running back with open arms...

So I'm back! I've been away at the world of fashion, but alas! I came running back to the food and restaurant world! I realize that I love talking about food way more than fashion.

So what's new?

The List for the Curious

Ever wonder what the ingredients are in your favorite chinese dish?  The range of chinese cooking ingredients is daunting even to me who grew up eating chinese food.
I've stumbled upon this very useful list and hopefully it will be helpful with your cooking or just eating out
Sunflower Recipes is the Blog's name and I very much enjoyed it!
Here is a list of Chinese Ingredients which you will find in authentic Chinese cooking.


 Hopefully I will find more list like this for all types of cooking!

Flu flu go away!

I'm so sick. This flu has kicked my behind since Sunday!! I'm so miserable but much better after having some homemade congee with salted pork bones, dried scallops and preserved duck egg. Congee/jook is a constant topic with the Ngs and today is no exception. Lisa has been keeping me company virtually and insisted I post the recipe, even as simple as it is. It made me feel so much better and I am having a second serving as I type this entry. I heart jook!

• 1 cup rice
• 13 cups water
• salted pork bones
• dried scallops (soaked and re-hydrated) a handful
• salt to taste
• 3 preserved duck eggs (available at most Asian markets)

Bring to boil in large pot, rice, water, bones and re-hydrated scallops. Simmer on low until desired consistency (you have to watch the pot; stir often so the rice doesn't settle on the bottom). Add sliced preserved duck eggs right before serving. Serve with chopped scallions and thin slivers of fresh ginger.

Bitter Melon ( Gourd ) Carrot Pork Soup

Flu Season is here ...eck! What do we have in the tool bag to fight this nasty ailment ?

Visit the Doc for the Flu Shot , excercise , daily vitamins , Purell, ignore it button , Mothers, don't touch anything or anyone..( I personally need to work on this list )I do know a delicious and very beneficial way!

Mama's Bitter Melon Soup!

This is another soup with healing powers, packed with vitamins and rich in nutrients.

The star of this soup is the Bitter Melon. To learn more click here*

Ingredients:

2 Bitter Melon - Clean , cut in half , scoop out the cotton like seeds and cut into 1-2" bite size

( to ease the bitterness rub salt on the melon and let it sit for 15 mins, it really works)

Pork Ribs - 1/2 lbs

1 lg Carrot - chop in chunks

Goji berries - hand full

Red dates - hand full

Ginger - 1 knob

Garlic - 1 clove

White pepper

Fish sauce

Oyster Sauce

Start a pot of water, bring to boil and add all ingredients.

( parboil the pork to remove impurities before adding to the pot)

Bring to a boil then let it simmer for 1 hour. I added a dash of fish sauce ,white pepper and oyster sauce.

How good does this look!

Had this with rice and oyster sauce on the side for dipping.

Bowl of goodness with the unusual bitter flavor ( almost like black tea bitterness) it can be strong but the fish sauce mellowed it out. Hints of sweet & tangy flavors from the carrots and herbs and of course there's the ribs..mmmmmmmm

slurp*

** Soup is tastier the next day**

Chinese Steamed Minced Pork with Dry Salted Fish

Here is another family favorite an authentic Tai Shan's dish -steamed minced pork with salted dried fish..Some like to use other surprise bits like dried squid, scallop, mushroom, salted duck egg, water chestnut, there's more can't think of now ( fill me in on what I missed).

I was given a bag of goodies on the day I visited mama Ng..thanks mom!

In the bag, she has given me a salted yellow croaker, what to do .....got it! straight to the butcher and got what i needed.

Ingredients:
salted fish
ground pork

corn starch

fresh ginger - thick slivers

dried shitake mushroom - chopped
Scallion
white pepper
sesame oil
soy sauce

Wash the and slice the fish. Lined the bottom of the plate with ginger place the fish and cover with rest of ginger. Drizzle oil and steam until done. something smells fishy.....

While the fish is done remove from steamer and let it cool. Mix together the pork, mushroom, scallion (white part ),cornstarch , sesame oil, white pepper, let it sit until fish is cool.

When fish is cool to touch remove all bones and add in to the mix along with the ginger and oil the fish was steamed in.

Steam until done.

Drizzled light soy on top and serve with rice and steamed chinese broccoli.

This can be fried aswell but I prefer this way with the juice mixed wth the rice ......

mmmmm you know what I'm talking about..remember the tapping sounds of the chopsticks cleaning the last bite of rice.......my tummy is growling as I'm writing this.. :)

 I believe this is traditionally made with Mui hurn - a salted dried fish with finer taste and texture.

Tastewise .....yup good old fashion Mui Hurn wins!

We can never get bored of this old time favorite.