Dejah's foodblogging this week!

[Dejah]

Thanks hzrtw8, for the recipe. May get a chance to try it out this weekend. My daughter will only eat white meat, but I prefer the thigh.

[Ben Hong]

Jumping jehosephat!! What's with all this blasphemy about Chinese people not eating dark meat. Dejah and hrzt, you two have a long and serious acculturation process ahead of you with your "girls".

[Dejah]

Jumping jehosephat!! What's with all this blasphemy about Chinese people not eating dark meat. Dejah and hrzt, you two have a long and serious acculturation process ahead of you with your "girls".

What can I say, Ben? She's only HALF Chinese!

[Ben Hong]

Yeah, but my genes dominated in my half and halfs (Arf and Arf), as they both much prefer the dark meat .

[Gary Soup]

Thanks hzrtw8, for the recipe. May get a chance to try it out this weekend. My daughter will only eat white meat, but I prefer the thigh.

Count your blessings. You get the good stuff without guilt.

[hzrt8w]

Dejah and hrzt, you two have a long and serious acculturation process ahead of you with your "girls".

Blame it on all these TV programs about health and wellness all saying blah blah blah dark meat is not good for you blah blah blah dark meat is not good for you blah blah blah. I think the sublimal message has been engraved.

[jo-mel]

Dark meat, here too! I've always wondered what the big thing was for white meat. No comparison!

People in my cooking class think you are only supposed to use breast meat in Chinese cooking, because that's what the restaurants and take-outs use. I ask them if they think the dark meat is thrown away in China? In a land where allparts of any animal are consumed, wouldn't they use dark meat?

Once I did a General's chicken with half white and the other half dark meat, and asked which they liked best. The dark won!!

AAMOH, one of this falls classes is entitled "Beyond White Meat Chicken".

[Laksa]

hzrt8w, have you ever used the commercial Tandoori paste that comes in jars? How do they compare to your recipe?

The tandoori chicken I've had in Indian restaurants as far as I can remember have always been skinless. Do you find that it's better to leave the skin on?

[hzrt8w]

hzrt8w, have you ever used the commercial Tandoori paste that comes in jars? How do they compare to your recipe?

The tandoori chicken I've had in Indian restaurants as far as I can remember have always been skinless. Do you find that it's better to leave the skin on?

I have never seen Tandoori in paste form. I need to pay more attention next time when I go to an Indian grocery store. The ones I've tried are Tandoori spice powder packs. They just listed the generic description of their ingredients, such as cumin, corriander, tumeric, citrix acid, etc... No proportion given of course. When I used these Tandoori spice mix to make the Tandoor chicken, they tasted okay but not as good as the ones in the restaurant. My wife thinks they are a bit on the sour side.

I like the crispy skin of baked chicken so I leave the skin on. You are right, perhaps I should try taking the skin out and the marinade should penetrate into the meat better. I remember eating these skin-less Tandoori drumsticks in Indian restaurants and they seemed a bit dry. That's another reason why I leave the skin on just to retain the moisture in the meat.

[Dejah]

Here's the recipe for wonton filling from my foodblog, as requested.

Pork, Shrimp and Waterchestnut Wonton Filling ---- Recipe by Sue-On

1 lb. lean ground pork ( with a little bit of fat mixed in)

1 small can of waterchestnuts (about 15 peeled waterchestnuts)

6 oz. peeled and deveined shrimp

2 tsp. each of oyster sauce and light soya sauce

1 tsp. of sesame seed oil,

1 tbsp. of vegetable oil

3/4 tsp. each of salt, sugar and MSG (msg optional)

2 tbsp. cold water

To prepare the filling:

1. Finely chop the waterchestnuts and shrimp. I use my mini-chopper. Make sure it is fine, but not paste.

2. Mix #1 into the ground pork.

3. Add the seasonings, water, oils to the meat mixture.

4. Mix everything together well. I use my KitchenAid with the paddles.

5. Test for adequate seasoning by putting a scant tsp. of the filling in a small dish. Add a tbsp. of water, cover and microwave for 15 seconds. Taste, and

adjust if needed.

6. Use a heaping teaspoonful of filling per wonton.

7. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.

8. Drain and serve with plum sauce, sweet 'n' sour sauce, or sauce of your choice.

Edited August 24, 2004 by Dejah (log)

[Jason Perlow]

Oh man that looks good.

Sue-On, I notice that the recipe doesnt contain any green vegetable matter like scallions or cilantro or anything like that. Is that just a personal preference thing or do those have no place in wontons?

[Dejah]

Jason,

The main reason I leave out the "green matter " is because it doesn't freeze well. Also, the texture seems to be just right without veg. matter.

When I make wontons for soup, there are large pieces of vegetables and scallions in the soup. For deep fried ones, I like large pieces of scallions on the side to eat with them. This way, you have the full crunch and flavour of both, but separate.

