http://www.redcook.net Adventures from a Chinese Home Kitchen Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:40:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 en http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/28/white-rabbit-incident/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/28/white-rabbit-incident/#comments Mon, 29 Sep 2008 03:23:01 +0000 kianlam http://www.redcook.net/?p=426 I routinely read Asian news reports on several Chinese language Web sites, and this Friday morning was no different. But on that morning as I read the alarming and ever expanding number of news reports on tainted Chinese dairy products, I started feeling a growing unease at my regular consumption of Chinese food products. After an announcement on September 21st by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore that melamine was detected in the White Rabbit Creamy Candy from China, the candy was pulled off the shelves in many Asian markets. The Manufacturer finally announced a recall in China on Friday. As it happens White Rabbit Creamy Candy is one of my favorite candies. I’ve enjoyed them since my youth in Singapore and continue to purchase them here in New York’s Chinatown. After discarding my White Rabbit candies at home I wonder how I can keep my food supply safe. ]]> http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/28/white-rabbit-incident/feed/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/21/foodbuzz-mid-autumn-festival/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/21/foodbuzz-mid-autumn-festival/#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2008 02:42:29 +0000 kianlam http://www.redcook.net/?p=315
Photography by Ron Boszko In Chinese cultures the Mid-Autumn Festival is the most anticipated holiday after Chinese New Year. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which fell on September 14th this year. While my family celebrated on that day with a traditional family gathering and an evening of sumptuous food and mooncakes, I am using this opportunity presented by FoodBuzz to celebrate again with my “extended family” in my new neighborhood of Harlem USA.]]> http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/21/foodbuzz-mid-autumn-festival/feed/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/18/why-mooncakes/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/18/why-mooncakes/#comments Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:11:44 +0000 kianlam http://www.redcook.net/?p=406 The word is out! There was a reason why I’ve been working so hard at making these mooncakes. Take a look at what I myself and other bloggers will be doing this weekend. Come back on Sunday, September 21, and read all about it. There are more mooncake flavors to come! ]]> http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/18/why-mooncakes/feed/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/18/chinese-100/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/18/chinese-100/#comments Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:22:10 +0000 kianlam http://www.redcook.net/?p=407 Following in the footsteps of the Omnivore's 100 quiz Diana Kuan, at Appetite for China, has created a “100 Chinese Foods to Try Before You Die” list. Diana listed 100 food items of Chinese or Asian origin to see if you've tried. It is probably not fair for me to take this quiz as I grew up with many of these items, and continue to explore them whenever I travel to Asia or China. But it is a fun list! So here it is… I scored 92 and there are two items that I wouldn’t be caught dead trying. ]]> http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/18/chinese-100/feed/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/12/full-moon-mooncakes/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/12/full-moon-mooncakes/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 04:30:40 +0000 kianlam http://www.redcook.net/?p=383 After I published my homemade mooncake post, my dear friend Lee Chin Hock, who is now living in Hong Kong, left a comment on my Facebook post. He sent me links to a story and pictures of a collection of “innovative” mooncakes that are all the rage among the young and hip in Hong Kong.]]> http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/12/full-moon-mooncakes/feed/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/11/making-moon-cake/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/11/making-moon-cake/#comments Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:49:33 +0000 kianlam http://www.redcook.net/?p=349 All my friends thought I was out of my mind when I told them I was going to make homemade mooncakes. Well you see mooncake is one of those things better left for a professional bakery to make. Making them is time consuming and can be very tricky to handle. But the idea of making them at home intrigued me, and I was determined to make an attempt for the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival this year. In fact I wanted to experiment with more modern and innovative flavors. So, I got on Amazon and ordered two mooncake molds and made my very first homemade mooncakes: Earl Grey Tea Mooncakes with Egg Yolk and Pine Nuts. ]]> http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/11/making-moon-cake/feed/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/08/long-beans-at-their-best/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/08/long-beans-at-their-best/#comments Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:14:05 +0000 kianlam http://www.redcook.net/?p=317 A few days ago I received a bagful of freshly picked long beans (豇豆) from a friend’s rooftop garden. They were bi-color, crisp and just absolutely gorgeous. Legumes are at their peak during late summer, and I was once again reminded of how we’ve lost the custom of eating locally grown food in season.]]> http://www.redcook.net/2008/09/08/long-beans-at-their-best/feed/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/08/24/its-bottle-gourd/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/08/24/its-bottle-gourd/#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:46:17 +0000 kianlam http://www.redcook.net/?p=284 Guess what I found when I was in New York’s Chinatown last week. This beautiful looking hulu! I’ve not seen them before in New York nor anywhere in the U.S. Hulu (葫蘆) is a bottle shaped gourd often seen in Chinese brush paintings. Sages or monks carrying hulu flask are common themes in Chinese art. But these sinuous shaped gourds are also delicious as vegetables.]]> http://www.redcook.net/2008/08/24/its-bottle-gourd/feed/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/08/22/random-facts-meme/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/08/22/random-facts-meme/#comments Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:28:59 +0000 kianlam http://www.redcook.net/?p=273 I often wondered what I would do when someone tagged me for a meme. I’ve read quite a few memes along my online travel. Although I find them to be fun they can be rather silly. Then Bron at Feast with Bron tagged me. I was amazed by the power of the Internet to connect people. I’ve not heard of Bron before. I don’t even know Bron’s gender. But here is someone who’s been reading my blog and I am now connected to him or her. Not just a reader from New York. But someone from London! Well for that I feel the need to participate.]]> http://www.redcook.net/2008/08/22/random-facts-meme/feed/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/08/19/cool-cucumbers/ http://www.redcook.net/2008/08/19/cool-cucumbers/#comments Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:30:07 +0000 kianlam http://www.redcook.net/?p=255 Photography by Ron Boszko When was the last time you ordered a salad or cold dish in a Chinese restaurant? In fact I bet you never have. You probably don’t even associate cold dishes with Chinese food. I can hardly blame you. The majority of Chinese restaurants in America do not even serve cold dishes although they are a staple of a Chinese meal in Asia. Learn how to make this cool cucumber salad.]]> http://www.redcook.net/2008/08/19/cool-cucumbers/feed/