tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69088136928650483152024-03-13T14:55:18.813+00:00Hungry FemaleHungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-75503032253753303342014-02-22T20:21:00.000+00:002014-02-22T20:21:21.632+00:00Vegan Recipes: Blood Orange, Soy Yoghurt, Granola & Pomegranate Molasses<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Pomegranate Molasses. Where would I have been without this ingredient during Veganuary? Down in the dumps for sure. I used it in practically everything, from dressings, marinades, dipping sauces and just as a drizzle. We were entering blood orange season when I started being vegan so it was perfect timing to combine two great tasting things.<br />
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Serves 1<br />
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1 blood orange, skin removed and sliced across into rounds<br />
1 tsp pomegranate molasses<br />
150g soy yoghurt<br />
Small handful of granola<br />
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1. Place yoghurt in bowl, drizzle with pomegranate molasses.<br />
2. Top with oranges and granola, plan your summer holidays.<br />
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Next up: Miso - a vegan's best friend.<br />
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Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-16456450969467176862014-02-19T19:53:00.001+00:002014-02-19T19:55:53.229+00:00Vegan Recipes: Avocado and Spicy Beans on Toast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsicbYqfYPC41Ko2GvGuHC9a-I6X15lBy8ZjBQ5C_Q7We_cFpjOyfK0-0wxhyphenhyphen10Qqh3JSwgML1O_-GP-apxC7HK3sbnO577hfoUhNUzVSfGnfQD6u_ZU7TMhis-V5sEXdNXNGGkm8KZdx/s1600/DSC09204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsicbYqfYPC41Ko2GvGuHC9a-I6X15lBy8ZjBQ5C_Q7We_cFpjOyfK0-0wxhyphenhyphen10Qqh3JSwgML1O_-GP-apxC7HK3sbnO577hfoUhNUzVSfGnfQD6u_ZU7TMhis-V5sEXdNXNGGkm8KZdx/s1600/DSC09204.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a>Back in January I did a <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2519211/Beyonce-makes-unconvincing-vegan-steps-lunch-Jay-Z-new-plant-based-diet.html" target="_blank">Mrs Carter and went vegan for 22 days</a>, albeit without the fur coat. Calling this challenging would be putting this lightly - it was fairly traumatic and there's no way I'm doing it again. I did however, discover a lot of new ingredients and recipes which I'd use again. I found myself experimenting more in the kitchen but finding eating out and socialising a right pain. Lessons learnt - drop your existing meat-eating friends and stock up with the latest superfood a la Gwyneth if you're going to put yourself through this.<br />
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I missed eggs tremendously throughout this period, especially at breakfast. Nothing beats a creamy, runny egg yolk and it's a mistake to think there could be a substitute. The creamy nature of an egg yolk did for some reason get me thinking of avocados, and their substantive wholesomeness. Pair that with spicy beans on toast and things are certainly looking up.<br />
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Serves 2<br />
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1 ripe avocado, in a 2cm dice<br />
Lime juice from half a lime<br />
220g baked beans<br />
Pinch of smoked paprika<br />
Pinch of dried oregano<br />
Pinch of cayenne pepper<br />
About 10 hazelnuts, toasted and cracked<br />
Pumpkin seed oil (or any nut oil, and failing that extra virgin olive oil)<br />
2 slices of toast<br />
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1. Get your baked beans in a pan and warm on medium heat. Add paprika, oregano and cayenne pepper. Bring to a slow simmer or follow cook instructions.<br />
2. Meanwhile, toss the avocado in lime juice and season.<br />
3. Lay your toast down, and top with beans, then avocado. Sprinkle with hazelnuts and drizzle with pumpkin seed oil. Season well and enjoy.<br />
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Next up: the ingredients that saved my life during veganism.</div>
Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-43337011612348601982013-07-12T23:24:00.000+01:002013-07-14T12:34:35.234+01:00Sous Vide Recipes: Dill & Garlic "Cantonese Style" Haddock<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of my favourite ways to eat fish is steamed - a classic Chinese technique that I believe brings out the best flavour and texture of fish whilst keeping it juicy. I am also very partial to <a href="http://hungryfemale.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/ode-to-cantonese-style-steamed-sea-bass.html" target="_blank">Cantonese Style Steamed Sea Bass</a> which is usually understood as a whole steamed sea bass bathed in a soy sauce and Shaoxing Rice Wine sauce, topped with ginger and spring onion then doused with sizzling oil.<br />
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For me, fish cooked sous vide brings the same advantages as steaming: and my next <a href="http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/" target="_blank">Sous Vide Supreme</a> recipe had to be a variation on a theme. Going sustainable with haddock and playing with dill and garlic.<br />
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I was again, very happy with the results. I liked the twist on the dill infused sauce, if I would change anything it might be to have crispy garlic. But as long as the slices are thin, it still makes for a tasty bite.<br />
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A creamy century egg always goes down well in contrast to light and fragrant fish.<br />
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Yum. Further herbal combinations have to be explored.<br />
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What would you put on your sous vide or steamed fish?<br />
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<b>Dill & Garlic "Cantonese Style" Haddock</b><br />
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<i>Serves 2 as part of a meal</i><br />
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2 haddock fillets (or 1 sea bass)<br />
Small handful of dill<br />
4 cloves garlic, very finely sliced<br />
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<i>For the soy sauce mixture</i><br />
2 tbsp light soy sauce<br />
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine<br />
1 tbsp water<br />
Drizzle of sesame oil<br />
1 dash ground white pepper<br />
0.5 tbsp light brown sugar<br />
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2 tbsp cooking oil<br />
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1. If using fillets, cook the fish according to Sous Vide Supreme instructions for 60 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes. Adjust accordingly if using a whole sea bass.<br />
2. Meanwhile, place the soy sauce mixture in a small pan and set aside.<br />
3. As the fish comes to the end of its cooking time, warm up the soy sauce mixture gently.<br />
4. Remove fish from the sous vide, place onto a plate and top with dill and garlic slices, followed by the soy sauce mixture.<br />
5. Heat up the cooking oil in a small pan and when smoking hot, pour carefully over the fish. It should sizzle and allow the dill and garlic to release their oils into the fish.<br />
6. Enjoy with a Century Egg on the side if so desired!<br />
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Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-29562025062372441702013-06-01T23:28:00.002+01:002013-06-01T23:28:57.060+01:00Ode to Cantonese Style Steamed Sea Bass<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Spring onion, ginger, garlic. The Holy Trinity of Chinese ingredients. When these powers combine it's a flavour bomb with fast fists and high kicks. </div>
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Add shitake mushrooms to spring onion and ginger for a woody hit to the classically fresh Cantonese Style Steamed Sea Bass.</div>
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Add chilli, dried shrimp, dark & light soy, sugar, sesame oil and vinegar to aubergines.</div>
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Steamed greens, steamed white rice. I like my Saturday nights in.</div>
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Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-69400432493164218392013-05-13T21:50:00.000+01:002013-05-14T09:11:07.405+01:00Sous Vide Recipes: Whole Beetroot with Ginger, Pumpkin Seeds & Sesame Oil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last Friday's conversation with a colleague:<br />
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"Hey, do you want some beetroot?" There was loads of beetroot.</div>
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Me: "OK, what will I do with all of it?"</div>
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"Sous Vide it." I'll think about that, chef.</div>
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My adventures with beetroot were limited up to now. Just an addition to salad, sometimes grated to make a dip. So the suggestion to sous vide it by <a href="https://twitter.com/itsachefslife" target="_blank">@itsachefslife</a> sent my imagination sailing. I had made a quiet decision that I preferred sous vide-ing food items which don't have their own oils or fats such as fish, lean meat, vegetables and fruit. The controlled slow poaching seals in the little juices they have and concentrates them. With conventional cooking things like duck legs or pork bellies hold their own, they have enough jelly to keep self-basting. But with our beets, sous vide turns their deep fuchsia flesh into some kind of wonderful.</div>
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I trimmed the leaves off and divided my beets into two: batch one were unpeeled, seasoned and drizzled with olive oil; batch two were peeled and thrown in with grated ginger and balsamic vinegar. Both were kept whole. In they went for three hours.<br />
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Wallpaper magazine: eat your heart out. The unpeeled glistened with ferocious appeal and were sweet and fragrant.<br />
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Those soaked in ginger and balsamic produced the most alluring jus: sweet, savoury and a subtle warmth from the ginger. Beautiful texture and with gentle bite, they were more like poached fruit than root vegetable and I believe would make an unconventional dessert.<br />
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I had mine with crushed and toasted pumpkin seeds (another obsession) and other than having this as a side, I imagine them as an elegant starter. Or even with goat's cheese and dark chocolate ganache.<br />
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I'm already looking forward to another ingredient in abundance.<br />
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<b>Sous Vide Whole Beetroot with Ginger, Pumpkin Seeds & Sesame Oil</b><br />
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Serves 4 (as a starter)<br />
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4 whole beetroot<br />
4 inch ginger root, finely grated<br />
2 large pinches of sea salt<br />
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar<br />
