A very Chinese treatment of Italian Sausage.
Originally here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/09/italian-sausage-and-asparagus-steamed.html
意大利香腸蒸水蛋
YITAAILEI HEUNG-CHEUNG TSING SOEI DAN
[Gestoomde klits-ei met Italiaansch gehakt.]
3 large eggs.
¾ cup of water, or slightly more.
¾ of an Italian sausage, de-skinned.
Six to eight stalks of asparagus, cut and blanched.
Drizzle sesame oil.
Drizzle olive oil.
Dash soy sauce.
Dash fish sauce.
Hefty squeeze of lime juice.
Plenty of minced scallion and cilantro.
One or two sliced Jalapeño chilies.
Mash the Italian sausage thoroughly with the eggs, then add in the water and whisk till smoothly blended with little bits of the meat evenly dispersed throughout.
Add the asparagus, re-whisk.
Pour it into a large greased pyrex pie dish and steam it for ten minutes.
While it is cooking, stir the sesame oil, olive oil, soy sauce, and fish sauce with the scallion, cilantro, and chilies, bruising the green stuff slightly to free the flavours.
One or two minutes before the end of cooking, distribute this over the top of the steaming dish.
The addition of water to the egg in equal or greater measure ensures a light and easily digestible 'custard', and steamed "water egg" (水蛋) dishes are among the easiest of Cantonese home-cooked dishes to make. Very satisfying!
Along with a clear soup, plain white rice, and some stirfried baby bokchoi, you have a simple meal.
Monday, December 31, 2012
SARSON MAACH - BENGALI MUSTARD FISH
Recipe originally published here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2012/12/one-pound-fish-very-very-nice.html
SARSON MAACH
Take one pound fish, cut into large chunks, and rub with turmeric and salt. Fry in a hot pan with two or three green cardamom (whole) tossed in, till the flesh has opaqued. Set aside.
Sauté one small onion (or two or three shallots), finely chopped, in the same pan, with a pinch of cumin added. When the onion is nicely golden and the cumin darkly fragrant, splash with water and cook down till the oil separates.
Add one cup of freshest possible yoghurt into which you have beaten one teaspoon black mustard seeds (sarson ka beej) which have been toasted and coarsely ground, one teaspoon cayenne (lal mirch), a pinch of turmeric (haldi), and two tablespoons of besan flour. The besan flour ('gram flour') is EXTREMELY important! If you do not add it to the yoghurt, the yoghurt will curdle in the pan.
[NOTE: this blogger will also whip a goodly pinch of corn or tapioca starch into the yoghurt, as that also helps prevent watery separation, and further allows greater use of oil.]
One or two chopped Roma tomatoes may be added, as well as split green chilies.
It is up to you, and your personal sense of yumminess.
Anyhow, once the yoghurt mixture has reached a boil, stir it, slide the fish chunks into the sauce, and turn the heat down to simmer.
Add a pinch of freshly ground white pepper and an even smaller pinch of cinnamon (in lieu of Sindhi Garam Masala, which you do not have), cook for a few minutes more, then garnish liberally with minced cilantro (coriander leaf), and serve with a heap of white rice alongside.
Ideally, you would use mustard oil (sarson ka tel) in cooking this dish, but it is quite possible that you do not have that, which is a pity. But do not worry, other cooking greases also can.
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2012/12/one-pound-fish-very-very-nice.html
SARSON MAACH
Take one pound fish, cut into large chunks, and rub with turmeric and salt. Fry in a hot pan with two or three green cardamom (whole) tossed in, till the flesh has opaqued. Set aside.
Sauté one small onion (or two or three shallots), finely chopped, in the same pan, with a pinch of cumin added. When the onion is nicely golden and the cumin darkly fragrant, splash with water and cook down till the oil separates.
Add one cup of freshest possible yoghurt into which you have beaten one teaspoon black mustard seeds (sarson ka beej) which have been toasted and coarsely ground, one teaspoon cayenne (lal mirch), a pinch of turmeric (haldi), and two tablespoons of besan flour. The besan flour ('gram flour') is EXTREMELY important! If you do not add it to the yoghurt, the yoghurt will curdle in the pan.
[NOTE: this blogger will also whip a goodly pinch of corn or tapioca starch into the yoghurt, as that also helps prevent watery separation, and further allows greater use of oil.]
One or two chopped Roma tomatoes may be added, as well as split green chilies.
It is up to you, and your personal sense of yumminess.
Anyhow, once the yoghurt mixture has reached a boil, stir it, slide the fish chunks into the sauce, and turn the heat down to simmer.
Add a pinch of freshly ground white pepper and an even smaller pinch of cinnamon (in lieu of Sindhi Garam Masala, which you do not have), cook for a few minutes more, then garnish liberally with minced cilantro (coriander leaf), and serve with a heap of white rice alongside.
