Ninety years ago, the proprietor of 怡珍茶樓 (Yee Zhen tea house) at the Five Phoenix Village 五鳳鄉 in Guangzhou created Har Gow (shrimp dumpling). He combined the shrimp, bamboo shoots, and pork fat and made a dumpling with the rice flour pastry. He named this delicacy the Five Phoenix dumpling. Later, other chefs improvised the …
Shumai 烧卖 is the well-known Dim Sum along with barbecue pork bun 叉烧包 and shrimp dumpling 虾饺. The quality of these “Cantonese Big Three” Dim Sum dishes is often used as the golden rule to gauge the standard of a Dim Sum restaurant. Shumai has remained my favorite Dim Sum through the years. My mother-in-law …
What are stir-fried beef, meat skewer, burger, and pan-fried salmon recipes in common with the teriyaki chicken recipe? The traditional Japanese will tell you that they are just unrelated food. However, food enthusiasts in western countries may say otherwise because all of these can be cooked the teriyaki way. Culinary globalization is so diverse that …
Which Chinese restaurant serves the best takeout sweet and sour chicken? Unfortunately, you probably won’t find any store. This is because the best time to eat the sweet and sour chicken is when it is fresh from the wok immediately after deep frying. This moment is when the chicken is crispy, and chicken juice is …
Char Siu brings back many fond memories and pivotal moments in my life. My mom is a typical homemaker who prepared nearly every meal for me. When I was young, I had breakfast before going to school, brought along the lunch box with rice, stir-fried vegetables and pork chops. At home, we will have dinner …
If you like Cantonese dim sum, you must be familiar with Hong Kong egg tarts. While the barbecue meat bun is the signature item of dim sum restaurants and Chinese bakeries, the most lovable dessert will be none other than the Hong Kong egg tart. Hong Kong egg tarts are derived from the Portuguese pastel …
The flavor of Chinese steamed fish is out of this world. That is why my family likes to set out on a gourmet trip to fishing villages to savor the spectacular flavor of the perfectly steamed fish. The texture is tender, the meat tastes like crabmeat, and the sauce is of divine quality. Tempting to …
There is a secret ingredient in this creamy coconut panna cotta – coconut milk! The coconut panna cotta I had at a local cafe recently changed my perception of this perfect dessert. Although I do not fancy sweet desserts, this panna cotta captured my attention, and I immediately indulged in its unique flavor and delicate …
I thought I knew everything about butter cake a few years ago. During one of the baking sessions, I fumbled. The cakes were dense, with cracked top and uneven rising. The result was disappointing and embarrassing to divulge to my guests with high expectations. After the disastrous incident, I spent the next few years fine-tuning …
I baked the best butter cake today, and this is the 1000th cake I baked. No. I have baked more cakes than that. Throughout the years, I made a variety of cakes and desserts, but butter cake is on top of my list. By now, you should have guessed that I work in a bakery! …