Tripe dim sum style

[Dejah]

I want to try making tripe dim sum style. I've eaten lots, but have never made it at home.

I bought some yesterday, and it had a nice beige/white appearance. I assume these have been prepared for cooking at home. Do I still need to "clean" it in some way before using?

One recipe said to braise it like Chinese beef stew: with star anise, hoisin sauce, peppercorns, garlic, etc.

Anyone make this at home or have a recipe?

I'm STILL looking for curried baby octopus recipe too!

[Ben Hong]

Sue-On, make sure that it is the white, layered "frilly" type of tripe. I have made it once or twice before. Stew in a stripped down loo sui, that is one part light soy sauce, one part water, star anise , ginger, black pepper corns, a touch of sugar and, if wanted, garlic. Stew until palatably tender. A second step after stewing is finished, if desired, is to cut into bite size pieces, adjust seasoning if necessary, coarse grind black pepper over it, add back a little bit of the loo sui to it in a dish, mix in a smidgen of cornstarch and steam. The addition of cornstarch and steaming creates the baat or smooth texture.

Oh...wash tripe before preparation.

Hint: if you want to cut down on stewing times, let bicarb. be your friend.

[junehl]

Do you make your own bicarb solution? baking soda and water? If so what parts baking soda and water?

When my dad used to use that stuff on dry squid i think he always used a bottle of clear liquid i always thought was soda.

What is it supposed to do to the product soaked in it?

[Ben Hong]

Using bicarb on tough meats serves as a very effective tenderizer. I normally use it as an integral part of the marinade for tougher meats. It also gives that special sponginess to meats that is found in some Chinese restaurant stir fries. Just add it directly to the meat, about one half tsp to a pound is usually plenty. Too much bicarb will make the meat inedibly bitter.

For the tripe recipe massage the bicarb into the tripe and let sit for an hour or so, then rinse off before cooking.

[Dejah]

Sue-On, make sure that it is the white, layered "frilly" type of tripe. I have made it once or twice before. Stew in a stripped down loo sui, that is one part light soy sauce, one part water, star anise , ginger, black pepper corns, a touch of sugar and, if wanted, garlic. Stew until palatably tender. A second step after stewing is finished,  if desired, is to cut into bite size pieces, adjust seasoning if necessary, coarse grind black pepper over it, add back a little bit of the  loo sui  to it in a dish, mix in a smidgen of cornstarch and steam. The addition of cornstarch and steaming creates the baat or smooth texture.

Oh...wash tripe before preparation.

Hint: if you want to cut down on stewing times, let bicarb. be your friend.

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Thanks, Ben Sook.

I might get the chance to work on this stuff tomorrow. Waiting to hear from a new butcher shop to see if I can get beef tendons. Any guidance on that?

[Tepee]

Yep, bicarbonate of soda tenderizes....see roast pork belly thread where it's said to work marvellously on the skin.

[Ben Hong]

Thanks, Ben Sook.

I might get the chance to work on this stuff tomorrow. Waiting to hear from a new butcher shop to see if I can get beef tendons. Any guidance on that?

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Beef tendons? You're on your own, Girl.

[Dejah]

Braised the tripe tonight after washing it and rubbing it with baking soda. It smelled "fresh"

I braised it in diluted dark soy, rock sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, orange peel, ginger. I should have used light soy as it is very brown, so my mistake there.

The tripe was braised on top of the stove for 2 1/2 hours. The house smelled yummy; the tripe was ugly as all get out, but tender and delicious. I think I'll steam them like Ben suggested tomorrow.

Having problems with my camera. Hope hubby can get it to work tomorrow so I can take a picture.

My sister has sent, via Greyhound bus, frozen cooked beef tendons from her favourite dim sum restaurant in Richmond or Burnaby. I wanted dried ones, but I'll certainly enjoy these as well.

My s-i-l has pork tendons. I wonder if they'll work? They are thinner, so may melt away with braising?

[junehl]

Oh I can't wait for a picture Dejah! Another one I love is curry tripe or tripe steamed with some black beans.

[hzrt8w]

Tripe: which kind? Ngau Tou or Ngau Pak Yip [Cantonese]?

