Recipes / Food - Drink

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Absolutely WITH rice. I like to go heavy on the spicy bean paste to really heat it up, so the rice makes a perfect foil for that. Actually, rice is served with EVERY meal, regardless. With noodle dishes, with potato dishes. For Asians, it replaces the 'bread' found on American tables. We always have warm rice in the rice cooker. We usually make enough for 2-3 days at a time. The cooker keeps it fresh.

Most large supermarkets now have Asian sections, so you can find spicy bean paste sold as 'Tobanjan' or 'Kochijan' Each has a slightly different tastes with the Tobanjan being more authentic (Kochijan is Korean rather than Chinese).
The Fermented Black beans are a staple in my kitchen as they are an very important ingredient in many Chinese dishes. You only use one or two tablespoons of them in a dish as the flavor is very intense.
Chinese soy soy sauce has a VERY different flavor from Japanese, and using one instead of the other will have a dramatic effect on the flavor in a dish.

Stitchawl

I received a truly excellent Chinese cookbook as a wedding present the second time I got married. I was thouroughly engrossed in it when I got to Germany, ironically enough, the second time. for whatever reason, there was an over the top oriental shopping section in Bad Nauheim. I found stuff there that I have not seen since even with the large oriental shopping districts here. I learned my way around the fermented black beans (including how to store them without stinking your kitchen out!) back then!

Originally Posted by montsnmags

A lot of the dishes we make a fairly simple. A well known chef over here, Kylie Kwong, says that so many of the dishes she cooks take half-an-hour to prepare and then five minutes to cook. I find a lot of SE Asian cooking to be like that, and I like that (because I'm no chef, and I find it meditative to take a good hour-long "half-an-hour" chopping things up and putting them in our little stainless steel bowls, ready to add as necessary ).

It took me a while to enjoy eggplant. Previously I only ever saw it as the squidgy vegetable in some salads. But The Loved One makes a couple of different "eggplant parmigiana"s, and seeing and cooking it almost as the "meat" in a dish - giving it some strong flavours and a decent, starring role - seemed to turn that squidginess into a lovely plus. Now it's a favourite - if I was vegetarian, I'd be eating a lot of eggplant.

Cheers,
Marc

I normally avoid pre-prepared frozen foods like the plague, but there is one company that used to make eggplant parmesean that was VERY good! I can't find it anymore probably someone figured out it was actually decent

[Stitchawl]

I can't hear the term 'Eggplant Parmigiana' without thinking of my first attempt/fiasco at making it. Did you know that eggplant is better than a sponge at soaking up oil? Somehow, when the dish was finished, I had used up almost a full liter of oil, and couldn't figure out where it all went... until I bit into the eggplant.


Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

I received a truly excellent Chinese cookbook as a wedding present the second time I got married. I was thouroughly engrossed in it when I got to Germany, ironically enough, the second time. for whatever reason, there was an over the top oriental shopping section in Bad Nauheim.

Nice area! I lived in Hanau for two years as a child, but that was back when most of Frankfort was still in ruble, with bombed out buildings on every block.

I found stuff there that I have not seen since even with the large oriental shopping districts here. I learned my way around the fermented black beans (including how to store them without stinking your kitchen out!) back then!

Writing about the black beans this morning got me to craving that flavor, but we ate Ma Pwo Tofu last week so tonight it's going to be Beef with Black Bean sauce. It's one of the quickest and easiest Chinese beef dishes to make, and tastes great!


BEEF WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE
Yield: 3 to 4 servings if served alone

1/2 KILO LEAN BEEF

MARINADE:
1 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon water chestnut powder (corn starch)
1 tablespoon sherry
1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon chile paste
3 cloves garlic
3 teaspoons fermented black beans
3 slices fresh ginger root
3 tomatoes
1 large onion
2 green peppers

BINDER:
1/2 tablespoon corn starch
2 tablespoons chicken stock



SAUCE MIX:
1 tablespoon sherry
1 tablespoon 'light' Chinese soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup chicken stock

3 Tbs black bean sauce
1 Tbs chile paste
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper



PREPARATION: Slice meat very thin and add marinade. Mince the
garlic, black beans and ginger. Cut the tomatos, peppers, and
onion into small pieces. Dissolve 1/2 tablespoon water chestnut
powder in 2 tablespoons chicken stock. Measure into another
bowl 1/2 cup stock. Add sherry, soy sauce, sugar, black pepper,
and black bean paste.

