TaiwaneseCooking's Xanga

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 18:20:08 GMT

Typical hot pot set-up; Typical sukiyaki set-up at BD household.
Like a dummy, I totally neglected to take pictures at my own hot pot gathering over the weekend!!

~Babydot74 here

Whew! My last blog was December 2005!! How time flies! And my premium has totally run out! Sorry for the neglect. Snot has been busy planning for her own wedding and I totally forgot about updating the site. I haven't been really doing any Taiwanese cooking as of late so if anyone has anything to contribute, please let me know so I can post this up! I've been doing a lot of tinkering in baking - like pies (Banana Cream, Chocolate Custard pies), cakes and ice cream. I can always post up those recipes if you guys are interested. Also, a Chicken Pho recipe if anyone's interested....

I recently just threw a hot pot party at my apartment this past weekend for my friends. Hot pot goes by many names and I think all of the Asian cultures have some version of hot pot in their cuisine. My family have always called it "Sukiyaki" -- it is also known as Chinese fondue, Huo Guo, Da Ben Lo, Shabu Shabu, etc. etc. And I realized over this weekend that there are many many ways to eat your hot pot food.

We decided to run two different hot pots since my husband only likes to eat his with a spicy broth. After much research, I discovered it is called a Ma La Broth. The other hot pot had the Daikon/Pork Bone broth (see recipe in older post) for the non-spicy people.

I usually make my dipping sauce consisting of:

raw egg
Sa Cha BBQ sauce
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Vinegar
Raw garlic
Scallion

We had the following items to cook in the hot pot:

Thinly sliced beef (usually frozen) - I buy it frozen in Chinatown at the meat market on Bayard.
Various fish balls (fish, cuttlefish, shrimp) and meatballs (ground pork, beef, beef tendon)
Various fishcakes
Seafood - clams, mussels, shrimp, squid
Vegetables
Tofu - fried and regular
Mushrooms - my favorite are the Enoki mushrooms, shitake, oyster, button
Taro (my dad's favorite)

Some people also use pork and chicken in their hot pot but I don't like to for bacteria purposes. You have to be really careful about cooking pork and chicken all the way through so that you don't get food poisoning. Basically if you want to throw anything in your hot pot to cook, you basically can.

I regret to say that there are no pictures from my gathering and now I am regretting it. Hopefully I'll think to update soon and more often.

Again, if anyone has anything to contribute, please let us know!

~BD

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Tue, 27 Dec 2005 16:36:11 GMT

I'm going to cheat on this site since we've been lazy updating this page.

This has got to best the best instant Taiwanese oyster noodle soup ([please don't shoot me on the pronunciation ] uh-AH mee swah). If you don't want to make this authentic dish from scratch (like me), just buy this at your local Asian food store. I admit it's a little hard to find but when I do find it, I bulk up on it. The directions are in Chinese but I just adlib it. You just boil it with approximately 6 cups of water and open up the vacuum sealed package of noodles with the broth and chili oil. After a few minutes, voila! You can have Taiwanese oyster noodle soup at home....I just gotta figure out a recipe for Stinky Tofu for the right accompaniament to go with this noodle dish!

There's a website for this packaged noodle: www.go-cha.com but it's all in Chinese so I have no clue as to what they're saying.

Anyone interested in a turkey recipe? It's not Taiwanese but it's what I cooked over the holidays! It came out really really well -nice and juicy. No gravy was needed but I made it anyway. Superb! Yummy in my tummy. With the leftovers, we had "Hot Turkey" which is based on Canada's recipe of "Hot Chicken". Basically turkey meat between two slices of white bread and smothered with gravy and peas. Very yum but heavy!

~BD

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Sun, 30 Oct 2005 17:43:39 GMT

Sorry for the delay in this page. We promise to update even more. Our premium had expired so I just renewed it and I promise to cook more and post up more!!

Best,
Babydot

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Sun, 30 Oct 2005 17:42:08 GMT

Posted by babydot74

Hah! My mom gave me a Taiwanese cookbook so soon I will venture into experimental Taiwanese food cooking. Won't Meanie be elated...or not? We will see. Upon browsing, I found a recipe I already know. I consider it as a comfort food and great for winter. It's daikon soup with pork bones. [chhai-thau-thng] I promise pictures soon, really soon! I've always made it for myself but I never thought to take pics of my own cooking.

Taiwanese Daikon Soup

1 daikon (white radish) a medium sized one, not those humongo ones
1/2 lb pork ribs (I also use pork neck, old pork chop bones also work)
5 cups water (I usually fill the pot to the top or I eyeball it)
Fish balls, fish cake, whatever add-ins you feel like
Salt to taste
Dashi (see below)
Chinese cilantro
Sesame oil/white pepper (optional) [I enjoy it without these but feel free to throw that in at the end]

[Cookbook version] Peel daikon and slick in half lengthwise. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Fill large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pork ribs and cook for 1/2 minute. Drain water from pot and rinse pork ribs (Note: This keeps the soup clear by removing the scum which seeps out of the pork bones) Put pork ribs back in pot and add water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium low heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add daikon
and cook for another five minutes or until daikon and pork ribs are tender. Add salt and serve.