1 pinch of brown sugar<br />
Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle<br />
Sesame oil, to drizzle<br />
3 tbsp pumpkin seeds<br />
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1. Trim the tops of the beetroot (keeping the leaves for salad if you wish), peel and leave whole. Place in the sous vide bag along with the ginger, salt, sugar, balsamic vinegar and drizzle in the olive oil, then vacuum seal. Place in the<a href="http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/%E2%80%8E" target="_blank"> Sous Vide Supreme</a> for 3 hours at 82 degrees C.<br />
2. When just about ready, toast the pumpkin seeds in a pan. When they start popping, remove from heat and leave to cool. Leave a few whole, crush the rest in a pestle and mortar (or smash in a food bag) until it resembles fine crumbs.<br />
3. When the beetroot is done, remove from bag and plate with both crushed and whole seeds as a "topping". Drizzle with sesame oil, the poaching juices and enjoy.<br />
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These are great eaten both warm and cold and my top tip would be to serve as a starter with cold soba noodles, small cubes of chilled silken tofu and peppery rocket. All dressed with more sesame oil, mirin and light soy sauce.<br />
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Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-67248305963907514412013-04-21T21:34:00.000+01:002013-04-21T21:34:34.751+01:00Sous Vide Recipes: Sambal Salmon with Lime & Thai Basil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After a long hard slog of a year to move into the food industry full time, it's time for a blog post. It's been emotional and exciting but so far so good and there's no looking back. Experimenting with cool foodie gadgets comes with the territory and this week I've been testing out the <a href="http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/" target="_blank">Sous Vide Supreme</a>, darling of the slow cooking and poaching world.<br />
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My mind got thinking to Chinese and South East Asian cooking techniques <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sous-vide" target="_blank">that sous vide could easily replicate and enhance</a>. Poached, steamed and slow braised dishes would all be wonderful and plunging a bag into a machine that claimed to cook food to perfection whilst I twiddle my thumbs was extremely welcome.<br />
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I decided on an easy classic with a twist for my maiden sous vide adventure: juicy salmon smothered in a spicy Malaysian sambal lined with lime slices and plenty of Thai Basil.<br />
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Super easy when you have sambal already made up but not much harder to whizz up either. Citrus and aniseed are good friends with salmon so in went a squeeze of lime and lots of liquorice goodness from the Thai Basil.<br />
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The geek in me absolutely loved vacuum sealing the bags: if you weren't eating the salmon straight away they would be perfect for an overnight marinade too.<br />
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After 20 minutes the fillets slid out neatly onto a bed of egg noodles and broccoli. Moist and still full of fishy flavour, I gave myself a pat on the back for a small first time success. This would be equally delicious on a bed of plain steamed rice and as a large whole fillet to feed more. Here's to yummy spring eating and more good weather!<br />
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<b>Sambal Salmon with Lime & Thai Basil</b><br />
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Serves 4<br />
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4 salmon fillets (or a larger fillet approx. 600-700g)<br />
2 limes, 1 sliced into rings the other for squeezing<br />
2 handfuls Thai Basil, finely chopped into strands<br />
400g egg noodles<br />
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets<br />
Sesame oil, to taste<br />
White pepper, to taste<br />
Salt, to taste<br />
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<i>For the Sambal Paste</i><br />
10 whole Dutch red chillies (omit seeds and white membrane for a less spicy sambal)<br />
6 shallots<br />
10 garlic cloves<br />
1.5 tbsp<i> belacan</i> (fermented shrimp paste)<br />
2 tbsp dried shrimp, soaked and drained (easily found in Asian supermarkets or online. If you can't get a hold of it, leave out and use a 0.5 tbsp more of <i>belacan</i>)<br />
1 tbsp brown sugar<br />
2 tbsp vegetable oil<br />
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1. Make the sambal paste. Whizz the chillies, shallots, garlic and dried shrimp in a blender to a textured paste adding oil if you need to make the whizzer go round. Dry-fry the belacan over a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat until fragrant and grainy. Move around the pan so it doesn't catch and burn and when toasted, remove from the pan. Add the oil, then the chilli paste, sugar and the belacan back into the pan. Bring the heat down to low and stirring occasionally, for at least 20-25 minutes or until the oil rises to the surface of the paste. The sambal should look slightly oily and glossy meaning the ingredients have released their own oils. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool down.<br />
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2. To prepare the salmon fillets, season lightly and spoon on about 2 tbsp. of sambal paste onto the flesh side. Divide the Thai Basil for the fillets, and then place 2-3 lime slices onto each.<br />
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3. Place into poaching pouches and follow instructions to vacuum seal.<br />
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4. Follow the instructions to bring the Sous Vide Supreme to 57 degrees Celsius, and drop the sealed bag into the water bath. Set the timer for 20 minutes.<br />
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5. During this time, prepare the broccoli and noodles. Cook the noodles to pack instructions and drain, dressing them with sesame oil, white pepper and salt to your liking. Steam the broccoli for 4-5 minutes or until just tender and drain.<br />
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6. Serve hot, with the juicy, spicy and tangy salmon pieces. Squeeze more lime juice over for added zing.<br />
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Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-71232315612400440562012-11-12T17:39:00.001+00:002012-11-12T17:45:12.770+00:00Fish Head Rice Noodle Soup 鱼头米饭<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Lately I've been hit by desperate cravings for homely noodle soups. I'd like to think my desperation would make me unfussy, that hunger trumps putting myself through inconvenience. Wouldn't it just be fine to make up some soup through stock cubes, toss in noodles and fillings? Nope, that's not how us noodle lovers roll. I of course had to make everything from scratch and traipse around London for the "right" ingredients. But then I wouldn't have discovered some very interesting details about one of my childhood favourites, Fish Head Rice Noodle Soup.<br />
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Characterised by its thick, white broth and unique of Cantonese Chinese cooking in Singapore & Malaysia, when done properly this dish transcends. Not as indulgent as a lubricious ramen stock though neither as cleansing as clear consomme, its milky emulsion that is rich in fish flavour has both body and subtlety in perfect parts.<br />
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Delighted to find this illustrative recipe on <a href="http://mummyicancook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/xo-fish-head-noodle-soup.html" target="_blank">Mummy I Can Cook's</a>, the mention of how the broth can be made naturally milky by bringing fried fish trimmings to a rapid boil caught my eye. Oh. I'd always though it was achieved by adding evaporated milk but apparently that is the cheat's way. Whilst not meaning to doubt Shu Han (she also runs <a href="http://plusixfive.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">a supperclub</a>, she also draws, she too<a href="http://mummyicancook.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/sambal-tumis-my-very-important-belachan.html" target="_blank"> makes sambal</a>, plus is another Shu so there must be truth in this) this triggered some research. <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fish+head+beehon+soup+milk+recipe&rlz=1C1ASUT_enMY446MY446&oq=fish+head+beehon+soup+milk+recipe&sugexp=chrome,mod=9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">Most recipes say to add milk</a>, and most of my Malaysian comrades were surprised that I hadn't (public sentiment via Facebook comments is all that matters right?).<br />
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Au contraire. <a href="http://fatboo.com/2011/02/fish-head-bee-hoon.html" target="_blank">Subsequent findings</a> confirm the way to do it is by making sure there's enough <i>wok hei </i> i.e. your pot is hot enough when frying off your ingredients, adding in hot water to quickly bring it to a rapid boil. This then breaks down the collagen within the fish head, producing the milky soup. My first attempt didn't quite turn out so milky, but there was a definite opaqueness to it and taste wise was lovely. Using seabream was perfect (it's a naturally tasty fish and just needs salt and white pepper as per the recipe) and I adapted it by adding preserved mustard greens to the stock and a splash of regular brandy just before serving. Oh yeah.<br />
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<i>It probably is a question of taste to whether you like it au naturel of if you're used to having it with a dash of milk. I'm rather smitten by the former so will be experimenting with the above method going forward. I'm still very curious to find out what you think: with or without evaporated milk?</i><br />
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<i>P.S. Thanks <a href="http://eatlovenoodles.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Mr Noodles</a> & <a href="http://iamafeeder.net/" target="_blank">I Am Feeder</a> for noodle consultancy on demand!</i><br />
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Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-36970700452845097912012-10-15T16:43:00.000+01:002012-10-15T16:43:10.485+01:00Pan Chai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.panchai.com/" target="_blank">Pan Chai</a> opened in April this year to one of the world's retail meccas: <a href="http://www.harrods.com/" target="_blank">Harrod's</a> in Knightsbridge. The latest in the <a href="http://www.mangotree.org.uk/" target="_blank">Mango Tree</a> restaurant group, its menu bears similar characteristics to predecessors Awana and Mango Tree itself. We perch on booths in the famous Harrod's food hall underneath a wavy green "awning" and dive into the dishes.<br />