Ideally, you would use mustard oil (sarson ka tel) in cooking this dish, but it is quite possible that you do not have that, which is a pity. But do not worry, other cooking greases also can.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
STEAMED OMELETTE WITH DRIED OYSTERS 蠔豉蒸水蛋
Ho-Si Jing Sui Daan.
Originally here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/08/eggs-and-oysters-better-than-tadich.html.
蠔豉蒸水蛋
STEAMED OMELETTE WITH DRIED OYSTERS
2 large eggs.
Half a cup of water, plus 2 TBS.
Eight dried oysters, soaked, cut in half.
About a quarter of a zucchini, thin sliced.
Half a rasher bacon, chopped and limp-cooked.
Pinch ground pepper.
Pinch sugar.
Drizzle sesame oil.
Minced scallion for garnish.
Whisk the egg and water till smoothly blended. Incorporate the bacon, zucchini and dried oysters, as well as the pinches of pepper and sugar. Pour it into a broad pyrex pie dish and steam it for ten minutes.
Garnish with the scallion and drizzle the sesame oil over.
Very good and comforting with hot rice and a bowl of clear soup with leaf-greens.
NOTE: for extra good, use grease from the bacon to oil the pie dish.
Originally here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/08/eggs-and-oysters-better-than-tadich.html.
蠔豉蒸水蛋
STEAMED OMELETTE WITH DRIED OYSTERS
2 large eggs.
Half a cup of water, plus 2 TBS.
Eight dried oysters, soaked, cut in half.
About a quarter of a zucchini, thin sliced.
Half a rasher bacon, chopped and limp-cooked.
Pinch ground pepper.
Pinch sugar.
Drizzle sesame oil.
Minced scallion for garnish.
Whisk the egg and water till smoothly blended. Incorporate the bacon, zucchini and dried oysters, as well as the pinches of pepper and sugar. Pour it into a broad pyrex pie dish and steam it for ten minutes.
Garnish with the scallion and drizzle the sesame oil over.
Very good and comforting with hot rice and a bowl of clear soup with leaf-greens.
NOTE: for extra good, use grease from the bacon to oil the pie dish.
Friday, December 7, 2012
YÜ SANG 魚生 LUCKY FISH SALAD
Communal tossed fish salad, as part of the Chinese New Year celebration. Usually done on the first or second day that everyone is back at work
First posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/chinese-new-year-playing-with-your-fish.html.
For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.
魚生 YÜ SANG
Lucky raw fish
.
Ingredients:
Sashimi grade salmon.
Carrot.
Daikon radish.
Cucumber.
Pomelo or sweet grapefruit.
Japanese red pickled ginger.
Red bell pepper.
Green bell pepper.
Garnishes:
Pok cheui crackers (recipe).
Roasted or fried peanuts.
Toasted sesame seeds.
Lime wedges.
Freshly ground white pepper.
Pinches five spice and cinnamon powders.
For the dressing:
Quarter cup plum sauce.
Quarter cup olive oil or other mild cooking oil.
Two TBS vinegar.
One TBS sesame oil.
A little hot water.
[Double the dressing recipe as appropriate]
Slice the salmon thinly, and shred the vegetables. Peel, segment, and de-sac the pomelo.
You need roughly equal amounts of the various salad ingredients - the quantity of carrot is variable, so also obviously the pickled ginger and the pomelo.
Place the salad ingredients on a platter with the fish in the centre for the simple version, or on separate plates around a large mixing bowl for the more involved version.
Put the pok cheui crackers, peanuts, and sesame seeds in separate bowls.
Whisk the dressing ingredients, adding a little hot water to make it pourable.
撈起 LO HEI!
Tossing the fish.
The simple form is to assemble everyone around the table. Squeeze a little lime onto the salad ingredients for a fresh taste.
Mix the various components together, add the ground pepper, and cinnamon.
Then have everybody use their chopsticks to help toss the salad and incorporate the dressing while uttering good wishes.
Add the pok cheui crackers, peanuts, and sesame seeds last.
The more involved version has the 'master of ceremonies' present each ingredient to view before adding it to the platter in a particular order, with the other diners chanting the appropriate propitious phrase at every addition.
