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Da Woiks: Links, Library, News and Other Stuff More Useful Than You Are => Le Laowai Liberation League Labor & Lifestyle Lending Library (ON-TOPIC) => Topic started by: cheekygal on April 26, 2007, 03:22:49 AM

Title: The Cook Book
Post by: cheekygal on April 26, 2007, 03:22:49 AM

Here. Share your recipes. The ones you invented/adjusted/adapted in China. Yummy things that you can make out of nothing.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: kcanuck on April 26, 2007, 03:48:44 AM

Singapore Noodles

cold, thin noodles, cooked al dente

mix 1/4c soy sauce, 1/4 rice vinegar (haven't found that up here yet, using regular)
2tbsp. brown sugar and a few dashes of hot sauce, stir, let sit

in wok fry in oil:
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1 tbsp. curry powder
thinly sliced onions and red or green pepper

fry for a minute or so, add noodles and fry for another 5 minutes (or so) the longer the crispier the noodle.
slowly add sauce mixture and keep frying until sauce is absorbed and noodles have a fried (not wet) appearance. I like to keep frying till noodles aren't mushy.

bon appetit

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on July 13, 2007, 01:31:58 AM

Nanchang Rice

Boil some sticky white rice. Put to the side to cool off.
deseed and finely chop chili peppers (I usually limit myself to four huge red ones).
Chop ginger, spring onions, scallions, spinach, leek. Stir fry these, season with chili sauce, salt and pepper.. Put to the side.
Take three eggs, make them into scrambled eggs.
Cut a chunk of tofu into thin slivers and marinade them in a mixture of chicken stock, salt and pepper, crushed garlic and scallions. Drain the liquid after 30 minutes, keeping about one cup of the marinade. Fry tofu. Mix with veggies, then mix with eggs, mix with rice, and then add the cup of stock. Serve. Spicy, delicious and healthy. 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on July 13, 2007, 06:09:10 AM

Toast some non-sweet bread. Butter and add vegemite.  Scramble some eggs, place on top of vegemited toast, add a layer of real cheese - blue, smoked etc over it.  Toast under the grill - and eat believing in heaven!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Vegemite on July 13, 2007, 03:32:37 PM

Quote from: Lotus Eater on July 13, 2007, 06:09:10 AM

Toast some non-sweet bread. Butter and add vegemite.  Scramble some eggs, place on top of vegemited toast, add a layer of real cheese - blue, smoked etc over it.  Toast under the grill - and eat believing in heaven!

What a waste of vegemite! The ideal recipe is just get a hunk of bread and smear it with vegemite and top it with a lettuce leaf. Get rid of all that other junk!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on July 13, 2007, 03:35:03 PM

I was trying for haute cuisine!  ahahahahah

I'd normally just do the bread, butter and vegemite.  No lettuce. Simple is best.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Vegemite on July 13, 2007, 03:40:00 PM

Quote from: Lotus Eater on July 13, 2007, 03:35:03 PM

I was trying for haute cuisine!  ahahahahah

I'd normally just do the bread, butter and vegemite.  No lettuce. Simple is best.

Well, the lettuce was my touch of haute cuisine ahahahahah

I would normally just do the bread and vegemite.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on July 13, 2007, 06:27:25 PM

This is an on-topic thread for recipes adapted to or developed in China.

Title: Cookbook TEMP
Post by: gonzo on July 24, 2007, 12:30:18 AM

You'll need one of them little toaster ovens. I could get all these ingredients easily in Shanghai. Some of you might have to improvise on the mozarella front, but chicken breasts are dirt cheap in markets.You can pretty much get a chicken Parma at every pub in Australia, but this home made version will be a lot better - trust me!
Ingredients (serves 6)

    * 6 chicken breast fillets
    * 1 eggplant
    * 2 tablespoons olive oil
    * 60g butter
    * 425g can chopped Roma tomatoes
    * 250g mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
    * 150g baby spinach leaves [or other greens], to serve

Method

   1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place chicken into a ceramic, ovenproof dish.
   2. Thinly slice eggplant lengthways. Heat oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook eggplant, in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until tender and golden. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.
   3. Place eggplant over chicken. Spoon over tomatoes. Top with mozzarella. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is golden and chicken is cooked through. Serve warm with baby spinach leaves.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on August 09, 2007, 03:58:16 AM

FRIED RICE/ CHAO MI FAN (CHOW ME FAN)

A LEFTOVER POTFUL OF COOKED RICE.

TWO CHINESE SIZED SCALLIONS (ABOUT FOUR AUSSIE-SIZED SPRING ONIONS)

ABOUT A CUP OF ANY COOKED MEAT YOU HAVE ON HAND AND/OR 2 EGGS (OR NOT, AS AS YOU PREFER).

A PINCH OF SALT AND A PINCH OF MSG

HEAT THE WOK AND TWO TBL.SPS OF OIL UNTIL A THIN BLUE SMOKE RISES. ADD WELL BEATEN EGGS LACED WITH SALT AND COOK AS IF COOKING AN OMLETTE. WHEN WELL DONE REMOVE FROM WOK AND ADD A BIT MORE OIL (ABOUT A TABLESPOON) AND THEN THE RICE. PUSH RICE DOWN AND REMOVE ANY LUMPS. MAKE SURE THE RICE IS THOROUGHLY TURNED UP, AROUND AND OVER. IT TAKES ABOUT TEN MINUTES ON AN ELECTRIC HOTPLATE. LESS ON A FLAMMING GAS JET. THE SECRET IS TO PUSH DOWN, FLIP OVER, TURN AND REPEAT.

ADD THE MEAT AND CONTINUE STIRRING, FROM THE BOTTOM, AROUND, UP AND OVER. TOSS IN THE MSG AND KEEP THE STIRRING MOTION. FINALLY ADD THE CHOPPED OMLETTE AND THE CHOPPED SCALLIONS. MIX AND SERVE.

GOES GREAT WITH A DISH OF TOMATOES AND EGGS. ( NEXT POST)

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on August 09, 2007, 04:07:22 AM

Shi hongse jidan / tomatoes and eggs.

two eggs

three tomatoes

one green capsicum

a pinch of salt

a pinch of MSG

a tablespoon of oil

Method:

Heat the pan and oil and add the diagonally sliced capsicum. Remove and add the beaten eggs and the salt. Remove and add the chopped tomatoes. When the tomatoes begin to soften combine with the capsicum and the eggs and add the MSG.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on September 04, 2007, 12:18:07 AM

Mummy's treats using left over Jioazi wrappings.

Bananas {or fruit in the fruitbowl}

Yogurt/ cream/ icecream

Chop bananas to size and wrap. Heat oil until a thin smoke arises and then fry until golden.  Serve with grated dark Doves chocolate bar on top of chosen creamy dressing.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on September 20, 2007, 05:10:26 PM

This is modified from another thread. The reason why I put it here is that this book has some great stuff in it on how to do things I normally buy, but can't here in China, or for things I don;t know the name of, it has pics, etc.

Cooking, a commonsense guide. (no author, but murdoch press)

It has the meat cuts, plus how to make everything from scratch. A guide for the compleat idiot, but when doing things like making basics such as flaky pastry, marmalades, pickled onions etc or pasta or gnocchi or stocks and such, which I never had to do back in Oz, I need an idiot's guide. Plus it pictures the herbs, vegies, etc so I can ask the wife, wassis in Chinese, and try to get it, for example brown onions or "american" or "French" beans (they call them american beans here, french in Oz, dunno why). All the tools and implements, too, like a bread knife. It;s been a big help. The paper is also food-resistance and wipeable as long as not too wet or oily, and spiral bound so it stays open flat.

I use the net for other things such as I am going to be making sausages soon, which I haven;t done before either. MMM real sausages. And I am going to try to replicate my mum's world famous profiteroles. O(K, not world famous, but better than anywhere else I have tried)

Anyway, it's a big help. Mum sent it when I started complaining about the lack of basics.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on September 29, 2007, 06:42:07 PM

Braise Pork Belly with Chilli, Ginger and Pineapple Rice

3 tblsps. cooking wine
2tblsps. veg.oil
2tsps chilli flakes
1/2tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground coriander1/4tsp. ground cinnamon
2tblsps. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2kg. pork belly (skin removed)
1tblsp. rice viegar
1tblsp. grated ginger
1 cup beef stock
1 cup Jasmine rice
2 long red chillis
100g pineapple finely diced
2 large handfuls  coriander leaves


Combine the wine, 1 tblsp. oil, spices, sugar and salt. Rub all the pork and marinate for half an hour.

Remove the pork from the marinade, reserving the marinade. In a large cast-iron casserole dish, heat the remaing oil over high heat and brown the pork.Reduce the heat to low and and add the reserve d marinade, rice vinegar, ginger and stock. Cover with a lid and simmer for two hours, stirring occassionally until the sauce becomes thick and syrupy and the pork tender.

Cool the rice. Remove pork from dish and cut into thick slices and pour the sauce over the sliced pork. Mix the chilli, pineapple and coriander leaves through the rice and serve.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on September 29, 2007, 08:01:28 PM

Where do you buy cooking wine?  In the Chinese grocery stores back home they have lots of it but I can't find it anywhere in China.  I ended up buying a cheap bottle of red wine but it isn't the clear (white) cooking wine I use back home. 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on September 30, 2007, 12:22:03 AM

You can buy cooking wine from the supermarkets. It's usually near the vinegar or the cooking sauces. Liao4 jiu3

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on September 30, 2007, 03:08:43 AM

Why not use the good stuff?  I always did in Oz, and it means you can sip and cook at the same time.  The food tastes better when you use the good stuff.

I spent 1700Y at Metro yesterday - mainly because they had good Oz wines at relatively cheap prices.  Stocked up.  And later on this week I will go out to a friend of mine who has a winery outside Xi'an and stock up with more good stuff.  He also imports Oz and French wines, so I can pick up a couple of those as well.

Get the decent stuff - do your taste buds good.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on September 30, 2007, 03:21:23 AM

My theory for western cooking - Never use a wine you wouldn't drink and enjoy in your cooking. It is true in one sense that you don't need wines THAT good for cooking, but cheap wines make for bad food, I think.

I have no idea if that extends to Chinese wine and Chinese cooking, but I fully intend to continue this for western cooking here. Which basically means most wine based recipes will have to wait until I find decent Chinese wine. I would love to cook some boeuf bourguignonne or however it is spelled. Burgundian beef, anyway. I think I could fake most of it with local ingredients, but worry about the red.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on September 30, 2007, 03:39:47 AM

Don't get tooooo precious about the wines you use in cooking. Adjust the flavour yourself. I often splash beer in to whatever I am concocting, or whatever wine I have handy. There is absolutely no need to stick to a written recipe as though it is the Golden Rule. Improvise!
The Girls took me to a XinJiang restaurant the other day, and we had the "famous" chicken dish. I made my own version of it the following night with the ingredients I had on hand.
Advantages? The chicken was sliced and diced and had no hidden, sneaky bones.
Disadvantages? I didn't have the same spices, but the stuff I used was acceptable.
I don't buy Foreign wines in China. I am always suspicious about how they have travelled, and how they have been stored since arrival. Being a cheap bastard, I will always prefer a 30-50 RMB bottle of local red over a 100 RMB bottle of imported Jacobs Creek!!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on September 30, 2007, 02:50:45 PM

In my opinion the only substitute for Chinese cooking wine in Asian styled cuisine is dry sherry. You could omit it altogether but you would miss an undertone of flavour. Red wine is for European/ Western style food.

But overall, use what's at hand. I don't keep a wine cellar and I'm not going to buy an expensive bottle of red just for cooking. The yellow Chinese wine sells for about 8RMB a bottle. Dry Sherry might be available at Metro but I haven't looked.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on September 30, 2007, 06:07:03 PM

No dry sherry at the Metro in Dalian.  I looked and asked and looked.  bibibibibi

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on September 30, 2007, 06:33:48 PM

I honestly think cheap wine spoils the taste of western food, whether in it or with it. Good wine improves it. If a person can't tell the difference, then, that's fine, but I think I can. I also don't usually use a cup for red wine recipes but use a full bottle and reduce it down, so maybe that makes a difference.

I also think full malt beers taste better in cooking than the thin potations usually on offer in China, and that long cooking is often needed to drive off the hops where it isn't appropriate, so beers not using very bitter hops are more preferable to bitter beers. Saaz hops make better beers anyway, IMHO.Here I usually use Peterlance, which is Chinese but tastes sort of like a European Ale, maltier and less bitter. Beer duck for example tastes a LOT better with Peterlance than with anything else I have tried so far. It seems to have about double the malt residue when reduced.

I haven't stuck to a recipe as written past the first time I cooked it since I was a teenager, and I don't even do that if I don't have all the 'right' ingredients, or already know how I prefer it.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on September 30, 2007, 08:11:09 PM

And there is nothing more convivial than having a couple of people sitting chatting to you in the kitchen while you cook - and cheap wine wouldn't work for that! Even tiny Chinese kitchens can accommodate at least one person to sip with while you stir.

As my old gran said - "If you're going to do it, do it properly".

Reducing the wine is a good idea.  When I ever get around to cooking again I'll do that.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: decurso on September 30, 2007, 09:08:35 PM

 I have been pretty successful at duplicating New England Clam Chowder here. Here's my recipie of sorts...

Ingredients
lots of clams...2 jin at least,more if you can afford it
bacon (if you can't find bacon in packages at your supermarket ask for xun rou, wu hua rou or la rou at your local butcher shop.It's all basically bacon)
potatoes
celery
a small white onion
at least 1 liter of milk

Step 1-boil the clams.while you're doing this you may as well chop up your veggies.When the clams are done strain the water into a seperate container and rinse the slain shellfish in cold water.Then you have the fun task of de-shelling the little buggers.

Step 2-chop up some bacon and fry it with the onions and (if you have it) a smidge of butter in your soup pot.

Step 3-Fill your pot with 60 per cent milk and 40 per cent "clam death water". even in Beijing you won't find clam nectar anywhere so this is as good as you're going to get.It works.

Step 4-add clams and veggies and cook on low until potatoes are soft.keeping it low is important because the clams will disintegrate on high heat.
 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on September 30, 2007, 10:27:26 PM

Decurso - How long do you cook in step one??

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on September 30, 2007, 10:42:16 PM

Not strictly Chinese.....my son's grandmother developed this in Malaysia.....good in any country....

SWEET N SOUR PORK

1-2lbs (up to 0.5-1.0kg) pork
2 medium onions
2 eggs
bread crumbs
1 teasp ginger, 1 teasp sugar, 1 teasp flour, 1 Tablesp vinegar
1 - 1 1/2cup (can be 12oz tin) ketchup/catsup/tomato sauce
oil for cooking

Heat oil in skillet.  
Cut onions into larger slices.  Fry till cooked clear.  Remove (onto paper towels) and save.  
Cut pork off bone.  Cut into cubes.  Dip in beaten eggs.  Toss in breadcrumbs.  Fry till golden, turning as needed.  Remove amd save with onion.
Drain oil from pan.

Blend ginger, sugar, flour. Add vinegar to make paste.  Stir in tomato.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Pour into frypan (same as you just cooked onion and pork in).  Low heat.  Add back in the onion and pork.  Mix well to coat evenly.

Serve over rice.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on September 30, 2007, 10:44:16 PM

Quote from: dragonsaver on September 30, 2007, 10:27:26 PM

Decurso - How long do you cook in step one??

Usually until they open by themselves....then the clams are "done".




Note:  NEVER use clams that are already open....they are "bad".

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: decurso on October 01, 2007, 03:51:53 AM

Quote from: dragonsaver on September 30, 2007, 10:27:26 PM

Decurso - How long do you cook in step one??

Until the shells open. Don't eat 'em if they don't open. Usually takes 15-20 minutes. You can also substitute tomato juice for the milk to make Manhattan style.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on October 01, 2007, 04:28:13 AM

Decurso: can I make fish stock to replce the kill'em clam water?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on October 04, 2007, 08:11:03 PM

Yes Please! bfbfbfbfbf

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: decurso on October 06, 2007, 06:54:03 PM

Quote from: Acjade on October 01, 2007, 04:28:13 AM

Decurso: can I make fish stock to replce the kill'em clam water?