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The Korean inspired Sun Du Bu soup was such a welcoming sight after legging it through the rain before. A mixed seafood soup, the deliciously spicy broth held prawns, mixed vegetables & tofu and some meaty clams. It was impressive that all seafood was just cooked right, as it should be.<br />
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Everyone loves a little bit of drama at the table and rolling clouds of dried ice over the mixed sashimi platter garnered us a couple of oohs from passers by. Admittedly the only highlight of this platter was the yellow tail sashimi with the yuzu mayonaise.<br />
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There was nothing not to like about the foie gras & scallop siu mai, and the Shanghai Xiao Long Bao was juicy with that signature burst of juice inside. My only niggle would be the skin was rather chewy, chewy to the point of getting stuck to my teeth!<br />
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Just when I thought I couldn't fit anymore in, I yielded to the Plum miso marinated Chilean Sea Bass which delivered on every part of its name. Thick, gelatinous and proud like Agent 007's swagger it was one fine piece of meat. Yes meat, not fish, as that was how it tasted.<br />
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<i>Hungry Female was a guest of Pan Chai's and is curious to see how this Asian empire expands into one of London's famous shopping institutions. Perhaps this is another move in making the large influx of Asian (namely Chinese) customers feel comfortable? Definitely one for when the bank balance is feeling healthy, though if you find yourself shopping the aisles at Harrods that's a given.</i></div>
Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-30717775925575690072012-10-04T10:12:00.000+01:002012-10-04T10:40:05.964+01:00Food Photography Tips with David Griffen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In the latest September installment of <a href="http://socialmediaweek.org/london/" target="_blank">Social Media Week London 2012</a> I attended a fun and informative workshop run by food photographer <a href="http://www.davidgriffen.co.uk/" target="_blank">David Griffen</a> and <a href="http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/" target="_blank">Great British Chefs</a> providing food bloggers with tips for improving our food photo techniques. It was held at the immense and delightful <a href="https://twitter.com/GoogleLondon" target="_blank">Google London</a> offices (yes the rumours are true, it's a working-playground in there) with food provided by Michelin-starred <a href="http://www.clubgascon.com/pascal.php" target="_blank">Pascal Aussignac of Club Gascon</a> fame.<br />
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Fabulous food photo tips & advice, delicious food and all in the company of fun people: for me these are ingredients of a great evening. Here are just some nuggets of wisdom which David shared with us:<br />
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<b>1. Don't be afraid to get in real close: </b>even if the context of the food isn't in the photo, it's lovely to capture the detailed textures.<br />
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<i>Roquefort, Caramelised Onion & Sweet Potato Tart by Pascal Aussignac</i><br />
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<b>2. Lighting in kitchens are often challenging, use a tungsten setting on your camera.</b></div>
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<b>3. To bring more light into the picture, use a reflective surface (like white paper) to mirror the light source: </b>both these tips helped me with this shot which I probably would have shrouded in shadows otherwise. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAugtj0YbHvzZdAyDYrl5KaE4jz9cDsggg4KbDILeQBnnHYNwT_WtV2FESg1bYlq3lSaH6Cf6Vzg4klwf7piNVU9p4SwhyphenhyphenH_LJjuoIpO3kK8CO9KHPhy0ZqNiBDKIlAuh7m5fH8u0DfAIv/s1600/DSC08536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAugtj0YbHvzZdAyDYrl5KaE4jz9cDsggg4KbDILeQBnnHYNwT_WtV2FESg1bYlq3lSaH6Cf6Vzg4klwf7piNVU9p4SwhyphenhyphenH_LJjuoIpO3kK8CO9KHPhy0ZqNiBDKIlAuh7m5fH8u0DfAIv/s640/DSC08536.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Duck Carpaccio with Sea Urchin Foam by Pascal Aussignac</i></div>
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<b>4. People look great in black & white:</b> basically because kitchen lighting is generally unsuitable for photos. The difference between the before-and-after in these shots is startling. I rejoice the end of bad people photos!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLBC1LSr4nSPCqXVR_UfdqX7xO3YSKr0DwTGtqdzyOmhh5Qe8vnrz5PYNByCcYctRyh5wbznygar1GCKQo0jHLANOsZ-zLYi9VUaFcmw5iJ4_gGTS4jwATDxI8oraFtw3OtHesl0ZbXbs/s1600/People+B&W.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLBC1LSr4nSPCqXVR_UfdqX7xO3YSKr0DwTGtqdzyOmhh5Qe8vnrz5PYNByCcYctRyh5wbznygar1GCKQo0jHLANOsZ-zLYi9VUaFcmw5iJ4_gGTS4jwATDxI8oraFtw3OtHesl0ZbXbs/s640/People+B&W.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Pascal almost looks like a different person</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCs4hGborqjN_9K250nHgCKFQF1pH1ZcWz6vBplNBsKbSglW3W7hRYdxprxixi3q7PZSYxBjAAcZwiDiNEZ3BdQ76J7GcY7kkk23QbMY5p_S9yy73hdJ5uatHtG7Vav-WsCxETQRrrK3r/s1600/People+BW2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCs4hGborqjN_9K250nHgCKFQF1pH1ZcWz6vBplNBsKbSglW3W7hRYdxprxixi3q7PZSYxBjAAcZwiDiNEZ3BdQ76J7GcY7kkk23QbMY5p_S9yy73hdJ5uatHtG7Vav-WsCxETQRrrK3r/s640/People+BW2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Bubbly Rosanna of hotandchilli.com says no to stark fluorescent lighting!</i></div>
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<b>5. Use a rustic looking tea towel to make a food plate look good:</b> Use a "French Linen-feel" tea towel was the exact prop if I'm not mistaken. A good ol' English cotton tea towel is all I had at home and must say it did give these homely noodles a little lift.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHnabaeqt5X4WevnNrnZ4YmlRccEuz1UziWlTF2nRVy7XDZj66N3aP53LTcwwCzFArqmo9AWaI8ePHJW_G1gzfEdcde3oLxyzeTDKNm0G5T-sB2myeQFz_fNNg_GxojpAY-Y9jjmrA3f9/s1600/DSC08601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHnabaeqt5X4WevnNrnZ4YmlRccEuz1UziWlTF2nRVy7XDZj66N3aP53LTcwwCzFArqmo9AWaI8ePHJW_G1gzfEdcde3oLxyzeTDKNm0G5T-sB2myeQFz_fNNg_GxojpAY-Y9jjmrA3f9/s640/DSC08601.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<i>Quick Pork Mince & Cavelo Nero Noodles as featured on hungrydynasty.wordpress.com</i></div>
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David's workshop was conducted bearing in mind many of us shoot photos in kitchens and restaurants during a time of day with little lighting. One is essentially trying to make the most of a bad situation. Ideally we'd all be snapping away between morning and noon, with access to plenty of natural light.<br />
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<i>Thank you David, Great British Chefs, Pascal & Google, I've definitely learnt a lot and will be putting these pointers into practice. Hopefully things will be looking lots better on this blog!</i></div>
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Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-82118702464222038972012-09-09T09:31:00.000+01:002012-09-09T22:15:37.944+01:00Hungry Ghost Supper<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGJRhPSC1CygTtwBZk_MGU6g7kE-EgiolKy_pSQuXLlmjIoz53BJylkGTb86MfBxBYE8lXjnH0_CYwm4atjAb6nV4t4LhIGveR3MhcZrfL5A6PlLTzw1WPG3OnxbfTYuNfBRuU_8NbdTe/s1600/HGS+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGJRhPSC1CygTtwBZk_MGU6g7kE-EgiolKy_pSQuXLlmjIoz53BJylkGTb86MfBxBYE8lXjnH0_CYwm4atjAb6nV4t4LhIGveR3MhcZrfL5A6PlLTzw1WPG3OnxbfTYuNfBRuU_8NbdTe/s640/HGS+Poster.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>
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August marks the 7th Month in the Chinese Lunar calendar where the Gates of Hell open and Hungry Ghosts roam the mortal world, seeking a place to feed their empty bellies. There are multiple rituals that accompany this Chinese tradition of seeking "approval" from dieties and spirits of the former living. It is in a sense a Chinese "All Souls Month" as joss-sticks are lit, prayer paper is burnt in remembrance of loved ones no longer with us. A large part of the occasion involves offering food to appease finicky ghosts.<br />
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That's where we come in. Two Hungry Girls were invited by our talented friends at <a href="http://platform65.org/" target="_blank">Platform 65</a> to host a never-seen-before pop-up at a beautiful Marylebone townhouse for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Festival" target="_blank">Hungry Ghost Festival</a>. A script regaling stories of Gods, Ghosts and Ancestors was performed by Cui & Ming, who also took guests on a tour around the house explaining the traditions and superstitions of this feast.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>So whilst our guests were being treated to a spooky performance, THG worked on specially designed dishes to suit the event::<br />
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Complimentary Lychee Liqueur Shooter</div>
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Chilled Silken Tofu with Century Egg & Black Sesame Sauce</div>
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Samsui Poached Chicken with Spring Onion & Ginger Sauce</div>
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<i>to be wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves</i></div>
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Chinese Style Roast Pork with Pickled Cucumber</div>
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Steamed Gourd stuffed with Minced Pork</div>
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*Gressingham Duck Mantou Buns with Green Apple</div>
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Vegetable Platter </div>
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<i>of Broccoli, Lotus Root, Water Chestnut & Wood Ear Mushroom</i></div>
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Lemongrass Sambal Fried Fish</div>
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Hokkien Style Sticky Rice</div>
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<i>with Chinese Sausage, Crispy Shallots, Chilli & Peanuts</i></div>
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Lychee & Coconut Sundae</div>
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<i>Fresh Lychees & Raspberries, Coconut Ice Cream, Toasted Coconut & Biscuit, Lychee Cream</i></div>
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Banana Fritters with Lime Creme Anglaise</div>
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We were thrilled and fortunate to be sponsored by *<a href="http://www.gressinghamduck.co.uk/duck" target="_blank">Gressingham Ducks</a> for this event, who to our minds (and tummies) are the finest breed of UK duck there is. We flavour our duck legs with Sichuan Peppercorns & Chinese 5 Spice Powder and then cook the duck legs in a confit style. The tender meat is placed into fluffy mantou buns (those that are all the rage now a la Momofuku) and a green apple added for tangy bite.</div>