[Phrases: Carrot: 鴻運當頭 (hong wan dong tau -'great luck will be yours'). Daikon:步步高升 (bou bou gou sing - 'steady increases'). Cucumber: 青春常駐 (cheng chun seung chu -'enjoy permanent youth'). Ground Pepper: 大吉大利 (taai kat taai lei - 'great luck and great profit'). Cinnamon Powder: 招財進寶 (chiew choi jeun bou - 'beckon wealth and invite precious things'). Oil: 多多油水 (doh doh yau soei - 'much more funds'). Peanut: 金銀满屋 (kam ngaan mun ok - 'gold and silver fill the house'). Sesame: 生意興隆 (sang yi hing lung - 'prosperous and thriving business'). Pok cheui crackers: 翩地黄金 (pin dei wong kam - 'expeditious arrival of money'). Fish slices: 年年有餘 (nien nien yau yü - 'surplus increasing year after year'). Plum Sauce: 甜甜蜜蜜 (tim tim mat mat - 'may everything be sweet and good'). Pomelo: 越碌越有 (yuet lok yuet yau - 'more work more wealth').]
Then everyone uses their chopsticks to toss the salad as high as possible.
Note: the name "yü sang" is based on auspicious punning with 餘陞 (yü sing: surplus (wealth) ascending).
First posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/chinese-new-year-playing-with-your-fish.html.
For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.
魚生 YÜ SANG
Lucky raw fish
.
Ingredients:
Sashimi grade salmon.
Carrot.
Daikon radish.
Cucumber.
Pomelo or sweet grapefruit.
Japanese red pickled ginger.
Red bell pepper.
Green bell pepper.
Garnishes:
Pok cheui crackers (recipe).
Roasted or fried peanuts.
Toasted sesame seeds.
Lime wedges.
Freshly ground white pepper.
Pinches five spice and cinnamon powders.
For the dressing:
Quarter cup plum sauce.
Quarter cup olive oil or other mild cooking oil.
Two TBS vinegar.
One TBS sesame oil.
A little hot water.
[Double the dressing recipe as appropriate]
Slice the salmon thinly, and shred the vegetables. Peel, segment, and de-sac the pomelo.
You need roughly equal amounts of the various salad ingredients - the quantity of carrot is variable, so also obviously the pickled ginger and the pomelo.
Place the salad ingredients on a platter with the fish in the centre for the simple version, or on separate plates around a large mixing bowl for the more involved version.
Put the pok cheui crackers, peanuts, and sesame seeds in separate bowls.
Whisk the dressing ingredients, adding a little hot water to make it pourable.
撈起 LO HEI!
Tossing the fish.
The simple form is to assemble everyone around the table. Squeeze a little lime onto the salad ingredients for a fresh taste.
Mix the various components together, add the ground pepper, and cinnamon.
Then have everybody use their chopsticks to help toss the salad and incorporate the dressing while uttering good wishes.
Add the pok cheui crackers, peanuts, and sesame seeds last.
The more involved version has the 'master of ceremonies' present each ingredient to view before adding it to the platter in a particular order, with the other diners chanting the appropriate propitious phrase at every addition.
[Phrases: Carrot: 鴻運當頭 (hong wan dong tau -'great luck will be yours'). Daikon:步步高升 (bou bou gou sing - 'steady increases'). Cucumber: 青春常駐 (cheng chun seung chu -'enjoy permanent youth'). Ground Pepper: 大吉大利 (taai kat taai lei - 'great luck and great profit'). Cinnamon Powder: 招財進寶 (chiew choi jeun bou - 'beckon wealth and invite precious things'). Oil: 多多油水 (doh doh yau soei - 'much more funds'). Peanut: 金銀满屋 (kam ngaan mun ok - 'gold and silver fill the house'). Sesame: 生意興隆 (sang yi hing lung - 'prosperous and thriving business'). Pok cheui crackers: 翩地黄金 (pin dei wong kam - 'expeditious arrival of money'). Fish slices: 年年有餘 (nien nien yau yü - 'surplus increasing year after year'). Plum Sauce: 甜甜蜜蜜 (tim tim mat mat - 'may everything be sweet and good'). Pomelo: 越碌越有 (yuet lok yuet yau - 'more work more wealth').]
Then everyone uses their chopsticks to toss the salad as high as possible.
Note: the name "yü sang" is based on auspicious punning with 餘陞 (yü sing: surplus (wealth) ascending).
POK CHEUI BENG GON 薄脆餅乾 POK CHUI CRACKERS
One of the essential ingredients in 'yü sang' - lucky raw fish salad.
First posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/chinese-new-year-playing-with-your-fish.html.
For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.
薄脆餅乾 POK CHEUI BENG GON
Brittle crispy biscuits.
Three cups all purpose flour.
[Or 1½ cups semolina flour and 1½ cups white whole wheat flour. ]
One cube red fermented beancurd (南乳 naam yu).
Half teaspoon salt.
Half teaspoon baking powder.
Half cup water, plus two tablespoons.