 I suppose. Could be a bit strong.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on October 06, 2007, 08:45:46 PM

You're right. Way too fishy - especially made from Xi'an fish. Tasted like mud. bqbqbqbqbq. I'll try the frozen clams from the supermarket.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on October 06, 2007, 09:12:34 PM

Doufu with Carrot and Ginger Sauce

Firm doufu
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tblsp.soft brown sugar
1 tblsp.soy sauce
2 tblsps. fresh chopped coriander leaves
2 gloves crushed garlic
1 tsp. grated ginger
2=3 tblsps.oil
I bunch of bok choy, cut into quarters lengthways.

Carrot and Ginger Sauce

300g carrots, chopped
2 tsps. grated ginger
2/3 cup orange juice
1/2 cup veg. stock

Slice doufu in six slices, lengthways. Place in a single layer in a non-metallic dish. Mix the juice,sugar,soy sauce,coriander,garlic and ginger in a jug then pour over the dofu. Cover and marinate (overnight is best). Turn at least once.

Drain the doufu, reserving the marinade. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the doufu in batches over a high heat for 2-3mins. each side, or until golden. Remove and keep warm. Bring the marinade to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 min.  Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Heat a wok and add all the bok choy and 1 tblsp. water and cook , covered for 2-3 mins.

Add all the sauce ingredients to a saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, covered for 6-7mins. Transfer to a blender/processor and blend until smooth.

To serve drain the bok choy,top with some sauce,then the doufu and drizzle on some of the marinade.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on October 10, 2007, 02:06:35 PM

Leave out the Dofu, and that could be a nice dish!!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on October 10, 2007, 02:43:50 PM

Making a local marmalade. They have a really tasty but really sour local orange that is a bit like a mandarin only they are half green half orange. I thought I would try it out. I haven't made marmalade before, so this is assembled from several recipes in a cookbook.

Take one kilo of citrus.
Clean them in hot water, take out all the bad bits.
Slice finely, reserving seeds. (The seeds are put into a little bag and boiled with the marmalade, then removed before jarring. They have pectin in them or something.)
Soak in 2 litres of water overnight.
Put two plates in the freezer.
Boil the fruit for about an hour until tender. This depends on the size of the slices and thickness of the skin.
Throw in 2.25kg of sugar, depending on the sourness of the fruit, bitterness of the skin and personal taste, etc.
Bring up to just before boiling until all the sugar is dissolved. DON'T BOIL IT UNTIL SUGAR IS COMPLETELY DISSOLVED!!!
Once completely dissolved, boil rapidly without stirring for 20 minutes.
(It says here to use a sugar thermometer, 104 C . I am using guesswork.)
Test for setting by putting 1/4 of a teaspoon on the iced plate. Once setting point is reached, jar it up. Make sure jars are really clean, and don't put it in too hot or you will crack them, etc etc. Warm the jars, too.

I am sure you can all work it out.

Looking forward to local style marmalade, perhaps never before tried by man. Or other primate.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Pashley on October 10, 2007, 03:30:24 PM

Something I haven't tried yet (just moved, apartment is hopelessly disorganised), but sounds good.

On one of my mailing lists, one guy asked:

Anyone tried the cold brew?
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/dining/27coff.html?em&ex=1183435200&en=d66f5c307985f83c&ei=5087%0A

There were several replies, all favorable. Here's one:

Steeping 1 pound of freshly ground coffee with 9 cups of water for 12
hours make IMHO the absolute best coffee you can make. It's concentrate
that you refrigerate and because you aren't using heat against the beans
oils don't leech out of the beans and thus the bitterness is cut way
back. It's a wonderful yet odd surprise not to taste that "bite" after
you sip it. It even makes 8'oclock brand coffee taste good. Freezing
small cubes of it for iced coffee drinks will insure that your drinks
don't get watered down as it melts.

It's important to remember that using heat to make coffee is a European
concept and the indigenous folks in Central and South America have been
making it like this for thousands of years.

If there is ONE big benefit though, it's that people who suffer acid
reflux can drink coffee again! It's true, since the pH balance is lower
it's WAY easier on the stomach. I know this because I used to sufffer
horrific reflux and now I can drink coffee again and it doesn't bother me.

I still drink quad caps when I travel and counter with eating tropical
tums like candy.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: woza on October 11, 2007, 06:19:09 AM

Sorry no disrespect but the South Americans had freezers thousands of years ago.  I am pretty sure they did the coffee enema thing way ahead of their time.  It is documented on their wall paintings, well at least I think it was coffee.
I am not a big coffee drinker really but what you said makes sense. I do love the smell of coffee though 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on October 11, 2007, 10:39:35 AM

Quote

Sorry no disrespect but the South Americans had freezers thousands of years ago.

aoaoaoaoao
Of course!  bibibibibi They invented the igloo!!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on October 11, 2007, 04:03:18 PM

Follow up on the marmalade, although the juxtaposition with coffee enemas is a little unfortunate.

Tastes really great.


However, .............

It didn't gel enough - went to a thick syrup, rather than set.  I will try cooking it again, a little longer. Any suggestions? There were no seeds in it, and I am thinking it is possible that it might not set because of this..

Hmm.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on October 11, 2007, 06:42:16 PM

It's either a)the lack of pips, b)the jam didn't boil at a high enough temperature, or c)  not enough sugar.

Next time add some apple pips and citrus pips.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on October 11, 2007, 06:51:33 PM

Quote from: George on October 10, 2007, 02:06:35 PM

Leave out the Dofu, and that could be a nice dish!!

It's good with a decent bit of fish but dofu is a way better choice if you live in Xi'an. The fish here taste like they've been caught in the sewer.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on October 11, 2007, 07:03:18 PM

Any jam needs pectin to make it set. You could boil down an apple and use some of it to add to the marmalade. Apple is a high pectin fruit.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on October 11, 2007, 07:42:25 PM

Ok, I think it had enough sugar, but perhaps didn't boil at high enough temperature for long enough. I will try that first. I think maybe I simmered at too low a temp, rather than boil the crap out of it.

I understood that citrus was already high in pectin, but I will check. This fruit had no pips, to my dismay and surprise, since last time they had lots. We had no other pip type fruit around. Next time I will make some with pomello.

Thanks guys.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on October 11, 2007, 08:07:38 PM

You could use Lemon juice as a source of pectin, as well. Don't use any pips!!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: teleplayer on October 12, 2007, 07:56:36 AM

Quote from: Pashley on October 10, 2007, 03:30:24 PM

Something I haven't tried yet (just moved, apartment is hopelessly disorganised), but sounds good.

On one of my mailing lists, one guy asked:

Anyone tried the cold brew?
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/dining/27coff.html?em&ex=1183435200&en=d66f5c307985f83c&ei=5087%0A

There were several replies, all favorable. Here's one:

Steeping 1 pound of freshly ground coffee with 9 cups of water for 12
hours make IMHO the absolute best coffee you can make. It's concentrate
that you refrigerate and because you aren't using heat against the beans
oils don't leech out of the beans and thus the bitterness is cut way
back. It's a wonderful yet odd surprise not to taste that "bite" after
you sip it. It even makes 8'oclock brand coffee taste good. Freezing
small cubes of it for iced coffee drinks will insure that your drinks
don't get watered down as it melts.

It's important to remember that using heat to make coffee is a European
concept and the indigenous folks in Central and South America have been
making it like this for thousands of years.

If there is ONE big benefit though, it's that people who suffer acid
reflux can drink coffee again! It's true, since the pH balance is lower
it's WAY easier on the stomach. I know this because I used to sufffer
horrific reflux and now I can drink coffee again and it doesn't bother me.

I still drink quad caps when I travel and counter with eating tropical
tums like candy.

Have you tried this, Pashley? After your posting I did a search for other ideas. So many point right back to this article. The local Coffee shops offer cold brew. You have the pleasure of paying 2.25 for a 1.25 coffee brewed that way.
One source complained it too much coffee, but if you use one of those coffee measuring things that come with so many coffee makers, it works out about the same. I made it last night. Strong flavor and it did seem to be less acidic. So for those of you who like coffee but find it too acidic, you may want to try. I heated in double boiler this morning. Currently no nuking device. Would make for a good iced coffee especially if you make the coffee ice cubes so you don't dilute the blend.

Oh,  yes, if you want to heat it, dilute it. Most said dilute 1:1. I did 0/5 to 1 but 1:1 may be the better choice. Needless to say, I"m caffeeeeennnned right now.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on October 12, 2007, 09:48:09 AM

The skin of the citrus should provide enough pectin.  Pips are not it. Try adding some lemon - it is higher in pectin. If you want to use the seeds for pectin, soak them over night in boiling water then strain out the seeds and use the water. But you can also soak overnight the fruit itself and it should have a slightly 'set' look before you cook!

Be careful that you do not boil too long as boiling it too long makes it lose its flavour as the aromatic amines escape. Don't add the sugar until the fruit is tender. And don't despair - sometimes it will set more over time.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on October 12, 2007, 01:22:42 PM

Pectin levels fine, I think, yes. I also found the skin has heaps - or rather the pith. I soaked the fruit before it, but it didn't get a set look.

I will cook it again. I suspect that Jade is right about not cooking at a high enough temp. I simmered it, rather than boiled the crap out of it. My bad, being lazy and cautious about over cooking the sugar into toffee on the hot gas here.

I thank you all, and will tell you the upshot over the weekend when I get time to cook again.

Thursdays and Fridays suck for me.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on October 13, 2007, 01:04:41 AM

The Kitchen god has smiled on me. BAKING SODA is available in Xi'an!!! And has been apparantly ever since and before I arrived. Here come the kilos.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: woza on October 13, 2007, 05:36:25 AM

Mr N
Years ago a friend in Britain gave me the best homemade marmalade I have ever tasted and the recipe, she used seville oranges, Barbados sugar and Scottish whisky.
The pectin levels are crucial.
The other OPs are correct.  I always had trouble with the pectin level. I have never forgiven myself for that, I think i gave up too early.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on October 13, 2007, 02:12:14 PM

Onion Bhajis With Spicey Tomatoe Sauce.

Spicey Tomatoe Sauce
2=3 red chillies, chopped
1 red capsicum, diced
3=4 large tomatoes
2cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tblsps. soft brown sugar
11/2tblsps. cider vinegar

1cup plain flour
2tsps baking powder
1/2tsp.chilli powder
1/2 tsp, ground tumeric
1tsp. ground cumin
2eggs, beaten
1cup chopped fresh coriander
4onions very thinly sliced
oil, for deep frying

1.To make the sauce combine all the ingrdients with a 1/4 cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20mins. or until the mixture thickens.
2.Eo make the bhajis, sift the flowers and spices and 1tblsp. salt and make a well in the centre. Gradually add the combined sgg and 1/4 cup of water, wisking to make a smooth batter. Stir in the coriander and onions.
3.Heat the oil and cook the bhajis in batches until golden. ( About 11/2mins.)

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on October 28, 2007, 11:01:57 PM

I've been reading a book on Chinese medicines. Anyone game to try this one?

Allergic Asthma

Egg and Turnip. Around the winter solstice take a turnip ( red skin with white flesh ) and cut into two equal peices. Cut a small hole in each half in such a way that when the halves are put together, an egg may be placed in the hole with the rounded end facing upward. Then put a whole egg inside and bind the turnip together with string. Plant the turnip in a flower pot. Give attention to water,  sunlight and temperature to ensure its growth.

Eighty-onedays after the winter solstice, take the egg out carefully. Cut the turnip into slices and cook for a while and then add the egg and cook for a little longer. Divide into two doses to be taken in one day.

This recipe can be given to all types of allergic asthma.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on October 29, 2007, 12:55:06 AM

Doesn't sound too dissimilar to pidan - the 1000 year old eggs. 

Although with pidan you don't cook them - they turn into black/green jelly and you just eat raw.  Wonder if those eggs do the same?  The pidan are made by coating eggs in a mixture of equal parts of ash from charcoal, pine wood, and the fireplace, along with salt and strong black tea, then burying them in the ground (or a big pot filled with earth) for about 100 days.  Not to be confused with tea eggs or soy eggs which are boiled in tea or soy sauce and eaten for breakfast.

I love pidan, especially pidan doufu - pidan and doufu diced, with spring onions, garlic and a light vinegar/sesame oil dressing. You could probably change the dressing to suit yourself.  Different places have the doufu in a shaped 'loaf' with the pidan sliced across the top.

Pidan just topped with dressing by itself makes a nice salad as well.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on October 29, 2007, 07:04:15 PM

It was the eighty-one days after the solstice that struck me as more Harry Potter than medicine.

The egg apparently is streaked at the completion stage. That is the yolk is mixed with the white.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on January 03, 2008, 11:16:42 AM

I just kicked off the one year of much happy healthy (as my local Chinese grocer called my New Years resolutions) and bought 10 packs of silky tofu, little miss Lee promising that it was "very best tofu for everyhting. Taste really good". Came home and discovered that silky tofu aint that good for frying. Went online, checked, discovered that this tofu is usually steamed, bought bamboo steamer, and now need advice. I like tofu, I just don't know what kind to buy for sir frying. Any good ideas??

God...."I like tofu"...now there is a sentence I never thought I would write....

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 03, 2008, 12:53:46 PM

Silky dou fu goes well in soups and there's a silky dou fu dish that is steamed in sauce which I'll see if I can track down for you.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 03, 2008, 01:26:54 PM

5 cups ch. stock
4 lime leaves
4 peices fresh galangal
1 stem of lemon grass
4 tablespoons of lime juice
3-4 tblsps fish sauce
2 tsp red curry paste
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
1 hanful of cilantro 1 handful of mint
3 spring onions, finely sliced

Boil everything together except the cilantro and spring onions for about 10mins
Add cubed dou fu and top with cilantro and spring onions.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 03, 2008, 01:47:32 PM

Miso Dou fu Sticks with Cucumber and Wakame Salad

3 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds
20g dried wakame
55g silken dou fu, well drained
60ml shiro misu
1 tblsp sugar
1 tblsp mirin
1 tblsp rice vinegar
1 egg yolk
100 g beansprouts, blancjed
2 tblsp toasted sesame seeds

Dressing
60mls rice vinegar
1/4 tsp soy sauce
11/2 tblsps sugar
1 tblsp mirin

Sprinkle the cucmber generously with salt and leave for 20mins, or until very soft, then rinse and drain. Rehydrate the wakame and drain the dou fu.

Place the shiro miso, mirin, , sugar, rice vinegar and 2 tblsp wtaer in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, then add the egg yolk and whisk untill glossy. Cool slightly.

Cut the dou fu into sticks and place on a non-stick baking tray. Brush the miso  mixture over the dou fu and cook under a hot grill for 6mins on each side or until golden.

To make the dressing, place all the ingrdients and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl and whisk together.

To assemble place the cucumber in the centre of a plate, top with sprouts and wakame, drizzle with the dressing, top with dou fu and serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: contemporarydog on January 05, 2008, 03:51:06 PM

Quote from: Acjade on January 03, 2008, 01:26:54 PM

5 cups ch. stock
4 lime leaves
4 peices fresh galangal
1 stem of lemon grass
4 tablespoons of lime juice
3-4 tblsps fish sauce
2 tsp red curry paste
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
1 hanful of cilantro 1 handful of mint
3 spring onions, finely sliced

Boil everything together except the cilantro and spring onions for about 10mins
Add cubed dou fu and top with cilantro and spring onions.

Where do you find lime juice, lemon grass etc in China, commonly?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 05, 2008, 04:00:02 PM

Cilantro is more commonly known as Chinese parsley (looks like Italian parlsey but with bigger leaves) or coriander and found pretty easily in the fresh food markets.

Lime juice you can make yourself from limes also found in the markets. Metro sometimes ahs the bottled stuff.

Lemon grass is more difficult, but if you live near a Thai restaurant you will be able to find some - or get a root and grow your own.  Useful substitute is lemon zest. Back to the markets for lemons to peel!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 06, 2008, 06:54:59 PM

Metro stocks fresh herbs, including mint and lemon grass. Limes are easy to find in the fresh food markets.

But I think Eric is in Denmark...

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 07, 2008, 02:04:46 AM

CD isn't in Denmark and he asked about places to find it in China.

Metro can be handy, if pretty expensive for imported stuff.  33 stores with an extra 40 on the drawing board!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: old34 on January 07, 2008, 02:26:13 AM

Quote from: Acjade on January 06, 2008, 06:54:59 PM

Metro stocks fresh herbs, including mint and lemon grass.

Right.

