Salt-Free Chinese Pickled Cabbage 东北酸菜

The North East is the granary of China, it has very fertile lands and very distinguish seasons. Winter is harsh in North East, with harsh weather comes very little fresh vegetables.

Fortunately, fall in North east abounds in Chinese cabbage, one vegetables that is known for its storability. Another way to preserve the abundance Chinese cabbage is to pickle the vegetable. 

The pickled cabbage has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, which makes it a very unique ingredients in many delicious dishes mainly made in Winter.

我想渍酸菜想了好些时日，刚好超市里的大白菜又好又大，还打折。选了一颗最大的回来渍酸菜.

渍酸菜的方法有好几种，我选择了这款最简单、最传统的无盐法，这种方法做出的酸菜色泽很好，香气扑鼻。

Fish and Chinese Chive Dumplings 鲅鱼饺子

I grow up eating Tang Yuan (Glutinous rice balls) to celebrate winter solstice. And I came to know that the Northern Chinese eats dumplings/Jiaozi in the winter solstice.

Since I am craving for some dumplings and it is winter soltice yesterday, I made this fish and Chinese chive filling jiaozi for lunch and Gold fish glutinous rice balls in gingery syrup for dessert.

That makes 2017 winter solstice celebration a "Fishy fish theme"

我是南方人所以自小冬至是要吃汤圆的，出国后才知道原来冬至也有人吃饺子。

冬至这天我不忙，刚好馋鲅鱼饺子很久了。早上做完金鱼汤圆后就开始包鲅鱼饺子，刚好俊爹今天上班半天，午饭就吃了鲅鱼饺子，甜点是金鱼汤圆。

2017年的冬至庆祝妥妥地就是全鱼宴呀！

Happy Winter Solstice! Gold Fish Tang Yuan 金鱼汤圆

 

It is winter Solstice today, so is the time to eat some Glutinous Rice Balls. I have a Japanese Kabocha pumpkin at home, so I made these cute little gold fish Tang Yuan for my son A. 

今天是冬至，家里有只日本南瓜，我拿来蒸熟做了些金鱼汤圆。俊宝很喜欢，都舍不得吃呢！

Mung Bean Cookies 【绿豆饼】

在家乡的时候每年过年我最喜欢的一款年饼就是绿豆饼，来美之后再没有吃过这款饼。

不久前我家附近的亚洲超市进了一批台湾产的绿豆饼。我买了两盒尝尝，味道和家乡吃的很相近。俊爹很喜欢，一盒十二只他一口气就给吃完了。

前天是个下雪天，刚好我不上班，整理厨房时找出一包有机绿豆，就自己磨了绿豆粉，做了绿豆饼。味道非常好，一出炉就被俊爹吃掉俩。

Mung bean cookie is one of my favorites Chinese New Year cookies, it has been years since I last had it. 

Sometimes back I saw some mung bean cookies imported from Taiwan being sold at the nearby Chinese supermarket. I brought some home to try, I liked it and hubby likes it even more, so much so that he finished the whole box in one go. I had to go back to the store to bring two more boxes later. 

Unfortunately, I did not find the same product in my recent visits to the store, we have been missing our favorite treats for some times now.

It was snowy and I was off from work on Thursday, since I was not in the mood to leave the house, I spent the day cleaning and the afternoon making these cookies with homemade Moong bean flour. 

Noodle soup with Shredded pork and pickled Mustard tuber 【榨菜肉丝面】

When winter comes,  it is all about warming, comforting foods at my home.  Did I mentioned :"Easy and quick?".

This noodle soup fits the bill, it is something you can make with literally whatever you have in your pantry.

The key ingredient in this noodle soup is the pickled mustard tuber that comes in small packet,  very handy and easy. You can find it in most Asian/Chinese supermarket.

大冬天的我经常就只想吃碗热汤面，这款榨菜肉丝面很适合，方便，好吃，还不必刻意到菜市场买菜。半个小时就能做好，一碗下肚真满足。

Mint Barley Water 【薄荷薏米水】

Barley water is well known for its cooling property, it is used especially in the southeast Asia, where the tropical climate brings with it the heat and humidity, this particular beverage could help to prevent dehydration and cool down the body.

The Chinese traditional herb and medicine also believed that barley could help to reduce weight, reduce water retention, and is a good source of fiber.

Since we are running heater 24/7 now in winter, I am making some Barley water to go with the Mint Syrup that I have in the fridge to help quince the thirst and dryness.

东南亚天气炎热，很容易上火。所以那里的人都习惯喝点凉茶或者可以清热祛湿的饮料。

百度百科说：薏米是常用的中药．又是普遍、常吃的食物，性味甘淡微寒，有利水消肿、健脾去湿、舒筋除痹、清热排脓等功效，为常用的利水渗湿药。薏仁又是一种美容食品，常食可以保持人体皮肤光泽细腻，消除粉刺、斑雀、老年斑、妊娠斑、蝴蝶斑，对脱屑、痤疮、皲裂、皮肤粗糙等都有良好疗效。

我之前做过香兰薏米水， 是家乡经常饮用的一道冷饮。冰箱里还有一瓶之前做的薄荷糖浆，今天熬点薏米水，喝的时候加一小勺的薄荷糖浆，薏米和薄荷也很搭哦！