Put the flour in a large bowl, make a well in the flour, and add the red fermented beancurd, salt, baking powder and water. Mix in a circular motion to a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for two hours or so.
Then dust your working surface with cornstarch, and roll out the dough to a flat sheet. Fold over, roll out again. Repeat once or twice more, rolling out very thin the final time. Cut the dough crosswise into thumb-size rectangles. Deep fry till crisp. Drain on paper towels.
They will keep for a couple of weeks in a tight tin.
Reference:
Yü sang recipe/ingredients: here.
First posted here:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/chinese-new-year-playing-with-your-fish.html.
For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.
薄脆餅乾 POK CHEUI BENG GON
Brittle crispy biscuits.
Three cups all purpose flour.
[Or 1½ cups semolina flour and 1½ cups white whole wheat flour. ]
One cube red fermented beancurd (南乳 naam yu).
Half teaspoon salt.
Half teaspoon baking powder.
Half cup water, plus two tablespoons.
Put the flour in a large bowl, make a well in the flour, and add the red fermented beancurd, salt, baking powder and water. Mix in a circular motion to a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for two hours or so.
Then dust your working surface with cornstarch, and roll out the dough to a flat sheet. Fold over, roll out again. Repeat once or twice more, rolling out very thin the final time. Cut the dough crosswise into thumb-size rectangles. Deep fry till crisp. Drain on paper towels.
They will keep for a couple of weeks in a tight tin.
Reference:
Yü sang recipe/ingredients: here.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
FAT CHOI JAU SAU 發財就手 TROTTER WITH BLACK MOSS AND HAIR VEGETABLE
This recipe and two others were originally posted in February 2011.
See this post:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/ho-si-fat-choi-dried-oysters-with-black.html.
Notes on fat choi ('hair vegetable' - nostoc flagelliforme are included at the bottom of this post for your reference.
For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.
FAT CHOI JAU SAU 發財就手
Wealth right into the hand: pig's trotter with black moss and dried oyster.
One pig's trotter, rinsed scalded and scrubbed.
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
A small handful (about half a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
Six to ten baby bokchoy.
A few slices of ginger.
Quarter cup sherry or rice wine.
Quarter cup superior stock.
Two TBS oyster sauce.
One TBS soy sauce.
One Tsp. sugar.
Soak the black moss and dried oysters separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Place the trotter with some salt and a little oil in a wok, and tumble-fry it till it is well coloured and aromatic. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe pan, add a little oil, and gild the ginger. Add the oysters, stir-fry briefly, seethe with the sherry. Add the trotter, stock, sugar, and water to keep it fairly soupy. Decant to a clay pot or casserole and simmer for an hour and a half to two hours.
Add the black moss, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and cook for another fifteen or twenty minutes.
Rinse and blanch the baby bokchoy, use them to rim a serving plate. Scoop the stew into the centre of the plate. Garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
The knuckle should be soft enough that it can be taken apart with chopsticks.
If you really want to play on the symbolism, you could serve a stirfried dish with carrot disks alongside.
NOTES:
日本蠔豉 (yat bun ho si): The best kinds of dried oysters come from Japan (日本), are nicely plump, show no damage, and are even and regular in appearance. As usual, you get what you pay for - it's worth spending a bit more.
髮菜 (fat choi): Nostoc flagelliforme.
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_choy
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostoc
好事發財 (ho si fat choi): 好 ho: good; to love. 事 si: matter, affair. 發 fat: issue, send out, bring forth, occur, happen. 財 choi: money, wealth. 發財 fat choi: get rich.
BLACK MOSS
Nostoc flagelliforme, called hair vegetable in Chinese (髮菜 fat choi), is a cyanobacterium which grows low to the ground in arid regions. Because harvesting it is labour intensive, and the supply is naturally limited to begin with and getting more so due to high demand, it tends to be expensive. Prices vary between four and ten dollars per tael.
[TAEL: 兩 or 两 (leung): 37¾ grammes ~ 1.3 oz.]
The hair-like strands of black moss resemble steel wool in appearance and general dimensions, and are a dark green that verges on black when dry, dull greenish when wet. Lower grades are often adulterated with a dyed starch-strand imitation that appears jet-black and darkens the soaking water, and bargain black moss may in fact be mostly or entirely ersatz.
Black moss needs to be soaked for a few hours, and well-rinsed to get rid of sand, before use. If blanched in boiling water after rehydrating, the cooking time is shortened.
It is available in packets of one or two taels. Sealed against moisture it will keep for well over a year.
As a food it has no nutritional value whatsoever, is not really digestible, and is in fact mildly toxic, containing an amino acid which could adversely affect the normal function of nerve cells, possibly leading to dementia.