This is a basic recipe. You can add scallions, or more sesame oil, etc according to your taste.

I can add scallions and bits of Chinese mushroom, then they are "fon suaw"...in Toisanese. These are made with the har gow pastry and steamed. This is a traditional item for my Mom's bday. Her actual lunar bday is tomorrow, so I will take these and steamed sponge cake. . . "amh tay", when I go over for lunch.

[Gary Soup]

Are deep-fried wontons traditional in Cantonese food? My wife never fries them and she considers them peculiar. I've always thought of them as an invention of Chinese-American restaurants, but I've been surprised before..

[hzrt8w]

Are deep-fried wontons traditional in Cantonese food?

I think so. I had my first fried won ton in Hong Kong in the mid 60's. Fried won ton in Hong Kong is served with a sweet and sour sauce mixed with shrimp, pork liver, onions and green peppers. I think this recipe is handed down from generations ago, and that the Chinese immigrants in the USA found fried won ton and sweet and sour sauce particular popular with American eaters (but minus the liver part).

As for won ton wrapping: I don't freeze wrapped won ton because the frozen skin can break off easily, they stick together, and they become mushy when defrosted. I usually freeze the left over filling by itself. The next time I make won ton, I defrost the filling and wrap the won ton shortly before cooking.

[BettyK]

As for won ton wrapping:  I don't freeze wrapped won ton because the frozen skin can break off easily, they stick together, and they become mushy when defrosted.  I usually freeze the left over filling by itself.  The next time I make won ton, I defrost the filling and wrap the won ton shortly before cooking.

You can freeze your wontons individually on a tray then, when they are good and frozen, you can put them in a plastic bag and freeze. They will not stick.

[hzrt8w]

You can freeze your wontons individually on a tray then, when they are good and frozen, you can put them in a plastic bag and freeze. They will not stick.

I had tried that method with potstickers. The potstickers still stick together under their own weight in the freezer over time. Unless I can provide individual separation in the freezer, I rather just freeze the filling and wrap as I go.

[Dejah]

You can freeze your wontons individually on a tray then, when they are good and frozen, you can put them in a plastic bag and freeze. They will not stick.

I had tried that method with potstickers. The potstickers still stick together under their own weight in the freezer over time. Unless I can provide individual separation in the freezer, I rather just freeze the filling and wrap as I go.

I haven't frozen wontons already done up in the wrappers, but I do make up large batches of filling and freeze those. If the meat is put into Ziplocks, flattened so that it is only about half an inch thick, then you can break off the amount needed and it will thaw quickly.

As for potstickers, I have made these and frozen them individually on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, they are put into freezer bags or containers. I am assuming these are made with home made pastry? I have never had them stick together. . . perhaps it's because they never last THAT long!

[Dejah]

Here is the recipe for sui mai filling. I use the thinest wonton wrappers I can find. Using a cookie cutter, I make them round with scalloped edges. The left over wrapper pieces can be used as noodles in soup.

Sui Mai Recipe By Sue-On

For 1 lb of ground pork:

Add: 1/2 tsp. baking SODA

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp. MSG (optional)

2 tbsp. sesame oil

2 tbsp. cold water

2 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. white pepper.

4 tbsp. finely shredded carrot for colour

Mix well. I am assuming everyone knows how to shape these dumplings? If not, let me know and I can do a show 'n' tell.

[hzrt8w]

hzrt8w, if you don't mind, would you please share your BBQ pork here? What's your favorite cut for this?

Here is my BBQ pork recipe:

Recipe for Chinese BBQ pork

Use 2 lb pork loin (or any cut you like). Cut the pork loin into long, roughly 2 inch by 1 inch pieces. I use a fork to jab on to the pork to make many many tiny holes. When the pork is soaked in the marinade, the marinade will sip into the pork.

To marinate, I use 2 to 3 tbsp of the Lee Kum Kee's "Chinese Marinade" (see picture), 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp five spice powder, 2 tsp brown bean sauce, 2 tsp brown sugar and about 3 to 4 cloves of garlic (pressed). Mix the marinade together in a mixing bowl. Lay on the pork and rub on the marinade. Leave the pork soaked in the marinade in the mixing bowl overnight (in the refrigerator).

Before baking, skew the pork with some long metal skewers. I use two skewers for each piece of pork to make sure I can turn them easily. Here is the trick to make the BBQ pork moist: I place a pan of water on the middle rack in the oven. Use some gadgets to hold the pork pieces right above the pan of water when baking. (I use 2 narrow cake pans, one on each side of the pan of water, to hold the 2 ends of the skewers.) This pan of water will keep the BBQ pork moist during the baking process.

Set the oven to 300F, bake for 1.5 hour. Turn the pork about every 20 minutes. About 1 hour into it, start basting the BBQ pork (see recipe for basting liquid). When finished, remove the BBQ pork from the skewers and slice them into 1/4 in pieces. Serve with condiments (see condiments).

