Chinese Eats at Home (Part 2)

[Ben Hong]

What's a pickerel btw, is it a cross between a pike and a mackerel?    I thought I knew my fish - is it called something else?

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A pickerel is what most Canadians call the stizostedion vitreum, a fresh water fish that is very highly sought for its sport and table "manners". Like many Chinese, I would rather have pickerel than any other fish for steaming. In fact I really believe that the pickerel should be bred with ginger and scallions attached .

Other names for the fish are walleyed pike, jackfish, and dore'., nomenclature is geographically specific.

Google a picture for yourself.

[sheetz]

I haven't been putting too much effort into my cooking lately so here are a few simple dishes I've made:

Chicken with Bitter Melon in Black Bean Sauce

Kung Pao Shrimp, Cantonese style using Eileen YF Lo's recipe

Salt and Pepper Prawns, once again using one of Eileen YF Lo's recipes

I can't believe it's almost that time of the year again for making/eating joong. I'll have to start making preparations soon...

[snowangel]

Tonight (copying Bruce from uptopic), the Tangerine Island Dry-Braised Fish from The Revolutionary Cookbook.

This has to have, after one try, become a favorite of ours. Now, granted, I didn't use trout, I used a big fat tilapia. And, it's been cool enough that I haven't yet planted my purple perella plant, so I used Thai basil (which I have a feeling I prefer), but the combo of the hot and salty with the bit of vinegar was just perfect. Best yet, I got to pick at the head (favorite part) and I have enough leftovers for breakfast tomorrow.

Oh, another riff on the recipe. The kids were impatient, so the sauce wasn't as thick as Dunlop indicates, which was just fine considering that I like juice, especially when I have leftovers.

Served over jasmine rice, with stir-fried brocooli on the side. I'd intended to do the dish bruch described with his green beens with brocooli, but the kids wanted it "the regular way" with that Thai soybean stuff that looks like baby poop.

[C. sapidus]

In fact I really believe that the pickerel should be bred with ginger and scallions attached .

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Attached and pre-sliced would be even better.

Salt and Pepper Prawns, once again using one of Eileen YF Lo's recipes

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Beautiful!

Tonight (copying Bruce from uptopic), the Tangerine Island Dry-Braised Fish from The Revolutionary Cookbook. This has to have, after one try, become a favorite of ours.

Yep, same thing happened in our family. I'm so glad you liked the recipe - I always worry that someone will take my recommendation and be disappointed.

And, it's been cool enough that I haven't yet planted my purple perella plant, so I used Thai basil (which I have a feeling I prefer), but the combo of the hot and salty with the bit of vinegar was just perfect.

I would like to try it with purple perilla, but I suspect that I will also prefer the Thai basil.

[Dejah]

I didn't cook at home last night, but did finally make it to a typical "Mom and Pop" Chinese restaurant in a small community of 2000 people. All my Chinese students go there and highly recommend it as "authentic Chinese". It's about 30 miles from Brandon in Souris. The main attraction besides the food is "its 582-foot suspension foot bridge - the longest in Canada"

http://www.ruralstress.ca/articles/spotlight/Souris.pdf

We started with hot 'n' sour soup. There were lots of ingredients - everything that I put in except for the carrot strips. It would have been great, but it was sweet and hot, definitely sweet, not sour. I have never had it like this.

We also ordered deep fried squid with Sezchuan sauce. The squid was lightly battered squid rings. There was no sauce but a sprinkle of hot chili flakes. The squid was good tho'- lightly battered and tender.

The second main dish was beef shortribs hot pot. The pieces of boneless beef was really good - braised with star anise, ginger, soya, wine, sugar. The flavour was right on, the meat tender. There was a good amount of beef ladled on top of lots of broccoli spears and cauliflower. Being in small village, I think the beef was prepared, kept in the fridge and put together into a metal pot as ordered.

As the menu didn't describe contents, I thought we'd need to order vegetables. I always make this mistake! They had "choy sum", so we had that as well. It was too much food, but I'm glad we tried them all - with leftovers for the son when he got in late last night.

I have some beef shortribs in the freezer, so I'll be making my version soon if this lousy frosty weather keeps up!

[Dejah]

I would like to try it with purple perilla, but I suspect that I will also prefer the Thai basil.

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I would agree with both of you. The various times I've tried perilla, I've been disappointed. I prefer the stronger flavoured Thai basil.

I need to plant some as it's only available if I go to Winnipeg. My local Chinese store has stopped bringing in fresh vegetables because of gas prices, and most families grow their own vegetables in the summer.

[Ben Hong]

I have scads of "escaped" perilla around my place so I have to eat the buggers. Perilla goes best with clams, snails (periwinkles) or most dishes involving black beans and garlic.