That does not appear to have significantly impacted anyone I know, and one would probably have to consume quite a bit for that ill-effect to be a problem for anyone other than the very rich and self-indulgent.
One minor benefit is that it helps the stomach cope with food impurities.
Black moss is used primarily for texture and appearance, and soaks up the flavours of sauces very nicely.
What makes it exceptionally desirable, especially for dishes served at New Year or at celebratory events, is that the name in Cantonese is homophonous with the term for getting rich.
Combined with dried oysters (蠔豉), the term for which sounds precisely like 'good affairs' (好事), you get the phrase 'ho si fat choi' - 好事發財 - expressing the wish that business should flourish.
See this post:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/ho-si-fat-choi-dried-oysters-with-black.html.
Notes on fat choi ('hair vegetable' - nostoc flagelliforme are included at the bottom of this post for your reference.
For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.
FAT CHOI JAU SAU 發財就手
Wealth right into the hand: pig's trotter with black moss and dried oyster.
One pig's trotter, rinsed scalded and scrubbed.
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
A small handful (about half a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
Six to ten baby bokchoy.
A few slices of ginger.
Quarter cup sherry or rice wine.
Quarter cup superior stock.
Two TBS oyster sauce.
One TBS soy sauce.
One Tsp. sugar.
Soak the black moss and dried oysters separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Place the trotter with some salt and a little oil in a wok, and tumble-fry it till it is well coloured and aromatic. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe pan, add a little oil, and gild the ginger. Add the oysters, stir-fry briefly, seethe with the sherry. Add the trotter, stock, sugar, and water to keep it fairly soupy. Decant to a clay pot or casserole and simmer for an hour and a half to two hours.
Add the black moss, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and cook for another fifteen or twenty minutes.
Rinse and blanch the baby bokchoy, use them to rim a serving plate. Scoop the stew into the centre of the plate. Garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
The knuckle should be soft enough that it can be taken apart with chopsticks.
If you really want to play on the symbolism, you could serve a stirfried dish with carrot disks alongside.
NOTES:
日本蠔豉 (yat bun ho si): The best kinds of dried oysters come from Japan (日本), are nicely plump, show no damage, and are even and regular in appearance. As usual, you get what you pay for - it's worth spending a bit more.
髮菜 (fat choi): Nostoc flagelliforme.
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_choy
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostoc
好事發財 (ho si fat choi): 好 ho: good; to love. 事 si: matter, affair. 發 fat: issue, send out, bring forth, occur, happen. 財 choi: money, wealth. 發財 fat choi: get rich.
BLACK MOSS
Nostoc flagelliforme, called hair vegetable in Chinese (髮菜 fat choi), is a cyanobacterium which grows low to the ground in arid regions. Because harvesting it is labour intensive, and the supply is naturally limited to begin with and getting more so due to high demand, it tends to be expensive. Prices vary between four and ten dollars per tael.
[TAEL: 兩 or 两 (leung): 37¾ grammes ~ 1.3 oz.]
The hair-like strands of black moss resemble steel wool in appearance and general dimensions, and are a dark green that verges on black when dry, dull greenish when wet. Lower grades are often adulterated with a dyed starch-strand imitation that appears jet-black and darkens the soaking water, and bargain black moss may in fact be mostly or entirely ersatz.
Black moss needs to be soaked for a few hours, and well-rinsed to get rid of sand, before use. If blanched in boiling water after rehydrating, the cooking time is shortened.
It is available in packets of one or two taels. Sealed against moisture it will keep for well over a year.
As a food it has no nutritional value whatsoever, is not really digestible, and is in fact mildly toxic, containing an amino acid which could adversely affect the normal function of nerve cells, possibly leading to dementia.
That does not appear to have significantly impacted anyone I know, and one would probably have to consume quite a bit for that ill-effect to be a problem for anyone other than the very rich and self-indulgent.
One minor benefit is that it helps the stomach cope with food impurities.
Black moss is used primarily for texture and appearance, and soaks up the flavours of sauces very nicely.
What makes it exceptionally desirable, especially for dishes served at New Year or at celebratory events, is that the name in Cantonese is homophonous with the term for getting rich.
Combined with dried oysters (蠔豉), the term for which sounds precisely like 'good affairs' (好事), you get the phrase 'ho si fat choi' - 好事發財 - expressing the wish that business should flourish.
HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財 DRIED OYSTERS WITH PORK AND HAIR VEGETABLE (RESTAURANT STYLE)
This recipe and two others were originally posted in February 2011.
See this post:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/ho-si-fat-choi-dried-oysters-with-black.html.
Notes on fat choi ('hair vegetable' - nostoc flagelliforme are included at the bottom of this post for your reference.
For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.
HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財
Restaurant style dried oysters with black moss.
