Dam* It, Sonja!!!
#5
  Re: (...)
WARNING! this is liable to be a long, rambling thread and I hope you all will join me with ideas.


Sonja, you've gotten me started on such a food wanderlust!! Talking about tofu has sent me in more directions than I have been in ages.

I was looking for the two recipes that I do like to use Tofu in and I found something else. When we first moved up here to Port Angeles, about 4 1/2 years ago, our realtors were a husband and wife team and she is Chinese. A couple of weeks after we met them, you know we had discussed food by this time...they had us to their home for dinner. Lia's dinner! I posted the following on the forum I was a part of at the time and I just ran across it this a.m. looking for the tofu recipes I wanted to post for you.

This is the post I wrote with all the accompanying notes from others. So much info and I learned so much from that dinner - it was absolutely wonderful. here it is -

12/24/04
OH, WHAT A DINNER!

We met a great couple this week and they invited us to dinner at their home last nite. She is Chinese and OMG - did she ever feed us!!! I feel like a neophyte (I miss my Thesaurus!!! is that the word I want??) re food after that meal!

We had -
Kim Chee (all of you had a discussion on this a few weeks/monhs ago and it was a fascinating read, but I had never tasted it) I love it!! The brand we had was Lee's Family (she doesn't make it herself). One of the ingredients is 'Jutgal' can anyone tell me what that is??

Just before we started the main part of dinner, she passed a platter of Choy Sum, steamed and sauced with a little Oyster Sauce - oh my, loved that. (it's a green veggie) Delicious!

Then...we went on to her Chinese Fondu Dinner

She said she cheated on the broth because it takes so long for all the flavors of food we would be cooking in it to give the broth enuf flavor, so she used Lee Kum Kee's Satay Soup Base for Hot Pot and cooked Shiitakes in it to get us started.

Arranged around this steaming pot (she used a round electric skillet) of broth she had arranged -
Fried tofu (did not like...before!)
watercress
Napa Cabbage
small (manilla ?) clams, shelled
Marinaded Shrimp, Chicken and Pork pcs.
(the marinade - Mushroom Soy Sauce, Superior Soy Sauce, S & P, sugar, MSG (? ), garlic salt, Bomby gin (she usually uses rice wine), Sesame oil and Chili oil) For the Chicken and Pork, she added Seasoned salt (Lawry's??? ).
Also, Fish, Beef, and Shrimp balls

One of the things the host showed me with the tofu was to take a square of it (after it had been 'stewing' in the hot broth) sparingly drizzle (God-awful hot!!) chili sauce, Sesame oil, and Soy over it - that was a great mix of flavors.

I asked about rice - can't remember if we were talking main course or dinner, but she mentioned 'Congee' which is dish like porridge - anyone know about this??

And for dessert - Egg Rolls with Flossy Pork with Sesame and Egg Rolls wih flossy Pork with Seaweed. They are addictive!! Lia said she only gets these when a family member goes to Hong Kong, but didn't know if I could get them over the internet or not.....search time.

Note: here's a website for flossy pork
http://blog.asiahotels.com/thai-delicaci...ossy-pork/

It's been a long time since I've had such an experience - we just couldn't quit eating - they darn near had to roll us out to the car!

I can hardly wait to try this type of cooking at home. Now, can you all add to this and give me more ideas of your experiences?? Billy, I know you must have had something similar, Paulie too, but he's too busy right now. I can't tell you how much we enjoyed this dinner and the evening - can you believe on such short notice, these folks welcomed us into their home and cullture???? WOW!


phifly04

Sounds like a great meal and good new friends!!
In reference to you questions im no expert but i can help!!
What you had is called "Hot Pot"huo guo Mandarin for "fire stove" dah been lo in Cantonese"hit side of pot" a steaming broth bought to the table and kept "hot" while thinly sliced beef,or pork and veggies(bok choy) for instance are " flash cooked" in the broth accompanied with dumplings and whateve else you want really,with side bowls of ginger,garlic,green onions ,dipping sauces
Congee is like a rice soup,a very traditional breakfast
that can also be sweetened for a dessert dish

Traditional Congee
1/2 cup short grain rice
1/2 cup glutinous rice
6 cups of chinese chicken broth or"regular chicken broth with2 tbl soy and a 1/4in. thick sliver of ginger
Method-------------------------------------------------------------
bring broth to a boil,add rice,drop to simmer cook for 1 1/2 hour stirring occasionally till porrige consistency.add slivers of chicken or turkey or again whatever floats your boat
Dave s


Roodo

Jutgal is fermented food. The Kim Che probably had fermented
fish or shrimp in it. Id probably say the shrimp, if it was store
bought. It can be a selection of shrimp,fish roe,oysters,fish organs and clams all fermented and salty.