They can be hard to find, though. In my local Metro, they're in the fresh fruit and veggie area. In one corner of that area, there is a small section with packaged organically-grown veggies (separate from the large bins with the common fruits and veggies. In that small "Green Food" section, they should have a hanging display case with small breathable-celophane packages of a large variety of fresh herbs. I have seen lemon grass, mint, basil, thai basil, oregano, dun dun. But I'm near Shanghai (the packaging indicates that they are imported through Shanghai). If you're further inland, YMMV.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on January 07, 2008, 02:25:16 PM

I have never seen limes either.  Raoul (if my memory still works) did find some once in Suzhou.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 08, 2008, 01:48:52 AM

If you haven't thrown the Dou fu away yet Eric I was just given a recipe for hot red curry dou fu, Indian style plus the recipe for Jia cai dou fu which is pretty popular here in Xi'an.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on January 08, 2008, 05:47:17 AM

Nope, it's still in my fridge. PLease post recipes, I need to do something with it agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 08, 2008, 09:19:39 PM

I'll definately give it a go, Missi. I love pumpkin so much I buy them just to sit around and decorate the kitchen and to have on hand when I need another pot of soup.

Eric, I've already posted two silky dou fu friendly recipes. The red curry recipe is on the way.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 09, 2008, 12:01:20 AM

Hey Eric: Here's the red-curry recipe:

4tblsps veg oil
1tblsp cummin seeds
1 tblsp mustard seeds
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground tum. powder
1/2tsp salt
1kg cauliflower or brocc, or cabbage
90g Greek-style yogurt
juice of half a lemon
7 large handfuls of cilantro (CORIANDER)

Heat the oil in a large wok. Add the cummin and mustard seeds. Cook tossing for 1 min. or until the seeds start to pop. Stir in the chilli, tumeric and salt.

Add the vegetable/s and toss to stir in the spice mix. Cover and reduce heat to med...to...low. Cook until vegs are done to your liking.

Heat the cubed silken dou fu in a serving bowl in the microwave or steam until hot.

Add lemon juice and cilantro (CORIANDER) to the sauce and turn over the dou fu.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 09, 2008, 04:28:01 PM

Quote from: Missi on January 09, 2008, 01:31:03 PM

AJ soup? I've never heard of pumpkin soup.  Pass on that recipe!  Please?

There are one million pumpkin soup recipes.  Based on cooking pumpkin first - butternuts if you want a sweeter soup, Q'ld blues if you want a stronger flavour. 

Peel and cut pumpkin, boil in as little water as possible until tender, mash (or blend in the blender with the pumpkin water) pumpkin, return to pumpkin water, add milk or yoghurt or cream depending on what strength, flavour or weight loss you want.  Add any type of seasoning you like - curry, honey mustard, ginger, spices etc etc etc.  Mix and heat slowly.  When finished heating, gently stir in a swirl of cream or yoghurt as a decoration.

Curl up under blanket or beside fire and enjoy.

My daughters used to have their favourite soups - one was bacon bone, another was pumpkin, the third potato.  So we made these frequently and every time they came home from uni or living away a tureen of soup was waiting for them - summer of winter.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: kcanuck on January 09, 2008, 05:19:02 PM

I used to make a butternut squash soup that included canned pears...simmer with liquid and spices till soft, then puree. it was yummy

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 09, 2008, 05:37:02 PM

I'm going out for lunch, but I will make spicy tomato soup for dinner and watch some more X-files.  I have a pile of baby tomatoes that I need to do something with.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 09, 2008, 05:46:18 PM

Pumpkin Soup.

I pumpkin skinned and cut into chunks.
1 cooking onion
1 red capsicum
3-4 cloves of garlic
a knuckle of fresh ginger
1 tblsp chicken stock powder
salt and black ground pepper
2 tblsps of cooking oil.
water

Heat the oil in a saucepan and sautee the garlic, ginger and finely chopped onion and capsicum. Add the pumpkin and enough water to just cover everything. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and cook until the pumpkin is mushy.

Transfer to the blender and puree.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on January 09, 2008, 08:47:04 PM

I have a cookbook back in Canada with just recipes for squash and pumpkins.  There are several recipes for soup in it.  Most are using western spices and are mild tasting.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 09, 2008, 09:14:30 PM

I always toss loads of garlic and onion into soups whenever I make them as well.  But my favourite is the bacon bone soup.

Buy as many bacon rib bones as you can convince the butcher to let you have, plus a bacon hock. Lightly fry some chopped onion and garlic in a LARGE saucepan, add skinned hock and bones, cover with water or broth, add a couple of handfuls of died beans and pulses, plus whatever herbs you like most.  Bring to boil then simmer for 5-6 hours, drifting in to test the soup by nibbling on a bone every once in a while.  Top up broth if required. As the hock cooks, tease the meat from the bone.  Skim fat from surface occasionally.  About 20-30 minutes before you are ready to serve, add some chopped vegetables - carrots, potato etc. can be as thick as you like.

Serve soup and then nibble on the rib bones for afters.  Fantastic in winter.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 09, 2008, 09:25:10 PM

Pea and Ham Soup

1 packet of split peas
1kg bacon bones
1 large brown onion
1 carrot
water
1 tsp of ground black pepper

Put the bacon bones in a large boiler and cook until tender. Allow to cool overnight.

Remove the solidified fat from the bacon broth.
Dice the onion and peel the carrot and place in the boiler with the washed split peas. Bring to the boil and simmer until the peas have liquefied. Take out the carrot and mash it and then return to the pot. Add the black pepper and stir and serve..

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Shroomy on January 11, 2008, 04:21:21 AM

Nana's Recipe For Peppernuts   Makes a lot!  Good luck!
 
1 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. molasses
1 c. applesauce
2 c. ground raisins
4 1/2 c. flour - plus about 1 1/2 c. more
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
Cream shortening, sugar & eggs, add honey, molasses & applesauce.
Raisins will be quite sticky, so I always mix them well into part of the flour before adding them. (Have to use hands for this.)
Add rest of ingredients and blend well.  The amount of flour varies, use only enough to handle dough, not too stiff.
Chill overnight.  Roll in snake like rolls, using flour, about 1 inch in diameter.  Cut into bite size pieces & bake.
350 degrees about 15 minutes
Need to watch.  They get too brown on the bottom easily.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on January 11, 2008, 04:55:06 AM

Don't think we can get shortening in China.  If we can, what is it called?  Where can we find it?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Shroomy on January 11, 2008, 05:29:48 AM

Don't know, haven't looked.  ETR asked for the recipe.  Though I am sure I have seen Crisco at the local foreigner's import store.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 11, 2008, 11:53:52 AM

I'd use butter.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 11, 2008, 12:54:27 PM

Butter's too expensive for cooking. Best saved to eat with Vegemite.

There's a Chinese made margarine available now. And the only thing it's good for is cooking. I bought mine at Ren ren le.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on January 11, 2008, 01:12:46 PM

Butter is real.  Margarine is only one step removed from plastic.  Even bugs won't/can't eat margarine.  I would use butter or rendered fat.  Crisco is probably just as bad but my mind will accept using it but not the margarine.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Shroomy on January 11, 2008, 02:36:37 PM

Butter and shortening don't necessarily substitute for each other in cookie baking.  The texture will be different.  Butter makes a crisp cookie usually, and shortening more moist and chewy.  You want this cookie to be chewy.  For what it's worth, given your options.  It was my father's favorite cookie.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 11, 2008, 04:04:19 PM

You can also use cooking oil as a substitute for shortening - need to experiment with different oils as each will give a different texture.  If you use 2/3 cup oil instead of 1 cup shortening.  Otherwise 1 cup shortening should be replaced by 3/4 cup butter. 

When I am bothered to cook I use good ingredients - cheaper ones (wine, marg etc) make the taste 'cheaper' as well. If I am going to that much effort (buying, cooking, cleaning) it is irritating to know that it could have tasted better.  Plus with the wine then my guest who is usually chatting to me in the kitchen and I can sip and cook.  Friendly.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on January 12, 2008, 04:47:45 AM

I bet you would, baby. afafafafaf

Uh, I'll leave this one cryptic. uuuuuuuuuu

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 12, 2008, 06:06:04 AM

GOOD idea!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: cheekygal on January 12, 2008, 06:20:34 AM

Here's my recent favorite: tofu cabbage

1 cabbage
1 piece of tofu (the brown one that comes in these pieces)

cut it all up, heat up oil, throw cabbage in, then tofu, stir fry till cooked. Of course add some salt. YUMMY. With plain rice.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Nolefan on January 12, 2008, 09:53:51 AM

Quote from: cheekygal on January 12, 2008, 06:20:34 AM

Here's my recent favorite: tofu cabbage

1 cabbage
1 piece of tofu (the brown one that comes in these pieces)

cut it all up, heat up oil, throw cabbage in, then tofu, stir fry till cooked. Of course add some salt. YUMMY. With plain rice.

i'm positively shocked..... in all the years i've known you, this is the closest you've ever been to eating chinese food while living in China.  bibibibibi bibibibibi afafafafaf agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 12, 2008, 06:44:16 PM

Poor Cheeks has had a lot of stress recently.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 12, 2008, 07:13:03 PM

Anyone got anything new to do with chicken fillets?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 12, 2008, 07:32:09 PM

Curry, crumb, BBQ, hamburger, stuff, gong bao ji ding, hotpot, tang cu, jiaozi, baozi - you name it - it can be done!

Or give them to the local cats. ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 13, 2008, 07:41:18 PM

Quote from: Lotus Eater on January 12, 2008, 07:32:09 PM

Curry, crumb, BBQ, hamburger, stuff, gong bao ji ding, hotpot, tang cu, jiaozi, baozi - you name it - it can be done!

Or give them to the local cats. ahahahahah

Crumb? Maybe. Never use fillets for a curry. Too dry. Thighs and drumstcks are tender and have more flavour. I don't have a BBQ and I sometimes mince the fillets to make chicken rissoles or a chicken lasagne. Hotpot is for the restaurants. A Chinese friend keeps me supplied with jiaozi.

But what I was after was something NEW. bibibibibi

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on January 14, 2008, 12:16:35 AM

Quote from: Acjade on January 13, 2008, 07:41:18 PM

Never use fillets for a curry.
But what I was after was something NEW. bibibibibi

For curry, you could try slicing the fillets into strips...and then add a few shrimp just before serving.


Can you get tinned Cream-Of-Something soups?  If so, then put the fillets in to a baking dish.  Add salt, pepper and other preferred seasonings to your taste and liking.  Carefully spoon the "Cream-Of" (mushroom is best, but celery or onion or tomato will work, too) over them.  Bake at about 400* for 50 mins.  Serve with rice/noodles (pasta) and vegs.  Yummm!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 14, 2008, 04:45:10 AM

Tinned cream of soups? Oh those were the days.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on January 14, 2008, 07:21:45 AM

PM me your address ;).....miracles can still happen!   










AND I have two extra sets of food colourings....Hint, Hint, 'Shroomy afafafafaf

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 14, 2008, 07:29:03 AM

Make your own, store in freezer.  Yoghurt, cream or milk plus broth of your choice (I like vegetable best when I'm storing for future unknown use), plus whatever seasonings you like the most - always garlic, onions and herbs for me - can add spices later if required.  Add blended mushrooms, corn, whatever, reduce and save.   

It's made to your taste and you know what is in it. No dodgy preservatives.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on January 14, 2008, 06:56:40 PM

Nice idea, LE, but my freezer isn't big enough for this.....it's already (over)full of other foods.  The tinned stuff takes less space.  And much less effort, too!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Shroomy on January 14, 2008, 09:56:43 PM

I think LE was talking to AJ, Bunny.  As for the food color, unless the mail is going out tomorrow, I'm worried it will be waylaid by the Spring Holiday and lost when I move in the middle of the holiday.  Do you want this week's address, or March's address?  You don't have to hit me over the head twice.  jjjjjjjjjj

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on January 14, 2008, 11:52:23 PM

Quote from: 'Shroomy on January 14, 2008, 09:56:43 PM

I think LE was talking to AJ, Bunny. 

I knew that.  But I suspect that others may have the same problem.

Quote from: 'Shroomy on January 14, 2008, 09:56:43 PM

As for the food color, unless the mail is going out tomorrow, I'm worried it will be waylaid by the Spring Holiday and lost when I move in the middle of the holiday.  Do you want this week's address, or March's address? 

Which would be easiest for you.  I can send it tomorrow (Tuesday) by Airmail, or wait until Feb/March, so that you won't have to be put to the bother of (re)packing it.  Either way works for me. bfbfbfbfbf

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 15, 2008, 02:04:52 AM

Chinese freezers can be small.  I have to push aside TimTams and coffee beans to get anything into mine. (Of course when I really desperately want to freeze something I force myself to eat a packet of TimTams).

But I guess it all depends on how much you want to eat something what you save/cook etc.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: cheekygal on January 15, 2008, 05:21:45 PM

Noles, I developped liking for one type of tofu. No stress. I just don't feel like eating meat nowadays.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: old34 on January 15, 2008, 07:00:26 PM

Quote from: Lotus Eater on January 15, 2008, 02:04:52 AM

Chinese freezers can be small.  I have to push aside TimTams and coffee beans to get anything into mine.

I have to say that as an American, I had no idea what Tim Tams were until a colleague from Oz turned me on to them a couple of years ago. She gave me a box as a Christmas gift and taught me the proper way to sip coffee through a Tim Tam. Now I am hooked and always stock up on them when I'm at a City Shops in Shanghai.

Double Fudge Tim Tams: Best. Cookie. Ever.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 16, 2008, 01:11:48 AM

Chill Choc Fling.   Ummm.....

And the alcohol filled ones - Kahlua is my favourite.

It's a cook book - so TimTam recipes for you:

TIM TAM HEAVEN
Crush 3 Tim Tams up into a dessert bowl, pour 1 shot glass of Port or Muskat over them, top with sweetened cream and chocolate sprinkles.

TIM TAMS WITH BERRIES & ICECREAM
Tim Tams served with strawberry and vanilla icecream sprinkled with some fresh berries.

TIM TAM CHEESECAKE
Make your favourite cheese cake however use crushed Tim Tam biscuits and butter to make the crust.

TIM TAM SLAM
Also known as the TIM TAM Suck or TIM TAM Bomb. Grab a Tim Tam and a warm drink (coffee, milo or tea). Nibble both ends off the biscuit and use it as a straw for your drink. When its saturated, quickly SLAM it in your mouth before it falls apart.

TIM TAM CHOCOLATE SUNDAE
Get 4 Tim Tam Chocolate Biscuits (roughly chopped), add extra creamy Ice Cream, then 2 tablespoons Hot Fudge Chocolate and sprinkle on some Toppings to taste.

TIM TAM CHEWY CARAMEL EXPLOSION
Get 1 pack Chewy Caramel Tim Tams roughly chopped, 8 generous scoops Vanilla Ice-cream & 8 tbs Caramel Topping with Chocolate sprinkles to garnish.

TIM TAM THICKSHAKE
Mix a packet of Tim Tams, 8 scoops of vanilla icecream & 400ml milk in a blender.

TIM TAM CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
Get 2 packets Instant Chocolate Mousse (Mocha flavour works well), 1 packet Arnott's Tim Tam biscuits and 2 tbs Baileys. Method: Make up Chocolate Mousse according to packet details. Place the Tim Tams into a food processor and process into fine crumbs. Stir into mousse mix, and add Baileys. Stir gently. Allow to chill (as per mousse packet details).

TIM TAM MARTINI
Make the Tim Tam Thickshake (above) but add nip of Baileys (Irish Cream Liquor), Frangelico (Hazelnut Liquor), Kahlua (Coffee Liquor) or Creme de Menth (Mint Liquor) to it.

But the best chocolate biscuits in the world really don't need this.  Straight is FINE!
 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: old34 on January 16, 2008, 04:16:42 AM

You can do the same things with Oreos - cookie crunch ice cream, Oreo pie crusts, etc. I can only imagine how much better they'd be with Tim Tams.

Haagen Dazs uses Oreos in their Cookie Dough ice cream. (Interseting story Haagen Dazs - a New Jersey company but the guy wanted it to sound vaguely European so he created the name.)

Oh, and there's a Suzhou connection to this thread, too. Nabisco (Oreos) has a plant in the Suzhou Industrial Park, from whence, I believe, Oreos in China are made.