COOKING PROCEDURE: Heat oil, add garlic, ginger, and brown
beans. cook for 30 seconds. Add meat and cook until brown. Add
onions and cook until soft. Add peppers and cook for 1-2
minutes. Add sauce mix, stir, then add tomatos. Bring sauce to
a boil and then add binder. stir well until thick.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I can't hear the term 'Eggplant Parmigiana' without thinking of my first attempt/fiasco at making it. Did you know that eggplant is better than a sponge at soaking up oil? Somehow, when the dish was finished, I had used up almost a full liter of oil, and couldn't figure out where it all went... until I bit into the eggplant.

Stitchawl

Yes, eggplant seems to be able to soak up whatever volume of oil you put in the pan with it. Perhaps we should have suggest this to BP. The chargrilling helps limit that absorption when cooking.

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

...
Writing about the black beans this morning got me to craving that flavor, but we ate Ma Pwo Tofu last week so tonight it's going to be Beef with Black Bean sauce. It's one of the quickest and easiest Chinese beef dishes to make, and tastes great!


BEEF WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE
Yield: 3 to 4 servings if served alone
...

The Loved One does Beef with Black Bean. We use the Shaoxing wine when required in such a dish, because it's in most of the supermarkets which saves going to the grog shop.

Cheers,
Marc

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

The Loved One does Beef with Black Bean. We use the Shaoxing wine when required in such a dish, because it's in most of the supermarkets which saves going to the grog shop.

That really is the preferred wine. I normally can't get it, so have modified all my recipes to use dry sherry instead. My taste buds can't tell the difference but I'm sure others can.


Stitchawl

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Nice area! I lived in Hanau for two years as a child, but that was back when most of Frankfort was still in ruble, with bombed out buildings on every block.

well there ya' go! he was at Friedburg, I was at Frankfurt. this was my second time around in Germany, the first was at Nuernburg (which I preferred), but the construction crane was still the national bird of Germany both times

[desertblues]

Since I've become a vegetarian I searched for recipies with eggplant, without it becoming too saturated with fat. This salad is one of my favorites. Hope you'll enjoy it. Excuse me for the use of measures, as I read a lot of English, but not many English cookbooks.

Sweet-sour eggplant salad;

Ingredients: 6 tablespoons olive-oil - 1 chopped onion - 2 mashed garlic cloves - 2 stalks of celery in small pieces - 1 lb eggplant (450 gram) - 1 lb tomatoes chopped up (can) - 4 tablespoons of chopped green olives- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar - half cup (100 ml) red wine vinegar - 2 tablespoons small capres- salt/pepper - leaf parshley to garnish.

Heat 2/3 of the olive-oil in a big skillet. Add onions, garlic, celery and stir-fry gently 3-4 minutes
Cut the eggplant in thick slices and again in four parts
Rest of the olive-oil in the skillet
Add the eggplant and stir-fry for 5 minutes till gold brown
Add tomatoes, olives and sugar: stir till sugar has dissolved
Add red wine vinegar, let it simmer on low heat till the sauce is thick and the eggplant soft (appr. 15 min.)
Add capres and salt/pepper.
It is best eaten the day after the preparation. Garnish with parsley.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I can't hear the term 'Eggplant Parmigiana' without thinking of my first attempt/fiasco at making it. Did you know that eggplant is better than a sponge at soaking up oil? Somehow, when the dish was finished, I had used up almost a full liter of oil, and couldn't figure out where it all went... until I bit into the eggplant.


Stitchawl

Did you egg wash and flour the eggplant slices before you fried them? Also, make sure you let the slices dry out (a day or so) before you cook them. It helps a lot to make your egg plant parm not be mushy.

BOb

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Did you egg wash and flour the eggplant slices before you fried them?