ddcain2003
Isn't it cool when you can turn your tastebuds on to something new? I'm really getting into Vietnamese foods now, found a great little place in the Loop that's fantastic.
I tried KimChee several times when I was in Korea and I just have to say I really hated it, of course it's been 20 years ago so maybe I'll give it another try. Like they say.. No guts, no glory


Flattop
Sounds like a great time
MMMMmmmmm Kimchee. Nothing better than a Big Ole Pile of Kimchee in yer ramen. Granted I get get my ramen by the case at one of the nearby asian stores. I just wish I knew what flavors I was buying half the time.


cheztom

I've heard this kind of meal called a Mongolian Fire Pot and when I worked at the dim sum place in Indy they'd have this for staff meals on occasion. Were the flossy pork and seaweed egg rolls (sounds great) made with egg roll skins or actual egg? I've made something similar by using egg pancakes stuffed with filling then rolled in black and white sesame. Deep fried 'em. I love the chili sauce - I'm addicted. Reminds me of a farewell dinner I ate last year made by a departing cook of Hmong heritage. Gigantic feast for just a few of us and a carnival of flavors. Such hospitality is a rare gift.


mark1

Sounds like the new 'craze' I've read about that swept through Hong Kong et al, their variation on Japanese shabu shabu. Sounds tasty.


bjcotton
Ah Jean, I'm envious. There was a great Korean restaurant in San Diego I used to go to and ask for the Chef's Choice. They began bringing kim chi, sticky rice, burgogi (don't know how to spell it...it's Korean BBQ beef), a thin soup with little bitty fish in it, shredded ginger in sesame oil, just on and on. Each dish was just a small bowl that held maybe half a cup at most. It was wonderful. They have a new Viet Namese restaurant in town and and Indonesian one that I will be trying soon.


Niftynorm
One of the thiings I miss about Guam was the variety of restaurants there. One short drive down Marine 1 and you could taste a just about anything you had a hanker for.

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Now, I'm back to this thread and all the ideas that at the time I didn't have time to research/cook at the time.

So, Sonja, you have really gotten me in motion. Hope you find the thread somewhat interesting. (as you can see, Billy was a part of my life then also but happily )

Here are the recipes I was looking for in the first place...

We love this soup.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Hot and Sour Soup*****

1 cake tofu (fresh -- if possible)
2 ounces pork tenderloin
Marinade:
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
Other:
1/2 cup bamboo shoots
2 tablespoons black fungus (Wood Ear) or Cloud Ear fungus
-- (or 3 - 4 Chinese dried black mushrooms or fresh mushrooms)
1 small handful dried lily buds
6 cups water (or 6 cups water and 1 cup Campbell's chicken broth)*
1 teaspoon salt -- or to taste
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons red rice vinegar -- white rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
1 egg -- beaten
1 green onion -- finely chopped
White pepper to taste (no more than 1 tablespoon)
Hot chili oil -- to taste, optional

Hot and Sour Soup Directions:

Shred pork. Mix marinade ingredients and marinate pork for 20 minutes.

Cut tofu into small squares. Cut bamboo shoots into thin strips and then into fine slices. To reconstitute the fungus, soak in warm water for 20 minutes. Rinse, and cut into thin pieces. (If substituting Chinese dried mushrooms, soak to soften, then cut off the stems and cut into thin strips. If using fresh mushrooms, wipe clean with a damp cloth and slice.)

To reconstitute the dried lily buds, soak in hot water for 20 minutes or until softened. Cut off the hard ends.

Bring the water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the bamboo shoots, fungus or mushrooms, and the lily buds. Stir. Add the tofu. Bring back to a boil and add the marinated pork.

Stir in the salt, sugar, soy sauce and vinegar and sesame oil.

Test the broth and adjust the taste if desired. (If using chicken broth, you may want to add a bit more rice vinegar).

Mix the cornstarch and water. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the soup, stirring while it is being added. Let the broth come back to a boil. As soon as it is boiling, remove the broth from the stove.

Slowly drop in the beaten egg, stirring in one direction at the same time. Add the green onion and the white pepper to taste. Drizzle with chili oil if desired. Serve hot.

(Hot and Sour Soup can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. When making the soup, leave out the tofu. When ready to serve, thaw, add the tofu and bring to boiling. When the soup is boiling, add the egg.)

*Adjust the ratio of water to chicken stock as desired.

Reviews:

have been looking for a recipe to match our local chinese restaurant's Hot and Sour Soup for a very long time. This one is REALLY close and REALLY good!

I used more vinegar and white pepper than the recipe called for and it made a huge difference so I recommend that everyone with their own taste buds tweak it as desired.

Also make the effort to get all of the ingredients called for. We had to travel 50 miles to find them but it was so worth it. Bought in bulk so we have enough for a few future batches.

After marinading pork stir fry it intil it starts to brown nice and crisps up. This too made a difference in our second batch.

This and a batch of lo mein makes a great dinner !"

Description:
"Hot and sour soup is reputed to be good for colds. To increase the health benefits, feel free to add 2 or 3 teaspoons of finely chopped ginger."