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
8 black mushrooms (冬菇 dong gu).
A small handful (about half a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
Half cup superior stock.
Two TBS oyster sauce.
One Tsp. sugar.
One Tsp. sesame oil.
One Tsp. cornstarch mixed in a tablespoon water.
Soak the black moss, dried oysters, and shiitake separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.
Briefly stirfry the soaked oysters, add the mushrooms, chicken stock, oyster sauce, sugar, mushroom soaking water, and fatchoi. Simmer until the mushrooms are soft. Add in the cornstarch water and sesame oil, stir till slick, and plate it.
Garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
NOTES:
日本蠔豉 (yat bun ho si): The best kinds of dried oysters come from Japan (日本), are nicely plump, show no damage, and are even and regular in appearance. As usual, you get what you pay for - it's worth spending a bit more.
髮菜 (fat choi): Nostoc flagelliforme.
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_choy
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostoc
好事發財 (ho si fat choi): 好 ho: good; to love. 事 si: matter, affair. 發 fat: issue, send out, bring forth, occur, happen. 財 choi: money, wealth. 發財 fat choi: get rich.
BLACK MOSS
Nostoc flagelliforme, called hair vegetable in Chinese (髮菜 fat choi), is a cyanobacterium which grows low to the ground in arid regions. Because harvesting it is labour intensive, and the supply is naturally limited to begin with and getting more so due to high demand, it tends to be expensive. Prices vary between four and ten dollars per tael.
[TAEL: 兩 or 两 (leung): 37¾ grammes ~ 1.3 oz.]
The hair-like strands of black moss resemble steel wool in appearance and general dimensions, and are a dark green that verges on black when dry, dull greenish when wet. Lower grades are often adulterated with a dyed starch-strand imitation that appears jet-black and darkens the soaking water, and bargain black moss may in fact be mostly or entirely ersatz.
Black moss needs to be soaked for a few hours, and well-rinsed to get rid of sand, before use. If blanched in boiling water after rehydrating, the cooking time is shortened.
It is available in packets of one or two taels. Sealed against moisture it will keep for well over a year.
As a food it has no nutritional value whatsoever, is not really digestible, and is in fact mildly toxic, containing an amino acid which could adversely affect the normal function of nerve cells, possibly leading to dementia.
That does not appear to have significantly impacted anyone I know, and one would probably have to consume quite a bit for that ill-effect to be a problem for anyone other than the very rich and self-indulgent.
One minor benefit is that it helps the stomach cope with food impurities.
Black moss is used primarily for texture and appearance, and soaks up the flavours of sauces very nicely.
What makes it exceptionally desirable, especially for dishes served at New Year or at celebratory events, is that the name in Cantonese is homophonous with the term for getting rich.
Combined with dried oysters (蠔豉), the term for which sounds precisely like 'good affairs' (好事), you get the phrase 'ho si fat choi' - 好事發財 - expressing the wish that business should flourish.
See this post:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/ho-si-fat-choi-dried-oysters-with-black.html.
Notes on fat choi ('hair vegetable' - nostoc flagelliforme are included at the bottom of this post for your reference.
For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.
HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財
Restaurant style dried oysters with black moss.
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
8 black mushrooms (冬菇 dong gu).
A small handful (about half a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
Half cup superior stock.
Two TBS oyster sauce.
One Tsp. sugar.
One Tsp. sesame oil.
One Tsp. cornstarch mixed in a tablespoon water.
Soak the black moss, dried oysters, and shiitake separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.
Briefly stirfry the soaked oysters, add the mushrooms, chicken stock, oyster sauce, sugar, mushroom soaking water, and fatchoi. Simmer until the mushrooms are soft. Add in the cornstarch water and sesame oil, stir till slick, and plate it.
Garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
NOTES:
日本蠔豉 (yat bun ho si): The best kinds of dried oysters come from Japan (日本), are nicely plump, show no damage, and are even and regular in appearance. As usual, you get what you pay for - it's worth spending a bit more.
髮菜 (fat choi): Nostoc flagelliforme.
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_choy
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostoc
好事發財 (ho si fat choi): 好 ho: good; to love. 事 si: matter, affair. 發 fat: issue, send out, bring forth, occur, happen. 財 choi: money, wealth. 發財 fat choi: get rich.
BLACK MOSS
Nostoc flagelliforme, called hair vegetable in Chinese (髮菜 fat choi), is a cyanobacterium which grows low to the ground in arid regions. Because harvesting it is labour intensive, and the supply is naturally limited to begin with and getting more so due to high demand, it tends to be expensive. Prices vary between four and ten dollars per tael.
[TAEL: 兩 or 两 (leung): 37¾ grammes ~ 1.3 oz.]
