Bread making training at iBakery

I was fortunate to have been invited by ibakery (a Social Enterprise of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals - 東華三院) to attend a professional bread making training given by Master Wang, a famous Taiwanese artisan baker.

For the past 2 years I have been making my own rustic-style bread, using Mark Bittman’s no-knead bread recipe. As the name indicates kneading is not required and it is easy to make. Recently I have tried to make a “Yes-Knead” bread with my own sourdough starter (I don't have a bread making machine) and, as of today, my trials have not yet been successful. Therefore I was more than happy to be able to attend this training and gladly accepted the invitation.

But here is more about the bread making training.

 

 

Sheng Kee Noodles Store - 盛記麵家

Some time ago I saw a TV programme on a noodles store in one of Shatin estates.  The characteristic of this dai-paai-dong is that its owner is a kind-hearted man who is giving away free noodles to needy elderly. Recently I read again about Mr Cheung Man-keung and Sheng Kee Noodles Store in the SCMP weekly column “Neighbourhood Sounds”. My curiously stirred up even further: I had to visit this eatery!

 

Wax Pork Sausage and Duck - Laahp-méih-faahn 臘味飯

Just before Chinese New Year my friends brought me to Kowloon City to buy wax duck, pork sausages and belly. This shop sells “laahp-méih 臘味" or wax-delicacy as well as other types of delicacies such as abalone, fish maw (swim bladder), scallops, shrimps, etc.  Laahp-méih is the equivalent to Western cured meats or charcuterie.

I seldom eat Chinese charcuterie. I used not to like it (I still don’t like duck liver sausage) but I have come to appreciate it in small quantity during the winter months.  It seems that the pork sausages are not as fatty as they used to be and I like their slight rose water flavour.

 

           Shop selling laahp-méih

 

My blog is 2

My blog is 2-year old today.  I published my first post on February 18, 2011. In the latter I simply shared a Chinese soup recipe with potential future readers.

 

Chinese pears and pork soup

Since then my posts have become more informative (I hope) with info on local foods and more photos to illustrate the recipes and their ingredients. 

Over the past 2 years more people have been visiting my blog and I would like to thank those readers. I have also “met” other bloggers who left comments on my blog or via Twitter. Those bloggers are not only from Hong Kong but also from all around the world. I read some very interesting and innovative recipes and lots of them made me drool. Some of them looked so yummy that I had to try them myself. Three of them won my heart and I decided to put them on my blog (with their owner’s agreement). Here there are:

Braised Lotus Root with Pork

Before coming to Hong Kong I had never seen a fresh lotus root. I might have eaten lotus root at Chinese restaurants though I am not sure and in the affirmative I did not recall if I liked it or not. What I liked about the plant was its delicate and beautiful flowers. I had seen photos of lotus blooms in ponds and Buddhist images showing figures of Buddha sitting gracefully on a lotus flower. Since then I have discovered that not only the roots but also the pods and seeds of the plant are also edible. 

 

Look at the lacy pattern of fresh sliced lotus root!

Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Dumplings

Happy Chinese New Year! Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. LNY is an important festival in the Chinese (lunar) calendar.  Family members gather on LNY’s eve to share the last meal of the year together. It is customary to eat rice dumplings on that occasion as its name (in Cantonese) “t’ohng Yuen” 湯圓” sounds the same as “together/same - round/circular”.  In pronouncing the auspicious name of this dessert one’s wishes that it will bring her/him good fortune.

Braised Pork Ribs with Taro

Taro is a starchy root vegetable. It is called wuh-t'au (芋頭) in Cantonese. It can be found at many vegetables stalls at local wet markets in winter months. There are many varieties of taro but you 2 of them are commonly sold here in Hong Kong:  the betel nut kind which is ~10cm ø; and the red-budded type which is smaller and measures ~ 5 cm ø.    

I love the bigger one (betel nut) best braised with meat. I love its sweet taste and smooth texture, which reminds me of chestnuts.   Here is my recipe which has been adapted over the years.