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<i>Judging from the immense buzz coming from the dining room and the empty plates we reckoned guests (and ghosts!) thoroughly enjoyed their evening! Big thank yous to Platform 65 who without their talent & creativity we'd never be able to do an event like this, Wen from <a href="http://www.edibleexperiences.com/" target="_blank">Edible Experiences</a> who climbed endless flights of stairs to make sure Front Of House ran fantastically, Sarah (an events guru who got the job done!) and Goz of +<a href="http://plusixfive.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">65 plusixfive supperclub</a> who always cheers us up and was a huge help</i>. </div>
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<i>We will be featuring more of Gressingham on our menus at the <a href="http://www.edibleexperiences.com/p/84053/Two-Hungry-Girls-Supperclub/88002/Two-Hungry-Girls-Against-Hunge" target="_blank">next supperclub September 22nd</a>, so watch out for THG and their ducky antics! This supper will be held in aid of <a href="http://www.lovefoodgivefood.org/" target="_blank">Action Against Hunger</a> and is part of their<a href="http://www.lovefoodgivefood.org/supperheroes/" target="_blank"> Supperheroes campaign</a>, where 19 London supperclubs join forces in the fight against global hunger. Ambitious, but you gotta start somewhere. </i></div>
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<i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.464072370291999.112950.204091766290062&type=3" target="_blank">Follow this link for photos from our Hungry Ghost Supper!</a> Hungry Ghosts Supper poster credit to Cui Yin Mok @ Platform 65.</i></div>
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Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-27847905034423222742012-06-26T23:03:00.000+01:002012-06-27T22:16:53.484+01:00Two Hungry Girls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Just several months ago I'd returned from my epic adventures in Beijing & China where I'd eaten the most mind-blowing food. My foodie core had been shaken. I looked at my heritage and childhood culture with new eyes and decided upon my return to the UK I was on a mission to bring creative Chinese cuisine to London. And thankfully I'm not alone.<br />
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<i><b>Five Spice & Sichuan Peppercorn Roast Duck</b></i></div>
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Cake designer & friend <a href="http://www.craft-cakes.co.uk/" target="_blank">Craft Cakes</a> and I hit the ground running when we entered <a href="http://hungryfemale.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/supperclub-challenge-for-social-media.html" target="_blank">Social Media Week 2012's Supperclub Challenge</a> hosted by <a href="http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/" target="_blank">Great British Chefs</a> in aid of<a href="http://www.actionagainsthunger.org.uk/lovefoodgivefood/" target="_blank"> Action Against Hunger</a>. We won second place, met other incredible foodies such as <a href="http://tastyribbons.com/" target="_blank">Tasty Ribbons</a> and <a href="http://yummychooeats.com/" target="_blank">Yummy Choo Eats</a>. We were crazy enough to invite Wen, Babs & Little Z (London's favourite Supperclub baby!) from <a href="http://www.edibleexperiences.com/" target="_blank">Edible Experiences</a> who although knew we'd pulled together our menu in 4 days (!), encouraged us to host one every month. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqOueNbV_K0fZfvF3lH8900jzAP_73mf_YrVI69JnoSnv0OD-TBSt6Aa74iZlg79FYA8tcAYxcI_gpuY1gbVnHCkGyTvmv8wqDAi20ZjP2S0Roi3zumdbBxJ5dd6S-3w_byu-MaQqQ8Q8/s1600/LycheeS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqOueNbV_K0fZfvF3lH8900jzAP_73mf_YrVI69JnoSnv0OD-TBSt6Aa74iZlg79FYA8tcAYxcI_gpuY1gbVnHCkGyTvmv8wqDAi20ZjP2S0Roi3zumdbBxJ5dd6S-3w_byu-MaQqQ8Q8/s640/LycheeS.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Lychee Sangria*</b></i></div>
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<b><i>Chilled Tofu with Black Sesame Sauce & Century Egg</i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3zhDRk4kd1ef5kxD9SrJAWn9D2wn4gxofgDTL6LsWLy5TzgmWfTq1oGPDukLzdcyy33vDjqc01KUMdhB-VdRoOWogRG_ngrDaPLgKRuyO4nMo8_56zdedVNxfDB_-yUjINd1vMKDXi7g/s1600/Chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3zhDRk4kd1ef5kxD9SrJAWn9D2wn4gxofgDTL6LsWLy5TzgmWfTq1oGPDukLzdcyy33vDjqc01KUMdhB-VdRoOWogRG_ngrDaPLgKRuyO4nMo8_56zdedVNxfDB_-yUjINd1vMKDXi7g/s640/Chicken.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b><i>Samsui Poached Chicken with Spring Onion & Ginger Sauce*</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Lemongrass Pork Skewers*</i></b></div>
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Since then it has been a wonderful rollercoaster ride. Hungry Female & Craft Cakes are now <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TwoHungryGirls" target="_blank">Two Hungry Girls</a> and we want to arrest your palate with the intoxicating flavours of Straits & Mainland Chinese food. We serve our meals Chinese Banquet Style, which is a 10-12 course taster menu beginning with small bites leading into main courses and sides, and finally desserts. We serve the classics as well as our own interpretations of real Chinese flavours,with cooking styles that our mamas use and some creative license.</div>
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<i><b>Slow Braised Soy Pork Belly*</b></i></div>
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<b><i>Hunannese Style Beef</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Soya Bean Milk Pannacotta with Honeydew Puree*</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Pandan Ice Cream & Horlicks Sable Sandwiches on Horlicks "Sand"</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Kopi Tarts*</i></b></div>
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<div>
We love collaborating and have hosted a <a href="http://platform65.org/suppers" target="_blank">Literary Supperclub with Platform 65</a>, directed by talented Cui who held our audience captive by pairing Chinese tales and stories with our menu. Hopefully the first of many versions to come. <span style="background-color: white;">What we love the most are the delightful, friendly and interesting guests who create a buzzing atmosphere and judging from their squeals of laughter, have a jolly good time.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></div>
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<div>
<i>So this story is only beginning. We see a thrilling summer ahead with more collaborations and projects and can't wait to feed you. A special thanks to Edible Experiences for being supportive, enthusiastic and an honest opinion when we needed it. We hope this will be one long and prosperous Hungry Dynasty.</i></div>
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<i>*Photo credit: Wen Lin Soh, Edible Experiences.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>Book tickets to our next <a href="http://www.edibleexperiences.com/p/84053/Two-Hungry-Girls-Supperclub" target="_blank">Two Hungry Girls Supperclub here</a>. We hold private events in a North London residence and encourage you to be merry and BYOB. Do come hungry, and we hope you'll leave wanting more.</i></div>
</div>Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-71767260045114552752012-05-19T16:31:00.000+01:002012-05-19T16:31:14.022+01:00Panda Panda: Deptford Banh Mi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Have I mentioned Vietnamese has infiltrated Deptford? This little outlet has been around for a while but having this good a Banh Mi close to work is well worth the plug.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Panda Panda is just as adorable as its name. Small, cheerful and offering no nonsense Banh Mi and other classic Vietnamese faves like Bunh and Pho at extremely reasonable prices. For GBP4.95, we qualified for the lunch deal including one Banh Mi and Vietnamese Coffee each.<br />
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A great crusty loaf, stuffed with fresh salad and a good slop of pate (a key component to this Asian sarnie) put this ahead of the queue. Whilst Banh Mi is peaking right now in London many let themselves down just on the baguette alone.<br />
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Foodie companion S said she enjoyed her Chicken Satay version very much though wished it was slightly more charred and given the full chilli whack. "White Girl Treatment" were her exact words!<br />
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Very worth the visit if you're in the area, and perfect for us who are nearby.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://panda-panda.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Panda Panda</b></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">8 Deptford Broadway </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">London, SE8 4PA</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><nobr style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="white-space: normal;">Tel: </span>020 8616 6922</nobr></span>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&q=panda+panda&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=panda+panda&hnear=0x47d8a00baf21de75:0x52963a5addd52a99,London&cid=0,0,5142896872893006890&ll=51.474885,-0.024873&spn=0.006295,0.006295&t=m&iwloc=A&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small><a href="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&q=panda+panda&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=panda+panda&hnear=0x47d8a00baf21de75:0x52963a5addd52a99,London&cid=0,0,5142896872893006890&ll=51.474885,-0.024873&spn=0.006295,0.006295&t=m&iwloc=A&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small></div>Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-41045826238878310022012-05-11T17:32:00.000+01:002012-05-11T17:32:10.731+01:00Baozi Inn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sigh. And
that is saying something when one starts a blog post with a sigh. I did so much
want <a href="http://baoziinnlondon.com/" target="_blank">Baozi Inn</a> to help me recreate some of those Beijing highlights I had been
fortunate to experience last year but alas. For a second I wondered if that was
an unrealistic expectation though when somewhere says it serves real “Beijing
Street Food” then they’ve talked the talk. Now wok the wok, I say.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>There were
some pleasantly surprising dishes. We loved the cold vermicelli, seaweed and
carrot salad that was oozing garlic, ginger, spring onion and sesame oil and
the Flower Tofu with Spicy Chilli Sauce which was a contrast of texture and
flavour. Light as a cloud and full of fire. Also quite good was a vinegared beef in slices.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">With much
regret the rest were rather meh. We had specifically gone for Dan Dan Noodles </span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: SimSun;">担担面</span><span lang="EN-US">, Black Bean
Noodles with Chopped Fresh Vegetables <i>Zhejiang
Mian </i></span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: SimSun;">浙江面</span><span lang="EN-US">, and their Boiled Dumplings <i>shuijiaozi </i></span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: SimSun;">水饺子</span><span lang="EN-US"> and found