Someone ought to talk to Arnotts about setting up Tim Tams factory in China and Hogan D'Oz franchises all around making Tim Tam and Ice Cream drinks and treats. (I claim first rights on the trade name Hogan D'Oz!)

Go the Tim Tams!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 19, 2008, 06:39:55 PM

Here's a recipe from China Grooves. I made it yesterday and it was pretty damned good.

Water Spinach Soup kong1 xin1 cai4 tang1

8 ounce of fish fillets
1/2 tsp salt
ground black pepper to taste
1tsp cornflour
1/2 bunch of fresh water spinach
1 peice of fresh ginger
1 large spring onion
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup of water
1tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the fish dillets into chunks. Combine the slat, pepper and cornflour with the fish and let stand while preparing the other ingredients.

Wash the water spinach and cut off the roots and roughly chop into 1 inch pieces.

Finely chop the ginger and the spring onion.

In a large saucepan bring the chiken stock and water to the boil. Stir in the sugar and the ginger. Let simmer for a minute and the stir in the fish.

Bring back to a boil, then add the water spinach and the spring onion. Boil for 2-3 mins.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 29, 2008, 12:34:17 AM

This is a great soup recipe which was given to me by that queen of the kitchen, AMonk. I made it for lunch today and it went down very easily indeed.

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

Butter for frying
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 kg(1/2 lb) mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped
2x15ml(2 tablespoons) flour
1.1/4l(2 pints) chicken stock
salt and (fresh ground) black pepper
pinch of grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf

Melt butter in saucepan.  Add Onion and Mushrooms.  Cook gently for 5 minutes.  Stir in Flour and continue cooking for a further 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Gradually add the Chicken Stock and bring to the boil, stirring.  Add the Seasonings.  Lower the heat, half cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Before serving, remove the bay leaf and adjust the seasoning.

Stir in 150-300ml(1/4-1/2 pint) fresh single cream to taste and top each bowl with good sprinkling of chopped parsley.


I modified the last bit and instead of chopped parsley and fresh cream which cost the equivalent of gold flakes here I made bacon croutons and cooked a little extra milk with corn flour to thicken it up. 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 29, 2008, 02:12:11 AM

I'm on a cooking spree here. Cheesecakes. Not baked.( Have no oven) Pure cream cheese cake. Any ideas?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 29, 2008, 02:31:29 AM

Metro has Philly cheese. Also has cooking chocolate so you can make a chocolate cheese cake. Also has condensed milk for you to turn into caramel and swirl through it. Plenty of tinned fruits like blueberries etc.

For fillings - head for the fresh food market - nice fruits there now.  Or to Hui Min Jie for dried fruits.

Other stuff - all of the supermarkets have bottled fruit that isn't too bad - lychee, pineapple etc.

have fun.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 29, 2008, 04:15:25 AM

This would be nice.... if you gave us the recipe.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Shroomy on January 29, 2008, 04:20:55 AM

AJ, I didn't bring recipes with me, but I'd bet if you used Google or went to Kraft's site they would have non-bake recipes for you.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on January 29, 2008, 05:06:31 AM

Sorry - thought you wanted ideas not how to. Figured you'd done this before in Oz.

You'll need a pre-cooked base. Or experiment with this:  Melted butter and crumbed sweet biscuits (without cream fillings!) mixed together - to cook, maybe under your toaster/griller or you could try in your rice cooker with a small amount of water in the base.

Filling - mix cream cheese, whatever filling you choose and condensed milk/yoghurt/plain milk depending on the level of flavour you want, to a runny but still thick consistency.  So if you use tinned fruit then the juice would be part of the liquid.

Pour into the base and let set.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on January 29, 2008, 12:38:34 PM

GIRDLE SCONES

These should be cooked on a girdle, but can be cooked on any heavy-based pan or electric skillet.

Sift together --
225g(2cups) Flour
pinch Salt
1x15ml(1 tablespoon) Baking Powder

Stir in --
1x5ml (teaspoon) Sugar

Rub in --
50g(1/4 cup) Butter.....margarine OK substitute

Make a well in the centre and gradually stir in --
150ml(2/3 cup) Milk -- until stiff dough forms.

Divide dough in half and roll out on floured board 2 rounds, 1.25cm (1/2inch) thick.  Cut each round into 4 triangles.  Dust with a little flour.
Heat girdle until hot.  Grease cooking surface.  Cook scones for about 5 minutes on each side, until risen and golden-brown. 
Serve immediately.  Slice in two and slather with butter, jam, honey, etc. 

Note.....Adding grated cheese to the dough, before rolling and cutting, gives nice "boost" to scones.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on January 29, 2008, 01:18:16 PM

Quote

These should be cooked on a girdle,

Wouldn't a girdle melt in the heat?? After all, they are usually made of whalebone and fabric. ahahahahah ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on January 29, 2008, 11:57:01 PM

Not if it's a Scottish Girdle......heavy, cast-iron cooking utensil with handle...looks like a flat basket....you know a metal punnet. ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 30, 2008, 12:08:34 AM

My mum has one of those on which she grills her steaks and lamb chops. Ah... a lamb chop. akakakakak

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on January 30, 2008, 01:51:58 AM

Ladies, I think what George was referring to was the fact you spelt the word girdle instead of griddle. I have a griddle but don't wear a girdle.

Girdle
Pronunciation:     \ˈgər-dəl\
Function:     noun
Etymology:     Middle English girdel, from Old English gyrdel; akin to Old High German gurtil girdle, Old English gyrdan to gird
Date:     before 12th century

1: something that encircles or confines: as a: an article of dress encircling the body usually at the waist b: a woman's close-fitting undergarment often boned and usually elasticized that extends from the waist to below the hips


griddle   
Pronunciation:     \ˈgri-dəl\
Function:     noun
Etymology:     Middle English gredil gridiron, from Anglo-French greil, gredile, from Latin craticulum, diminutive of cratis wickerwork — more at hurdle
Date:     14th century

: a flat stone or metal surface on which food is baked or fried

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on January 30, 2008, 01:57:57 AM

You, gentlemen, are quite right. Gridle is part of my earthly soul. And gridle cakes. What a lovely women to send me the recipe when I'm on an eating journey that seems to have no end.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on January 30, 2008, 08:41:58 AM

Thanks, DS. I was prolly being too subtle! ahahahahah
If Acjade scoffs too many GRIDDLE cakes, she will be needing a GIRDLE.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on January 30, 2008, 10:45:59 AM

Quote from: dragonsaver on January 30, 2008, 01:51:58 AM

Ladies, I think what George was referring to was the fact you spelt the word girdle instead of griddle. 

I had the correct spelling and word. 
Picture a flat circle of iron, banded around with another circle of iron, which gives an edge to the outside of the cooking surface.  It encircles, encloses and encompasses the iron circle.  (Means there's no slippage or run-off of greases/drippings). 
Now, imagine a semi-circle handle, reaching from edge to edge across the circle and rising above the girdle, so that it can be lifted/transported.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on January 30, 2008, 11:40:42 AM

 bibibibibi Foreigners!!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on February 04, 2008, 01:02:26 AM

In one of my Maths books (a lesson on fractions), I found the following list of ingredients for cookies.  I tried this out and the results were Delicious!!



CARROT COOKIES

1 Egg
1/3 cup Cooking Oil
1/3 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Flour
2/3 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon (grated) Orange Peel = Zest
1/3 cup (cooked) Carrots
4 tablespoons Raisins
1/2 teaspoon Ginger

Combine all ingredients, in order given.  Mix well.  The dough will be fairly "wet". 
Spoon onto cookie sheet.  Not too close, as they will spread a bit.

Bake 10-15mins in 375* oven until dried and golden.


Note:  I used a dessert spoon and got 12 lovely, big cookies, each about 2-3" diameter.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on February 04, 2008, 01:33:11 AM

Not sure we can buy baking powder here.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on February 04, 2008, 01:40:13 AM

I thought this problem came up earlier.  Some of the bigger (Western) markets should have it.  Or you can just PM me your mailing address, and I'll see what I can do.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on February 04, 2008, 02:46:54 AM

My griddle doesn`t have a curved handle,　but more similar to a saucepan one.  It was also flat on one side adn the other had ridges for grilling.  Now in storage.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: kcanuck on February 04, 2008, 03:09:49 AM

I bought baking powder in Jilin last week so there should be some tucked away somewhere in Dalian. 
The bakeries should have some or know where you can get some.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on February 04, 2008, 03:13:06 AM

Quote from: Lotus Eater on February 04, 2008, 02:46:54 AM

My griddle doesn`t have a curved handle,　but more similar to a saucepan one.  It was also flat on one side adn the other had ridges for grilling.  Now in storage.

That's because you have a griddle afafafafaf....not a girdle ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on February 04, 2008, 02:49:03 PM

I think they are the same thing.  So does Mr. Oxford. ahahahahah agagagagag

Quote

girdle2

  • noun Scottish and northern English term for GRIDDLE.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on February 04, 2008, 06:47:33 PM

My Sctottish great aunts had Girdles not Griddles. And the handles are indeed curved.

But anyway. Speaking of Girdles or Griddles or just plane Grrr riddles. It's about time I made some soda bread. What's a good substitiute for buttermilk?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on February 04, 2008, 07:37:33 PM

Sour milk.  Add 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let stand.  It will curdle and give you the sour milk.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on February 04, 2008, 08:49:04 PM

I'll give that a try. See how it works.  acacacacac

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: chrisS on February 06, 2008, 09:04:28 AM

Another substitute for buttermilk is yogurt.  Not the stuff that you eat, but the stuff that's right next to the milk in the grocery store.  I bought a liter plastic bottle of it (seems to have the same consistency as buttermilk). 

And it worked fine for the deep fried chicken that I made!  Good luck.

ChrisS

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on February 06, 2008, 08:26:22 PM

Good one Chris.  bfbfbfbfbf My soda bread was a success. Ate it with cheese and relish and washed down with a super-sized pot of Irish breakfast tea. (Although it wasn't breakfast time).

Missi's cheescake is in the fridge. Here's what I did:-

1 block of sponge cake (No bikkies so substituted with the sponge cake)
1 pkt cream cheese
2 tblsps instant coffee
1 tblsp coco
1 tblsp gelatin
1 tblsp sugar

Mashed the sponge cake into a casserole bowl.

Warmed the cream cheese in the microwave. Melted the gelatin in a cup of warm water and dissolved the sugar, coffee and coco. Put the lot into the blender and pored over the sponge base. Grated three Dove Dark Chocolate Bites onto the top and refridgerated.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on February 07, 2008, 10:41:04 PM

It might have grown a bit of bacteria by the time it reaches you MIssi. How about I pretend I'm you and eat your serving? But I can send you some gelatin. I have a box big enough to feed the forces of the Galaxy. And some custard powder and some jelly crystals.

What I want Santa to most bring me next year is a RUDDY POTATO MASHER. By the time you mash the spuds with a fork they've gone cold. There's just no glory in a cold mashed taters.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on February 10, 2008, 08:23:33 PM

Quote from: chrisS on February 06, 2008, 09:04:28 AM

And it worked fine for the deep fried chicken that I made! 

I've never made a deep-fried chicken but it sounds tempting and I'm curious why you use buttermilk or a substitute. Wanna share your recipe? bdbdbdbdbd

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on February 11, 2008, 12:16:21 AM

Made up a more-than-doubled recipe of date squares, yesterday.  Added MiL's vanilla (to the dates AND the melting margarine), and Missi's cinnamon (to the dates), as well as a mix of white and brown sugar in the oatsNmargarine crusts.  Tastes WELL!! bfbfbfbfbf  (Hubby has said that I can make this for him once a month, if I like) ahahahahah

Thanks for the tip, Missi! agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: chrisS on February 11, 2008, 02:47:23 AM

This is for ACJade.  How to make deepfried chicken.  I must warn you that I came from a family where we never really "measured" ingredients so please bear with me.

1.  Get a bag of frozen chicken wings and legs.  These are the small appetizer type, however, they fit perfectly into a wok.
2.  Let them thaw.
3.  Then soak the chicken in liquid yogurt completely in a sealed plastic container for 12 - 24 hours (in the Fridge).
4.  Then drain the chicken in a strainer to get rid of the excess yogurt.
5.  Combine Salt, Ground Black Pepper, Paprika, Garlic Power, and Cayenne Pepper into one big mixture.
6.  Sprinkle the spices all over the chicken.
7.  Take Flour and Corn Flakes (crush them up first) and combine them in a paper or plastic bag.
8.  Then put pieces of chicken in the bag in the bag and SHAKE them so they are coated with the mixture.
9.  This is why you soak the chicken in yogurt first.  All of the ingredients "cling" to it afterwards.
10.Fill the wok about 2/3's full with cooking oil and put in the chicken (you may have to fry 2 batches depending on the amount you         
      have).  If filled properly, the oil should be just below the rim and completely covering the chicken.
11.Fry for about 10 minutes at 200 degrees Celcius.  Move the chicken around every 2 or 3 minutes while you fry it.
12.If you can, strain the chicken over a pan using some kind of metal strainer, do not soak up the grease with paper towels!

The down side is that once it's done, there will be a few black burn marks on the breading from having been fried in a wok.  This is only appearance and will not affect the taste.  Trust me.

Also, I've found two good links for recipes in general:

<www.foodnetwork.com>
<www.allrecipes.com>

Anyway, good luck and I hope you enjoy it!

 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on February 11, 2008, 04:57:17 PM

Will definately make the fried chicken this weekend.

And thanks for the recipe links. Both of them are great. bfbfbfbfbf

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on February 11, 2008, 11:45:32 PM

Of course, you should also be able to simply combine the seasonings into the coating mixture.  And either milk or egg (or both) to coat the chicken pieces, prior to dunking and cooking.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: chrisS on February 12, 2008, 12:36:45 AM

You're absolutely right. 

It's just I've found that if you soak the chicken first in buttermilk or yogurt for at least 12 hours the spices cling "like there's no tomorrow."  Also, if you apply the spices first, they cling directly to the skin (where all the flavor is).  Then by applying the breading last it creates an outer layer which holds those spices in while the frying is taking place.

It's always worked out best when I did it this way.  However, I am truly a dilettante; so I'm always open for suggestion.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on February 12, 2008, 04:05:13 PM

Quote from: Missi on February 12, 2008, 04:33:25 AM

Custard Powder? did you just say the magic word? If I can get some of that stuff- if and when we meet, I've a great dessert with your name one it.  Is it the instant stuff or the proper cooking kind?

The proper cooking kind. Want me to send you some? Or if you live anywhere near a Metro you'll find it in the baker's supplies section. It's a ruddy great tub so when I bought mine I packed up some zip lock bags and gave then away as Christmas presents.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on February 13, 2008, 07:46:24 PM

Quote

What I want Santa to most bring me next year is a RUDDY POTATO MASHER.

Go look in Carrefour or somesuch similar. They are there!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on February 13, 2008, 09:00:19 PM

The one I bought at Metro buckled first mash of the spuds. But I'll try Carrefour although Xi'an Carrefour has really gone to the dogs.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on February 13, 2008, 09:08:23 PM

 ahahahahah

Quote

The one I bought at Metro buckled first mash of the spuds

Shoulda cooked them a bit more! ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on February 13, 2008, 09:34:55 PM

I thought peeling would do, just like like a banana.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: contemporarydog on February 16, 2008, 05:53:43 PM

Never seen limes in this part of China :(

And no Thai restaurant near me :(

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on February 18, 2008, 07:41:22 AM

OK.  Finally picked up a really cool recipe book at the check out.  Got super easy recipes galore.  Will post a few, every couple of days or so.


NO-BAKE LIME CHEESECAKE

Note....can substitute OJ, zest and slices for a different variation

3 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
2/3 cup Sugar
2/3 cup melted Butter /Margarine

Combine crumbs, sugar and butter.  Press into bottom and 2" up sides of greased 9-in (springform) pan.  Cover and refrigerate at least 30 mins.

2 envelopes unflavoured Gelatin
1 cup Lime Juice
1/4 cup cold Water
1.1/2 cups Sugar
5 Eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons grated Lime Peel
2 packages (8oz each) softened Cream Cheese
1/2 cup softened Butter/Margarine
1/2 cup heavy Whipping Cream


In small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over lime juice and cold water.  Let stand for 1 minute.  Stir in sugar, eggs and lime peel.  Cook and stir over medium heat until temp reaches 160*F.  Remove from heat.