Recipe for basting liquid:

- 2 tbsp of LKK's Char Siu Sauce (or similar product by other makes)

- 1 tsp brown sugar

- 3 tsp honey

Mix together and use to baste the BBQ pork. If you don't want to use the ready-made BBQ sauce, you may make your own by mixing some hoisin sauce, brown bean sauce and a bit of Chinese Marinade.

Condiments (separate):

- light soy sauce

- hoisin sauce

- hot mustard (mustard powder mixed with water)

Here is a picture of the LKK's Chinese Marinade:

Here is a picture of the LKK's Char Siu Sauce:

Edited August 30, 2004 by hzrt8w (log)

[Dejah]

To do char sui in my oven, at the restaurant or at home, I take cheap metal poultry skewers ( the ones used to seal up a bird once it is stuffed) and bend them into S hooks.

Place a rack on the highest position in your oven. Hang the meat one one end of the S hook, and the other end on the rack. Place another rack on the lowest position with a pan of water as hzrt suggested to keep the meat moist.

Hanging the meat this way, you wouldn't have to turn it every 20 minutes.

Every jar of LKK Char Sui sauce I have bought have been really sticky and difficult to work with. I end up mixing hoisin and brown bean sauce with some wine and 5 spice powder.

Has anyone tried NOH of Hawaii Chinese BBQ Char Sui seasoning mix? It does contain Red colour #3. I have a package here but haven't used it yet. Hmmm....maybe this week.

When we made it for the restaurant, I used Hoisin, sugar, cooking wine, and a red food colouring we'd buy in gallon jugs. Wish I had some of that now! You could always tell who did the mix for the day. Used to be able to buy a deep red food colouring made for cake decorating. The ones now all seem pastel.

I used to do chicken wings in the same manner. The fat from the skin made the wings a beautiful shiny deep red. It worked well on our appetizer platter.

[BettyK]

HZRT, thanks for sharing your recipe. Can't wait to try this. I have all the ingredients except the Chinese Marinade. Definitely have to make a trip to the Asian grocery store soon.

Dejah, thanks for your Sui Mai recipe and your tips for BBQ pork. Now I have a use for those poultry skewers.

[hzrt8w]

Hanging the meat this way, you wouldn't have to turn it every 20 minutes.

Great tip, Dejah! Never thought of doing it this way. Thanks!

[hzrt8w]

I have all the ingredients except the Chinese Marinade. Definitely have to make a trip to the Asian grocery store soon.

Betty: some additional comments:

1. I forgot to mention: In the last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, turn the oven temperature up from 300F to 425F. You really want to have a nice brown (slightly charred) coat on the BBQ pork.

2. Another approach to make BBQ pork is do the marination overnight as said. Instead of baking the BBQ pork for 1.5 hour in the oven at 300F, first simmer the pork in a solution made of Chinese Marinade and Dark Soy Sauce and water. (About 1:2:5 ratio, as Chinese Marinade is really salty). Mix just enough of this solution to cover your pork. Make sure the heat is at the minimum to simmer the pork. After about 1 hour, then hook up the pork in the oven and bake it at 425F for 20 minutes or so (and baste while baking) to give it the finishing touch. The simmering method (instead of all baking) should yield the pork as tender yet juicy and with a crispy skin. Some restaurants make it this way.

Note: you may save the simmer solution in a plastic container. Just freeze it until the next use. With each use, skim off the grease and replenish a little bit of Chinese Marinade and Dark Soy Sauce.

3. The Chinese Marinade itself is just a mix of five spices mixed with mostly soy sauce. I like to buy the ready-made Chinese Marinade because it's convenient. If you don't have it but have the five spices (not the five spice powder, the best is to use the original dry spices), you may make your own Chinese Marinade (we call it Lo Shui in Cantonese). Simply use a pan, put in 1 cup of water, 1 cup of dark soy sauce, then add:

- 1 stick of cinnamon

- 1 tbsp clove

- about 5 star anise

- 1 tbsp cumin

- 1 tbsp corriander

just simmer the solution with five spices added for an hour or so, you have yourself some "Lo Shui". Filter out the spices and keep the solution in a bottle for use. Since this home-made Chinese Marinade is not as salty as the ready-made one, you may need to add salt when using it to make BBQ pork. Use your judgement to adjust.

Edited August 31, 2004 by hzrt8w (log)

[BettyK]

Wonderful.

HZRT, for the clove, cumin and corriander, we're talking whole spices, right?

Edited August 31, 2004 by BettyK (log)

[hzrt8w]

HZRT, for the clove, cumin and corriander, we're talking whole spices, right?

Yes, whole grains. They are so small that measurement usually is done by the spoonful (or handful).