them to be soggy and sorry versions. Shame as their basic flavours were
actually present, we had the impression they had been sitting around
over-steaming and diluting their flavours. And if one wants to serve Century
Egg then one needs to let those ammonia fumes sing! It may be the Marmite of
Chinese Eggs (either love it or hate it) but c’mon do those who love it some
justice. They were overcooked with yolks as hard and miserable as your Granny’s
dentures.</span></div>
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<br />
What was
very authentic to me was the full on red lighting, an enormous picture of Mao
and some fellow with his head buried in a bowl and slurping to his heart’s
content that reminded me of good ol’ Beijing. The hunt for these sensations
continue.</div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US">Six dishes between three people, and a pot of
bottomless tea came to circa GBP15 per person. Bizarrely enough we didn’t have
a giant baozi </span></i><i><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: SimSun;">包子</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US"> to share, and none of the skewers chuan’r </span></i><i><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: SimSun;">串儿</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US"> which are both very Chinese and very Beijing. Worth a second trip?
Hmmm. And that is saying something when you end a blog post with hmmm.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Baozi Inn</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">25-26 Newport Court </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">London WC2H 7JS</span></span></div>
<nobr style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">020 7287 6877</span></nobr></div>
</div>Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-49070773705753017002012-05-02T14:36:00.003+01:002012-05-02T14:39:45.645+01:00Le Gia: The Growing Vietnamese Scene in Deptford<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">No need to list reasons why one would not venture into Deptford for well, anything. Unless of course one worked round the corner in Greenwich and was offered the chance of a lunch adventure to the local Vietnamese by a foodie colleague. Whilst Deptford is generally an adventure black hole it is strangely home to some quality and destination Vietnamese restaurants, the best known one in the area being </span><a href="http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/cafe-east-london" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Café East</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Colleague S seemed to have uncovered a little gem. </span><a href="http://www.legia.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Le Gia</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> was very no-frills, harshly stark in fact and we were the only customers at that lunchtime service. Only. Which could have been slightly eerie but S AKA </span><a href="http://tomatoesandradiowire.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tomatoes and Radio Wire</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and I were not once short of food stories to exchange. I always appreciate a spirited companion that is game for good food no matter the surroundings. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Though we were provided with what looked like an ample menu, we still lunged forward at Beef Pho Bo each and Beef Summer Rolls. Yes this was very one-track minded but S here needed an iron shot after giving blood the day before. And when it was this good, gimme that iron!</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Summer Rolls were succulent, charred and beautifully sweet and crisp and not wrapped with too much skin that it might knock you dead if one hit you in the head. We noticed in particular how the dipping sauce was just on the right side of salty fish. Often places make them too sugary, ruining that balance of spicy and sour.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We marveled at how the Pho broth was as brilliantly clear as a fictitional English day and to borrow S’s phrase, well-rounded with flavour. Silky noodles and just-pink beef slices created a nourishing bowl of warmth. Perfect in this dismal weather of late. </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If you’re willing to make the detour for Café East (probably for dinner) and if those bites were anything to go by then Le Gia would be far from a wasted journey. Two Beef Pho Bo’s and shared summer rolls were GBP18.50. Definitely heading back to try more of their noodle dishes and the sandwich du jour which even Eat is now offering: Banh Mi!</span></i></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.legia.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Le Gia</span></a></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">41-42 Deptford Broadway</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Deptford</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">London SE8 4PH</span><br />
<nobr><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tel: 0208 333 7491</span></nobr><br />
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What do you usually crave for when English skies send down the most annoying feathery raindrops, the type that doesn't stop you in your tracks but frizzes up the hairdo you worked so hard at getting right? This week I've had serious craving for hotpot <i>huoguo</i> 火锅 and my favourite thing to cook in them, home-made dumplings <i>jiaozi</i> 饺子.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Making dumplings in Chinese households is very much a communal and social activity. Many hands make light work, so my family always divides the labour: assigning dough making, rolling wrappers to the younger in the family tree and dumpling filling to the gossipy aunties. Dumplings can be filled with anything - I personally love pork & Chinese Chive <i>jiucai</i> 韭菜, Chinese Chive & Egg and prawn & pork.<br />
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But everyone always cooks together, laying out the fruits of our work on platters waiting to be dunked into a bubbling broth called a hotpot, steamboat or Asian fondue.<br />
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"They're ready! They're ready!", the kids scream when the dumplings float to the top and ready to be fished out with a little metal net. Dumplings almost always come with a dipping sauce: we love traditional ginger, vinegar & soy sauce or a good Chinese chilli oil.<br />
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<i>Comfort foods are always hearty, based around simple ingredients cooked well and remind you of loved ones. And ones that make frizzy hair bearable. </i><br />
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<i>What comfort foods do you long for?</i></div>Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-9907721450729262452012-04-07T15:26:00.000+01:002012-04-07T15:26:16.018+01:00Transit: Sichuan in Beijing that was so so fine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I cast my memory back to my "send off" meal I had in Beijing early this year. Almost an impossible gig to select a place which gives you the final flavour snapshots of an incredible journey. So I let my expectations down thinking that it was just hopeless to expect too much. And then, by some lovely workings of the universe I wasn't let down at all.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Up the glittery escalator I went. I thought, "Hmmm fancy Sichuanese food eh? How can Sichuan be fancy?!".<br />
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Of course it can be, at Sanlitun's Transit restaurant. This was my first introduction to exquisite Sichuanese cuisine. Even with the most elegant presentation, the spicy and numbing hallmarks of this Chinese food genre were punchy and powerful as I knew them but clean and refined. As simple as it looked, pickled bamboo shoots were a welcome appetiser and palate cleanser in between the fiery mains.<br />
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One of my favourite Sichuanese dishes, <i>koushuiji</i>口水鸡 or Mouth Watering Chicken. This version lived up to its name: salty and deep notes from fermented soya beans with chilli, meeting heat from peppercorns and ginger. Despite it being served cold, it holds so much flavour.<br />
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I suppose the dream couldn't have been all perfect: Dragon Beans with Ham were really non-halal <i>kacang botol</i> (four-angled beans, despite what Transit tried to call it) to a Malaysian girl. It looked pretty, sounded great but wasn't worth the fuss.<br />
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Back on track with a perfectly roasted quail. I'm not sure it exactly what it's marinade was but I'll hazard a guess it was a mixture of soy sauce and sugar. So succulent I'm not sure it needed the sweet orange sauce that came with it.<br />
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Without a doubt the dish that left the most impression on me (and which I still daydream about) were Glutinous Rice Spare Ribs.My Malaysian and Singaporean buddies will know what I mean by Loh Mai Kai, glutinous rice soaked in garlic, ginger, Chinese sausage, oyster sauce, light & dark soy and maybe some Five Spice which often makes a yummy teatime coffee shop snack. This was like Loh Mai Kai around juicy pork spare ribs, the rice firmly packed down so that in one bite you got rice and rib together. It's soy and aniseed flavour captured my heart and belly.<br />
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Trust them to have the most genteel of Dan Dan Noodles. I believe the only way I can recreate these is to make my own hand-pulled noodles and master that chilli bean sauce.<br />
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Finally the superstar of this spicy and numbing heartland, <i>shuizhuyu</i> or Water Poached Fish. Fish gets poached gently in water before a barrage of dried chillies, Sichuan peppercorns (those little culprits that leave the fizzy, tingly effect on your tongue) and endless spices in volcanic oil gets poured over. I ate this so often in Beijing but never tired of it, always mesmerised by its angry, bubbly redness. And became very addicted to this intense melange. Transit gives you the option of fishing out the fish (which is great fun) or just serving up the meat. I loved having more fun.<br />
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<i>Everyone knows Sichuan food to be gregarious but there are really delicate and "cooling" dishes as well. There are so many that remain with me and I want to recreate. There are so many things I still miss and hanker for in Beijing. Transit for me was like so many other things I came to love in China after initial trepidation. When you open your heart and mind and let down your guard, there is a wonderful life-long journey of things to fall in love with. </i><br />
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<b>Transit</b><br />
N4-36, Third Floor, <br />
The Village North, <br />
Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang district<i><br /></i><br />
http://www.timeoutbeijing.com/venue/Food__Drink-Chinese-Sichuan/11320/Transit.html<br />