In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Gradually beat in gelatin mixture.  Cover and refrigerate 45 mins (till partially set), stirring occasionally.

In small mixing bowl, beat cream into stff peaks.  Fold into lime mixture.  Spoon into crust.  Cover and refrigerate 3-4 hours, until set.
(If using springform, remove sides just before serving)
Leftovers (?!?) can be stored in the refrigerator.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: kcanuck on March 12, 2008, 12:08:46 AM

Couscous, wish I could buy it here, had some left from my trip to Jilin.

Sautee red and yellow peppers with red onion, ginger, garlic (fresh) and curry powder.  Throw in a handful of raisins and whatever else you can think of.
add orange juice (equal parts couscous, OJ) bring to boil, add couscous stir and cover.  Turn off heat and let sit five minutes. 

Very versatile food, ready in a few minutes and yummy with endless possibilities.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on March 12, 2008, 01:44:02 AM

Got couscous at Metro in Dalian.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on March 12, 2008, 03:42:02 AM

I made this on Sunday....tastes WELL!! bfbfbfbfbf

BACON, CHEDDAR & CHIVE SCONES

Mix together in large bowl--
2 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder

Cut in, using pastry blender/knives until coarse crumbs form--
1/4 cup Butter/Margarine

Beat together in medium bowl--
2 eggs
1/2 cup light Cream/half-and-half [I used evaporated milk]

Add to flour mixture.  Stir until just moist. 

Stir in--
1 1/2 cup shredded/grated cheddarCheese
8 slices Bacon (cooked crisp and crumbled)
1 tablespoon Chives (chopped) [parsley should also work]

Shape into ball.  Knead dough 10 times on lightly floured surface.  Roll out into 12x6-inch rectangle.
Cut into 8 squares.  Re-cut each square in half, diagonally. 
Place on to lightly greased cookie sheet.  Brush tops w/egg (one) & water (1 tablespoon) mix.

Bake at 425*F for 14 to 16 minutes.  Serve warm.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on March 12, 2008, 03:45:03 AM

I'm cooking Mu Shu pork for my brother and his girlfriend this weekend. Ok, there is also stir-fried duck, steamed veggies and spring rolls with chicken. He has a huge kitchen and he never uses it...almost blasphemous is what it is.

Anyway, the Mu Shu recipe calls for "wood ears" and lily buds. I understand the former is a peculiar mushroom. Does any of you know what it is in Chinese and, if so, could you please write its name down in pinyin with tones? The latter, is that actually lilies?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on March 12, 2008, 03:47:56 AM

Amonk, I am so going to try those scones. I'll bake them for my parents when they return from Goa. Poor Dad, he doesn't do well with spicy food...and he went to India llllllllll llllllllll I need to pamper the old boy. They sound absolutely delicious.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on March 12, 2008, 04:16:20 AM

Quote from: ericthered on March 12, 2008, 03:47:56 AM

Amonk, I am so going to try those scones. .....They sound absolutely delicious.

They are so-o-o-o delicious that they should come with a warning that they are possibly addictive.  I have been "tasting" them ever since Sunday.  Must get into the kitchen and start another batch!!


Hope your Dad's innards are recovered soon.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on March 12, 2008, 04:29:10 AM

They should be. I am under strict obligation to, as he puts it, "whip up some of that Chinese dohicky, with the rice and stuff, like you did last time" when they come home. I am saving the scones as a surprise.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on March 12, 2008, 04:48:14 AM

DILL-ONION BATTER BREAD
Makes 1 loaf

1 packet (1/4 oz) active dry Yeast
1/4 cup warm Water
1 cup warm Milk
2 tablespoons Butter (softened)
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Egg
2 teaspoons Dill Seed
2 teaspoons dried, minced Onion
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Flour

In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add milk, butter, sugar, egg, dill seed, onion, salt and 1 1/2 cups flour.  Mix at low speed for 30 seconds.
Stir in remaining flour (batter will be sticky).  Do NOT knead.  Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled.  About 1 hour.

Stir batter down.  Spoon into greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.  Cover and let rise for second time, again until nearly double.  About 45 minutes.

Bake at 350*F for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.  (May need to cover lightly w/foil if top browns too quickly). 

Cool on rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on March 12, 2008, 04:50:50 AM

Sounds delicious. Not sure where to find dried onion though.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on March 12, 2008, 05:00:25 AM

And now, to complement the bread....


HERBED POTATO SOUP

3 medium Potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups Water
1 large Onion, chopped
1/4 cup Butter, cubed
1/4 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried Rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 1/2 cups Milk

Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tender.

In second large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender.  Stir in flour, salt, thyme, rosemary and pepper until blended (=a roux).  Gradually add milk.  Bring to boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes (until thickened).

Add potatoes, with cooking liquid.  Heat through.  Serve.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on March 12, 2008, 05:05:18 AM

Quote from: ericthered on March 12, 2008, 04:50:50 AM

Not sure where to find dried onion though.

Most USAnian groceries have this on the same shelf as other spices/herbs.  I would imagine that a very finely chopped fresh onion might do as well.





Or, maybe, chop your own, then put in brown paper bag for several days in warm oven to semi-dehydrate.  Not too sure of this, though.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: kcanuck on March 12, 2008, 12:30:37 PM

I'm not 100% positive but I believe wood ear are called mu er (no tones, but sounds like moo ir)  they're the dehydrated ones that seem to show up in so many dishes here, I am not a fan.  Good luck with the meal.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on March 12, 2008, 12:58:41 PM

Quote from: kcanuck on March 12, 2008, 12:30:37 PM

I'm not 100% positive but I believe wood ear are called mu er (no tones, but sounds like moo ir)  they're the dehydrated ones that seem to show up in so many dishes here, I am not a fan.  Good luck with the meal.

mu3er3 - wood ear.  Comes in black or white forms.  If you buy it, soak and then cut or pull off the 'root' system (where it attaches to the tree) before cooking or eating.

I enjoy it mixed with other vegetables.  Fairly bland taste, but takes sauces well.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on March 12, 2008, 08:37:19 PM

So, the Mu Shu might actually be improved if I used portobello mushrooms instead?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on March 12, 2008, 08:52:40 PM

Mu3Er3 isn't a mushroom.  It is a fungus that grows on the side of trees.  It doesn't taste anything like a mushroom.  I actually really like Mu Er so I wouldn't like a dish without it in it.

If you can't find black wood ear than it really doesn't matter what you put in the recipe it will be ok but...

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: contemporarydog on March 12, 2008, 11:14:45 PM

I made steak this way the other day and it rocked.

It's similar to the steak recipes served in Chinese steak places, BUT I made it with CHIPS one day and MASHED POTATOES the next, which is the correct way to serve steak (not the soggy shite pasta they generally serve it with).

Fry the steak a reasonable amount.  Meanwhile mix up about a third of a smallish mug of water, some pepper (in the western sense, not the sichuan stuff) and some flour.

When the steak looks ready, chuck in the mixture and cook to taste.

It was delicious and much better than the restaurant (Kaikewank/houkewank) rubbish.  And it had potatoes with it.  agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on March 12, 2008, 11:25:47 PM

Great Steak

Season steak to suit your taste. 
Carefully place steak into lightly oiled skillet (over medium-high heat).  Sear on both sides. 
Slice onions into skillet.  Slowly add 1/2 can/bottle of beer to skillet.  Lower heat, giving time for the beer to flavour steak.  Add beer to cook.  Gently add second half-can to skillet.  When bottle/can is gone, steak is done....in  very nice "sauce".

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on March 12, 2008, 11:32:21 PM

Steak can be a bit tough in China, so find yourself a small, greenish, pawpaw..papaya for the peasants amongst us....slice it thin and cover the steak, both sides, with it. Sit it in the fridge for 24 hours, and it's tender as a maidens xxxxx

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: contemporarydog on March 12, 2008, 11:48:58 PM

I'll try your way next time, amonk.  Don't often see papaya up here in dalian.  Unless i'm just not looking.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on March 13, 2008, 12:55:32 AM

You are NOT LOOKING!

Walmart has papaya and so do several other stores including the local supermarket.  They have them all the time.  Street vendors don't usually have them.  agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: contemporarydog on March 13, 2008, 06:43:33 PM

I've never been to walmart.  Or metro.  In fact I only leave kaifaqu about once a year :D

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on March 13, 2008, 10:35:01 PM

I said the local supermarket also had them.  It is called New Mart down here but I would imagine there is the equivalent in Kaifaqu as well.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Papillon on March 14, 2008, 04:11:25 AM

This might sound unusual but it's delicious and simple.

Balsamic Strawberries:
1 punnet strawberries
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method
Hull the strawberries and combine them with the sugar and balsamic vinegar. Leave for 1 hour before serving.

Now if only I could find some cream i'd be sorted!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Acjade on March 18, 2008, 04:39:01 AM

Being St. Paddy's Day I've had a real hankering for Irish stew. I know how to make it. Believe me I make the best Irish stew. It's a genetic thingie. Mum cooked it every Tuesday night and served it with fresh and buttered bread.

What I want to know is how to ask the butcher for lamb necks.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on March 18, 2008, 06:30:26 AM

You could try asking for "yang2rou4 bo2zi".

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on March 18, 2008, 11:11:05 AM

AMonk, I am writing Sweden. I am nominating you for the Noble Prize for Scones. Just made them...so delicious...No, wait, can't write Sweden, they're Swedish..I'll draw some pictures of a bunny being showered with cash by an old man holding a stick of dynamite. Even Swedes would understand that.

They're sooooo good those scones agagagagag agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on March 18, 2008, 11:42:03 AM

 bjbjbjbjbj Thank you, Eric.  agagagagag 

Glad I located the recipe....they are g-o-o-d, aren't they?  Hope this could help finish the healing of Dad's tender tummy.  Bake on!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on March 18, 2008, 11:54:51 AM

Quote from: ericthered on March 18, 2008, 11:11:05 AM

Scones. Just made them...so delicious...They're sooooo good those scones agagagagag agagagagag

Uuummmm......I did warn you about the addictive qualities of them, didn't I? 












When is the next batch being unveiled?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on March 18, 2008, 12:24:29 PM

Dad not home yet. Always do a practise batch before serving, Mrs Lund told me that in Home Economics.

Next batch to be baked tomorrow. Parents land on Wednesday morning, all jetlagged. Promised to stock up their fridge with things and what better way to come home than to a batch of those almost illegally good scones and coffee?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on March 24, 2008, 03:37:06 AM

Eric -- for another easy, delicious recipe check back on this Thread, Page 9....Carrot Cookies.  Yummy.

--- OR Page 31 in the Fluff Thread....LazyDaisy Cake. It's a variety of a sponge-cake, and is very easy.  And Scumptious.






...and they are both guaranteed "Bunny Proof" ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on March 24, 2008, 04:34:50 AM

DELIGHTS

Cream 1/2 cup Butter

Add slowly and continue creaming 3/4 cup Sugar

One at a time, add 2 Eggs.  Beat well.

Sift 2 cups Flour then add 2 teaspoons Baking Powder.  Sift again.  Stir into the butter+sugar mix.

Using your hands, shape into small round balls.  Place into small, greased muffin/tart tins.  Press into shape to line bottom and sides of each pan.

Combine -- 1 cup Raspberry Jam/strawberry or other fruit
           1/2 cup chopped Nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc)

Fill centre of tarts with jammy-nut mixture.

Bake @ 375F for 10-15 minutes.  When cool, top with whipped cream (not necessary, but certainly good).

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 02, 2008, 09:59:01 AM

Just found another Bunny-proof recipe for you folks.....And truly Yummy!!

HONEY COOKIES

Cream together --
1 cup Margarine
1/2 cup Sugar
4 Tablespoons Honey

Mix in --
2 1/2 cups Flour

Chill at least 2 hours.
Roll on (lightly) floured surface....not too thinly
Cut with favourite shaped cookie cutters (or inverted drinking glass).
Place onto ungreased baking sheet.  May add an additional sprinkle of sugar to tops.

Bake at 300*F for 20-25 minutes.  Cool on racks.  Makes about 4 dozen.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 03, 2008, 09:41:38 AM

Especially for Eric...... ahahahahah

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Blend until creamy ---
1/2 cup Peanut Butter (I just scoop and eye-ball, then add a litte extra)
1/2 cup Shortening
1/2 cup White Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg

Sift ---
1 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

Stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture.  (If not enough flour, add another tablespoon).  Spoon onto baking sheet.  Use fork to press cross-hatch design/flatten cookies dough.  [Add Sprinkles if desired].  Bake at 350* until browned (10-15 minutes).

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on April 03, 2008, 09:22:32 PM

AMonk, you should be given a medal. Your recipes are the reason I get up at five in the morning to run, just to maintain my current waistline.

What is shortening?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on April 03, 2008, 09:24:02 PM

Like butter, lard, or oil.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on April 03, 2008, 09:39:14 PM

Quote

What is shortening?

Decapitation!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 03, 2008, 10:19:32 PM

Quote from: ericthered on April 03, 2008, 09:22:32 PM

What is shortening?

Quote from: Lotus Eater on April 03, 2008, 09:24:02 PM

Like butter, lard, or oil.

Definitely NOT butter or oil!! aoaoaoaoao

It is very similar to lard, but with a vegetable base.  It is (usually) a softly solid, white form of cooking grease.  The brand I use is Crisco.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 03, 2008, 10:33:01 PM

Quote from: ericthered on April 03, 2008, 09:22:32 PM

Your recipes are the reason I get up at five in the morning to run, just to maintain my current waistline.

 akakakakak You're welcome. bjbjbjbjbj






It's part of my plan to conquer the world... qqqqqqqqqq

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 08, 2008, 12:22:30 AM

My (maternal) family has deepish roots in Barbados, so when I spotted this recipe, it immediately brought my grandfather to mind.  He was a gentle man who liked his sauces hot.


BAJAN HOT SAUCE


1 green pawpaw (papaya) - peeled, seeded and roughly choppped
 
10 scotch bonnet peppers -with seeds removed

2 onions - peeled and quartered

Puree (in food processor) pawpaw, peppers, onions as well as 3 cloves garlic, grated rind of 1 lime, 1/2 cup lime juice.

Place into medium-sized pot and add 1 1/2 cups malt vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup yellow mustard (prepared).  Stir together and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Bottle into hot, sterilised jars.

Makes 2 pints.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on April 08, 2008, 12:26:51 AM

Quote from: AMonk on April 08, 2008, 12:22:30 AM

10 scotch bonnet peppers -with seeds removed

Totally off-topic:  But I used to grow the scotch bonnet peppers - and they can have quite a zing.  My dog thought they were bad for me, so he would bite every one off the bush and bury them.  Never ate them, just dropped them under the bush or buried them. ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 08, 2008, 12:39:22 AM

Quote from: Lotus Eater on April 08, 2008, 12:26:51 AM

I used to grow the scotch bonnet peppers - and they can have quite a zing. 

So does the yellow mustard, which will give this recipe a hearty kick.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on April 08, 2008, 01:42:16 AM

I have also grown Scotch bonnets or habenero peppers.  Seed package came with a warning label to wear long sleeves and gloves with picking.

What size papaya do you use??  My youngest son loves hot sauces - the hotter the better so I want to send him this recipe.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 08, 2008, 08:39:48 AM

Quote from: dragonsaver on April 08, 2008, 01:42:16 AM

What size papaya do you use??  My youngest son loves hot sauces - the hotter the better so I want to send him this recipe.

I'd tend to use one that is fully grown, but not yet ripe...maybe double-fist size.

If your son likes the hot stuff, I can also give you recipes for Jamaican Jerk seasoning/rub/marinade. qqqqqqqqqq

Or Bermudian Sherry Pepper sauce.... qqqqqqqqqq...a very spicy local condiment...

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 20, 2008, 09:12:15 AM

One thing that I recently noticed....I've been giving oven temperatures in F*, but most of your ovens are likely in C*.

So.  Here's a quick conversion reference....


Fahrenheit                Celsius
 
      450                          232
     
      425                          218

      400                          205

      375                          190

      350                          180

      325                          163

      300                          150



Sorry I didn't do this earlier.  Happy Baking, All agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Pashley on April 21, 2008, 02:26:23 AM

Quote from: AMonk on April 08, 2008, 08:39:48 AM

... I can also give you recipes for Jamaican Jerk seasoning/rub/marinade. qqqqqqqqqq

Or Bermudian Sherry Pepper sauce.... qqqqqqqqqq...a very spicy local condiment...