Of course not.
I was in my early 20's and knew nothing about cooking. I though haute cuisine was putting a can of Cambell's Chunky Soup over rice. I was trying to impress a young lady by offering a candle light dinner. I impressed the hell out of her when she took the first bite.

Also, make sure you let the slices dry out (a day or so) before you cook them. It helps a lot to make your egg plant parm not be mushy.
BOb

Today I know these things. 40 years later that girl still won't speak to me.


Stitchawl

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by desertblues

Since I've become a vegetarian I searched for recipies with eggplant, without it becoming too saturated with fat. This salad is one of my favorites. Hope you'll enjoy it. Excuse me for the use of measures, as I read a lot of English, but not many English cookbooks.

Sweet-sour eggplant salad;

Ingredients: 6 tablespoons olive-oil - 1 chopped onion - 2 mashed garlic cloves - 2 stalks of celery in small pieces - 1 lb eggplant (450 gram) - 1 lb tomatoes chopped up (can) - 4 tablespoons of chopped green olives- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar - half cup (100 ml) red wine vinegar - 2 tablespoons small capres- salt/pepper - leaf parshley to garnish.

Heat 2/3 of the olive-oil in a big skillet. Add onions, garlic, celery and stir-fry gently 3-4 minutes
Cut the eggplant in thick slices and again in four parts
Rest of the olive-oil in the skillet
Add the eggplant and stir-fry for 5 minutes till gold brown
Add tomatoes, olives and sugar: stir till sugar has dissolved
Add red wine vinegar, let it simmer on low heat till the sauce is thick and the eggplant soft (appr. 15 min.)
Add capres and salt/pepper.
It is best eaten the day after the preparation. Garnish with parsley.

Ooh, that looks delicious!

[BenG]

This is good stuff.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by BenG

This is good stuff.

Now THAT looks good! I think it will be our dinner tonight! We can't get Gulf shrimp, but we can buy them still swimming. I guess that's fresh enough!


Stitchawl

[beppe]

About Eggplant Parmigiana. In the course of time I developed a version of it that is both tasty and as lean as possible without loosing flavor.
I de-bitter the eggplants: cut them in 1 inch slices, salt them, organize them in layers in a bowl under a weight (a flat dish with something heavy in it). Let them stand on the counter for a few hours. I rinse them and wipe them dry with a towel. There is a variety of eggplants without seeds, that does not need the de-salting but just peeling. It is of lighter color. As I buy vegs from a local art dealer doubling as pusher, when I want them I just ask him those.

I grill the slices on a grill iron over the stove. And put them aside. I might freeze them for future use. You can find frozen grilled eggplants in stores in Italy.

When I prepare the parmigiana, I use a bottle of passata of good quality, cooking mozzarella cut in 1 inch slices and as much grated Parmesan as I will need (about 3 table spoons for each portion, at least. The more i use the tastier it comes out).

I make again layers. A spoonful of passata on the bottom of the pan, slices of eggplant, passata, parmesan, mozzarella, and so on depending on how much stuff I have and how big is the pan. On the top I put double parmesan. Oven at 185°C till nicely colored. It couyld be 30 minutes or so. When I do them I usually prepare 3 or 4 aluminum foil pans, cook them and freeze them for future use.

If I use frozen grilled eggplants, I use them as they are.

[beppe]

Originally Posted by desertblues

Since I've become a vegetarian I searched for recipies with eggplant, without it becoming too saturated with fat. This salad is one of my favorites. Hope you'll enjoy it. Excuse me for the use of measures, as I read a lot of English, but not many English cookbooks.

Sweet-sour eggplant salad;

Excellent and very appealing. I will try it and let you know. Thanks.

[beppe]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Did you egg wash and flour the eggplant slices before you fried them? Also, make sure you let the slices dry out (a day or so) before you cook them. It helps a lot to make your egg plant parm not be mushy.

BOb

Roberto! I recognize the trick!
To get over this point i grill the darn things!
A friend of mine is trying to avoid starch in the diet. I am experimenting with sliced eggplants to see if a dried slice can be used instead of bread to make snacks or little sandwiches. I will let you know.