<br /></div>Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-67700879832595448882012-03-18T16:56:00.000+00:002012-03-18T16:56:00.387+00:00Beijing Memories: A Restaurant with No Name over the Houhai Lake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One of my favourite regional Chinese foods is Yunnanese. Why? Because it has the most unique and beguiling marriage of Chinese peppery spice and sweet, tangy, fruitiness. No wonder as the province borders Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Chinese "fusion" has been going on for a long, long time.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Cosied up in one of the many<i> hutongs </i>胡同 near Houhai Lake, No Name Restaurant charmed me with soft lighting, lanterns swinging above and an easy-going vibe. Everything on the menu called out to be eaten, simply because I'd never heard of so many ingredient and flavour combinations before. China has so many indigenous herbs that never make it pass its borders so there was plenty to be naive to.<br />
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Fried kidney beans reminded me of how the Southern Chinese love everything in a salted egg-yolk batter except there was no egg-yolk on these. Each bean was coated in a sandy spicy layer that was addictive: it's a true talent to turn a humble pulse into the dish you want to stuff your face with. <br />
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This fried lamb dish had sweet and sour flavours that sang. A perfect example of Yunnanese food, it had that Chinese heat from chilli and peppercorns and zesty fruit associated with Thai cooking.<br />
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We doused our rice with a curry that combined catfish and pork belly: that moreish salty and sweet taste kept coming back. It's the sort of dish that would make you lick your elbows if you didn't have table manners.<br />
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The visual delight of pineapple rice <i>bolo fan</i> 波咯饭 never bores me. When I've had this before the rice is usually plain, usually cooked with small bits of chopped potato and garlic. No Name stuffs their thorny fruit with black rice, nuts and chopped herbs, rich from the starchy rice itself and bathed in pineapple sunshine.<br />
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<i>Dedicated to dear friend J who inspired me to go to Beijing. I can see why this was your favourite restaurant and fingers crossed, one day we'll go together! Absolutely a Hungry Female Top 5!</i><br />
<span class="street" style="background-color: white; color: #3c3c3c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="street" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>No Name Restaurant</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="street" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 Dajinsi Hutong</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="streetRef" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">(50m south of Yinding Qiao)</span></span><span class="geo" style="background-color: white; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Beijing 100009</span></span><span class="geo" style="background-color: white; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tel: +86<span style="font-family: inherit;"> (</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">0)10.6618.6061</span></span><span class="geo" style="background-color: white; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Malaysian food-sickness. No, I mean Malaysian food-homesickness. Homesick for Malaysian food. Oh darnnit, I just want these two types of noodles!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>For me a great noodle is in it's texture, it has to be just that bit undercooked or al dente (the Cantonese have their own word for describing a bouncy springy noodle, <i>ngan</i>) and a perfect vehicle for a tasty sauce. I find wavy, longer noodles are best for letting oils and sauces cling on.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Mee Pok is an incredibly simple pleasure and point in case. A tough ribbon, it's more like tagliatelle than its lighter rice flour cousins. It is best friends with anything oily, and here it couldn't be more bosom with oil released from frying pork fat lardons. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Served in a bowl with mince pork, it also gets accompanied by pork meat balls in soup on the side. I love splashing on some soup (an optional side) to just loosen up the tangles before waffling it in.</span></span>
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Chilly Pan Mee is so similar. Another sturdy carb (much like udon), it grabs hold of mince meat and oil and deserves vigorous tossing to spread all that tremendous flavour. Pan Mee has the extra dimension of crunch, fried anchovies or <i>ikan bilis </i>are also thrown about and there's a curious mix of fried garlic and onion that also participates. And if like me you are partial to a runny yolk there's that childlike euphoria of seeing a poached egg stabbed, the yellow goo coating the noodle, taking chilli and the condiments hostage. Here they are served with potato leaves and a side soup too.
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<i>My longing for a hardy noodle is so strong I've decided to take this into my own hands: every week I'm making freshly made noodles or pasta. The soggy stuff just won't do!</i><br />
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<i>For sinful porky Mee Pok, try</i><br />
<div style="line-height: 19px;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b>Restoran Tien Pin</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">19, Jalan SS2/30, Petaling Jaya, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Selangor, Malaysia</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i>These guys also make mean fish-paste noodles, i.e. noodles made out of fish-paste!</i></span></div>
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<i>A very well trodden path for many Malaysians, but with great reason. A good chain restaurant doing awesome Chilly Pan Mee. </i><br />
<b>Restoran Super Kitchen: Chilly Pan Mee</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">42, Jalan SS2/10, Taman Bahagia,</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">47000, Petaling Jaya,</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Selangor.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Tel : 03-7877 2281</span></span>
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<a href="http://www.chillipanmee.com/">http://www.chillipanmee.com/</a>
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<small><a href="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=Jalan+SS2%2F10,+Taman+Bahagia,+47400+&aq=&sll=55.378051,-3.435973&sspn=55.77739,173.144531&gl=uk&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Taman+Bahagia,+Malaysia&t=m&z=14&ll=3.110691,101.612806" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small></div>Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-46339473578738447822012-02-21T12:28:00.000+00:002012-02-21T13:20:40.345+00:00Supperclub Challenge for Social Media Week London 2012: Craft Cakes meets Hungry Female<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What a whirlwind week. I arrived back in the UK to find myself with only four days to plan for a <a href="http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/Community/Posts/great-british-chefs-food-blogger-supper-club-contest-action-against-hunger">Supperclub challenge hosted by the Great British Chefs in line with Social Media Week London 2012</a>. The challenge was simple: host a supperclub or dinner party to raise money for <a href="http://www.actionagainsthunger.org.uk/love-food-give-food/">Action Against Hunger's Love Food Give Food fundraising campaign</a>. We needed to make at least two dishes from their suggested recipe list, blog about them and of course rally the troops to donate some dough.<br />
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I could only face such an undertaking with someone whom I knew was a maestro in the kitchen, who came in the form of <a href="http://www.craft-cakes.co.uk/?page_id=108">Leigh Koh Peart</a>, founder and owner of <a href="http://www.craft-cakes.co.uk/">Craft Cakes</a>. A talented and creative pastry chef hailing from (neighbour!) Singapore, we instantly agreed that we summon our South East Asian repertoires to bring a twist to the suggested recipes. </div>
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<u>The Menu</u></div>
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We are gluttons for punishment (pun intended). All we actually needed to do was produce a three course menu, using at least two recipes from the list. Our final menu was, erm, rather more elaborate...</div>
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<u><b>Aperitifs</b></u></div>
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Lychee Sangria & Nibbles</div>
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<u><b>Menu</b></u></div>
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Tea-Soaked Eggs</div>
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Cucumber & Wood Ear Fungus Salad</div>
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Lemongrass Pork Skewers</div>
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Grilled Honey Soy Chicken Wings</div>
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Steamed Tofu topped with Crunchy Shallots<br />
Asparagus & Prawns</div>
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<a href="http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/Recipes/cod-with-bouillabaisse-sauce">Fish & Asian Bouillabaisse Sauce</a></div>
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<i>served with Steamed Rice & Condiments</i></div>
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<u><b>Dessert</b></u></div>
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<a href="http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/Recipes/chocolate-profiteroles">Green Tea Profiteroles</a></div>
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Tea & Coffee</div>
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We got carried away didn't we? We could hear our Chinese mothers going "Enough or not?". Having seconds is not an option, any guest to a Chinese house is going to be stuffed to the brim and rolling out the door. From the above menu it was the <a href="http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/Recipes/cod-with-bouillabaisse-sauce">fish</a> and the<a href="http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/Recipes/chocolate-profiteroles"> profiteroles</a> that came from the Great British Chef's list where we then added our own touches.</div>
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<u>Prep, prep, prep!</u><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Holy moly. Preparing for
a dinner party always starts off smoothly. You think there's all the time in
the world, having breaks for soya bean milk (Craft Cakes made it fresh!), cheese toasties and for tasting (and tasting) lychee sangria,
when suddenly you realise you have four other courses to do with 1.5 hours
left. Panic sets in, the pace picks up, and there's silent work flurry for at least one