Please do.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on April 22, 2008, 01:09:38 AM

Yes I want them too even though my loving son hasn't replied to my e-mail!!!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 22, 2008, 04:53:28 AM

By this weekend...

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 28, 2008, 02:09:37 AM

OK.  FIrst out of the gate is a really easy, peasy recipe.  Bermudians like to add a touch of this condiment (and a drop or two of black rum) to our world renowned fish chowder.

SHERRY PEPPERS

Take a bottle or jar (about 1 pint-sized) and fill it to half-way with (de-stemmed, whole) bird peppers (small, hot variety).  Fill jar to the top with sherry.  Store in cupboard until needed.  Top up sherry level, as required.

NOTE: The longer it sits, the stronger it gets uuuuuuuuuu

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 28, 2008, 02:20:20 AM

DRY JERK SEASONING

1 Tablespoon onion flakes
1 Tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground pimento (all-spice)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dried chives (or green onion)

Mix together all the ingredients.  Store leftovers in tightly sealed jar.  It will stay pungent for at least a month.

Yield - 5 Tablespoons

Excellent to sprinkle on (cooked or uncooked) fish and vegetables or snacks.  Not quite as strong a flavour as the rub or marinade.  To increase the heat, add more cayenne.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 28, 2008, 02:41:28 AM

DRY JERK RUB

1 onion - finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground Jamaican pimento (allspice)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4-6 hot peppers - finely ground
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix together all the ingredients to make a paste.  A food processor with a steel blade is ideal.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator, in a tightly sealed jar (up to one month).

Yield - about 1 cup.

Rub the paste onto uncooked meat.  This is a medium-hot rub.  To increase the heat, add more peppers.  For less heat, remove seeds and membranes which contain seeds before grinding.  Scotch bonnet or habanero are preferred, but jalapeno or serano varieties may be used.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 28, 2008, 03:02:18 AM

Some people prefer a marinade.  This one is more liquid than the rub, but not as liquid as most common marinades.  The first impression may seem a little harsh, but the flavours meld and blend nicely as the meat cooks. This is a fairly mild marinade, but you can increase the heat by adding some hot pepper sauce.  For less heat, remove the seeds and membranes before grinding.

JERK MARINADE

1 onion - finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground Jamaican pimento (allspice)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 hot pepper - finely ground
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon cooking oil
1 Tablespoon cider (or white) vinegar

Mix together all ingredients.  A food processor with steel blades is ideal.  An excellent marinade for chicken, beef or pork. Store leftovers in tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator (up to one month).

Yiled - about 1 1/2 cups.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on May 11, 2008, 05:51:56 AM

OK.  All that chatter about T. Horton and his donuts, reminded me that I haven't made any in a very l-o-n-g while.  So, since I'm digging out the recipe anyway, I figured that I might as well pass it along.  Hope you like.


DOUGHNUTS


2 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup (melted) Shortening/Cooking Oil
1 cup Sour Milk/Buttermilk
4 cups Flour
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon grated Nutmeg

Mix together - eggs, shortening, milk. 
Sift together - remaining ingredients.  Add to first mixture and Mix well.
Roll out onto floured board (1/4-inch thick).
Cut with doughnut cutter.

Deep Fry @ 390*F, turning only once.

Drain briefly, then put warm doughnuts into brown bag containing sugar/icing(confectioner's) sugar/brown sugar/sugar+Cinnamon.  Shake gently to coat.

Makes about 2 dozen

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on June 08, 2008, 11:53:13 AM

DS, Pashley, how did the Jamaican recipes work for you?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on June 08, 2008, 11:44:54 PM

I wanted them for my son.  I am basically bu la da

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on June 08, 2008, 11:57:23 PM

Oh.  OK.  Did he happen to say whether or not they did the trick for him?  (My own curiosity here).

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on June 09, 2008, 12:01:48 AM

If he ever replied to e-mails or actually sent me an e-mail, or remembered I was his mother on mother's day I might be able to answer that question.  asasasasas

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: steph_8614 on August 26, 2008, 03:56:17 PM

I admit to not having read through alllll 15 pages of this thread yet, but I am wondering whether baking items are readily available in china - such as baking powder/soda, yeast etc? I read somewhere that baking isn't too common, and neither are ovens :S  Is it true?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on August 26, 2008, 04:04:37 PM

Yeast is easy to find. They use it for making mantou. Just buy mantou flour which includes a pack of yeast and you can make your own bread. An oven hot enough is another thing, though. Soda seems easy too. Self raising flour is hard where I am, but everything depends on your city. Some are just about as easy as "back home" others are like a different planet.

Most school microwaves I have seen double function as a small fan forced oven, but they are not exactly satisfactory.

You can buy glass fan forced ovens that are really great for about 700-900 CNY

Big stove things are virtually non existent in homes, but you can buy them and install them yourself if you want to go to the trouble and expense, remembering that you have to move every time you change jobs, usually.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Spaghetti on August 27, 2008, 12:06:20 AM

Steph,

I think you will be surprised about the baking aspect. Bakeries are incredibly popular here, depending on if you are in a city or in the sticks. Even small 'burbs have a bakery or two it seems. Cakes and sweet breads that you are familiar with are available here. Some are as good, if not better than what's on offer back home and some are, well: let's just say they try.

Up in the northern part of the country where flour is big for noodle consumption*, t as a result of the reliance on flour, there are many unique, Chinese breads and cakes that are worth trying. If you don't like what you try at least it was a new experience, but I'd venture to guess you will find some Chinese breads and cakes that you find tasty, too. The big difference is that many are steamed and fried.

While I can't offer you specifics on finding the ingredients and machines you would desire, rest assured that you will be able to get your share of western and domestic pastries, snacks, cakes and breads here to nosh on as you suss out what you require to make them yourself!

* The Southern half of the country loves its fair share of noodles, too! However, I've never met a northerner who complained about the lack of noodles at meals down south, but I've hard many southerners complaining about the lack of rice at every single meal up north!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: teleplayer on September 11, 2008, 06:11:57 AM

Have developed a taste for Korean dish called Nakji Bokum (Spicy Octopus). Made my first last night, used baby Octopi, not one or two big ones. Glad I didn't have to clean it. It's easy enough but small ones would be time consuing.

Secret form Korean student... bring pot of water to hard boil (enough to cover your amount of Octopi), put them in and remove from heat. Let blanch for minute or two. Drain. They may then be stir-fried, grilled, etc.

Recipe I used was from
http://www.maangchi.com/recipes/oh-jing-uh-bokkeum (http://www.maangchi.com/recipes/oh-jing-uh-bokkeum)

I stir-fried onion, garlic, zucchini, added the Octopus and after a minute, sliced cucumbers. Mine not so hot as to yield morning gastric or intestinal distress.
The mother and daughter from Shanghai for whom I prepared gave me two thumbs up!

Found this Nakji Bokum recipe today
http://www.trifood.com/nakjibokum.html (http://www.trifood.com/nakjibokum.html)

Traditionally served with rice.
I served mine with good ol' Southern Hush Puppies (deep-fat fried cornbread for the heathens here) http://viewfromthemountain.typepad.com/david_sobotta_weblog/2005/09/sobotta_family_.html (http://viewfromthemountain.typepad.com/david_sobotta_weblog/2005/09/sobotta_family_.html)
Bon Apetite!
 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Worldtour on April 08, 2009, 07:18:10 PM

Quote from: dragonsaver on September 30, 2007, 06:07:03 PM

No dry sherry at the Metro in Dalian.  I looked and asked and looked.  bibibibibi

We have a metro too in Harbin.  But no vermouth, you can get the Blue Sapphire Gin or Tanquery but you can not find vermouth.  How are you to make a good Martini??  O, the sacrifices we make.  You can find the olives for Pizza or the stuffed ones for martinis.  I can't get out of Metro for less than 500 rmb.  Here is a recipe for Tacos with a flour tortilla.  Easy to make and if you are like me you may be jonesing for a taco.

Tortillas.  2 cups bread flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, (not baking soda), 3/4 cup of lukewarm milk, 1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil.

Mix the dry ingredients, slowly add oil and mix, add milk slowly and work the flour.  It will be fairly stiff, and not very sticky.  Form into a ball, cover with a wet cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes.  After resting divide in half, make 4 balls with each half for a total of 8 balls.  Let it rest again for 20 minutes.

Dust your cutting board with flour, roll out into 6 or 7 inch circle, this takes a little practice.  Use a heavy griddle, cast iron or the wok works great too not too high.  Just lay out the tortilla on the dry griddle and it will form bubbles after about a minute.  Turn cook other side for about a minute also, turn again 30 seconds on the first side again.  Place in large bowl with a hankie or bandana, stack and cover make all eight.  Adjust your heat up or down so that they cook and get the brown spots in about a minute.

For the filling chose what you like, beef, pork, chicken. 

Pork, roast it, or a pressure cooker would work too. 

Chicken, I like the white meat.

Beef, Ground is fine.

The beans, you can substitute Red Beans for Pintos, soak over night, boil until tender, mash.  In a frying pan, saute onions, garlic, hot peppers.  I fry pig belly, like bacon but fresh, remove meat and saute in the fat.  Add beans, more hot peppers, and now the spices.  Oregano, bay leaf, red chili powder, cilantro fresh.  If you have salsa made a few spoonfulls of Salsa.

Salsa, two diced tomatoes.  1/4 to 1/2 onion, 1 large or two small hot green peppers, garlic, salt, pepper, cilantro, red pepper powder, now, the missing thing here is Lime juice, I substitute an apple vinegar, it is a little sweet too.  It more expensive than the Chinese style vinegar, and it works well.

Store tortillas for a day or two in a plastic bag in the fridge, they also freeze well, to soften them up for eating low flame and just put them right on the cooker no pan needed. I often just fry up the beef and add the beans, heat the tortilla and splash on the salsa.  Excellent

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on April 08, 2009, 09:13:05 PM

Excellent, indeed! agagagagag
I could find flour tortillas in Shanghai (priced like sheets of gold, of course) and even saw boxed, formed crisp corn-tortilla taco shells in odd places like Changchun.

I could buy or make salsa...lemon juice is fine, and I could get limes in Suzhou.

What was really difficult was finding the spices needed for seasoning the meat properly. Chili powder (the milder brown Ancho pepper stuff, not the fiery hot red Sichuan-type chilis) was extremely difficult to find, and heartbreakingly expensive when you did come across it. And there's obviously a lot of cumin running around out there- as per all the Xinjiang dishes and Zi Ran Yang Rou and so forth- but finding places in Eastern China that would actually sell some to me was quite a different story. llllllllll

I was able to cook chili con carne, tacos, and other Tex-Mex treats from time to time in China, but generally only with spices that had been sent or brought in for me.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on April 08, 2009, 10:58:08 PM

Metro in Dalian has flour tortillas, large and small, Old ElPaso salsa, mild and medium, avacados, tortilla chips for dipping, and refried beans (Old ElPaso).  I also found the small plastic squeeze thingies of lime and lemon juice.  Yehaa  agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: paddyfields on April 09, 2009, 12:12:53 AM

Quote from: dragonsaver on April 08, 2009, 10:58:08 PM

Metro in Dalian has flour tortillas, large and small, Old ElPaso salsa, mild and medium, avacados, tortilla chips for dipping, and refried beans (Old ElPaso). 

Carrefour in Hangzhou has most of that stuff , sometimes llllllllll . This week they had flour tortillas but last week they were sold out asasasasas

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: psd4fan on April 09, 2009, 04:57:38 AM

Quote from: Raoul Duke on April 08, 2009, 09:13:05 PM

Excellent, indeed! agagagagag
I could find flour tortillas in Shanghai (priced like sheets of gold, of course) and even saw boxed, formed crisp corn-tortilla taco shells in odd places like Changchun.

I could buy or make salsa...lemon juice is fine, and I could get limes in Suzhou.

What was really difficult was finding the spices needed for seasoning the meat properly. Chili powder (the milder brown Ancho pepper stuff, not the fiery hot red Sichuan-type chilis) was extremely difficult to find, and heartbreakingly expensive when you did come across it. And there's obviously a lot of cumin running around out there- as per all the Xinjiang dishes and Zi Ran Yang Rou and so forth- but finding places in Eastern China that would actually sell some to me was quite a different story. llllllllll

I was able to cook chili con carne, tacos, and other Tex-Mex treats from time to time in China, but generally only with spices that had been sent or brought in for me.

I have a salsa recipe that a friend back home is pretty much famous for. I'll post it here shortly.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: psd4fan on April 09, 2009, 05:00:03 AM

As promised:

Salsa   ~spicy version

Ingredients:   (yields 10 - 12   500ml jars)

10 lbs. Tomatoes (I use ‘beefsteak’ type – less seeds)
3 lbs. Spanish Onion Chopped
3 Cups Finely Chopped Celery
4 Tbsp. Pickling Salt

4 Tbsp. Sugar
2½ Cups Pickling Vinegar
5 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
2 Tbsp. Mustard Seed
1 Tbsp. Cayenne Pepper

2 (369ml) cans Tomato Paste
6 Green Peppers Chopped 
4 Sweet Red Peppers Chopped
4 Yellow Hot Peppers Chopped
10 Jalapeno Peppers Chopped   

Directions:

Day 1:

•   Blanch tomatoes and peel.
•   Cut in 1/8’s, put in large bowl and add celery and onions sprinkle with salt.
•   Stir, cover with a towel and let stand at room temperature overnight.

Day 2:

•   Drain excess liquid in the morning.
•   In a large pot, bring tomato mix, sugar, vinegar, garlic, mustard seed, and cayenne to boil for 20 min.
•   Add the rest of the peppers (green, yellow, jalapeno) tomato paste and boil for 10 min until thick.
    (At this point you have to taste test for the hotness level you want. You can crank it up if needed by adding more cayenne)

For CANNING in Mason Jars - Pour straight from the cooking pot into hot sterilized jars and seal, process in boiling water for 20 min for pints. (or 15 Minutes in Pressure Cooker)



We usually make (and can) 1 big batch every fall (harvest time) with a Bushel of tomatoes (50+ lbs) and 5 * the recipe listed above.

I have also had success doing a single batch and just kept it in tupperware in the fridge for more immediate use.

I do the cooking and processing outdoors (using a propane burner) because the aroma of cooking vinegar & peppers can linger indoors. You could also use a hotplate on the deck, or just leave your windows open.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: paddyfields on April 09, 2009, 05:34:06 AM

Quote from: psd4fan on April 09, 2009, 05:00:03 AM

As promised:

Salsa   ~spicy version

Ingredients:   (yields 10 - 12   500ml jars)

Holy Bejayuz! We could feed the whole campus with that much salsa bhbhbhbhbh

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: psd4fan on April 09, 2009, 05:43:42 AM

Yup. I suppose you could freeze or otherwise store it. This stuff is amazing and I am usually not a huge fan of salsa. akakakakak

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Worldtour on April 09, 2009, 09:59:03 PM

What was really difficult was finding the spices needed for seasoning the meat properly. Chili powder (the milder brown Ancho pepper stuff, not the fiery hot red Sichuan-type chilis) was extremely difficult to find, and heartbreakingly expensive when you did come across it. And there's obviously a lot of cumin running around out there- as per all the Xinjiang dishes and Zi Ran Yang Rou and so forth- but finding places in Eastern China that would actually sell some to me was quite a different story. llllllllll

Yes so right Raoul,  I forgot the cumin for the refried beans and that is readily available. The oregano is also very necessary.  I left out the cheese as the merchants here are totally mercenary when it comes to anything a westerner may buy.  20 dollars a pound for pizza cheese.  which is the cheapest of all cheeses in the states.  never more than 2 or three dollars a pound.  The darker chili powder is hard to find but you can get pretty close to the flavor with a red pepper powder, on key is add the water from the red beans to the con carne.  Don't throw out the water from cooking the beans this helps to give it the flavor and the darker color. 

Here in the northeast of China barbeque is very popular so cumin is everywhere as are the venders from Xing Jiang who make the best barbeque.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on April 24, 2009, 10:07:34 PM

Quite a scrummy little dessert.


1 tin sweetened condensed milk (if my little town has that it must be widespread!)
1 cup plain yoghurt (one of those little bags is about right)
1/4 cup lemon juice (or other fruit juice)

Mix together and it should start to thicken quickly. Put in little cups and refridgerate (or freeze) for a few hours.

It's quite sweet so it's best served with tinned or fresh fruit. From the fridge it works like a very thick custard, from the freezer it's like icecream.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on April 24, 2009, 10:14:20 PM

Hmm, nice thought. Probably go as a cheesecake filler, too.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on April 24, 2009, 10:19:05 PM

Yup! Mix with cream cheese, and that's wot you got! agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on April 24, 2009, 10:42:10 PM

Sounds yummy  agagagagag agagagagag

Ok, no cream to be found. But found this recipe for a non-dairy chocolate mousse. It actually sounds nice. Now, only trouble is, I can't figure out what the drat "silky tofu" is called in Chinese. Anyone know?

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on April 24, 2009, 10:45:19 PM

Oooooh please share!
I want tofu mousse  agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on April 24, 2009, 10:54:38 PM

Amaretto-Spiked Vegan Chocolate Mousse Recipe1/2 cup organic chocolate soy milk (for this recipe I like to use Vitasoy Rich Chocolate Soy Milk)
9 or 10 ounce bag of semisweet vegan chocolate chips (I've had good success with Tropical Source or Sunspire Brand all-natural brands, NOT carob chips)
12 ounces silken tofu
1/4 cup Amaretto or almond-flavored liquor
1/4 teaspoon natural pure almond extract (I use the Flavorganics Almond Extract for this recipe)
Pour the chocolate milk into a small pot and bring to a simmer. Remove the milk from heat and let cool a bit while you melt down the chocolate chips. You can melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or if you are like me, and don't own a double-boiler, you can cobble one together using a tiny saucepan set under a larger mixing bowl. Fill the tiny saucepan with an inch or two of water and bring barely to a simmer - place the big mixing bowl with the chocolate chips on top of the tiny saucepan and let the heat come up and gently warm the chips while you stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove from heat.
Add the soy milk and silken tofu to the melted chocolate chips. Process with a hand or regular blender until completely smooth. Stir in the Amaretto and almond extract. Taste and adjust for flavor, adding a bit more extract if needed.
Chill in the big bowl (or in individual bowls) for at least 1 1/2 hours, the longer the better. The pudding will set up nicely as it cools.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on April 24, 2009, 11:18:28 PM

Silken tofu is just the really soft kind.
NOt the hard kind or the japanese kind. It's common as muck here. It's about the same consistency as creme caramel.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on April 25, 2009, 12:49:33 AM

Quote from: George on April 24, 2009, 10:19:05 PM

Yup! Mix with cream cheese, and that's wot you got! agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag

But unfortunately I don't have access to cream cheese or even butter to make the base.

Margarine will not substitute.

Never mind, this puddingy mixture reminds me of when my grandmother used to make it.  bfbfbfbfbf

And thanks ETR for the recipe! I won't have the ingredients, but it's nice to dream  agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: paddyfields on April 25, 2009, 01:03:34 AM

Quote from: ericthered on April 24, 2009, 10:42:10 PM

Sounds yummy  agagagagag agagagagag

Ok, no cream to be found. But found this recipe for a non-dairy chocolate mousse. It actually sounds nice. Now, only trouble is, I can't figure out what the drat "silky tofu" is called in Chinese. Anyone know?

Soft/silken tofu(嫩豆腐 or 滑豆腐, nèn dòufǔ or huá dòufǔ, in Chinese, lit. "soft tofu" or "smooth tofu"; 絹漉し豆腐 bfbfbfbfbf

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on April 25, 2009, 01:39:14 AM

Actually, can't get things like vitasoy, so I use this powder instant tofu desert, then just fix the flavour.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on April 25, 2009, 05:10:12 AM

Well Schnerby, I am more than happy to one day make my way to wherever it is in China you are and make it, if you promise I can play with that dog of yours for at least half an hour agagagagag agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: DaDan on April 25, 2009, 05:28:30 AM

 

aoaoaoaoao Under close supervision I hope....   aoaoaoaoao

Quote from: ericthered on April 25, 2009, 05:10:12 AM

promise I can play with that dog of yours for at least half an hour agagagagag agagagagag

[attachment removed for space reason by admin]

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on April 25, 2009, 01:51:25 PM

Quote from: ericthered on April 25, 2009, 05:10:12 AM

Well Schnerby, I am more than happy to one day make my way to wherever it is in China you are and make it, if you promise I can play with that dog of yours for at least half an hour agagagagag agagagagag

Done.  agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on August 17, 2009, 04:39:22 AM

Whole wheat cereal.

This is something I simply cannot buy where I am. I am after a good, full-flavoured cereal that will give me the vitamins and other goodies that I'm after. I know, it is so easy to buy cereal in some places, and even if it's not, this is a hell of a lot of work for cereal. I'm just mad for wholegrain. When my folks come over they are bringing me half a suitcase full of wholegrain noodles. Anyway, on to the cooking.

Step 1
Somehow find whole wheat flour. Packaged stuff is ok, but not available where I am. Anyway, it's just not the same as freshly milled flour. I need to find a flour mill.

So, instead I go and find someone who has spread wheat out on the road and is seperating the chaff. I buy a big bag full of the wheat berries and take them home. Yesterday they woman gave it to me for free.  bfbfbfbfbf Sometimes my neighbours come with me as they are equally keen on whole wheat.

Step 2
Sort out the husks and grind the berries into flour using a blender. I don't have a blender, so I send the wheat upstairs to my neigbour to take care of that step. It comes back to me ground up.

Step 3
I sift the flour through a sieve. The bits that are too coarse get bashed about with a mortar and pestle. If I'm feeling lazy I send them back upstairs for blending.

Step 4
Mix the flour with some honey, cinnamon and water. It should just come together. Oil a tray for the toaster oven (or a real oven, if you somehow have one) and spread a thin layer of the mixture over it. Bake for 10 minutes or until the edge starts to brown. Now break the mixture up into flakes and bake until crunchy.

Step 5
Allow the flakes to cool and then put them in an airtight container. I eat it with soymilk or the liquid from stewed fruit and some bananas.

After eating this I feel so well nourished!  bjbjbjbjbj
 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on August 17, 2009, 11:12:42 AM

Quote

I buy a big bag full of the wheat berries and take them home.

ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah

Quote

half a suitcase full of wholegrain noodles.

Shouldn't that be wholeberry noodles???  ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah

Sorry, Schnerbs, but I fomc and roflmao!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on August 17, 2009, 02:43:55 PM

Nope, the whole grains of wheat minus the husk are called wheat berries.

Glad you got a giggle out of it though.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on August 17, 2009, 03:11:10 PM

 mmmmmmmmmm In my entire life, I have never heard of wheatberries!   Ears, kernels, grains, yes, but berries? Never!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on August 17, 2009, 04:29:47 PM

Welcome to the world of odd people who insit on making their own flour!  bjbjbjbjbj

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_berry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_berry)

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: adamsmith on August 22, 2009, 09:44:49 AM

flour good - helps to find the wet spot. (sorry ladies) but as someone from wheat country we have to find good uses for our product. bibibibibi

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on August 22, 2009, 06:51:37 PM

Nice recipes lately.
And probably every bit as good (and maybe even better!) with just plain old chocolate (vegan chocolate or carob, my ass cccccccccc ), ordinary fresh soft tofu, and wheat flour from the grocery or fresh-noodle shop.

Sheesh. bibibibibi

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on August 24, 2009, 05:04:43 AM

Whole wheat flour. How I lust after whole wheat flour.

Trust me, if it was available, I would buy it.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on August 24, 2009, 09:46:54 AM

I have seen whole wheat flour in Carrefour in Hangzhou.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on August 24, 2009, 03:51:01 PM

How soon can I get to Hangzhou?  ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on August 24, 2009, 04:01:02 PM

Xi'an has a Carrefour - no idea if it has that flour, but worth a try!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on August 24, 2009, 07:59:15 PM

Carrefour is on the to do list  ahahahahah

Xi'an in 3 days.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on September 06, 2009, 04:54:32 AM

OK.  This recipe is Daddy-approved by my own, very finicky, Enjoyer-of-Pound-Cake father.


FRESH LEMON POUND CAKE

1 cup Butter (softened)
2 cups Sugar
2 cups Flour
5 Eggs (slightly beaten)
Juice + Zest of 1 Lemon


Preheat oven to 350*F
Grease and flour tube/funnel/Bundt pan

Cream Butter + Sugar
Alternately, add Eggs + Flour
Add lemon Juice + Zest.

Bake 55 minutes.  Let cool down before removing from pan onto plate.  Can serve it "as is" or with glaze/icing dribbled over it.  Excellent with ice cream and a "nice cuppa" ahahahahah



LEMON GLAZE

1 Lemon
1 cup Powdered Sugar

Grate/zest Lemon into bowl.
 
Juice the Lemon over measured cup.  
Add enough liquid (lemon juice/lemon liquer/water/lemonade/lemon soda) to make 1/4 cup.

Sift Powdered Sugar into bowl with zest.
Stir in liquid.  Combine completely.

Drizzle over cake (or cookies or donuts).











Edit ** Sunday.....Daddy wants some more, Please akakakakak (and he wants "a bigger piece this time") ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on September 24, 2009, 07:03:41 PM

Peanut butter cookies for the ingredient challenged...

1 cup peanut butter (any kind)
1 cup white sugar
1 large egg

Mix, put on a tray, put in your little toaster oven and hope for the best. Yummy!

You can add some butter instead of some of the peanut butter, but that's just silly.  ahahahahah Also chocolate chopped up and added to the batter is delicious.

I'm going to try out my lemon slice soon and I'll report in. It was a hit at home, so let's see if the toaster oven can handle it.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: George on September 24, 2009, 10:15:59 PM

Quote

Peanut butter cookies for the ingredient challenged...

CAUTION: May contain traces of nuts!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on September 24, 2009, 10:53:22 PM

Nobody warned me! There are peanuts in peanut butter?  aoaoaoaoao ahahahahah ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on September 24, 2009, 11:06:49 PM

No - same as hamburgers have no ham!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on September 25, 2009, 12:04:52 AM

Thanks, LE, you saved the day.  ahahahahah ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: mlaeux on September 25, 2009, 03:43:54 AM

Flourless peanut butter cookies? How do they come out, I mean what is the texture like? 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on September 25, 2009, 06:30:20 AM

Very much like normal peanut butter cookies. They are a softish biscuit, as you would imagine. The peanut taste, surprisingly, isn't that strong.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: mlaeux on September 25, 2009, 07:10:43 AM

Sounds yummy. I may try it with almond butter instead.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: psd4fan on September 25, 2009, 07:20:48 AM

Quote from: George on September 24, 2009, 10:15:59 PM

Quote

Peanut butter cookies for the ingredient challenged...

CAUTION: May contain traces of nuts!

Just like this board.  ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on November 16, 2009, 04:08:09 AM

I've found a really useful site; blogged by my bff's neighbour, Carroll Pellegrinelli

http://baking.about.com/b/

She has about 3 or 4 new baking recipes/tips each week.  I like it best when she has her "from scratch" stuff, as I prefer to do my own baking...and to make modifications (like using Splenda* instead of sugar) to suit my tastes and lifestyle.

This is one recipe that I found on this site and tried out.  

WARNING - it may become addictive !!



SPICY GINGER PEAR BREAD

2 cups Flour
1/2 cup toasted Wheat Germ/ground Flax Seed
1/2 cup (packed) Brown Sugar
1 Tbs Baking Powder
1.1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp ground Ginger
1/2 cup chopped Crystallized Ginger
2 cups chopped Pears = +/- 2 pears (tinned or fresh)
2 Eggs
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
8 oz (= 1 cup)Sour Cream/plain Yoghurt
1/4 cup Pear Juice (easier to get if you use tinned pears)


1.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease one 4.1/2 x 8.1/2 inch loaf pan.
2.  In large bowl, Combine first 6 dry ingredients with wire whisk.  Hand stir in chopped ginger and pears.  Set aside.
3.  In smaller bowl, Combine wet ingredients - eggs, oil, sour cream, pear juice.
4.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.  Mix until moistened.
5.  Pour into prepared pan.  
6.  Bake for 45 minutes.
7.  Place piece of foil over top of bread, and continue to bake another 15 minutes (may need more, depending on oven).  Test for "doneness" with toothpick.
8.  Cool in pan, on wire rack for 15 minutes.
9.  Turn out onto wire rack to finish cooling.

When completely cool, wrap in plastic wrap, then in foil.  Set aside to eat next day.

*Note*  We couldn't wait that long.  Spread with butter....Yummmmm. akakakakak  But it was even better next day ahahahahah

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: mlaeux on November 16, 2009, 04:30:37 AM

Sounds yummo! I may give it a try for Thanksgiving. Thanks.  bfbfbfbfbf

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: LaowaiSaosao on December 05, 2009, 04:26:20 PM

I just figured out how to make my own yoghurt. It's great as you don't need any fancy equipment apart from a vaccuum flask. I love it as it's got no artificial flavours/sweeteners in it and is full of good bacteria as well as tasting great.

You need some natural/live yoghurt as starter, if you can't find any in the import shops try your local Indian restaurant (if you have one) as they probably make their own yoghurt. You need 2 tablespoons for one litre of milk. Heat the milk until it just starts to boil (bubbles around the edge). Leave to cool for around half an hour until it is blood temperature (you can stick your finger in it quite comfortably). While it is cooling fill a vaccuum flask with boiling water. When the milk is blood temperature mix it into the yoghurt then empty the water out of the flask and pour the milk in. Seal and leave for minimum of 6 hours (I make it in the evening and leave overnight). When you get up the next morning the flask should be filled with yoghurt, I decant it into a glass storage jar and keep it in the fridge. It is totally unsweetened (obviously) so will taste quite tart, I mix it with homemade jam and have some every morning.

This is not the most set yoghurt, if you want it thicker you can strain it in a coffee filter for a few hours.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: dragonsaver on December 05, 2009, 04:55:07 PM

Thanks, this should be a help for me as I hate the sweetened yogurt.  akakakakak

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on December 06, 2009, 12:47:57 AM

To make mine thicker I add a couple of tablespoons of pure milk powder.  Amount depends on if you want it mousse consistency etc.  I like it tart, so don't add anything to it later.

Friends from home can sent you the starter - after you have used the yoghurt a few times it loses the ability to make 'good' yoghurt.  I brought back 6 bottles of starter tablets, plus a starter to make Greek yoghurt.  YUM.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: LaowaiSaosao on December 06, 2009, 02:11:13 AM

LE what milk powder do you use, a Chinese brand? And are the starters actually tablets? Sounds interesting?

One thing I've learned is that you can freeze "live" yoghurt and later defrost it to use as starter, it separates but still works cos that's what I used this time. As I understand it, if you freeze it as soon as you've made it then it is at it's most "live" so your yoghurt should work better for longer.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on December 06, 2009, 03:52:21 AM

Nestle. Which would upset my family a little given Nestle's baby formula dumping policy in developing countries, and convincing mums brestfeeding isn't as good, but I figure it doesn't come with added melamine.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Schnerby on December 06, 2009, 07:26:18 PM

Ooooh that sounds so easy I might even be able to pull it off here!

I think plain yoghurt would be lovely with some hawthorn fruit puree. I have a freezer full and have been enjoying it's tart yumminess with pancakes.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on December 20, 2009, 11:50:02 PM

MULLED WINE

1.1 litres/2 pints [4 cups] Red Wine
3 Cinnamon Sticks
6 Star Anise
6 Cloves
3 Oranges, sliced
3 Lemons, sliced
150g/5oz [1/2 cup tightly packed] Brown Sugar

1.  Bring all of the ingredients to a simmer in a saucepan.  Continue to simmer gently for 6-8 minutes.  Do NOT boil.
2.  Pour into (6) heatproof glasses

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on December 23, 2009, 07:25:25 AM

OK.  So I was looking through The Family CookBook (my late mother's Christmas gift, given several years ago) and found her/our recipe for Fruit Cake.  The only major problem is that this recipe - and several others, as well - gives the oven temperature as "slow oven"....no actual temperature setting with numbers kkkkkkkkkk

Obviously, these directions are kind of old; some of the recipes are from well over 100 years ago.  I figured that maybe some of you might have come across the same difficulty, so I've put together a Conversion Chart. 