The hair-like strands of black moss resemble steel wool in appearance and general dimensions, and are a dark green that verges on black when dry, dull greenish when wet. Lower grades are often adulterated with a dyed starch-strand imitation that appears jet-black and darkens the soaking water, and bargain black moss may in fact be mostly or entirely ersatz.
Black moss needs to be soaked for a few hours, and well-rinsed to get rid of sand, before use. If blanched in boiling water after rehydrating, the cooking time is shortened.
It is available in packets of one or two taels. Sealed against moisture it will keep for well over a year.
As a food it has no nutritional value whatsoever, is not really digestible, and is in fact mildly toxic, containing an amino acid which could adversely affect the normal function of nerve cells, possibly leading to dementia.
That does not appear to have significantly impacted anyone I know, and one would probably have to consume quite a bit for that ill-effect to be a problem for anyone other than the very rich and self-indulgent.
One minor benefit is that it helps the stomach cope with food impurities.
Black moss is used primarily for texture and appearance, and soaks up the flavours of sauces very nicely.
What makes it exceptionally desirable, especially for dishes served at New Year or at celebratory events, is that the name in Cantonese is homophonous with the term for getting rich.
Combined with dried oysters (蠔豉), the term for which sounds precisely like 'good affairs' (好事), you get the phrase 'ho si fat choi' - 好事發財 - expressing the wish that business should flourish.
HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財 DRIED OYSTERS WITH PORK AND HAIR VEGETABLE (FAMILY STYLE)
This recipe and two others were originally posted in February 2011.
See this post:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/ho-si-fat-choi-dried-oysters-with-black.html.
Notes on fat choi ('hair vegetable' - nostoc flagelliforme are included at the bottom of this post for your reference.
For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.
HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財
Family style dried oysters, pork, dried mushrooms, and black moss.
One pound streaky pork belly (五花腩 ng fa nam), left whole.
A small handful (about half a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
3 - 5 dried shiitake mushrooms (冬菇 dong gu).
2 or 3 cloves garlic.
A small thumblength ginger.
A little bit of ground pepper and a pinch of five spice powder.
Half cup soy sauce.
Half cup sherry or rice wine.
Half cup stock or water.
Soak the black moss, dried oysters, and shiitake separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.
Whack the garlic and ginger with the flat side of a cleaver, but do not smash them.
Heat a little oil in a wok. Gild the garlic and ginger briefly, remove from pan and set aside.
Fry the piece of pork on all sides until the colour has changed and it is fragrant - drain off any excess grease that melted out.
Add the mushrooms, as well as the garlic and ginger, quick-fry briefly. Then add the oysters, liquids, and spices. Simmer for forty five minutes or so. Add the black moss, and cook for about twenty minutes more. Add water if necessary to keep the dish moist.
Arrange on a platter, garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
The pork should be soft enough that it can be broken with chopsticks or cut with a spoon, but you may wish to slice it for better presentation. This is enough for four people, but keeps well if there are any leftovers.
NOTES:
日本蠔豉 (yat bun ho si): The best kinds of dried oysters come from Japan (日本), are nicely plump, show no damage, and are even and regular in appearance. As usual, you get what you pay for - it's worth spending a bit more.
髮菜 (fat choi): Nostoc flagelliforme.
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_choy
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostoc
好事發財 (ho si fat choi): 好 ho: good; to love. 事 si: matter, affair. 發 fat: issue, send out, bring forth, occur, happen. 財 choi: money, wealth. 發財 fat choi: get rich.
BLACK MOSS
Nostoc flagelliforme, called hair vegetable in Chinese (髮菜 fat choi), is a cyanobacterium which grows low to the ground in arid regions. Because harvesting it is labour intensive, and the supply is naturally limited to begin with and getting more so due to high demand, it tends to be expensive. Prices vary between four and ten dollars per tael.
[TAEL: 兩 or 两 (leung): 37¾ grammes ~ 1.3 oz.]
The hair-like strands of black moss resemble steel wool in appearance and general dimensions, and are a dark green that verges on black when dry, dull greenish when wet. Lower grades are often adulterated with a dyed starch-strand imitation that appears jet-black and darkens the soaking water, and bargain black moss may in fact be mostly or entirely ersatz.
Black moss needs to be soaked for a few hours, and well-rinsed to get rid of sand, before use. If blanched in boiling water after rehydrating, the cooking time is shortened.
It is available in packets of one or two taels. Sealed against moisture it will keep for well over a year.
As a food it has no nutritional value whatsoever, is not really digestible, and is in fact mildly toxic, containing an amino acid which could adversely affect the normal function of nerve cells, possibly leading to dementia.