hour. All this amongst desperate tweeting to let Social Media Week know
you're taking the challenge seriously!</span></div>
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Chop, chop! Chinese-style cooking means lots of slicing and dicing before it hits the heat.<br />
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There's always that ropey moment when you think your guests will end up eating mushy slush. After some bicep exercise to strain fish stock though, our Fish & Bouillabaisse started coming together...</div>
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In the mean time, Craft Cakes made the batter for her profiteroles. The lady has a will of steel. Unhappy with her batch first time, there was no compromise: she re-did the entire thing until she got it to how she wanted. This separates the pros from the pretenders. </div>
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"Hello brothers and sisters!" Maybe that's how one profiterole feels when it joins the rest of the team, a la <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atUUjSLMSiM&feature=related">those green three-eyed creatures from Toy Story</a>. Aren't they elegant?</div>
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Crispy shallots take many South East Asian dishes from zeros to heros. Something in their sweet salty crunchiness. These went on top of the Steamed Tofu and Asaparagus & Prawns.</div>
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An hour to go and still so much to do!</div>
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<u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Service, please!</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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And gratefully all dishes came out on time and we even managed witty banter with all our guests. We were in very honourable company of Wen, hubby Babs (and their gorgeous 3 week old baby!) from <a href="http://www.edibleexperiences.com/">Edible Experiences</a>, fabulous foodie fashionista friend J, Florian Dussopt from <a href="http://www.annagram.fr/">Annagram</a>, Nathalie Malric from <a href="http://www.peutetremagazine.com/">Peut Etre Magazine</a>, and Craft Cakes' hubby R. Thank you all again for making the time to come - every bit of support was fantastic, we had many great laughs and made new friends.<br />
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Lychee Sangria: everything is beautiful when you have fresh lychees and booze.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Image from dressyourdayswithdreams.blogspot.com).</span></i></div>
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Cucumber & Wood Ear salad: I tried to recreate this ubiquitous dish from Beijing. I think the next time we should go full force with the Szechuan Peppercorns! Tea-Soaked Eggs: Another very familiar and delicious Chinese snack. You can infuse any tea flavour into a hard-boiled egg (shells cracked) if you soak them overnight. </div>
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Lemongrass Pork Skewers: frying off pork mince within a lemongrass skewer infuses the meat with a faint whiff of lemongrass. I got the<a href="http://hungryfemale.blogspot.com/2011/05/dish-highlights-from-luang-prabang-part.html"> idea after a trip to Luang Prabang</a>. The dipping sauce was simply soya sauce, lime juice and chilli. </div>
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Grilled Honey Soya Chicken Wings with an addictive Spring Onion & Ginger dressing.</div>
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The Main Course: Fish & Bouillabaise sauce! We customised by adding lots of ginger, replacing parsley with coriander and giving it vinegary tang. Pan-fried fennel was an excellent aniseed flavour to have on top.</div>
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Asparagus & Prawns: We had spent a good part of the day before mincing heaps of garlic. It went in with the crunchy green stalks, prawn and chicken stock. </div>
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Steamed Tofu: So easy but so tasty. The sauce was simply soya sauce, osyter sauce, sugar, onion oil. Topped with crispy shallots. </div>
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And our traffic-stopper: a Matcha croquembouche! Craft Cakes filled profiteroles with Matcha cream, also stuffing them with fresh strawberries. They were served drizzled with a caramel sauce and hazelnuts. And if we can stop being modest, they tasted just divine. </div>
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<i>Craft Cakes and I were properly pooped the next day but arose happy and glowing from the experience. We were asked by Action Against Hunger to send our tweaked recipes across and if anyone would like to know more, we'd be happy to send you a copy. If you must indulge, then indulge for a cause. It's a great feeling. </i><br />
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<i>*Special thanks to Nathalie for <a href="http://dressyourdayswithdreams.blogspot.com/2012/02/shu-leighs-supperclub.html">posting pictures of our supperclub on her beautiful blog Dress Your Days with Dreams</a>. She was in London covering London Fashion Week February 2012 and we were SO flattered to have her fashion photography eye on our food! </i><br />
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</div>Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-59919551092698601212012-02-14T11:39:00.000+00:002012-02-14T11:40:43.355+00:00Malaysian Munching: Village Park for THAT Nasi Lemak<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Remember when Madam Kwan's first arrived on the scene in KL? And how Nasi Bojari was <i>the</i> dish to have? Mainly because of that gorgeous chicken leg accompanied by the tasty mixed rice, sambal and acar combo. Come to think of it was a sorta version of Nasi Lemak. Well that heyday is well and truly over but have no fear because if there was ever a reinvention of the chicken leg, then Village Park in Damansara Uptown has done a Madonna.<br />
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Like other Malaysian restaurants in their boom period, there was a formidable queue when we got there at lunchtime. At least that gave us time to decide on our sides: beef rendang and curry sotong (squid).<br />
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The incessant bang-bang-bang of cleaver on chopping block throughout the visit was testament to how everyone was ordering <i>Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng</i> Nasi Lemak with Fried Chicken. The serviceman in charge of chopping up the leg before plating must have the muscley-est biceps. Looking around there was quite possibly over 100 seats accommodating hungry punters and no sign of the crowd waning.<br />
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But did the leg actually cut the sambal? Gorgeous skin that Saunders himself would have wept at, and deep-fried enough without getting dry. Though a tad sweet. The flavour is like dessicated coconut that's been caramelised which for some may actually be a picture of heaven. The sambal was also just that little too sweet. Rice was fluffy and fragrant with pandan. The beef rendang was stellar, as was the curry sotong which I am usually indifferent about.<br />
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<i>I shall be back for some of this when back in KL next. These folks work hard to make great nasi lemak so hats off for working the crowd and keeping up the consistency (the second visit was equally delightful). Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng is circa RM8 and the sides come in around RM4 per serving. </i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #232323; line-height: 23px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Village Park Nasi Lemak</b><br />5, Jalan SS21/37, Damansara Utama,<br />47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor<br />Tel : 03-7710-7860</span></span>
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Ahhh. It feels good to be back in London. So much is familiar but I've only been back for a while and already I know there are many exciting things to catch up on. And one exciting thing that I must tell you about is <a href="http://eatlovenoodles.blogspot.com/">Mr. Noodles'</a> ambitious campaign to bring <a href="http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/index.asp">Din Tai Fung </a>to London. I'm thrilled!<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">(image from
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Originating from Taiwan, DTF is an excellent restaurant chain famous for their Xiao Long Bao. A specialty dumpling, these are famous for a delicate skin (traditionally folded 18 times) carrying a little burst of soup next to a juicy stuffing. DTF also has <a href="http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/product_a_list.asp">many other tasty dishes</a> and is an all-round champion for Taiwanese-style Chinese cuisine. </div>
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Why the big fuss about getting them to London? Because London deserves awesome Xiao Long Bao from an expert maker. And so far, I regret to say us Londoners have been denied this privilege. There are some that try but somehow just miss the mark. DTF is across China, South East Asia and with branches in Australia and the United States so it ain't fair. </div>
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If there's fire (and an appetite) in your belly for great-quality dim sum and authentic Chinese food, please <a href="http://dtflondonfanclub.blogspot.com/2012/02/lets-bring-din-tai-fung-to-london.html#comment-form">add a comment to Mr. Noodles' blog campaign here</a>! You deserve to have these exquisite treats available to you!</div>
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<i>Mr. Noodles is the jovial owner of <a href="http://eatlovenoodles.blogspot.com/">Eat Noodles Love Noodles</a> who lives in London and adores (guess what?) his noodles and dumplings. Hungry Female has indulged in the pleasures of DTF in Malaysia and Beijing so knows that this crusade is worth it. </i></div>
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</div>Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-22090764459055628852012-02-05T17:00:00.000+00:002012-02-05T17:16:38.493+00:00Matchbox Cafe in Hong Kong 喜喜冰室在香港<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I was lucky enough to spend the crossing of 2011 into 2012 with my closest girfriends and my man in the effervescent city that is Hong Kong. Much charm, mystique and elegance all in such small geography.<br />
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Food in Hong Kong needs no introduction. Just when we thought we'd played all our cards (<a href="http://www.underspicycrab.com/chi/index.php">Under Bridge Spicy Crab</a>, <a href="http://www.yungkee.com.hk/history/history-e.html">Yung Kee for Roast Goose</a>, <a href="http://www.bettys.com.hk/">Alan Yau's Betty's Kitschen</a> for the NYE blast-off itself and legendary dim sum at <a href="http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/CulturalService/CityHall/en/rest_palace.php">City Hall Maxim's Place</a>), Matchbox Cafe in Causeway Bay topped off our foodie flush.