[Babydot's version]

I have one of these things:

Thermos Shuttle Chef:
It's like an electricity-free crock pot and cooks with its own heat.

Basically repeat the above recipe but I let it stew overnight in the Shuttle Chef so the soup is much more flavorful. Once it's ready, I throw in fish balls, dashi and cilantro for a little flavor. You can also throw in the mung bean noodles too if you want to make a meal out of it.

Here's a pic of my soup in the ThermosChef. You can see the pieces of daikon, pork meat and fish balls. Yum yum!

The ending product should be a nice almost clear soup. I'll have to take a picture one of these days. I made the tofu salad for dinner tonight but like a dumbass, I forgot to take a picture of it. I will probably make it in the near future so I'll remember to take a picture then!!

Friday, September 23, 2005

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 13:44:42 GMT

posted by snot

Taiwanese Rice Noodles aka Bee-whun - (my Mom's version)
(i stole this pic from someone else)

You will get a lot of varieties for rice noodles. My cousin Dorfiesis makes a very tasty rice noodle that is quite different tasting from the one I grew up with and learned to make. Even on the island of Taiwan, there are varieties in cooking style based on where you live and your background. (I will let her expand more on her version herself) It's quite amazing how food is such a huge reflection of where you come from.

Ingredients:
1 package of Rice noodles - thin - (you will only need two or three squares out of the package)
1 cup Carrots - sliced... julienne? (sorry I don't know cooking terms but I'll learn!)
1 cup Napa - sliced into slim strips
**veggies choices are flexible, sometimes I will add carrots and green peppers, or no carrots and just green peppers. sometimes no veggies at all. But traditionally - carrots and Napa are in it.
1 onion - small to medium - depending on your taste for onions
2-3 mini cloves Garlic - depending on your taste for it
1/2 Pound - Meat (Usually Pork or Chicken) sliced into slim/small strips
Corn Starch
Soy Sauce
Salt
Pepper
La Si (which unfortunately I don't know WHERE to find it - my Mom always has it though so we can do without - call it our family's "secret ingredient")
Dried little Shrimp (optional)

For Sauce: Garlice and Soy Sauce.

Preparation:
It is simpler to cook if you chop everything up first and put it aside - either on one big plate or many smaller plates - this way, when you get to it, you just dump it in. (maybe you already knew that, I always have to remind myself)

Soak the rice noodles in cold/lukewarm water until they soften - some brands you don't need to have this step. But it's easier to manipulate during cooking if you do this ahead of time. (**note instead of water, I will occasionally soak it in chicken brother instead... but it's up to you... I don't remember if it tastes different.. I haven't made it in so long!)

Marination:
Once you have chopped the meat, put it in a bowl.
Sprinkle a little Cornstarch on top of it (maybe about a teaspoon amount, this is to help tenderize the meat)
Add a little soysauce (enough to coat it but not oversoak).
Add a little salt and pepper.
Even a little garlic to it.
(I will also add a sprinkle of sugar. Just for carmelization and it brings out a different type of flavor.)
Mix - make sure cornstarch is dissolved or you will have little cornstarch globs.

Cooking:
Turn high heat on.
Put oil into pan, enough for a light coating of the base of the pan. Let it warm up.
Once the oil begins to jump a little, put garlic in. Sautee for about a minute or until the garlic looks a little golden.
Add Meat Marinade. Sautee until it is pretty well cooked. Not thoroughly cooked but mostly cooked. Usually with a nice brown coating on the outside.
Remove meat from pan and set aside, leave the juices from the cooking process in.
Add rest of garlic, followed by onions. Sautee until Onions are carmelized.
Add carrots and napa.
Salt and pepper - light sprinking over everything.
Continue to stirfry/mix.
Add 1/4-half cup of water, cover quickly so the steam can cook the veggies in the pan.
Once veggies appear tender, remove cover and stir around more.
Add rice noodles, folding them into the previous mix. (Chopsticks can help with this process)
The noodles will be huge - You can add a little water or even chicken broth to help tenderize and cook the noodle more.
Cover again to let noodles tenderize and absorb the liquid from veggies.
Add previously cooked meat w/any juices from it.
Fold until there is even distribution of meat/veggie/noodles.
Add some soy sauce to taste - I usually put like a circular medium heavy drizzle over the noodles.
Mix/fold until even.
Cover again/add a little water/broth again as necessary to tenderize.
Salt and pepper/add soysauce again as necessary and mix/fold.

If you put too much water/broth - it's okay! Just either pour it out or cook uncovered to let it evaporate.

Sauce preparation: Chop up garlic into small pieces, add soy sauce as desired, mix, put on top of noodles as desired.