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and this one -

* Exported from MasterCook *

Chicken Hot Pot with Mushrooms and Tofu

12 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 pound honshimeji or cremini mushrooms-stems removed and reserved -- caps thinly sliced
One 2-inch piece of ginger -- thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves -- crushed
Kosher salt
6 skinless -- boneless chicken thighs (about 1 3/4 pounds), trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch strips
One 14-ounce package firm tofu -- drained and cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 scallions -- thinly sliced
Asian sesame oil -- for drizzling

In a large soup pot, bring the stock, mushroom stems, ginger and garlic to a simmer. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Strain the stock into a large bowl and return it to the pot. Season the broth with salt.

Bring the broth to a boil; add the chicken. Cook until the chicken is white throughout, about 4 minutes. Divide the mushroom caps, tofu and scallions among eight soup bowls and serve, passing the broth and sesame oil at the table.

Make Ahead

The enriched broth can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Wine- Light-bodied, unoaked Chardonnay: 2006 Ruffino Libaio.

Description:
"Recipe by Ethan Stowell Cooks in Asia serve hot pots communally, setting a big pot of bubbling broth on the table alongside a platter of raw ingredients (like vegetables and thinly sliced chicken) for dipping.

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gonna be a fun winter, I think!!
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#6
  Re: Dam* It, Sonja!!! by cjs ( [i]WARNING![/i] thi...)
Oh, dear Lord!!!!!!!!!! What a feast! Mister just left to go to Bass Pro shop to get a replacement turkey stand - he is smoking a turkey today and cold smoking some cheese - I can't wait for him to come back and read this. He is going to just love this and will get him started on more research plus the hunt for some of these ingredients - I can't thank you enough, Jean, for this post!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
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#7
  Re: Dam* It, Sonja!!! by cjs ( [i]WARNING![/i] thi...)
This version of Hot & Sour Soup is the first thing I ever made with tofu - and loved.

From the Key to Chinese Cooking by Irene Kuo (this cookbook was a gift from my Mom)

1/4 lb lean pork, loin or butt cut against the grain into 1/4" thick slices, stack and then shred. Toss in Slipery coating: Refrigerate until ready to use.
Slippery Coating

1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp sesame oil
-----------------------

4 dried black Chinese mushrooms - presoaked
1 TBS dried mo-er mushrooms - presoaked
16 to 20 Golden Needles (Tiger Lily Buds) - presoaked
1/4 cup shredded bamboo shoots
1 square fresh tofu

2TBS cornstarch dissolved in 3 TBS water and 1 TBS sesame oil.

1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp sesame oil.

Seasonings.

1 1/2 TBS light soy sauce
2 TBS Chenkong, Cider, or red wine vinegar
1/2 to 1 tsp black pepper or to taste (I use black and white)
1 tsp chili-pepper oil
----------------------

4 Cups chicken or meat stock
2 tsp minced fresh cilantro or 1 small whole scallion finely chopped.

Place the black mushrooms, the mo-er mushrooms, and Golden Needles in separate bowls. Pour about 1/2 c. hot water over each and let soak for 30 minutes. When soft, rinse the black mushrooms briefly, squeeze dry very lightly, destem, and shred to about the same size as the meat. Rinse and shred the Mo-er the same way, discarding any hard eyes. Rinse and squeeze the Golden Needles lightly dry, sort them into a neat bundle, cut off the knobby ends and then cut them crosswise in two. Rinse and drain the bamboo shoots; cut the bean curd into 1/4" shreds about 2" long. Place ingredients on your working platter in separate piles and set aside. Refrigerate if necessary.

When ready to cook, dissolve the cornstarch and beat the egg in separate bowls. Measure the seasonings into the final serving bowl and set aside.

Cooking the soup

Bring the stock to a boil in a soup pot over high heat. Add the black Chinese mushrooms, the Golden Needles, and the bamboo shoots. Adjust heat to low and simmer, covered for 5 minutes. Stir in the meat, raise heat, and when it boils again, add the bean curd and mo-er mushrooms. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Give ths cornstarch mixture a big stir and add to the soup slowly with one hand as you stir with the other until it is satiny smooth. Turn off the heat. Pour the beaten egg over the surface in a wide circle; as it congeals into floating ribbons, stir gently a few times to break them into chiffony flakes.

Pour the soup into the serving bowl that has the seasonings in it. Scatter the cilantro or scallions on top and stir the soup up from the bottom a few times at table before serving individual portions.

Chinese penicillin. If I just had the tofu we'd have this for dinner tonight! Yummmmmmm.
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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#8
  Re: Re: Dam* It, Sonja!!! by Harborwitch (This version of Hot ...)
Sonja, I think you and I will both be learning from Mister!! This is fun.

"If I just had the tofu we'd have this for dinner tonight!"

I'm feeling the same way, Sharon - one of these dishes anyway!
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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