Hong Kong's Dried Food

It’s definitely feeling like autumn now.  The air is crisp early in the morning and late in the evening and the weather is hot during the day but dry. It’s the perfect weather for hiking and drying food.  

Last weekend when hiking I saw many different types of foods left drying in the sun. As you know Cantonese use a lot of dried produce in their cuisine: fruits, vegetables, plants, seaweeds, fish, nuts, pulses, etc. and of course fish and seafood. The common method for drying food here doesn’t require any dehydration equipment. It is not surprising to see food drying in the sun on the crowded pavements of busy districts, for example in Sheung Wan which is famous for its numerous shops selling dried seafood products.

Taipei Zhongshan Market

If you are familiar with my blog and previous posts you already know that I love wet markets, their colours and atmosphere. Whenever I am visiting a new town or new country I need to find out what produce is being sold and how it is displayed (and sometimes like to compare prices).

Recently, while I was in Taipei (Taiwan) I visited Zhongshan market which is a few minutes walk from Zhongshan MRT station.

Zhongshan market

Papaya - muhk-gwâa - 木瓜

This is the papaya season in Hong Kong and I bought a large unripe fruit when I visited e-farm last week to make a soup  (to view my post on the visit- click here>>>.)

A good news: if you want to try to make this soup or another variation you don't have to go to the New-Territories as many local farmers are selling their organic produce at Island East Markets (IEM) on Sunday in Quarry Bay.

Teresa – owner of e-farm (an organic farm) at IEM

E-farm – 川上農莊 : a local organic farm

E-farm or chyûn-seuhng nùhng-zhông in Cantonese (川上農莊lit: river-up/above- farmstead) is an organic farm located in Fanling in the village called Hok Tau Wai 鶴藪圍 [lit: crane-marsh-walled/encircle].

I met its owner, farmer and educator, Teresa, a lovely lady at Island East Markets’ happy hour at the end of August. Teresa kindly proposed to bring me to visit her farm and this took place last Wednesday.

Here is some info I’d like to share on this organic farm and its owners who are growing healthy produce for us to enjoy.

Teresa at IEM on 30/09/12