French beef: peppery steak What’s so Asian about French beef? Well, I’ve always eaten this dish growing up. It’s supposed to be the Chinese equivalent of Steak au Poivre. I don’t know if it’s authentic to that taste, but I do like its kick of spice on my taste buds. French beef is something I’ll eat once in a while. Most Cantonese dishes are sweet and salty, so turning up the heat works for me for a change of pace. If you’re inclined, you can make your own version by following this … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Roast Pig
Roast pig: succulent pork with roasted, crispy skin Trying out the Kalua pork pizza last time made me think about roast pig. In Hawaii, I wasn't a huge Kalua fan because there is a Cantonese style of roasted pork (siu yuk) that I adore. (In fact, I can't believe I haven't blogged about it before!) The actual translation for the Chinese name is "roasted meat," but I've always seen pork used. Restaurants in Chinatown will even dangle whole pigs in their window cases to attract hungry … [Read more...]
Chinese Moms and Lullabies
"If you do not brave the tiger's lair, how can you capture the cub?" - Chinese proverb Even though it's past Mother's Day, I hope I still continue to honor and appreciate my mom. My mom is definitely not a tiger mom, although she did expect the best from her children. While growing up, I had a hard time reconciling my mom with the Western archetype I saw on TV (i.e. June Cleaver). As I've grown older, I now know better and admire her unique and Chinese shows of affection. Besides the continual … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Congee
Congee: rice porridge I'm feeling a bit under the weather today... which leads me to today's post about congee. It's a great meal when you're sick. The porridge turns out hot and soothing to your throat. Also, it's an easy dish to make: Boil rice over a long period of time (I hear some rice cookers have a special "congee" setting), adding in broth for further flavor. The jook (Cantonese) or muay (Taiwanese) can be topped off by … [Read more...]