[snowangel]

I would like to try it with purple perilla, but I suspect that I will also prefer the Thai basil.

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I would agree with both of you. The various times I've tried perilla, I've been disappointed. I prefer the stronger flavoured Thai basil.

I need to plant some as it's only available if I go to Winnipeg. My local Chinese store has stopped bringing in fresh vegetables because of gas prices, and most families grow their own vegetables in the summer.

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Dejah, I grow a lot of it in the summer (although it's readily available as the local Asian market here), and I have found a method for preserving it. Whiz it up in the food process with a bit of oil. Lay down a log of it on plastic wrap and freeze it. It doesn't have the texture that you get with whole or torn leaves, but the flavour is still there. And, when you want to use some, it's easy to just slice off what you need -- or whack off a chunk on the edge of the kitchen counter!

[Dejah]

Dejah, I grow a lot of it in the summer (although it's readily available as the local Asian market here), and I have found a method for preserving it.  Whiz it up in the food process with a bit of oil.  Lay down a log of it on plastic wrap and freeze it.  It doesn't have the texture that you get with whole or torn leaves, but the flavour is still there.  And, when you want to use some, it's easy to just slice off what you need -- or whack off a chunk on the edge of the kitchen counter!

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Thanks, Susan. I'm going to do that next time I get a bunch. In fact, son is making a quick trip back to Winnipeg and back here again this weekend, so I'll get him to pick up a bunch for me.

I love the way you said"wack off a hunk" as that's exactly the way to do it.

[Kent Wang]

Meal at parent's house. Cold noodles with any number of condiments.

My dad just put a little ground pork, asparagus and shrimp on his.

I went really overboard and added sliced cucumber, sliced omelet skins and way more ground pork.

[Prawncrackers]

Back at my folk's place too today. My mum did the usual; poach chicken, steamed lemon sole, prawns in tomato sauce, some leftover crispy belly pork in plum sauce, but the star of the meal today was the simple stir-fried "Tong Ho Choy". She's been growing this stuff recently and it was so delicious because it had just ben plucked from the garden. I've never come across it in the Chinese markets here. Any idea what this is called in English?

[Dejah]

but the star of the meal today was the simple stir-fried "Tong Ho Choy".

I think this is like the Japanese chrysanthymum. It has a distinct flavour and odour - one that I don't care for. My mom and brother love it. The "aunties" in our city all grow this in their gardens. I can also find it in oriental markets for my mom.

ETA: I just googled, and in this website:

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/...-033.htm#greens

English: Chrysanthemum greens

Latin: Chrysanthemum coronarium

Chinese:

Cantonese: Tong ho choy

Mandarin: Tong hao cai

Japanese: Shungiku

Vietnamese: Tan o, cai cui

Korean: Ssukgat

Notes of Interest:

Used as an herbal medicine and as a cooked vegetable combined with other vegetables and in various stir-fried dishes.

Flower petals can be eaten also, either dipped in Japanese saki or pickled.

Edited May 29, 2007 by Dejah (log)

[Ben Hong]

I LOVE tong ho.

[Prawncrackers]

Ahh, it's Chrysanthynum is it? No wonder it tastes nothing like the more usual cabbagey/brocolli plants such as choi-sum/gailan. I never used to like it but now i really appreciate it's fragrant bitterness.

[C. sapidus]

My mum did the usual . . .

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Prawncrackers: Your mum’s “usual” looks great!

Tonight we made red-braised tilapia and stir-fried baby bok choy and bell peppers with black beans and garlic. Both dishes were based on recipes in Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook. We usually have a hard time finding whole fish, but the local Latino Market carries whole, scaled, and cleaned tilapia. We fried the fish until golden, stir-fried garlic, ginger, chopped salted chiles, and toban djan, and then braised the fish with chicken stock, vinegar, soy sauce, and black soy sauce. When the fish was done, we boiled down the sauce and finished it with slivered scallions, sliced red bell peppers, and sesame oil.

The sauce was quite spicy-salty, but perfect with rice. A friend of our younger son ate dinner with us and scarfed down the fish quite readily.

Red-braised tilapia

Baby bok choy and red bell peppers with black beans and garlic

[Prawncrackers]

Prawncrackers: Your mum’s “usual” looks great!

Thanks Bruce, the "usual" from my mum is usually pretty good! I'll pass her your compliment!

Your Tilapia dish looks delectable, we can get it here in the UK but i've never got round to trying it. What is the flesh like?

Today, i cooked another simple meal... Steamed pork ribs in black bean sauce, deep-fried prawn wontons & squid and some brocolli:

[Habeas Brulee]

For my wife and i today i cooked Razor clams in Black Bean sauce, Squid and Gai Lan in Oyster sauce, Pork Spring Rolls with dip.  Very Cantonese, very full - i need to lie down.... 

