Recipes / Food - Drink

[BenG]

What calorie shortfall?

[badgoodDeb]

Oh, that is a WICKED photo to post! Those look so good ....

Goes off to dream about donuts .....

[Phogg]

Sorry, I'm evil.

[badgoodDeb]

hmmmm .... guess you have to know the story behind the pics

[Iridal]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

hmmmm .... guess you have to know the story behind the pics

Those are scenes from Spiderman. Peter's uncle is called Ben, and he dies at the beginning of the movie. Hence Uncle Ben's I thought it was quite funny

[Stitchawl]

Perfect dinner this evening!
Let's call it "Hoisen Shrimp." A Chinese dish that takes 5 minutes to make and tastes great!

500gm fresh shrimp or prawns
6-8 Scallions (Green Onions, white and green parts)
1/2 cup Hoisen Sauce (easy to find in Asian Markets or large supermarkets. Chinese name is Hoisen Sauce, Japanese call it Tenmanjan. Very sweet sort of BBQ sauce...)
Big TBS minced garlic
Big TBS grated fresh ginger (do NOT use ginger powder)
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs dry white wine (I use dry Sherry)
2 Tbs Dark [sweet] Chinese Soy sauce (do NOT use Japanese soy sauce for this dish.)

Peels and butterfly the shrimp. Remove black 'vein.'
Cut Scallions into 1" pieces
Mix together Hoisen, Sherry, Soysauce

In a hot wok, heat 2 TBS oil, add garlic, ginger, and salt, and stir 30 seconds.
Add shrimp and stir until just pink... about two minutes
Add scallions and stirfry 30 seconds
Add Hoisen mix and stirfry one-two minutes. Keep everything moving!
Done.

Serve over rice. Eat. Smile. Good stuff...


Stitchawl

[kindlekitten]

what's the difference between Japanese and Chinese soy sauce?

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

what's the difference between Japanese and Chinese soy sauce?

Yes, please tell us Stichy. The stuff I buy (I don't remember what brand I buy but it's probably Kraft or Old El Paso or Jake and Charlie's) just says Soy Sauce.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

what's the difference between Japanese and Chinese soy sauce?

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

Yes, please tell us Stichy. The stuff I buy (I don't remember what brand I buy but it's probably Kraft or Old El Paso or Jake and Charlie's) just says Soy Sauce.

Doggy, those are good for pouring over a cut of meat before eating, or for using in a salad dressing, but not for Asian cooking. It would be like drinking cold German Black beer rather than warm British Stout.

Soy sauce is a fermented product. And just like other fermented products, each has a completely different flavor. Just imagine the taste difference between different brands of beer. They are all 'beer' but they taste really, really different.

This difference is very pronounced in Soy sauces too. And as soy sauce is one of the most important flavorings in an Asian dish, it's really, REALLY important to use the right one for the dish. Thai soy sauce, Japanese soy sauce, Chinese soy sauce... These are the things that give the dish its characteristic flavors.

In Chinese cooking we use two 'main' soys; Light soy and Dark soy. The difference between these two is in their sweetness. The Light soy isn't! The dark soy is. It will say right on the label; Light Soy or Dark (perhaps Sweet) Soy. Another way to tell is to tip the bottle. If it darkly coats the glass it's Dark soy. Dark soy is also thicker because there is added molasses. Light soy will just give a very thin color that will run back down the glass.

There are also several 'flavored' Chinese soy sauces such as Mushroom flavored, Fish flavored, Shrimp Flavored, etc., but these are not the 'usual' soys called for in recipes.

Japanese soy sauce is an entirely different brew. Still a 'soy sauce,' but with a completely different taste. Perhaps the very best brand is "Kikoman." But even with Kikoman there are some variations... low salt, salt free, etc.

If you use Japanese soy sauce in a Chinese dish, the resulting flavor, while not necessarily bad, will NOT be the correct flavor of the dish, and will not be 'as good' as it should be. Sometimes that difference IS big...

I only keep three 'large' bottles in my kitchen; Chinese Light, Chinese Dark, and Japanese Kikoman. I also keep 'small' bottles of Thai and Korean soy sauces, Oyster sauce, Fish sauce (both Thai and Vietnamese) and Mushroom soy.


Stitchawl

[vivaldirules]

Very interesting. There's so much about Asian foods (well, Asian culture in general) that I have no clue about. I was, of course, kidding about Bubba's soy sauce. The only kind I think I've ever seen in markets is Kikoman's. I will have to look more carefully next time. What I really need is a year long one recipe per week set of lessons starting from the basics and using ingredients I can buy at an Asian market here and described by someone who knows his stuff. Hmmmm. I wonder who might be able to do something like that. (doggie taps his paw in deep thought)

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

What I really need is a year long one recipe per week set of lessons starting from the basics and using ingredients I can buy at an Asian market here and described by someone who knows his stuff. Hmmmm. I wonder who might be able to do something like that. (doggie taps his paw in deep thought)

Back in the mid-80's I ran two part-time businesses while I was going to school; a twice-a-week Chinese restaurant out of my house (seating by reservation, fixed menu) and a weekend in-your-own-home cooking class for couples and small groups called "Superior Wokmanship"

Once you understand the basics of Asian cookery (and each country has its own) the making the actual dishes is easy.

It all starts with the ingredients...

For Chinese, and these are used in almost every dish;
Chinese Light and dark soy sauce (Dark can be small.)
Dry white wine I use sherry (plum wine was traditional but tastes terrible...)
Fresh ginger (Not powdered!)
Fresh garlic (Not powdered!)
Sugar
Salt & pepper

You will also want;
Fermented & salted black beans
scallions
Dried shitake mushrooms (much more flavor than fresh!)
Chinese sesame oil (two kinds; with chili and without.) Chinese ONLY... Small bottles
Small jar of Black Bean Sauce with Garlic
Small jar of Chili paste with Garlic

That's it. If you have these on hand, everything else can be bought at any supermarket anywhere, and you can make every dish on a Chinese. To store the fresh ginger; peel and cut into small sugar-cube sized pieces, put into a small jar and cover with the Sherry. Cover. It will keep for years...

Personally, I tend to keep away from the deep fried stuff just because of the bother and mess, but the prep work is the same.

Start with the basic stuff first... When you have it let me know and I'll put up my "Shrimp with Lobster Sauce" and "Beef with Black Bean Sauce" recipes... Both are easy as can be, take 15 minutes to prep and 5 minutes to cook. Both are fit to be served to a King!

EDIT: Oops! I forgot... Get a bag of corn starch and some chicken bullion (cans of Swift brand is great!)


Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

I was cleaning up the veranda this afternoon and decided that the basil was really getting out of hand again... So I chopped it all back, half way down, and brought the tops into the kitch.

Fill the blender with basil leaves and thinner stems
Add one cup olive oil
Add 2-3 cloves garlic
Add a handful of pine nuts
splash of salt and pepper
Grate a cup of fresh Parmesan cheese and dump it in.
Put on the lid and let 'er rip!

Instant Pesto! Cook up some curly pasta and pour it on. Some Italian sausages on the side just for the fat and protein. A glass of cheap red wine and a candle.
Romance...


Stitchawl

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Back in the mid-80's....

I'm definitely going to buy these supplies and let you know, Stichy. Thanks. It will be a few weeks since I'm about to head off on vacation. But I'm definitely doing this when I return. Please, don't let me hold up things if you and others wish to proceed.

[kindlekitten]

I'm ready!

[pilotbob]

Wait are we having a CSBF (cooking school by forum)?

BOb