and coriander. Dress with chilli oil and dark vinegar to taste. 12. When the polo is ready, mix the carrot and onion into the rice, and place in serving bowls, topping each bowlful with a couple of lamb chops and a few sultanas. 13. Serve with the side-salad and a dollop of Greek-style yoghurt. http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/516585

It can still be categorized as Chinese, can't it? But regional Western Chinese cuisine specifically (or maybe more to the point, Xinjiang)?

Yes I am feeling a bit (well, more than a bit) nauseated but I am one of those people who like to feel shock -can I request a peek of the brain please?

So I'm a new fan of Nigella Lawson and I'm deciding on which of her books to get. There's Nigella Express, Domestic Goddess, How to Eat, etc etc. Just to give you an idea of what I'm after to make suggestions easier: I'm not that much of a dessert-cooking/cake-baking person and I heard Domestic Goddess is FULL of such recipes (any truth?) so I'm not too sure with that one...HOWEVER, I would like SOME desserts in my cookbook (and hopefully fairly simple ones) as I've become increasingly interested in the art of baking/steaming/etc desserts. I'm more of a savoury/main meal person..what else, I'm not a very good cook so would prefer a book that isn't too complex...umm I would also like a variety of foods from different regions (you know, not just English and Italian but also Asian, Middle Eastern, and so on). Just a nice variety of everything. Also, I love a good read (I'm into more personal cookbooks or ones that outline the history of such and such foods). Thanks in advance!

I have a cookbook with the title 'The Art of American Indian Cooking' by Yefee Kimball & Jean Anderson. While I haven't yet cooked from the book (I bought it purely for curiosity reasons actually), I've heard goods things about it. It's fairly specific and even divides the recipes into 'The Gardeners & Gatherers of the Southwest', 'Fishermen of the Pacific Northwest', 'Wandering hunters of the Plains', 'Planters of the South' and 'Woodsmen of the East'. You could buy this book from your bookstore at a VERY cheap price! I only got it for $2!

That looks SO good! Pleaaase offer a recipe!

I think (not sure) we have access to fresh sea cucumbers here in Oz but the fact that sea cucumbers have suctions which suck up dirt makes me wonder how good these little creatures are for our consumption (since they can't be too clean and all!).

LOL thanks for the confirmation that I am indeed normal You're right, it must be the fact that growing up Australian, I am not used to this 'new' addition to my diet. Although, I would have thought that being brought up eating alot of Asian food, my tastebuds would have familiarised itself with chicken/beef/blah blah guts. Oh well. I'm sure I could eat it fine if the texture and taste is masked by some much needed seasonings/sauce hehe. Like sausages! Btw, what are those 'artificial' casings you talk of made of? The term 'artificial' doesn't sit well for me... P.S. I shall consider the 'blood tongue roll' you mentioned -only because I love mustard! However, I must confess that I am currently making scrunched up faces.

Apparently (according to what I've read anyway), msg really isn't 'bad', but only so when taken in large quantities just like any other food. Supposedly the media has just blown its negative impact out of proportion. Umm...but don't take my word for it....

Maybe you don't want to know. ← I do (with a bucket beside me)! I love my lap cheong!

Just wanted to know whether kebabs were traditionally eaten with bbq sauce? If not, what is the traditional sauce used? I've always thought (assumed anyway) that bbq sauce was an American creation, which always striked me as odd to be in kebabs (logic tells me, not taste ha). Nevertheless, it's delicious (I ALWAYS have it with bbq sauce -and it's always beef for me too). Or are kebabs a relatively new creation? Edit: I just looked up on kebabs, and there are pictures of meats on skewers...I'm referring to the kebab rolled up in Lebanese bread. Excuse me for my ignorance, but what's the specific name for this type?