Hopefully I can provide pics soon!

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Wed, 21 Sep 2005 19:56:26 GMT

posted by snot

sidenote: mind you i don't measure ingredients. if someone asks me how much to put, my method of telling them is "if it smells good it's probably okay" so i apologize for the lack of strict instruction.

this is my mom's recipe. i learned it cuz i helped her make it. heh. someday, i will put pics - i just have to make them sometime soon. although maybe not this weekend... although sunday is a possibility

Home Made Dumplings

Ingredients:
Ground Meat (preferrably Pork, Turkey, or Beef)
Vegetable (carrots - cut into smaller bits, or goo tsai chopped finely)
1 egg
Soy Sauce (probably about.... 1/4 cup? I just pour it until there's a coating over the meat)
Ground Pepper (to smell)
Sesame Oil (very little - like a drizzle)
Ginger (couple finely chopped slices if you like it, otherwise it's not needed)

For Wrapping:
1 maybe 2 pacakges of wonton wrappers (round is easier and my personal preference), square is more interesting)
1 bowl lukewarm water

Dipping sauce:
2/3 part Soy Sauce
1/3 part Vinegar

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a bowl.
Mix thoroughly.
Smell mixture - if it smells tasty, it's probably good to go.

Using a teaspoon, spoon mixture onto one wonton wrapper. Using your finger, little brush, whatever makes you feel comfortable and put a layer of water around the edge of the wrapper.

Fold.

Repeat until all wrappers/meat are used.

(Also makes for a great meatsauce for spaghetti if you have extra! Or even patties.)

Cooking:
There are three options.

Steam: Place in steamer - bamboo or otherwise. I usually put a layer of olive oil on the bottom of the wonton to keep from sticking. Cook until wrappers look cooked. You can tell this because usually the wrapper is translucent.

Fry: A little tougher call, but if the wrapper looks well cooked and little browned, it's likely done.

Boiling: My Mom's method and very quick. Boil a pot of water and plop them in. Again, when the wrappers seem translucent and sucked against the meat inside, they are done.
(you can also use the water to make soup)

Once cooked you can plate and serve with the dipping sauce.

They can also be frozen post cooking. But I honestly eat them all right after I make them.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Wed, 21 Sep 2005 17:23:07 GMT

Posted by babydot74

(left part of picture)

My mom usually makes this when there's a large gathering, usually in the summer because it's a cold dish.

Cold Peanut Butter Noodles

Cook desired amount of spaghetti from the box. After cooking, let cool or even refrigerate. This recipe doesn't taste good with hot or warm noodles.

Shred cucumber, ham, carrot and egg and put in separate dishes. Have thinly sliced scallion on hand too. It's like a do-it-yourself cold noodle bar.

Here's the sauce recipe:

3 Tablespoon Peanut Butter

3 Ts Soy sauce

1 Ts Sugar

1 Ts Vinegar

1/3 cup Water

Garlic

1/3 lb Spaghetti

For 1-2 lb spaghetti, she multiplies this recipe by 3 or 6 times for the appropriate amount of sauce. Also, make it in the blender so the sauce is evenly distributed and blended.

To eat (when people usually see the spread, they dunno how to eat it): pile desired amount of noodles on your plate, top with desired amount of shredded cucumber, ham, egg, carrot and scallion and put desired amount of sauce on top. Give it a good stir and happy munching!

Tofu and Avocado Salad (unstirred)

What it looks like after it's been mixed around to distribute the soy paste and yummi stuff...

Avocado Tofu Salad

pack of tofu (preferably silken and firm)
1 avocado, cubed
2 stalks of scallion, sliced thinly
A drizzle of Soy Paste
A drizzle of Sesame oil

Optional: black "1000 year old" (more like 100-day old) egg (Pi-dan), cubed

Stir, season to taste, eat.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Wed, 21 Sep 2005 17:04:13 GMT

First, I would like to say, we TOTALLY bogarted this idea from the Korean Cooking blog. Which I personally love and read regularly... and ladies, what a fantastic idea.

However (obviously) here we are going to focus on Taiwanese food.

Now. I get a lot of questions from people asking me, "What is Taiwanese food?"

And I have to say... my typical response is... My grandma/mom/aunt's cooking. Because you don't really find Taiwanese restaurants here in the states. Although I have been fortunate enough to run across some.... the best description I can have for it is... it's like soul food. There's this warming calming feeling when you eat it. Very soothing when you don't feel well.

Of course it could be said that I react that way to any form of food I eat.

Hopefully! My cousins (and I have a lot) and I will be able to combine our efforts and put up some Taiwanese, Taiwanized, and any really good recipe we like for your testing enjoyment.

In the meantime, if you have any specific requests or questions, please do not hesitate to email us as TaiwaneseCooking@gmail.com.

And just to preclude what might happen - please note - any political statements made in the comments section will be deleted and the user will be blocked - there's a time a place for that but it's not on this page - thanks!

posted by Snot