Thursday, July 23, 2009

Am Feeling A Little Blue About This Book...

(pardon the artistic license taken with the truly lovely, pink and pretty bookcover)

The Royal Thumb's Up looks like it may be turning downward for our sweet maidens from Shanghai unless they can break out of the sticky formulaic plot they are ensnared in right now. Currently the author is moving them around her chessboard in a predictable fashion as they adapt to life in Los Angeles while contending with their miserable, miserly father-in-law and unwanted marriages. Book clubs, no doubt, will love this book. I may yet love it, too. Hang in there with me.

But fear not! My appetite has been tantalized by mention of traditional Chinese dishes, and so I am happy to share pictures of No. 1, or is it No. 2? son (twin, so both sons should be No. 1) making traditional pork dumplings in his apartment in China with his No. 1 companion.

One cannot buy tidy packages of chopped pork there - one must brave the markets and hope for the best. My "Americans in China" managed to find chunks of pork and pork fat which they chop chop chopped until their wrists hurt so as to make minced meat. More chopping ensued as huge quantities of ginger, garlic, scallions, hot peppers, and chicken bouillion powder were reduced to individual molecules. All was then blended together to make a scary-looking mound of pink mush.

With chopsticks, bowls of water, and won ton skins at the ready, the intrepid chefs stuffed hundreds of dumplings, most of which were frozen for later. To cook them, bring chicken stock to a boil, add some hot pepper oil and other seasonings, and cook the dumplings until they float to the surface. Sprinkle in more chopped ginger and scallions to make a pretty presentation. Now you, too, can make your own yummy won ton soup!

No comments: