Milk used in Chinese cuisine?

[liuzhou]

I just found a really interesting article on Yunnan Cheese. It is downloadable from here. (PDF file)

Also a story about Britain exporting Stilton to China. Here.

[Ce'nedra]

Thanks liuzhou! Will read it now

[dmreed]

I remember coming across one recipe in a Chinese cookbook (I believe it was a noodle dish) which incorporated fresh milk and it struck me as odd. Why? Mainly because I've never heard of milk in Chinese cuisine before. But that's purely because I'm admittedly (and ashamedly) quite ignorant to alot of Chinese traditions 

So what other Chinese dishes make use of milk and how common is this practice (I'm guessing not very?)?

Which brings me to another question, I don't really hear about Chinese people (in China) drinking fresh milk (comparatively to other countries anyway), until recent years.

I've heard it was common practice once upon a time but no idea what happened there...soooooooooooooo, enlighten me please! 

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Hi Ce'nedra,

The short answer is "yes", most Asians are indeed lactose intolerant. That could explain the lack of dairy in Asian cuisine. Check out the links below for further explanation.

Hope this helps!

(Edited to clean up urls)

Identification of a variant associated with adult-type hypolactasia

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?c...l=pubmed_docsum

A definition from U Cal Davis along with a chart depicting the percentage of the lactose intolerant grouped by Race, Ethnicity and/or Country of Origin

http://nutrigenomics.ucdavis.edu/nutrigeno...C7007B71CC9959A

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are the Mongols (Northern China) lactose intolerant?

[dmreed]

It was a Creamed Cabbage (napa) dish that sent me in search of my first Chinese cookbook, back in the 50s. I had been to a banquet and that dish intrigued me. Of course I never found the recipe in that first book or in many that followed. I forgot where I finally found it, but it is a special dish to me and I still  still hold a fondness for it.

The whole 'milk question' is interesting. Aside from the physical intolerances, and the grassland problem, ----  from what I've read,  Chinese in the past did not want to be dependent on 'foreign' imports -- or to be reminded of life under 'foreign' invaders. Of course, in modern times that is all changing. The food culture authors, Anderson and Chang write about milk and milk products and the reasons for pockets of its popularity.

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did you ever find the recipe? here is one I found by a google search...many recipes found:

http://chinesefood.about.com/od/shanghaicu...med_cabbage.htm

[dmreed]

Which brings me to another question, I don't really hear about Chinese people (in China) drinking fresh milk (comparatively to other countries anyway), until recent years.

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I used to work with a great deal of Chinese born from the south of China, old school, all retired now. Without exception they all hated dairy, totally skeeved it.

One told me that they'd use an expression "butter smelling people" for westerners. She claimed she could smell the dairy coming out of my pores. It wasn't a compliment, either. LOL.

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Hahha love her expression (I would consider it a complement though as to me, butter is sexy, smooth and sensual LOL).

Speaking of milk, does anyone know a reliable recipe for this?

Chinese Steamed Egg with Milk

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilyana/2404054593/

It's a dessert, is it not?

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is this what you were looking for?

http://www.beanspout.blogspot.com/2007/02/...ilk-recipe.html

[jo-mel]

Here's one:

CREAMED CELERY CABBAGE

Ingredients:

1 pound celery cabbage

2 Tbsp. oil or rendered chicken fat

1 cup chicken broth

Sauce:

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. light soy sauce

½ tsp. sugar

½ tsp. sesame oil

White pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. minced ham

Preparation:

-----Discard any wilted leaves from the cabbage and cut into 1 inch lengths or bite sized segments.

-----Discard the core.

-----Combine the sauce.

-----Mince the ham and have ready.

Cooking:

--Heat a wok over medium heat.

--Add the oil or chicken fat.

--Add the cabbage and stir to coat with the oil.

--Add the chicken broth, pouring down the sides of the wok. Cover the wok and cook about 2 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender.

--Mix the sauce well, and stir into the cabbage.

--Cook until the sauce has thickened.

--Place on a platter and garnish with the minced ham.

--Serve.

Notes:

--- Celery cabbage is the squat one – Napa cabbage. Bok Choy can be substituted.

--- Bok Choy can be substituted. Trim the leaves and cut into long segments or diagonal slices.

--- Often found in banquets, the milk is a Manchu or Mongol influence

[dmreed]

Here's one:

CREAMED CELERY CABBAGE

Ingredients:

1 pound celery cabbage

2 Tbsp. oil or rendered chicken fat

1 cup chicken broth

Sauce:

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. light soy sauce

½ tsp. sugar

½  tsp. sesame oil

White pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. minced ham

Preparation:

-----Discard any wilted leaves from the cabbage and cut into 1 inch lengths or bite sized segments.

-----Discard the core.

-----Combine the sauce.

-----Mince the ham and have ready.

Cooking:

--Heat a wok over medium heat.

--Add the oil or chicken fat.

--Add the cabbage and stir to coat with the oil.

--Add the chicken broth, pouring down the sides of the wok. Cover the wok and cook about 2 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender.

--Mix the sauce well, and stir into the cabbage.

--Cook until the sauce has thickened.

--Place on a platter and garnish with the minced ham.

--Serve.

Notes: 

--- Celery cabbage is the squat one – Napa cabbage.  Bok Choy can be substituted.

--- Bok Choy can be substituted. Trim the leaves and cut into long segments or diagonal slices.

--- Often found in banquets, the milk is a Manchu or Mongol influence

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this recipe sounds great, I will have to get some napa and try it soon! thanks