cooking competition suggestions

[origamicrane]

hi all

I'm looking for some inspiration as i'm going for a cooking competition and have to cook one chinese dish.

It should take max 20 minutes too cook and have ingredients that not going to freak out westerners.

any sugestion?

[Gastro888]

How about an "over rice" dish?

Wat Dan Ha Yen Fan?

Shrimp with Eggs over rice? Simple peasant food but if well done, everyone likes it. And it's hard to get it right.

Or Signapore Rice Noodles?

[itch22]

Dim sum can be quite dazzling if you have a variety.

[Ben Hong]

Twenty minutes do not give you much time to cook rice and everything else. But if you have cooked rice already available, you could pick one out of a hundred dishes and impress.

I would have a tendency to go with a noodle dish to be on the safe side. I mean even "westerners" know and like noodles . Singapore noodles, beef sa ho fun, lo mein, pancake style double sided Cantonese mein, almost anything noodles.

[itch22]

20 minutes, hmm... Maybe I should read posts before replying to them, eh?

How about ma po doufu?

Edited February 10, 2005 by itch22 (log)

[Gastro888]

Wontons?

Sidebar - I'm all about freaking out Westerners/Easterners. People need to open up their world, especialy when it comes to food! =)

[Sartain]

I'll second Ben's double sided Cantonese mein, fresh and crisp topped with stir-fried beef or pork with vegetables.

A steamed whole fish with ginger scallions and hot soy sauce and oil finish would take less than 20 minutes. Ming Tsai's recipe is here. Of course, the steaming time differs with the weight (thickness) of the fish.

[Ben Hong]

Fish is always problematic with a predominantly gwai loh crowd, for some reason a lot of people can't appreciate the taste and texture and bones. Most like it deep fried and about half of the population do not like fish, sad to say. Besides, like you noted, a large fish might take too long to steam.

Edited February 10, 2005 by Ben Hong (log)

[Gastro888]

Fish is problematic with a non-Asian crowd if it's not in filets or steaks. The idea of a whole fish is very foreign to most non-Asians. (No pun intended). I feel very odd not eating a whole fish - unless it's sushi or McD's Filet-O-Fish (sorry, I grew up eating that as a treat...).

How 'bout a dish where you deep-fry the fun see? You get a big visual "pop" when you deep fry those babies.

Salt and Pepper Scallops?

[Dejah]

Origami,

How much prep. are you allowed? How many burners/woks are you allowed?

If you have 20 minutes for the COOKING part, and the prep. time is on top of that, how about "seafood in bird's nest"? The whole presentation is colourful AND edible.

[Sartain]

About the whole fish being problematic . . . I can certainly see your point, but I have been noticing a lot of whole roasted fish kind of presentations, particularly in Italian restaurants. I hoped that that was a sign that whole fish has finally broken the barrier.

Or maybe not...

[origamicrane]

well not sure how much prep time i'm allowed but i think start to finish no more then 1 hour.

want something simple and tsty. the wonton not a bad idea as it is very simple.

fish is good too but as alot of you said might be a little alien to the ghosts

[sheetz]

If you prepare the rice in advance you can have a fried rice competition. Can't get any less intimidating than that!

[chefzadi]

Fish is problematic with a non-Asian crowd if it's not in filets or steaks.  The idea of a whole fish is very foreign to most non-Asians.  (No pun intended).  I feel very odd not eating a whole fish - unless it's sushi or McD's Filet-O-Fish (sorry, I grew up eating that as a treat...).

How 'bout a dish where you deep-fry the fun see?  You get a big visual "pop" when you deep fry those babies.

Salt and Pepper Scallops?

←

I agree with you for the most part. But whole small fish are very commonly consumed in Mediteranean countries (probably in the Middle East as well). Whole grilled sardines, salt a little lemon juice.

But it is is safer to serve a filet or steak to a non-Asian crowd.

[herbacidal]

No doubt it is safer to serve a filet or steak to a non-Asian crowd.

I would daresay that it applies not to a "non-Asian" crowd but to an

"Americanized crowd".

But others would have to comment on how much whole fish is served in European cuisines.

There have been a few times in Meditarranean cuisines where I've heard of whole fish being on menus.

