Chinese Knotting - Shrimp & Dragonfly Guild

Over the last week, I've been busy designing my latest Chinese knot necklace, which I showcased at the Shrimp & Dragonfly Guild today. A bit of button bling with with lots of colour!

And, afterwards I designed a simple lariat necklace using neon colours from current fashion trends.

Click on the title to this post to find out about Chinese knot classes in Hong Kong.
Copyright © 2008 - 2009 All Rights Reserved

Cooking up a Dragon - Snake Soup

Recently, I bought a book from www.paddyfield.com called, "Cooking up a Dragon" which is an excellent resource for anyone interested in Hong Kong cuisine. The book contains recipes from a cross-section of Hong Kong ranging from tiny Dai Pai Dongs to Haute Cuisine offered in 5 Star Hotels.

When I first received the book, I eagerly flicked through each page until, to my absolute amazement, I found a recipe for SNAKE SOUP submitted by none other than the famous snake shop "Shia Wong Hip" in Sham Shui Po.

Now, not really wanting to go out of my way to buy my own special snake or snakes just to make this recipe (ok, still a bit petrified from my last snake shop experience), I decided to visit the shop today to see if I could actually pluck up the courage to try this famous delicacy. I arrived just before lunch time and studied the snakes in a cage out front before scanning the shop itself... lots of gweilo photo's on the walls, small uninspiring tables and stools, and the familiar wooden crates that I had seen previously at the snake shop in Sheung Wan. Ok, this is all right now let's see about hygiene. There was one Chinese gentleman busy tucking into his steaming bowl of soup and I actually saw another lady getting hers so was relieved to see that porcelain bowls and spoons were actually taken out of a steamer that sterilised the crockery and utensils. Not really wanting to get a dose of food poisoning, in addition to feeling sick after tasting the soup, I felt a lot better that at least I wouldn't get sick from the lack of hygiene.

Not knowing enough Cantonese to ask the lady for a spoonful rather than a bowl we played charades until she understood that I didn't actually want a regular bowl but just a taste. She removed a porcelain spoon and small bowl from the steamer then started filling it until it measured about half a cup. The soup and crockery was extremely hot, so I sat down, waited for a bit then took a tiny amount from the side of my bowl, sipped it then waited for the "yuck" factor to arrive. BUT, funnily enough it DIDN'T and all I could taste was a delicate sweet soup with hints of ginger and citrus. Although, I could see strands of snake in my bowl and the colour was a murky brown, the taste wasn't overpowering and the snake actually tasted a bit like chicken although I would go on to say that chicken meat is a bit stronger. I continued to sip my delightful snake soup and after I had finished went over to pay but the lovely lady motioned me to put my money back in my purse, gave me a hug and with a big smile ushered me out on to the street.

Shia Wong Hip is located at G/F 170 Apliu Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: +852 23869064

Note: If you buy the book you can substitute chicken for snake... phew! Also, click on the title to this post to see "Le Gourmet TV" footage of "Shia Wong Hip". The lady holding the snakes,"Chau Ka-Ling" is the lovely lady and restaurant owner that refused to take my money.

Also visit http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/12/071220-snake-video-ap.html

Copyright © 2008 - 2009 All Rights Reserved

Chan Chi Kee - Chinese Cleavers & Restaurant Quality Equipment

Yesterday, I went to my favourite street in Yau Ma Tai to get a couple of restaurant grade Chinese cleavers. One of the best shops in the street is Chan Chi Kee Cutlery, G/F 316-318 Shanghai Street, Kowloon Hong Kong www.chanchikee.com email: info@chanchikee.com

If you visit their website you will notice that shopping for Chinese cleavers is serious business as there is not one or two to choose from but a whole catalogue! Well looked after your Chinese cleaver should last many years, just remember to wash it straight away after use, apply a smear of oil and store it in a safe place.