Sorry about the blurry-ass pic, was in in hurry.  It's that Chinese thing - have to eat it while it's hot!! 

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Wow, those razor clams look incredible!

[C. sapidus]

Your Tilapia dish looks delectable, we can get it here in the UK but i've never got round to trying it.  What is the flesh like?

Tilapia is a firm, white-fleshed, mild-flavored fish. I like it, but I usually serve fish with strongly-flavored sauces. Some find tilapia to taste muddy or dusty, but the taste seems to depend on the source. Here is an old thread: Tilapia, muddy or not? Recipes?.

Today, i cooked another simple meal... Steamed pork ribs in black bean sauce, deep-fried prawn wontons & squid and some brocolli:

You have a different definition of “simple” than most. Looks good!

[Ben Hong]

Tilapia has become a favourite of ours in the past 5 years. Very versatile and tasty.

[Prawncrackers]

You have a different definition of “simple” than most.   Looks good!

Ok, so simple to me is something i don't have to think about to cook!

Tonight, as i was eating alone, i really did do something simple - steamed egg. I don't usually cook this and tonight i made it with har mai and dried oysters. This was delicious, the oysters especially were really flavourful. For dried oysters they were still quite fresh and sticky, they had just been shipped over from HK...

[Dejah]

I know we have posted about this soup, but I can't find it.

The "aunties" in town gave me the first spring harvest of gow gai - for soup. This is the leaves from the same family as wolfberry bushes. I make a soup with pork breast bones and salty egg yolk. At the end, I sometimes swirl an egg into the broth: gow gai dan fa tong.

Couldn't make it for supper tonight, but will be enjoying it tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day...

[C. sapidus]

Tonight we made quick-fried lamb (xiao chao yang rou) from Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook. We deboned a sirloin leg of lamb, sliced thinly, and marinated in Shaoxing wine, light soy, dark soy, and salt. We flavored the oil with ginger, garlic, and chiles, and then stir-fried the lamb with red bell pepper. We added scallions to the boys’ batch and cilantro to ours, and finished both with sesame oil. The lamb was extremely tender, but next time I’ll probably add cumin and increase the chiles.

Quick-fried lamb (xiao chao yang rou)

[Tofu]

It has been a while since my last visit. This is my 1st contribution.

1. Ginger green onion Tiger Shrimp 薑蔥大蝦

2. Drunken Chicken 紹興醉雞

3. Fried egg with shrimp 滑蛋蝦仁

4. Oyster sauce watercress 蠔油西洋菜

5. Vegetable soup with sole 什菜魚片湯

6. Mango filling Dumpling 芒果糯米糍

The Dinner! thread in the cooking forum is always an inspiration for meals, whether for a party or at home.

I wonder if there would be interest in such a thread with Chinese food? I know Ah Leung's pictorials are a great source, but it would fun to see what others are cooking(Is anyone else as nosy as I?) Somtimes we get really excited about what we cooked for supper and need a place to express that. If we have such a thread, then we won't have to look through every thread (besides hzrt8w's) to get inspiration.

How about it, folks? Shall we have a go at this?

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[Dejah]

Welcome to the Chinese forum, TOFU

And thatnks for an impressive first post! Every dish looks delicious, but I'm particularly drawn to the watercress - one of my favourite vegetables. I've never tried it with oyster sauce. Must remember that for next time.

Can you elaborate on the mango filled dumplings?

[Tofu]

Thank you for your courage. This is a sweet dumpling and is very easy to prepare. I believe you have tried before. The only trick is to find a nice sweet mango. Include the recipe here so people who are interested can try it.

Ingredients: (Serves 12)

glutinous rice flour /sweet rice flour 300g

Sugar 150g

Coconut milk 200mL

Cold Water 300ml

Mango Midium size cut in small cubes

Instruction

1. Mix and stift flour

2. Mix all the ingredients until smooth

3. Cook in microwave in high power for 2-3 minutes

4. Mix and cook again for another 5 minutes till translucent(the time depends on your microwave power, it is necessary to adjust on your own.)

5. Cool and divide into 12 portions

6. then roll out between plastic wraps and fill it with mango. pinch the edges together to make a ball.

7. Roll the ball in the coconut.

PS. If mango juice is used, may need more sugar

Welcome to the Chinese forum, TOFU

And thatnks for an impressive first post! Every dish looks delicious, but I'm particularly drawn to the watercress - one of my favourite vegetables.   I've never tried it with oyster sauce. Must remember that for next time.

Can you elaborate on the mango filled dumplings?

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