Hello KKF! My name is Andy and I am a dad and home cook.
A month or two ago, I decided to try my hand at cooking Chinese food. Why? Well, it's fun to learn about new (to me) types of food, I get to do more knife work, and I think it will be a way to introduce a lot more vegetables into my diet. As a bonus, there is always some cultural education associated with learning about new kinds of cuisine. So I bought a cook book, Every Grain of Rice, got some pantry staples from the nearest market, and tried a few recipes. Last week I visited the larger Asian grocery in town and was very surprised at the terrific selection, particularly produce. I think I will have easy access to most ingredients that I need.
This thread is my attempt to share my thoughts on learning to cook a new cuisine. This is not a thread on how to cook. I'm a half-way decent home cook but I have absolutely no training cooking Chinese food - or any food traditionally associated with any Asian country. This is not a an attempt to explain Chinese cuisine. I don't have that knowledge and I doubt I could distill centuries of culinary traditions in an enormous country even if I wanted to. I'm pretty ignorant on this topic, so I want to learn. I'm going to read, I'm going to cook, and I'm going to ask questions (lots of them). Hopefully those of you with some answers are willing to share them.
After a half a dozen dishes, here are my initial thoughts. First, Fuschia Dunlop is an absolute gem. Her book explains things well and the recipes in her book are extremely approachable. Are they "authentic?" I don't know, you tell me, but they feel like genuine food that is not dumbed down. Second, Sichuan peppercorns are amazing! I've never eaten Chinese food in a restaurant that was not the typical Americanized Chinese food. My first reaction to them is citrus, not heat, and I've really enjoyed what their flavor profile adds to dishes. Third, there is a lot of cutting involved - totally a good thing. From prep of ginger, garlic, and green onion, to greens, peppers, and carrots, to proteins, almost everything touches the knife. It adds time to cooking. Particularly if you don't prep that quickly. But it is time well spent and can be pretty relaxing. Most of the dishes that I've prepared can be mostly prepped in advance, which is nice. Fourth, my wife and I have enjoyed everything. There's no magic involved, Ms. Dunlop's recipes make it pretty easy if you have basic kitchen skills. That makes it a shame that more of these recipes aren't found in mainstream restaurants across America.
My plan is to supplement this thread over time with thoughts on techniques, recipes, equipment, ingredients, etc. I'll also throw out a lot of questions because I have a lot to learn.
First two questions.
1. What is your favorite Chinese dish to make and why?
2. What preparation(s) do you recommend as an introduction to tofu?
Thanks in advance!
A month or two ago, I decided to try my hand at cooking Chinese food. Why? Well, it's fun to learn about new (to me) types of food, I get to do more knife work, and I think it will be a way to introduce a lot more vegetables into my diet. As a bonus, there is always some cultural education associated with learning about new kinds of cuisine. So I bought a cook book, Every Grain of Rice, got some pantry staples from the nearest market, and tried a few recipes. Last week I visited the larger Asian grocery in town and was very surprised at the terrific selection, particularly produce. I think I will have easy access to most ingredients that I need.
This thread is my attempt to share my thoughts on learning to cook a new cuisine. This is not a thread on how to cook. I'm a half-way decent home cook but I have absolutely no training cooking Chinese food - or any food traditionally associated with any Asian country. This is not a an attempt to explain Chinese cuisine. I don't have that knowledge and I doubt I could distill centuries of culinary traditions in an enormous country even if I wanted to. I'm pretty ignorant on this topic, so I want to learn. I'm going to read, I'm going to cook, and I'm going to ask questions (lots of them). Hopefully those of you with some answers are willing to share them.
After a half a dozen dishes, here are my initial thoughts. First, Fuschia Dunlop is an absolute gem. Her book explains things well and the recipes in her book are extremely approachable. Are they "authentic?" I don't know, you tell me, but they feel like genuine food that is not dumbed down. Second, Sichuan peppercorns are amazing! I've never eaten Chinese food in a restaurant that was not the typical Americanized Chinese food. My first reaction to them is citrus, not heat, and I've really enjoyed what their flavor profile adds to dishes. Third, there is a lot of cutting involved - totally a good thing. From prep of ginger, garlic, and green onion, to greens, peppers, and carrots, to proteins, almost everything touches the knife. It adds time to cooking. Particularly if you don't prep that quickly. But it is time well spent and can be pretty relaxing. Most of the dishes that I've prepared can be mostly prepped in advance, which is nice. Fourth, my wife and I have enjoyed everything. There's no magic involved, Ms. Dunlop's recipes make it pretty easy if you have basic kitchen skills. That makes it a shame that more of these recipes aren't found in mainstream restaurants across America.
My plan is to supplement this thread over time with thoughts on techniques, recipes, equipment, ingredients, etc. I'll also throw out a lot of questions because I have a lot to learn.
First two questions.
1. What is your favorite Chinese dish to make and why?
2. What preparation(s) do you recommend as an introduction to tofu?
Thanks in advance!