Shuang Pi Nai: The Best “Double Boiled Milk” you’ll ever try!

Cute Shuang Pi Nai Ad

Last Tuesday was the second time in my life I’ve eaten “Double Boiled Milk” and it was just as good as I had remembered. Shunde is not only well-known for its dragon boat races in June, but also for their specialty milky, custardy dish- Shuang Pi Nai. The first time I tried it I was a bit nervous. (Although, I had eaten pig-brain hot pot before, so I wasn’t too worried) I remember moving it around with my spoon just to make sure there were no surprises hidden underneath… but the moment I put the first spoonful of goop in my mouth I was hooked. It was awesome!

This visit we ordered coconut and red bean flavored, one hot and one cold. Aside from the mild sweetness you’ll taste a hit of egg too. The local shops also sell a powdery take-home version of this dish, but I don’t think it would taste nearly as good as visiting Shunde and eating the authentic stuff. Take a look at some of the various flavors of Shuang Pi Nai below. Read More…

tafbutton blue16 Shuang Pi Nai: The Best Double Boiled Milk youll ever try!

Xiangsheng and Xiangke: Foods that React to Each other

"The Plan" By Lyn-Genet Recitas

An American friend recently introduced a book to me that is gaining popularity in the US called, The Plan. It describes in detail that certain healthy foods we eat regularly do, in fact, cause us to gain weight. The author uses concepts that are regularly used in Chinese discussions of health and makes them accessible to a Western audience. “Inflammatory foods” cause “inflammation”, which produce negative effects on your body and can effect weight gain and loss.

All of this talk of inflammation reminded me of a poster I saw in a Chinese medical hospital room years ago. It basically outlines both appropriate and inappropriate combinations of food. This Chinese-medicine concept seems to be the foundation of the theories in The Plan book. It seems this ancient concept, which can help us better understand how our bodies work, has worked its way to the discussion table of American households. Read More…

tafbutton blue16 Xiangsheng and Xiangke: Foods that React to Each other

Longjin? Wulong? The Green Tea Comparison

Longjing, Gaoshan, Tieguanyin, Wulong

For those who are just getting aquianted with East Asian tea varieties, I suggest visiting a previous article I wrote called “Understanding the World of Tea” that describes the main differences between a large range of teas and how they are produced. Today we are going to discuss a few specific types of Green Tea that seem quite similar to the naked eye. (Click the images to zoom in) Read More…

tafbutton blue16 Longjin? Wulong? The Green Tea Comparison

Understanding the World of Chinese Morning Tea

“Dim Sum” , ”Yum Cha” , ”Morning Tea” or ”Zao Cha”

Drinking Tea has always been an important part in the daily routines of most Chinese people, but Morning Tea specifically has been enjoyed by Cantonese Chinese for hundreds of years. Nowadays Morning Tea, Yum Cha, or Zao Cha are all ways to describe the activity Westerners might call “Brunch”, and Dim Sum refers to the dishes that are served at this leisurely mealtime. As with much international Chinese culture, this tradition has it’s roots in Guangdong province, but is practiced regularly throughout Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, and Chinatowns worldwide. Let’s take a look at what’s in store for first-time morning tea patrons!

th 311 Understanding the World of Chinese Morning Tea

Kungfu Tea at your Table

Kung fu Tea

Don’t miss the chance to Pao Cha with your hosts while you sip on piping hot kung fu tea in small tea cups. All Morning Tea establishments provide the option of small tea sets with boiling hot water that you can use to make tea at your table. Sometimes the tea alone costs as much as the food, but worth it for first-time visitors. A common favorite among Cantonese is Pu-er tea, which is a darker tea that reminds me of coffee. It’s known for aiding disgestion and doubles as a dieting tea.

An alternative to Kung Fu tea is just a simple pot of house brew that varies place to place. The cups are usually bigger too. Read More…

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Asian Secret #5 Better Mindless Munching

Munch on sunflower seeds

When watching a TV show or movie, it’s fine to munch, but its important to choose the right munchie. Traditionally, Asian cultures have developed the habit of unshelling nuts for mindless munching because it fills you slower. Eating sunflower seeds, for example, will give you the taste of food without making a meal out of the snack.

And remember, like my mother always says, everything in moderation. (Moms are really smart!)

tafbutton blue16 Asian Secret #5 Better Mindless Munching

Asian Secret #1 Hangover Cure

A Delicious Hangover Cure

Head ringing after ringing in the new year? Drink your meals today. Eat soup, porridge, or noodles.

A traditional Korean hangover cure called “Haejangguk” and has been eaten since the late 1300s contains cabbage and ox blood in beef soup. Chinese often eat Congee(porridge) to fight a hangover or illness. A savory congee for lunch is a great choice.

Whatever you do, make sure you get extra liquids and vegetables in your diet today. Feel better!