That does not appear to have significantly impacted anyone I know, and one would probably have to consume quite a bit for that ill-effect to be a problem for anyone other than the very rich and self-indulgent.
One minor benefit is that it helps the stomach cope with food impurities.
Black moss is used primarily for texture and appearance, and soaks up the flavours of sauces very nicely.
What makes it exceptionally desirable, especially for dishes served at New Year or at celebratory events, is that the name in Cantonese is homophonous with the term for getting rich.
Combined with dried oysters (蠔豉), the term for which sounds precisely like 'good affairs' (好事), you get the phrase 'ho si fat choi' - 好事發財 - expressing the wish that business should flourish.
See this post:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2011/02/ho-si-fat-choi-dried-oysters-with-black.html.
Notes on fat choi ('hair vegetable' - nostoc flagelliforme are included at the bottom of this post for your reference.
For all my posts on Chinese New Year (春節) please see this string of posts:
The Whole New Year Thing
And note that this receipe will appear therein.
HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財
Family style dried oysters, pork, dried mushrooms, and black moss.
One pound streaky pork belly (五花腩 ng fa nam), left whole.
A small handful (about half a 兩) of black moss (髮菜 fat choi).
A dozen dried oysters (蠔豉 ho si).
3 - 5 dried shiitake mushrooms (冬菇 dong gu).
2 or 3 cloves garlic.
A small thumblength ginger.
A little bit of ground pepper and a pinch of five spice powder.
Half cup soy sauce.
Half cup sherry or rice wine.
Half cup stock or water.
Soak the black moss, dried oysters, and shiitake separately for an hour or so. Rinse the black moss and the oysters to remove sand or grit.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid.
Whack the garlic and ginger with the flat side of a cleaver, but do not smash them.
Heat a little oil in a wok. Gild the garlic and ginger briefly, remove from pan and set aside.
Fry the piece of pork on all sides until the colour has changed and it is fragrant - drain off any excess grease that melted out.
Add the mushrooms, as well as the garlic and ginger, quick-fry briefly. Then add the oysters, liquids, and spices. Simmer for forty five minutes or so. Add the black moss, and cook for about twenty minutes more. Add water if necessary to keep the dish moist.
Arrange on a platter, garnish with cilantro or spring onion.
The pork should be soft enough that it can be broken with chopsticks or cut with a spoon, but you may wish to slice it for better presentation. This is enough for four people, but keeps well if there are any leftovers.
NOTES:
日本蠔豉 (yat bun ho si): The best kinds of dried oysters come from Japan (日本), are nicely plump, show no damage, and are even and regular in appearance. As usual, you get what you pay for - it's worth spending a bit more.
髮菜 (fat choi): Nostoc flagelliforme.
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_choy
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostoc
好事發財 (ho si fat choi): 好 ho: good; to love. 事 si: matter, affair. 發 fat: issue, send out, bring forth, occur, happen. 財 choi: money, wealth. 發財 fat choi: get rich.
BLACK MOSS
Nostoc flagelliforme, called hair vegetable in Chinese (髮菜 fat choi), is a cyanobacterium which grows low to the ground in arid regions. Because harvesting it is labour intensive, and the supply is naturally limited to begin with and getting more so due to high demand, it tends to be expensive. Prices vary between four and ten dollars per tael.
[TAEL: 兩 or 两 (leung): 37¾ grammes ~ 1.3 oz.]
The hair-like strands of black moss resemble steel wool in appearance and general dimensions, and are a dark green that verges on black when dry, dull greenish when wet. Lower grades are often adulterated with a dyed starch-strand imitation that appears jet-black and darkens the soaking water, and bargain black moss may in fact be mostly or entirely ersatz.
Black moss needs to be soaked for a few hours, and well-rinsed to get rid of sand, before use. If blanched in boiling water after rehydrating, the cooking time is shortened.
It is available in packets of one or two taels. Sealed against moisture it will keep for well over a year.
As a food it has no nutritional value whatsoever, is not really digestible, and is in fact mildly toxic, containing an amino acid which could adversely affect the normal function of nerve cells, possibly leading to dementia.
That does not appear to have significantly impacted anyone I know, and one would probably have to consume quite a bit for that ill-effect to be a problem for anyone other than the very rich and self-indulgent.
One minor benefit is that it helps the stomach cope with food impurities.
Black moss is used primarily for texture and appearance, and soaks up the flavours of sauces very nicely.
What makes it exceptionally desirable, especially for dishes served at New Year or at celebratory events, is that the name in Cantonese is homophonous with the term for getting rich.
Combined with dried oysters (蠔豉), the term for which sounds precisely like 'good affairs' (好事), you get the phrase 'ho si fat choi' - 好事發財 - expressing the wish that business should flourish.
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