If you are going to use a whet stone to sharpen your cleaver, soak it in water for 20 minutes then sharpen both sides of the blade at a 30-35 degree angle. If you sharpen the stone 10 times on one side then this is how many times you need to do it on the other side. If you accidently chip your cleaver whilst chopping, then sharpening is going to take considerably longer. Note: Chan Chi Kee Cutlery Co. Ltd delivers worldwide and also have a huge range of other restaurant quality items including but not limited to pastry making, baking, dim sum, moulds, woks, strainers, skimmers and ladles etc.
Copyright © 2008 - 2009 All Rights Reserved

She Wong Lam Snake Shop

The exact same day that little r came home from school and told me that she had touched her first snake ever was also the day that I accidently discovered the snake shop in Sheung Wan. What first caught my eye was a small wire cage out the front of the shop with a couple of bedraggled looking snakes. After taking a couple of photo's, I walked into the shop and was fascinated to see piles of wooden boxes, bottles of what looked like snake oil and one bottled stripey snake. I was just about ready to leave the shop (a little disappointed that my photo's of the snakes didn't really turn out) when I noticed another wire cage toward the back of the shop. As I walked over, I felt my stomach churn as the cage was absolutely full to the brim of snakes of all colours. Suddently, another man appeared from the back of the shop and to my horror, he took the lid off the cage and pulled out about 3 snakes about a metre away from where I was standing. I took a couple of photo's, thanked him very much but then as quick as lightening, bolted from the shop. That day, little r was brave enough to touch a snake and was very excited about her adventure, however, unfortunately her poor mum couldn't say the same - I still feel sick just thinking about it.

She Wong Lam supply snakes to restaurants and from October until February each year sell snake soup. The shop is located at 13 Hillier Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Tel: 25438032


Copyright © 2008 - 2009 All Rights Reserved

Learn Mandarin with FM S.H.E 11th Album

Living in Hong Kong, I would love to be able to speak Cantonese but find the tones a little too difficult to master so have embarked on learning a bit of Mandarin instead. Problem is that I don't get to listen to people speaking the language often enough, so to hone my skills I've started to listen to some mandopop.

Currently, I enjoy the latest album produced by FM S.H.E. The music is modern, the tunes catchy and there is also a take on Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean". Interspersed in the lyrics is also a bit of rap which adds another dimension.

Although, the video isn't that great you can listen to a track called "Miss Universe" if you click on the title to this post and who knows, you might be singing in Mandarin sooner than you think.
Copyright © 2008 - 2009 All Rights Reserved

Cabbage & Pork Dumplings

Today, I went to one of my favourite Chinese dumpling haunts for brunch of Cabbage and Pork Dumplings. Whilst there I watched one of the young chefs make the dumplings. A dough of tang flour (rice flour) and water is rolled into a thin snake like shape and then cut into about 1.5cm lengths. Each length is then flattened with the palm of one hand then rolled with a thin dim sum rolling pin. After the dumpling wrapper is formed, the dough is cupped in one hand and a small flat dim sum spatula is used to insert the filling in the middle. The hand holding the wrapper is then cupped to close the dumpling then it is pleated with the thumbs of both hands. The chef making the dumplings was extremely fast and apparently many Chinese are taught this method of making dumplings when they are small children. I also asked if the chef added cold water to the boiling water each time they are cooked but he said that this is an old method which is used when you can't control the cooking temperature. The water in the restaurant was temperature controlled so this method wasn't required.
Copyright © 2008 - 2009 All Rights Reserved

Hong Kong Style Mango Pudding

Note that the measurements below do not contain any typos as they are derived from the Chinese Tael and Catty weight system.

Ingredients:

300g mango, diced

150g mango puree

150g soya bean milk

150g fresh cream

300g ice cubes

Gelatine Syrup

450g water

26g gelatine powder

225g sugar

Method:

In a saucepan over a low heat dissolve all of the ingredients for the gelatine syrup, remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Add the soya bean milk and fresh cream and mix well. Add the diced mango and the diced mango puree and combine. Lastly, add the ice cubes stirring until the ice cubes have melted. Pour into pudding moulds and chill to set.

You can buy really cool pudding moulds and dim sum equipment from the many kitchenware shops that line Shanghai Street. I normally visit Man Kee Chopping Board, G/F, 341-343 Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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