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<a name='more'></a>I imagine if there was a Cantonese version of <a href="http://www.amctv.com/shows/mad-men">Mad Men</a> they would shoot a couple of episodes here. And <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nuj--4bqZjc">this soundtrack would be playing</a>. This cosy Hong Kong coffee shop or <i>cha chan teng</i> 茶餐厅 made me think of 1960s <i>qi pao</i> 旗袍 - clad vixens enjoying surreptitious meetings with their lovers.<br />
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What would Don Draper make of Hong Kong Milk Tea? Shot of whiskey with that, sir?<br />
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I embarrassed myself by asking for knives and forks - each table has a drawer full of them!</div>
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It's very characteristic of Hong Kong coffee shops to interpret Western food through a Cantonese lens. As funny as it sounds, pancakes with bolognese sauce and an egg sunny side up went down a treat. Enough goo to match a fluffy carb. My pineapple, ham, butter and sunny-side egg pancakes were equally fun. The pancakes also sat in a broth to give some soaky niceness. </div>
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<i>My memory hazy with romantic scenes, brunch for two could have been about HKD65 each. Don't quote me on that, just sit back and enjoy. </i></div>
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<b>Matchbox Cafe 喜喜冰室</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f5f3ee; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">G/F, Highland Mansion, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f5f3ee; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8 Cleveland Street, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f5f3ee; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Causeway Bay, Hong Kong</span></span>
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<span style="background-color: #f5f3ee; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">香港銅鑼灣加寧街8號海倫大廈地下 Fashion Walk(IT店)旁邊</span></span>
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<a href="http://www.cafematchbox.com.hk/index.html">http://www.cafematchbox.com.hk/index.html</a></div>
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</div>Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-4946605719696543492012-02-04T11:55:00.000+00:002012-02-04T11:55:31.588+00:00My heart is still in 798 & "Noodle" 我的心还在七九八 & “面”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A cheeky side-step from food for a little moment: from the moment I walked into the 798 Art District in Beijing I was obsessed. These former electronic components factories often draws very mixed response from its visitors. Some find it bizarre, others don't understand. Most are often just amazed at the sheer scale of their quirky and provocative gargantuan sculptures. I just wanted more and more.</div>
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With<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/798_Art_Zone"> aid from the East Germans in the 50s</a>, this huge area houses many Bauhaus-style factories now converted into art galleries and museums. Mammoth installations change periodically, some remain and have become icons to China's headline-making art scene. </div>
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I spent alot of time wondering around the open courtyards, every corner gave me a different viewpoint. Many works use traditional Chinese elements but with a far from traditional message: you may see a cherub with Chairman Mao's head in fuschsia pink, or a Terracotta Army soldier totally starkers and posing suggestively.</div>
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Eerie, metallic, large and empty. Alluring. So few installations anywhere can be showcased on such grand scale. </div>
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The only letdown? A rather disappointing eating scene for such an interesting place. My tip would be a small noodle place past the entrance of the UCCA Gallery. Look out for the huge red dinosaurs just before coming up to the UCCA, walk past the revolving doors on the left and you'll see the character for noodle or <i>mian</i> 麵 soon after. </div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I'm actually unsure as to what style of food this is in, though it's closer to what I know as southern or Cantonese. </span><span style="text-align: left;">Curly egg noodles in lots of good broth, their duck leg noodle 鸭腿面 <i>yatui mian</i> is juicy and full of flavour. Compared to other noodleries there are lots of ingredients, it's rare to have as much as we did for about RMB16. </span></div>
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The classic preserved vegetable and shredded pork noodle or <i>suancai rousi mian</i> 酸菜肉丝面 was equally hearty and comforting. Great value and flavour given the other options nearby which tend to be poncy western and/or expensive wine bars. You'll be there for a good part of a day so vital to know where to have a decent bite!</div>
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<i>798, you stole my heart. I keep looking for the same haunting and evocative environment, but something tells me I won't find it elsewhere. </i></div>
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<a href="http://www.798art.org/">http://www.798art.org/</a>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 14px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dashanzi, 4 Jiuxianqiao Jie, 798, Chaoyang district</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">朝阳区酒仙桥街4号大山子艺术区</span></span></div>
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<small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=798+beijing&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=37.735377,86.572266&ie=UTF8&hq=798&hnear=Beijing,+China&t=m&ll=39.991851,116.451645&spn=0.142826,0.338173" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small></div>Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908813692865048315.post-68271973967370269202012-01-28T07:01:00.000+00:002012-02-05T11:32:15.887+00:00Malaysian Midnight Eating: Restoran Damansara Hokkien Mee<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I interrupt my Beijing broadcast to bask in the glory of finding black gold in nearby Damansara Uptown. Old to the other residents but new to me, and a find is still a find!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>You know the drill: you've had some drinkies, dinner was a long time ago and you see the shop's fluorescent lights on the way home. A steamy plate of oily carbs is just what you need. Not forgetting the extra <i>Chee Yao Zha</i> 猪油炒 (Fried Pork Fat). Followed by some debate over whether it was the best Hokkien Mee in PJ. Let's just say I went to bed a very happy girl.<br />
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<i>Where have you had phenomenal Hokkien Mee </i>福建面 <i>and what makes an unforgettable Hokkien Mee for you? I know you'll have an opinion!</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Restaurant Damansara Hokkien Mee, Uptown Damansara</b></span>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jalan 21/37, Damansara Utama, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">PJ, Selangor, Malaysia</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just around the corner from the Damansara Utama Police station<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />Opposite the open air carpark next to Uptown One</span></span>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(They also had a lovely peppery pork ball soup with cabbage. Wowza)</span></span><br />
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The bright lights of Sanlitun Village (or "<i>Saannliturrrrr</i>" as per our beloved Beijing taxi drivers) at first seemed tacky to me. I love old buildings, small lanes and charms of a former world. Home to everything mainstream trendy and designer, I quickly wrote off the area as worthwhile for a quality bite. But Asia is different like that: the shiny malls often have the restaurants worth visiting. As each weekend passed, I found myself down at the Village (as coined by my fellow<i> laowai</i> 老外, foreigners) and frequenting the obvious spots (Nali Patio, Apothecary, 1949 and D Lounge nearby. Uh-huh I'm only human too).<br />
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<i>(image from Sanlitun Village)</i><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Like many others within the Village, Karaiya Spice House's food lives up to it's good looks. And it's </span><i style="text-align: left;">very</i><span style="text-align: left;"> good-looking. </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a>From what I've had, Hunan's spiciness is sweeter and more rounded than the Sichuanese in-your-face-volcanic-smackdown. I completely loved their spicy clams which had a hint to tomato and were firm and juicy.<br />
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Whilst it doesn't look exciting, the Chinese cabbage was sweet, salty from soya sauce and it's gravy just a perfect rice-coating consistency.<br />
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Looking similar to the Sichuan Shui Zhu Yu 水煮鱼 (water-boiled fish), the Hunan version was more herby and much less tingly. Fish tends to be done really well here, every morsel was soft and delicate.<br />
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Karaiya always surprised me with what I would class as side dishes: case in point, this was THE BEST STEAMED EGG EVER. I felt like I was dipping intsavoury creme caramel as the egg beckoned with ladylike wobble and was as light as a feather. On another visit I had a fabulous tofu dish: cylinders of agedashi-eque tofu served on crispy rice crackers and dribbled with a spicy sauce.<br />
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Other must try dishes: baked fish with dry spices (which I never personally had but told by a reliable source was<i> hao ji le</i> 好极了 (awesome!), bullfrog (which I actually think is like scallop in texture) and any of the vegetable dishes. Dear Karaiya, you've taught me Hunan. I am now always in search of your splendour. <br />
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<i>On average 4 dishes and a bottle of wine between 2 comes to under RMB200 per person. Karaiya is also sister to Japanese knock-out restaurant Hatsune, also in the Village.</i><br />
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<b>Karaiya Spice House</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">3/F, Bldg 8, The Village at Sanlitun</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">19 Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">三里屯路19号The Village南区8号楼</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">And when in the area, you must also try:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b>Apothecary</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">81 Sanlitun North Street, 3/F Nali Patio, Sanlitun Village</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">三里屯北路81号那里花园3层</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">(For beautiful cocktails, their mixologists are PROPER. My favourite cocktail in all the world is their Secret Earl Grey Martini)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b>Noodle Bar 面吧</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At 1949- The Hidden City. Courtyard 4, Gong Ti Bei Lu, Chaoyang District</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Technically not in the Village but not far, behind the Sanlitun Soho complex. See chefs pull huge lumps of dough, smacking them against the counter. They magically become threads of elegant noodles. Served with beef brisket, other bovine treats and swimming in a hearty broth, it's a sweet little spot)</span></span></div>Hungry Femalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08397192657765670513noreply@blogger.com6