TheTInCook

You could also try lecithin or IIRC I think NF milk solids. Or you could try using a Philadelphia style ice cream base. Don't think you'd need cornstarch for that.

Quick look at some of the literature suggests churning it at a faster rpm when it starts to freeze and making the mixture thicker/more viscous.

I'm not sure what would cause a lack/loss of overrun. My kneejerk response is to say churn more.

It's bakers percentages.

I'm thinking of tackling this this week, but I need some pointers or additional information. The meat: is that just red cooked beef or is it something else. From my long ago visit to Sam Woo BBQ, my local sui mei place, I think they listed something as 'soy sauce beef' I'm guessing it's like soy sauce chicken? Also I'm thinking of breaking with tradition with char sui or thit nuong since I have some suitable pork in the freezer I want to use and to try those recipes. The bread: Not sure what type they are using. It seems to have more structure then a tortilla, so I'm thinking it's something like a cong you bing with out the onions or something like a shaobing, but on a griddle. Any thoughts? Reference http://christine-wei.tumblr.com/post/1423939474/taipei-main-station-potsticker-gyoza and at http://thetincook.blogspot.com/2011/04/niu-rou-juan-bing.html NB Reposted after fixing image copywrite problem- TTC

Here's the formula I've been using for baozi. It makes a more northern style dough. Definitely not cakey. I think the addition of the baking powder lets me underproof the dough a little after forming the bao so the pleats look better after cooking. 100 Bread Flour 2 Yeast 2 Oil/Fat 2 Sugar 1 Salt 1 Baking Powder 60 Water Mixing method: Straight Dough http://thetincook.blogspot.com/2011/05/chicken-and-blackmushroom-baozi.html with pic from my first attempt.

Whoops, I forgot to update. http://thetincook.blogspot.com/2011/04/pimple-dumplings-aka-knot-dumplings-aka.html

I use them in tempura and especially frito misto.

Are the mushrooms raw? I was taught that you're supposed to always cook shitakes because they can give some people a rash. At this one tapas place I worked, I used to do a composed salad of roasted beets, goat cheese, and I think it was arugula or baby green mix. Pretty normal sounding right? Well, their were two kickers; a little drizzle of reduced beet juice, and on the bottom of the plate there was a smear of roasted beet/balsamic/brown butter puree. IIRC the dressing was a sherry vin.

I was thinking maybe a little sansho or Szechuan peppercorn. That would give it a little piquancy, and a citrusy note.

I suspect that the real action will happen as it thaws, because of all the ice crystal damage.

OMG, I've had kitchen kitchen service nightmares like the Meatball Company is going through. Flying tickets...horrifying. Halfway through the finale.

Oh yeah, I remember them trashing the Meatball truck for having food pics on it, and then trashing the Soulfood truck for not having food pics visible.

Can't believe sudhir had such an epic brainfart. WTH is with browbeating souldaddy out of fried chicken? Talk about not understanding the concept.

I was thinking of checking it out too. E Gullet meet up?

The FDA got an injunction against an Amish farm to keep them selling raw milk 'across state lines' http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/28/feds-sting-amish-farmer-selling-raw-milk-locally/?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4dbaf6556945f71a%2C0

I buy tomato products in #10 cans from Costco. They are hella cheap compared to regular sizes. Pre-planning and/or freezing is required though.

That's definitely the agnolotti. It's covered in the french laundry cookbook. I've never been able to get it work, the filling squirts everywhere. I just pipe dots of filling instead of the line, and do the rest the same way.

Saltpeter is potassium nitrate. Used in gunpowder, fireworks, fertilizer, etc. Saltpeter's been abandoned as a curing agent due to poor results.

Use the tenderquick. Toss the mystery powders, and buy some new stuff. It's mad cheap. Prauge Powder 1 is the one you want for bacon. You need to use curing salts of known concentration and strength. Otherwise you could make someone sick or dead.

I'm a big advocate of school too. Vocational school, though. (GO TRADE TECH!) No need to go into debt to attend a fancy school and then work for a crappy wage. I don't think there is a good ROI for that. A degree in hospitality management is a different matter. You'll learn a lot more, faster, in a culinary school then on the job. Most restaurants only change their menu 1-4 times a year, and even then it's likely to only be a few items. I think most people advocating apprenticeship are romanticizing things. Sure, it would work 60 years ago in France, and if you were 14 years old. This is not to say that you won't learn stuff on the job. Indeed there are many many things you can only learn on the job. But the training in the fundamental techniques just isn't the same. I could ask one the dogsbodies with 10 years in to make me a gallon of cream of broccoli, and it's maybe 50-50 he would know how to do it, but the fresh culinary grad would know the general procedure for cream of whatever because he'd have Escoffier drilled into him. In general, self-edification is the key. Your boss/mentor is only going to teach you enough to serve the needs of the business. Work for a year in a kitchen before you commit to culinary school, to make sure you want to do this. Also you'll want a cash cushion before starting school. My first food job was as the night cook at a strip club. Took it in my first year at culinary.

Have you guys seen this tv blogging of the show? Too funny http://nymag.com/tags/america%27s%20next%20great%20restaurant

I make mine like sheng jian bao. Don't have to deal with cutting paper squares or muffin liners that way.

Thanks guys! My main concern is cooking it in a way so there is not a huge bitter onslaught. I really want me and mine to not get turned off the veggie. I like campari and tonic water (separately), so I guess I should be ok. I'll have to check which kinds are being sold at the market. It's not always a constant selection. Last time I looked they had a really warty knobbly green kind. I guess that is an Indian cultivar? Interesting recipes for stuffing it, you guys. The culinary competition team at my school years ago, lined a hollowed out bitter melon with roasted red pepper, and stuffed it with sole mouse. Looked like an Italian bullseye. Will, thanks for the bang up translation job. I think I'm going to have to work myself up to century eggs, though. What kind of soy bean paste do they use for that stir fry, just yellow soy bean paste? Jenni, do I have to add starch or anything to the yogurt like I'm making a kadhi? Or is the yogurt kept cold or at room temp? annachan, I don't have any pickled mustard greens. I do have some little packets of pickled mustard stem (I think it's that's what it is), also some gai choy haunting my fridge. Would those work? Your soup sounds like a good excuse to finally cook some neck bones.

Any ideas of how to cook it or make it more palatable? I'm thinking of salt purging it, then blanching it. Not sure how to cook it. I only know the bittermelon and egg thing that Filipinos and Okinawans do. Also pinkabet.