[infernooo]

I did some tripe yesterday by braising it in my master stock... even after cooking it for 4 hours, it was VERY tender, but it still felt like I should only chew it, then spit out the bits that didn't completely break down/dissolve in my mouth - is this normal? It is the first time I have cooked tripe for myself.

I didn't soak it in bicarb, just braised/simmered it for 4 hours straight from the butcher shop.

[Dejah]

I did some tripe yesterday by braising it in my master stock... even after cooking it for 4 hours, it was VERY tender, but it still felt like I should only chew it, then spit out the bits that didn't completely break down/dissolve in my mouth - is this normal? It is the first time I have cooked tripe for myself.

I didn't soak it in bicarb, just braised/simmered it for 4 hours straight from the butcher shop.

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Were the bits really tough? Mine still had texture, not melt-in-your-mouth tender, but there were no really tough bits. I only braised mine for 2.5 hours. I like the bit of chewiness still in the tripe. Maybe the bicarb did some work.

I didn't get around to do anything more with what I had. Will pick up some new stuff and try again when life settles down a bit.

[infernooo]

No they weren't tough in the slightest... its hard to describe :-).

Here is my attempt to describe it:

You know when you eat chicken or beef, if it's a very tender cut, you can chew it until it is basically mush and has totally broken down in your mouth? Well the tripe didn't completely break down like that... there was still a bit that seemed like I should spit it out. The only other way to describe it like when you eat a segment of an orange that still has the white stringy bits in it (not that the trip was stringy - it wasn't)... most of the orange flesh breaks down in your mouth but you end up spitting out the white stringy bits as it doesn't feel right to swallow them.

The tripe was definitely tender and tasty, I just wasn't sure about whether it is a chew-and-spit type thing or not.

[hzrt8w]

Which kind of beef tripe are we talking about here?

牛柏葉:

(Picture here:)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreelau/314552609/

or

牛肚 (honeycomb tripe)

(Picture here:)

http://img2.dianping.com/Groups/GroupPic/2...470_11400_L.jpg

[infernooo]

Sorry my mistake, I didn't specify which... I am talking about 牛肚 (honeycomb tripe).

[Dejah]

No they weren't tough in the slightest... its hard to describe :-).

Here is my attempt to describe it:

You know when you eat chicken or beef, if it's a very tender cut, you can chew it until it is basically mush and has totally broken down in your mouth? Well the tripe didn't completely break down like that... there was still a bit that seemed like I should spit it out. The only other way to describe it like when you eat a segment of an orange that still has the white stringy bits in it (not that the trip was stringy - it wasn't)... most of the orange flesh breaks down in your mouth but you end up spitting out the white stringy bits as it doesn't feel right to swallow them.

The tripe was definitely tender and tasty, I just wasn't sure about whether it is a chew-and-spit type thing or not.

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Good description.

No, the honeycomb tripe I had didn't completely break down either, but it did become chewed enough for me to swallow. I don't think it's supposed to be like tendons, which will break down in your mouth.

[hzrt8w]

I think there is a membrane of some sort with the honeycomb tripe, which cannot easily be severed by chewing. Cutting the tripe to bite-size pieces (as in dim sum style) helps.

[infernooo]

Cool, thanks everyone!

P.s. how does the other type of tripe (牛柏葉) differ in taste/texture to honeycomb tripe?

[hzrt8w]

P.s. how does the other type of tripe (牛柏葉) differ in taste/texture to honeycomb tripe?

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For beef tripe (牛柏葉), I think it takes less time to cook. You can blanch some cut beef tripe in boiling water for a few minutes and it's ready to eat. For seasoning (Cantonese style): use some fresh green onion (shredded) and some diluted light soy sauce (with a pinch of sugar), and some chili slices.

Or some Cantonese style dishes cook these beef tripe in black bean sauce (with some onion wedges and green bell pepper), or with "may choy" (some sweet and sour preserved vegetable). Or you can dip it in Hong Kong style curry sauce.

I have seen that in the "No Reservations: China" episode (Sichuan). they dip the boiled beef tripe in a sauce/mix made of dried chili pepper, peanut sauce and soy sauce.

The tripe is very bland. Absolute no taste on its own. It's all in the sauces you use to cook it with. It's all about texture. And it's a bit chewy (even when cooked).