I remember getting it myself once. Actually suprised people because I knew how to carve it with a spoon.

Anyway, I'd say whole fish is seen on non-Asian menus more often than it used to be, but still not to the extent where the overall American population would be comfortable with it.

[herbacidal]

I just noticed the thread title and original post.

I'm leaning towards recommending the whole fish.

It'll be unique enough that it's noticable, yet simple enough to both prepare quickly and be elegant.

I think if you choose a fish that Westerners are somewhat familar with,

like tilapia, steam it with ginger, scallion, add soy sauce and oil at end

(as mentioned above), it'll be noted for how simple yet refined it is.

The piece de resistance is when you carve and de-bone it in front of them.

I think in most cases when it's ordered, people are overwhelmed by the sight of the whole fish.

In this case, there is a much greater likelihood that people will see beyond that initial reaction.

Edited February 11, 2005 by herbacidal (log)

[chefzadi]

As a side note. My American born daughter always ask for fish Korean style, in her words "you know with the head on, not the rectangle or square fish" She also encourages her friends (non-Asian included) to try myul chi (anchovies) she tells them, "the heads are so small you don't even feel them, try it! It's really good." She's 6 by the way.

And yes, Europeans don't freak out at the sight of a whole fish on a plate. It's um...er... the Americans that tend to. (Not all of course, but we are speaking broadly here.

[chefzadi]

So what did you decide to do Origami? I like Herb's idea of filleting the fish in front of them.

[hzrt8w]

So what did you decide to do Origami?

←

Chili crab, I heard.

What are the parameters of the competition?

Is there a theme? Ethnic? Seafood?

Are there any secret ingredients (like Iron Chef)?

Anything goes?

[origamicrane]

yeah decided on chilli crab its fast and automatically looks exotic to the western eye and tasty too

the competition not actually to next month

but going to be practising the recipe and my wok technique over the next few weekend i will post some photos afterwards.

Will also try making the deep friend mantou too.

Its actually for a tv show it me versus and italian tv chef. Basically its a vehicle for the tv chef to promote himself i think.

But as its just me versus him should be a laugh. But its not really a fair competition as i doubt the tv chef would have used a wok burner and i get to choose the dish. I tell him 24 hours before hand and he goes off and tries to find a recipe.

should be fun

Edited February 16, 2005 by origamicrane (log)

[jackal10]

Keep it colouful and televisual - avoid brown sauces

I'd avoid wok cooking altogether - its too much of a cliche

Steamed whole fish

Noodles in soup

[origamicrane]

I really want to avoid the cliches too!!!

originally they asked me if i knew how to make chow mein and sweet and sour chicken!!!!

but they decided to have it at a chinese cooking school and i know they going to make a fuss about turning the cookers on with the knee

and the difference between light and dark soya sauce oh well its just for western viewer i guess.

[hzrt8w]

Its actually for a tv show it me versus and italian tv chef.  Basically its a vehicle for the tv chef to promote himself i think.

←

Oh, that's great! When will it air? What channel?

We would like to be there to cheer you on!

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I would love to see how to cook chili crabs.

[origamicrane]

Its actually for a tv show it me versus and italian tv chef.  Basically its a vehicle for the tv chef to promote himself i think.

←

Oh, that's great! When will it air? What channel?

We would like to be there to cheer you on!

<inc "clapclap.wma">

I would love to see how to cook chili crabs.

←

thanks for the support

only doing it for a laugh so should be fun

It will be on UK ITV channel but it probably won't be on until the autumn.

They are going to be filming 15 episodes with other contestants taking part.

I will record the show when its on and put it online

[Gastro888]

I really want to avoid the cliches too!!!

originally they asked me if i knew how to make chow mein and sweet and sour chicken!!!! 

but they decided to have it at a chinese cooking school and i know they going to make a fuss about turning the cookers on with the knee 

and the difference between light and dark soya sauce    oh well its just for western viewer i guess.

←

Hey, I would turn on the burners with one knee - that's how we roll in the restaurant!!!

How about "Hack Jew Ngow Pah"? The black pepper steak on a hot pan? That's got great visual appeal and is not cliched. Westerners will be able to relate to that as well.