The Shantou Beef Restaurant Experience

Last year, summer 2011, I visited a seaside city in Southern China called Shantou. It is one of the original Special Economic Zones of China, just like Zhuhai, and it has a unique culture of its own. They are a special kind of Cantonese people who speak “Chaoshan hua”. (A shared dialect between Chaozhou and Shantou ) Most are ethically Han but refer to themselves as Chaoshan people. Their women are known to be “the best wives in China” because they take care of their husbands so well. AND they offer some of the most delicious cuisine too. So, what should you eat when you go to Shantou or Chaozhou? … BEEF.

While I was in Shantou, my hosts took us to a buffet-style restaurant famous for its Beef Balls. (You’ll hear many Shantou people ask “Do you like beef ball?”) The following photos show the entire spread of meaty goodness available at the buffet, which is meant to be cooked in mini hotpots in front of each person.

Tip! When gathering your dipping sauces be careful not to mistake the MSG for sugar… Don’t worry! At least this restaurant lets you choose whether or not to put in the Wizard!

Shantou BEEF Restaurant

Chaozhou was also amazing city to visit due to its history. Take a look at some of the places we visited below. The first one is a bridge made from boats latched together. It’s very old! Another one is me on an old street which is lined with gates through the center of the old city.

Chaozhou Boat Bridge

BenChaozhouStreet1 The Shantou Beef Restaurant Experience

Chaozhou Ancient Street

The Eastern part of Guangdong is truly different from the Pearl River Delta (PRD) area. I highly suggest a visit because money and pollution can get a little boring after a while… am I right?

tafbutton blue16 The Shantou Beef Restaurant Experience

Chang Fen ~ Rice Crepes with Filling

Shrimp Chang Fen 虾仁肠粉

The other day I had a hankering for chang fen; pronounced ”Chong Fun” in newspaper-phonetics. It’s not the cleanest option for eats in the neighborhood, but it tastes awesome. Getting good chang fen in China is like getting good pizza in America – the most dilapidated pizza dive is usually the best.

Basically, chang fen is made of rice flour that starts out quite runny- kind of like very runny pancake mix. It gets spooned into a steam tray and spread around as you can see in the photos below. Eggs, meat, chives, etc. are tossed on randomly and then the tray gets put in the steamer. After a couple minutes the tray gets pulled out the the contents get scrapped out. I chose extra egg because I don’t trust the meat in these places… Read More…

tafbutton blue16 Chang Fen ~ Rice Crepes with Filling

Which would you choose? Dinner for $1.69 or $.79

Duck, Pork, and Cabbage with Rice = $1.69

Good food on a budget is a specialty not only in China, but across the developing world. In countries which have recently joined the world economy, or only within the past 20-30 years, local food traditions have stayed strong. And although Western food is becoming more popular in these countries, their preference for local traditional dishes is unlikely to change in the near future.

The one common remark that students studying abroad make about their experience is that food doesn’t meet their standards. For example, the pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and salads option that fill cafeterias in the US provoke a homesickness that is unavoidable. Looking at the common dish I had for dinner last night, could you blame them for missing home?

Right outside my apartment is the “Sichuan Room”, a Cantonese-style Sichuan restaurant which serves amazing food at a low price. Read More…

tafbutton blue16 Which would you choose? Dinner for $1.69 or $.79

Understanding the World of Dumplings

Cooked Dumplings (standard)

“Dumpling” can mean many things and today I’m going to clear up this issue once ‘n for all! (Hopefully) In East Asian countries, especially China, there are many varieties of the dumpling concept; kind of like Wine. When we ask about wine others naturally ask “white or red”? Dry or sweet? What country? Which vintage? For wine aficionados, like my brother Nick , such questions are rudimentary. Same goes for dumplings.

In the world of dumplings, there is simply one requirement; you must wrap some contents (vegetables or meat only) with a flour-based wrap. They generally look the same, like most red wines might. The varieties of dumplings can be based on a few things, including: country of origin, cooking style, and contents.

baozi 300x208 Understanding the World of Dumplings

Yummy... Buns!

Dumplings are universal and have many names. The rest of this post is dedicated to showing all of the dumpling varieties I’ve ever encountered in Korea, Japan, and China; including ones that people back home have asked me about (like the mysterious Crab Rangoon!)

饺子 “jiao zi” (Standard Chinese Dumplings) boiled, semi-transparent when cooked. All over china, favored in North. Sometimes enjoyed as the staple in special family meals.

mantou 300x297 Understanding the World of Dumplings

Man Tou Buns

包子 “bao zi” (Meat or Vege Buns) steamed. All over China and 7-11s across Northeast Asia. They are usually bigger than standard dumplings and have a more bread-like texture.

馒头 “man tou” (Plan Buns) steamed. Northern Chinese style, but enjoyed around the country. Man tou is used as a staple by families in the North. It is amazing with spicy lamb dishes and can be eaten as a dessert with sweet dipping sauce.

JapaneseDumplings21 300x159 Understanding the World of Dumplings

Pot Stickers

锅贴 “guo tie” (Pot Stickers) pan-fried. Common in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Eastern China. The picture on the left is the typical style of Pot Stickers. They should be browned on the bottom-side and could contain any combination of meat or vege. Read More…

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Category: Food