Very Slow Oven
     250*F
     120*C

Slow Oven
     300*F
     15O*C
     Gas Mark 2

Moderately Slow Oven
     325*F
     165*C
     Gas Mark 3

Moderate Oven
     350*F
     175*C
     Gas Mark 4

Moderately Hot Oven
     375*F
     190*C
     Gas Mark 5

Hot (Quick) Oven
     400*F
     205*C
     Gas Mark 6

Very Hot Oven
     450*F
     230*C
     Gas Mark 7

Extremely Hot Oven
     500*F
     260*C
     Gas Mark 8-9
 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Lotus Eater on February 06, 2010, 05:22:08 PM

Spicy Pumpkin soup - Chinese style

Peel and dice in medium chunks enough pumpkin for your soup - depends on family/freezer size.  Crush garlic, dice onion.  I added a choko (Buddha's hand - fo shuo gua, because it looked lonely in the fridge).

Parboil in milk - or stock - enough to just cover vegetables.  Process in food processor, adding - here's the Chinese bit! - your favourite flavour of the chili sauces you find in the condiments section.  Mine has peanuts and other stuff in it.

Return to stove, add more milk, reduce until your reach the desired thickness for soup.

Serve with a swirl of thick, pure yoghurt.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Bugalugs on March 16, 2010, 06:22:34 PM

Chantilly Cream

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract together on high speed until soft peaks form in the mixture. Chill any unused Chantilly cream.

Easy Chocolate Mud cake

1 1/2 cups Hot Water
250g Butter
200g Dark cooking Chocolate (I just used dark chocolate from the corner store)
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten lightly
2 tsp vanilla essence (thanks mum :) )
1 1/2 cups S-r Flour

Melt butter, sugar, chocolate, cocoa, vanilla and hot water over a low heat.
When cooled add flour and eggs, mix well. The mixture will be VERY runny.
Pour into a 30cm lined cake tin, cook for 1 hour and 15 min at 150c.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out.
When cool sprinkle with icing sugar (not necessary)
Serve warm or cool with cream or ice-cream.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: mlaeux on March 17, 2010, 03:51:46 AM

Thanks Bugs!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: china-matt on May 26, 2010, 04:40:00 PM

Just made Moroccan spicy shrimp...it was excellent and can definitely be made in China.

1 lb. shrimp--peeled and de-veined.
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 small spicy peppers, chopped
1tsp. cumin seeds
1tsp. paprika
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1tbsp. ginger, peeled and chopped
coriander and salt (optional)

Heat the oil with the peppers and garlic. Add the cumin and ginger. Stir for a couple minutes. Add shrimp and paprika and coriander. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes.

Get some good bread to mop up the tasty oil when you're finished eating.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: xwarrior on February 23, 2011, 02:09:14 AM

Quote

This is an on-topic thread for recipes adapted to or developed in China.

Quote

Whole wheat oatmeal cookies
I think this recipe meets the criteria! My mother made oatmeal biscuits every week so when I came across this recipe in the blog of a Dutch guy in Shenzhen I had a look.

He starts off with:
"Today I made whole wheat oatmeal cookies according to some recipe I found online. They tasted good and are very healthy, so I wanted to recommend them here. They were also quite easy to make with ingredients easily available in supermarkets in Shenzhen."

So far so good. Then ......
"I could only not buy vanilla and baking powder in any of the supermarkets nearby, so I had to leave that out. Besides that, all ingredients are quite easy to buy in China. Perhaps I will order some vanilla next time on Taobao. Instead of baking powder, I added a bit more baking soda and some lemon juice (the acid needed to make the soda do it's work). I also decided to add less brown sugar than in the recipe, because most Chinese don't like it too sweet. I added lots of raisins and almost a whole apple instead."

Most of the rest of the process seems straightforward - if you have an oven, etc, etc - and the recipe can be found on:
 http://www.startinchina.com/china/recipes/whole_wheat_oatmeal_cookies.html




 

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Pashley on February 23, 2011, 03:08:06 AM

Project Gutenberg (www.gutenberg.org) has several cookbooks; a title search for "cookbook" turns up four.

One is the White House Cookbook, from the chef there in 1887. I have not tested any of its recipes, but it looks like a goldmine for anyone who misses North American dishes.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: The Local Dialect on February 23, 2011, 06:41:42 AM

Stovetop Mac and Cheese
(This recipe isn't mine, it is actually Alton Brown's. I'm a macaroni and cheese lover but making the homemade stuff can be a bit of a hassle if, like many in China, you don't have an oven. While I do have a smallish oven now, in my pre-oven days I searched high and low for a Mac and Cheese recipe that did not involve baking. This one is excellent and if you can get cheddar cheese where you live, then you can make this recipe no problem. I usually leave out the hot sauce because the Chinese stuff doesn't have the proper taste and I never buy imported hot sauce. Also, make sure you get evaporated milk, not condensed milk!).

Ingredients
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
Directions
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.


Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 04, 2011, 02:19:26 AM

At looong last, here is my recipe for Pancakes.  Sorry for the delay :wtf:




HOMEMADE PANCAKES / GRIDDLE CAKES

Sift together : --

2 cups Flour
3 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Add : --

2 Eggs (well beaten)
1 3/4 cups Milk
4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Mix well.  Drop by spoonfuls onto slightly greased hot griddle.  When bubbles appear, turn cakes over and brown other side.  Do NOT turn a second time. 

Serve with Butter and your favourite Syrup.

KEEP YOUR PAN ON A MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT.
Too High a temperature will burn your cakes. Too Low will cause sticking


** Notes on Bunny's Adaptations **

I like to mix 1/2 cup Wheat or MultiGrain Flour with 1.1/2 cups White Flour.  I also add 1-2 teaspoons of Ground Cinnamon.
I think that adding 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract to my Milk + Eggs blend is delicious. 
Another interesting addition is 1-2 mashed Bananas.

Experiment.  It's FUN !!

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: mlaeux on April 04, 2011, 06:03:53 PM

Thanks Bunny! I was just thinking about making homemade pancakes this weekend.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on April 21, 2011, 11:06:30 PM

Just in time for Good Friday baking....



(Mrs.Lily Fisher's) HOT CROSS BUNS

2 pkts active dry Yeast
1/2 cup warm Water

Sprinkle yeast over warm - NOT hot - water.  Let stand 5 minutes.

1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup soft Butter
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3 Eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup Currants
1/2 cup Raisins

Combine the above ingredients.  Stir in the yeast.  Blend thoroughly.

Gradually add in --
5 cups Flour

Beat well after each addition.
Turn onto floured board.  Let rest 10 miniutes.

Knead dough until elastic.  Place in oiled bowl.  Brush top with oil.
Cover.  Let stand until double in bulk.

Punch down.
Shape pieces of dough into small buns.
Place on greased baking pans.

Brush tops with (melted) Butter.
Using Scissors, cut a cross [X] on top of each bun.
Let rise until puffy.

Bake @ 375*F until golden brown [20-25 minutes]
Remove to racks.
While warm, fil crosses with Icing Sugar + Water Combination.

Makes 3 dozen -- can also be made into loaves

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on December 19, 2011, 08:56:49 PM

Holly jolly merry Christmas  agagagagag agagagagag

Grandma Squirrel's Home-made Pfeffernutzen

4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 1/2 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup finely chopped almonds (remember to remove the skin from the almonds before chopping)

Mix the dry ingredients.
Mix butter and sugar and whip until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, whipping unitil smooth and creamy.
Add dry ingredients, 1 cup at the time, whip vigorously.
Add almonds.
When dough is not sticky any more, roll into 1 inch balls and place on baking tray. Bake in pre-heated 250 degrees Celcius oven for 11-14 minutes. Remove and lett cool. Put in air-tight container. They are best after waiting for a day or two.
 agagagagag agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: ericthered on December 19, 2011, 09:43:03 PM

Another Christmas doozy agagagagag agagagagag

Risalamande (only spelling accepted by the High Grand Royal Language Council of the Glorious Kingdom of Denmark.  agagagagag agagagagag)

Take some rice, how many cups depend on how many people who intend to feed.
Put rice in pot, preferably a non-stick teflon pot.
Add whole-milk, again, quantity depends on eaters. 1 cup milk per one cup rice is the norm + 1 extra
Set the cooker on low-medium heat and stir frequently. I recommend non-stick pot so as to avoid the milk burning. This will take a while, so arm yourself with an audio-book or something like that.
When the concoction has turned into a sticky, greyish substance that one usually associates with "Oliver Twist", take off heat and put in fridge. Let the porridge get completely cold.
Then make a large batch of whipped cream, de-skin and chop about 500 grams of almonds, make sure they are all chopped in some way or other. Keep one almond to the side, untouched and whole.
De-seed 2 vanilla pods.
Mix whipped cream, chopped almonds and vanilla into cold porridge. Then add whole almond. Put back in fridge. Then go buy a present, like a book or a cup or something small but useful.
When Christmas dinner is upon you, let your guests eat until they can't move. Then bring out the risalamande. The purpose of the dish is that, whoever finds the whole almond wins the present. Now, to make it more fun, you have to hide the fact you have the almond, thus causing your fellow diners to eat more of the white stuff. When they have risalamande coming out f their nose and one or two may need the hospital or last rites, then you proudly produce the almond and claim your present. Everyone will hate you but they will be too stuffed to beat you up and the next day everyone will be convinced that granpa got the almond agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag

Bon Appetit agagagagag agagagagag

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on October 22, 2012, 01:05:54 AM

*bump*

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Mr Nobody on December 08, 2012, 01:43:08 AM

home made sausages.

Plenty of stuff about it on the web, but little for China. Read up on the net for other bits, follow this for china specific stuff.

OK, I make two main kinds, bratwurst and english sage.

They are simple.

First rule is everything must be kept very clean and very cold. If things are not really cold, the water that is in them comes out of the emulsion, which means it ain't a sausage no more, but meat floating in water.

First need several kilos of nice fatty pork like the neck, then add about ten percent backfat until the llot is between 20 and 30% fat. less than 15% fat and they are too dry. I like to work with it damn near frozen, cutting to size, pulling out ligaments and skin etc.

If you make less than 2kgs the flavour doesn't seem to blend right. I usually do 3kgs per batch of each type, 6 kgs total.

Mince the lot very coarsely and return to fridge to chill out again.

Spice mix - bratwurst. Bratwurst should have mace which I can't find, so I faked it with a mix of spices based on nutmeg. It works.
take about six spoonfuls of salt, one whole nutmeg, two cloves, finger sized bit of cinnamon bark and a coffeespoon ful of white peppercorns, or can mix in some black peppercorns. Needs mostly white.
Powder the lot finely with some kind of processor until fine very fine.

Use about 10g per kilo. to taste.

For English sausage, used about 3g sage, 5g salt, 2g black pepper and/or 1g white pepper per kilo finely blended.

Add about half a cup of water (or wine etc) per kilo. Mix thoroughly and put back in the fridge.

Mix thoroughly, and mix again you probably didn't do it enough.

Fry up a couple of patties to taste them, remembering they need aging etc. But adjust mixes accordingly. And mix thoroughly again and return to fridge, very cold fridge.

Wait a day for the taste to mull.

Run through sausage stuff attachment of mincer using thin sausage nozzle, into sausage casings. Can mailorder or just use pigs small intestines. Salt,clean and dry before use, turn inside out twice while washing, etc.

Make into 6 inch links by turning every second one, don't try to do each one, they unravel. Don't overstuff. needs two people to do it well.

put into 500 g or 1kg batches, and freeze in your ruddy great freezer. defrost and fry at will, put on home made bread with home made sauces, or whatever. serve with mashed spuds, bacon, fried onions egg and baked beans. Maybe some cheese. etc.

Home made bacon isn't hard either, but I am too lazy to do it much. And great country pate is like a ten minute job.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on February 24, 2015, 12:26:18 AM

*bump*

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: Pashley on February 24, 2015, 05:10:21 PM

As for any topic, Project Gutenberg has a lot of free downloadable books, nohing recent but lots of good stuff that is old enough copyright has expired. Here's their list for cookery:
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Cookery_%28Bookshelf%29

The Whitehouse Cookbook, published in the 1880s and written by the presidential chef of the day, is a fine source for traditional American recipes:
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13923

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: mlaeux on April 02, 2015, 03:08:40 AM

My favorite recipe of the moment - http://kitteekake.blogspot.mx/2007/09/chickpea-flour-besan-pancakes.html (http://kitteekake.blogspot.mx/2007/09/chickpea-flour-besan-pancakes.html) (This link may be blocked, so I've posted the recipe below.)


In my notes below, you'll find my my substitutions. The base recipe is very forgiving. There's lots of wiggle room for creativity.


Here's the original recipe from the website:

Chickpea Flour Pancakes
Makes three large pancakes

1 cup besan/gram flour (Indian chickpea flour)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup water
1/4 lemon, juiced (about two really good squirts of lemon juice)
1 cup chopped veggies (I like 1/4 cup frozen peas, 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1/2 cup tomato)
a chunk of onion to season your skillet.

In a small bowl, mix together the besan, salt, baking soda, and spices.

Add the water and beat well. The besan tends to clump a bit, so you can sift it if you want, but I just beat the lumps out with a fork.

Beat in the lemon juice with a fork.

Stir in the mixed veggies (you can add some chopped cilantro and freshly grated ginger if you have it). Whatever you do, don't taste the batter. Raw chickpea flour tastes terrible!

The easiest way to make these, is to season a cast iron skillet with the cut side of an onion. This is an amazing trick for savory pancakes, and helps the pancakes to pop out of the pan--even if you make these without oil. You could also use a non-stick gizmo for good results. To season, just rub the surface of the pan vigorously with the cut side of an onion, you can also add a touch of oil if you want.

Ladle 1/2 cup of batter at a time into the hot seasoned skillet (cook over medium low heat) and spread the batter out so it's not too thick.

Cook until the bottom is brown and there are bubbles surfacing in the center of the pancake. Flip and cook the other side. These take considerably longer to cook than regular pancakes, so you want them on a lower heat to keep them from burning. I'd say they take at least 5 minutes to cook on each side.
 

My Notes

Due to ingredient limitations, I've had to make a few modifications. For instance, lemons are ridiculously expensive, shriveled and IMHO the yellow color just seems a little bit off (when you can find them), but little key limes are abundant and cheap, so I substituted the juice of fresh squeezed limes for lemon juice.

Additional suggested modifications:
Only use fresh quick cooking veggies, such as chopped spinach, diced onions and tomatoes, & minced ginger and garlic.

Try making the batter a bit thinner than what the recipe calls for. I followed the ratios to the T when I originally tested this recipe, and the batter was too thick. It didn't cook all the way through. So, I used less chickpea flour to thin the batter out.

Try using a blender to mix all the ingredients together except for the veggies. Pour the batter into a med/big bowl and then mix the veggies and batter up real good before ladeling onto a preheated pan.

Garnish with cut chives or cilantro before serving.

I haven't tried it yet, but if you don't have tumeric, you could try using yellow curry powder instead, as it generally contains turmeric as it's main ingredient.

BTW - I tried using the cut onion as an oil substitute, but it didn't work for me, even with one of those new fangled "green" pans I bought on a recent trip to Texas. However, I did use about a half teaspoon of avocado oil (obviously you don't have to use avocado oil, any cooking oil will do just fine) and then I smeared it around in the pan with a paper towel just to makes sure it was coated really well, as I've had issues with "sticking" before.

Title: Re: The Cook Book
Post by: AMonk on May 04, 2015, 03:44:50 AM

Breakfast Biscuit - general purpose

2 cups Flour
4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
4 Tbs Shortening (Lard)
3/4cup Milk


Preheat oven to temperature needed.
Sift together dry ingredients,
Add shortening ad mix thoroughly into flour mix.
Add milk until soft dough-ball is formed.
Turn out onto lightly floured board.

Biscuits - 475*F
Roll out 1/2-inch thick.  Cut onto rounds.  Place onto lightly greased sheet.
Bake about 12 minutes.

Pizza - 450*F
Roll out until slightly larger around than pizza pan,  Place onto (lightly greased) pan.  Tuck edges under.  Add toppings and cheese.
Bake about 15 - 20 minutes.

Meat Pies - 425*F
Divide dough into 2 unequal parts.
Roll out larger portion until it fits standard pie pan.  Place carefully over (lightly greased) pan.  Fill with your favourite (pre-cooked) meat+veg combo.
Repeat rolling procedure with second portion of dough.  Place on top of pie.  Cut 1-3 air holes onto crust
Bake about 20 minutes.