dmreed

I do that with shrimp -- making them nice and firm. But never thought of oysters. You would have to rub gently, I would imagine. ← I was probably thinking of shrimp too...I seem to be suffering from CRS (Can't Remember S...)! ← ah ha..I was right the first time! I just read in "Classic Chinese Cooking" Quantum Books 1996..."rub oysters thoroughly with salt and corn starch and then wash them in water".! I also just found it again, this time in "Five Treasures of Chinese Cuisine" by Chang & Fuchs published 1977!

I suspect that if one had the $$$ and inclination to purchase one of these glass hoods, then one could also hire somene to clean it regularly!

as of 2010/01/26, my collection now includes 715+ Asian cookbooks and 278+ non-Asian cookbooks.

thanks...info much appreciated. always learning something new!

While reading "Mary Sia's Chinese Cookbook" I came across 2 ingredients with which I am not familiar: 1) Yu Loo - a strong tasting fish extract (I think this is just fish sauce) 2) Green Plum Sauce - used with any meat dish, just as Westerners use mango chutney. what is the Chinese name(s) for green plum sauce? She also mentions 2 ways to prepare canned abalone: 1) cover unopened can with water and bring to a boil, simmer for 4 hours making sure can is always covered with water; remove, coll,open can, save juice. 2) remove abalones from can and cut each in two;put abalones in pressure cooker with juice and 1 cup water; cook 20 minutes at 15pounds pressure. Has anyone here used either method? Are these good ways to prepare caned abalone?

I have passed the 600 Asian Cookbooks number! 609 unique book titles and 474 book cover images. I am still trying to track down the missing book covers and as son as I have done that and then put the collection into alphabetical order, I will begin cataloging the remainder of my cookbooks.

my current counts are 691 Asian cookbooks and 278 no-Asian cookbooks (but I just found more non-Asian on several shelves which I have not yet cataloged).

I don't think Collectorz was available when I first bought ReaderWare. It looks like Collectorz might be more expensive if you buy the programs for books, audio and video. ReaderWare has one price and includes the 3 programs. How is support for Collectorz? ReaderWare has fantastic support...I have not had any problems but I have had suggestions and questions regarding functionality and the responses have been almost instant!

Maggi is readily available...usually next to soy sauce in supermarkets and Asian stores.

I am curious about the safety of eating raw pork which has only been fermented...any comments?

ok, the total of distinct Asian cookbooks cataloged so far is 686...does not include duplicates...listed at http://dmreed.com/food-cooking-asian-cookbooks.htm non-Asian cookbooks are next to be cataloged.

it does require checking that the barcode actually gets the CD you have...I usually do about 20 CDs at a time so I can make appropriate corrections. but I do recommend readerware! [Moderator note: This topic continues in Cookbooks – How Many Do You Own? (Part 5)]

I know the feeling well...I hav een out of space for a very very long time! and the books just keep coming in :>) almost 700 Asian cookbooks so far and I plan oataloging the non-Asian cookbooks soon (after I finish cataloging my Latin Music Collection - 600+ CDs). I use ReaderWare ( which can use a bar code scanner)to catalog these collections and which I recommend to anyone.

683 Asian Cookbooks cataloged so far...a few more to go and then I will begin cataloging the non-Asian (Regular) Cookbooks.

thanks for the details, much appreciated! ← I am still looking for actual recipes for "swallow skin" or for references in books or for online mail-order sources...as usual, any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have passed the 600 Asian Cookbooks number! 609 unique book titles and 474 book cover images. I am still trying to track down the missing book covers and as son as I have done that and then put the collection into alphabetical order, I will begin cataloging the remainder of my cookbooks.

why do you consider The Northern Chinese Cookbook not reader friendly? it seems to be prettyclear to me.

I have just (almost) completed cataloging my Asian Cookbook Collection...so far, 583 titles. I have yet to actually put them in order on the shelves so I can find them quickly! http://dmreed.com/cooking_stuff_asian_cookbooks.htm

Kung pao is good. Just don't order the Beer Duck - big disappointment. ← thanks for the heads up! I haven't seen you posting much lately...you are definitely missed!!!!!!

much appreciated, I have been fond of Golden city for quite a while and I do especially enjoy their Oyster and Pork Hot Pot...I am also quite fond of their Scallops in Black Bean Sauce (which I now make at home). I will check out Ba Ren ASAP!

Nope. You don't want to know... Food coloring. ← I have seen fu ru used in the marinade in many Chinese cookbooks...here is a link (not a Chinese link): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Char_siu BTW I am making char siu tonight and I will be using fu ru in the marinade!

thanks for the details...it occurred to me that, depending on the amount of oil used for deep frying the peppers, one could strain the oil after the deep frying and chili oil would be the result...so two cooking ingredients for the price of one!

what is the hottest chile you grow? the Red Sevina Habanero is supposed to be the 2nd hottest chile in the world at about 1/2 million Scoville Units. the Ghost Chile from India is supposed to be the world's hottest chile at over 1 million Scoville Units! I have not yet been able to propogate the Ghost Chile but I am still trying! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BTW I have found that eating picante (spicy hot) foods increases my metabolism which helps to lower my blood sugar afte eating (I am diabetic). I also suspect that ignoring physical reasons why chiles cause discomfort (such as hemmoroids)...one of the principle reasons some folks can eat chiles and others cannot is genetic!

and the link is here. ← thanks, I should have provided the link :>(

another maybe unknown ingredient back in the early days??? in "Chinese Cookery in the Home Kitchen" editted by Jessie Louise Nolton copyrighted 1911 (available for free download), she describes Chinese Potatoes (yes, potatoes!) as: "A small Chinese vegetable which is the root or tuber of a water plant. The flavor is similar to sugar cane when raw. The chief charm about this vegetable when used in the different foods is, that it retains its crispness when cooked, and furnishes a distinctly delicate addition to any dish in which it enters. "Chinese potatoes should be peeled and sliced thin. Their keeping qualities are not as good as of ordinary potatoes and they do not retain their flavor for a great length of time." this sounds like water chestnuts to me! BTW the book is an interesting read and is very heavy on various versions of "Chop Sooy"!