Eble gourmet: Chinese Cuisine

Tian Jin Pau (天津狗不理):
This is the most famous dim sum in the northern area of mainland China. Nicknamed 'Gou Bu Li' (狗不理) or "Ignored-by-doggy". Though it has a funny name, the bun is very soft, fluffy and hot after steaming. I think they used the premium grade "AAA" flour or sifting with the finest sieve during preparation of the flour. Stuffed with minced meat and spring onion, it is very small in size until my daughter can eat up to three pieces. Best tasted with Chinese green tea after the bun, especially with my favorite green tea 'Tie Guan Yin' (铁观音). It helps eliminating the oily taste left over by the ingredients of the bun in your mouth, giving you a fresh feel after all.

Hungry for Dim Sum right now? Try these tiny and very delicately prepared food steamed in small bamboo containers to keep its flavour and nutritious.

Photo taken by Eble Lai, June 2006. China, Su Zhou, Jing Xi.

苏州，锦溪水乡。

"Sauna" Prawn in Wooden Bucket (桑那虾):

The prawns with some water are pour into a wooden bucket filled with hot rocks and pebbles. Steam rushing out when the lid is opened. A local friend of mine in China took me to a countryside restaurant which has a private fish pond to ensure the harvest for kitchen is all fresh from the water. I like the "sauna" prawn when dipped with soya sauce. The taste is the best for it remains the original aroma of the food. Too complicated seasoning or sauce can confuse my taste bud and erode the natural taste of the food.

Beef Balls soup:
The name of this shop is 'Niu Mo Wang' (牛魔王), which means "Devil King of the Bull", originated from a cast in the Chinese legendary story of "Journey To The West". They provide all sort of dishes based on beef. From simple meat balls, fried rice, noodles with beef slices, to Chinese spaghetti (牛河)。Priced from RMB 5 per serving, it is very cheap yet delicious. Bouncy beef balls made from fresh minced beef and mixed with cuttlefish. The other famous cooking is the beef slices sauteed with choy sum (vegetable), 菜心炒牛肉片.

Lotus Leaf Rice (荷叶饭):
Rice steamed with several linings of huge lotus leaf in a wooden bucket (荷叶木桶饭) traditionally. But, I presumed in a fast-serving restaurant like this, the rice may be pre-cooked with some lotus leaves in modern cooker and get transferred to the bucket for steaming. Anyway, many choices are included in the menu, you can choose from seafood, chopped ribs, chicken, fish fillet, wild frog 'Tian Ji' (田鸡) and yellow eel steamed rice. For those who are boring with ordinary plate and bowl, you can try something new here, RMB 15 per bucket. Yes! you dig out your rice from the bucket right in the middle of your dining table. Reasonably priced. One bucket is enough to cater for two persons. Some restaurants serve with free side dished such as vegetables and soup.

Photo taken by Eble Lai, June 2006. China, Su Zhou, Jing Xi.