Shanxi Vinegar Stew Meat - healthy and aromatic

This dish is very similar to Philippine Adobo chicken which had Chinese origins. (Please refer to : http://homecooksecrets.blogspot.com/2009/12/philippine-adobo-chicken-and-pork.html for ingredients and preparation.)

The main tip is adding a tablespoon of Shanxi dark and sweet matured vinegar during cooking (not as marinade). Shanxi vinegar is tart and pungent when taken straight from the bottle. However, added to a stew, it is heavenly, and healthy. Try it if you don't believe me.

This cooking style is suitable for different types of meat especially :

(1) chicken drumstick or fillet or

(2) pork knuckles or loin.

Firstly, marinate meat with soy sauce, pepper, shaoxing wine.

Saute garlic and onions in a heavy pan with a little oil for about 2 minutes under medium low heat.

Sizzle meat till outer layer changes colour and fragrant.

Add a vinegar by using a spoon to distribute evenly on all the meat.

Throw in vegetables as desired : carrot, potato, tomato, chilli peppers.

Cover the pan with an airtight lid. Lower the heat to low and simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Easy, convenient, delicious and nutritious.

Luffa / Angled Squash / SilkGourd fried with prawn and scrambled eggs

Luffa / Angled Squash / Silk Gourd - 1 or 2
Eggs - 3 large or 4 medium
Prawn - devined and shell removed
Garlic - 2 cloves chopped lightly
Seasoning : soy sauce, oyster sauce, pepper, rice wine

Preparation

1. Cut all the sharp angled edges of luffa first. Then peel the skin. Ensure that the knife is sharp and steady. Remove the large seeds from the core. Leave the smaller seeds attached to the softer portions. Cut into 2 cm slices.

2. Beat the eggs and add seasoning sauces except rice wine.

3. Wash and drain prawn. Add a dash of cooking rice wine (Shaoxing)

Cooking Method

1. Fry garlic in a TBS of cooking oil till fragrant but before turning brown.

2. Stir fry prawn quickly till it just turns pink.

3. Add luffa slices and cook for a minute when it looks slightly soft.

4. Add beaten egg and keep stirring till well mixed. The water from the vegetables should help to form a saucy consistency.

5. The delicious dish is ready to be served as it is now.

6. If you like to make a soup, add chicken stock and bring to the boil.

Optional : steamed pumpkin wedges can be added to make the soup.

TCM Food for Toothaches - Treating the root causes of gum inflammation

After trying every possible remedy short of extraction of good teeth that are neither infected nor decayed, the most sensible and effective way of relieving toothache is through TCM, actually just a matter of selecting the appropriate natural and safe foods that we eat all the time.

I found this useful. When in doubt, consult a dentist.

QUOTE :

Changing to a diet that dispels "pathogenic heat" can ease some inflammation that is not caused by bacteria and tooth decay.
Acupressure and external applications of garlic, ginger, ginseng and salt water also help.

"Reinforcing kidney energy while the gum is still inflamed is useless; on the contrary, reinforcing foods usually accelerate blood circulation and may aggravate the inflammation and gum bleeding," Li says.
For inflammation, Dr Li recommends "cold" (yin energy) food that dispels pathogenic heat. This includes chrysanthemum tea, cucumber and celery. After the inflammation and pain are gone, eat kidney-reinforcing foods like gouqi (wolfberries), pigeon and walnuts.

Rinsing the mouth with warm salt water and soaking the sore gum in the salt water can help relieve inflammation and pain. Putting thin slice of American ginseng on the inflammation can also help.
Pressing acupressure points can help relieve the pain. The points are he gu on the hand, jia che on the jaw, and nei ting and tai xi on the feet.

http://www.china.org.cn/health/2009-03/10/content_17412694.htm

Shanghai Infused Fish

I have searched cookbooks and the internet but could not find a good recipe to make this "smoked" spicy fish. I used to have a rough guide but it has been lost through migration of files and house moving. Thought this must be important enough to put on record before I forget or lose it again.

Most diners mistaken the name of dish "xunyu" to be smoked fish but the fish is cook in two steps. The sauces and spices are infused, unlike smoked salmon. The appearance of the fish is dark and dry but it is absolutely flavoursome.




Spice Sauces

Peppercorn (1/2 tsp), star anise (2), fennel seeds (2 tsp), cinnamon bark (1), five spiced powder (1/2 tsp).
Soy sauce (4 TBS), dark Zejiang vinegar (1 tsp), salt (to taste), sugar (1 TBS) and 1/2 cup water.

Ingredients

Fish slices. Whole fish may be used but I prefer boneless firm fillet such as ling, mackeral or snapper.

Method

1. Bring sauces and spices to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for another 10 - 15 minutes. Put through the sieve and set aside. Either keep warm or reheat for later use.

2. Deep fry fish in hot cooking oil. To reduce splatter, rub some salt on the fish and dust a little flour before frying.

3. Drain the oil from cooked fish.

4. Dip each piece of fish into lukewarm sauces prepared earlier to ensure it is evenly and intensely infused. The fish should not be dripping and soggy.

5. Xunyu can be kept at a cool place for days in winter or in the fridge for a couple of weeks. You could take a slice or two to supplement your rice meal anytime. Thus, families find it worthwhile to make this dish in dozens of batches for convenience.

Yee Mee - Grilled Noodles in Superior Stock Stew with Vegetables

Yee Mee is said to have originated in Southern province of Guangzhou where the most delectable of all Chinese cuisines could be found. This is a popular one-dish food that is suitable for casual and formal occasions. Every well known restaurant worth its salt will have this on its menu.

Ingredients :

Fresh Egg Noodles
Yellow Chives (tender & longer than green Chinese chives & more expensive too)
Carrot - julienne
Shitake Mushrooms (use fresh or soak dried ones, then cut into slices)
Garlic : chopped
Egg : 2 - 3
Onion : slice thinly
Optional : either diced chicken, shredded roast duck or fish slices

Superior stock made from chicken bones, anchovy or dried scallops and celery. (A tsp of starch either tapioca or sweet potato, to be added just before adding the noodles at the end.)

Seasoning : soy sauce, pepper, shaoxing wine

Steps :

1. Put egg noodles in a colander and wash under running water, carefully stirring and disentangling the strands.

2. Grill noodles in pre-heated oven between 170 - 200 degrees C for 30 minutes. This is a healthier and less greasy option. (The classic method is to deep fry the noodles in cooking oil).

3. Turn off the oven and leave the noodles inside to keep warm but don't leave it for more than 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, fry garlic and onions with a little oil in a heavy pan or wok till fragrant. Then add meat, seafood, vegetables (except yellow chives) as you wish.

5. Remove from heat and set aside.

6. Add starch and seasoning to chicken stock in a large pot and bring it to a light boil.

7. Put in noodles and top with previously fried ingredients. Add yellow chives last.

8. Cover with lid and stew for 10 minutes at medium low heat. Cook for shorter time (less than 5 mins) if you prefer the noodles to be crisy.

9. Add beaten eggs just before serving. It's supposed to be a bit runny.

10. Serve on a large platter or individual pasta bowls.  : )