Saturday, May 26, 2018

Chinese chive pockets 【韭菜盒子】


Chinese chive pocket is one Chinese dish that loved by all three of us in the house, even my 5 year old is able to finish two pockets at a time, which is pretty rare.

This Northern Chinese delight is a type of pan fried flat dumplings filled with chopped Chinese chive, scrambled eggs and some people likes to add mung bean noodles or Shrimps. We liked ours to be just simple Chinese chive and eggs.

韭菜盒子是我们家少有的一个一家三口都爱吃的美食,连胃口像小鸟的俊宝都能一次吃两个再加上一杯豆奶。

我做的韭菜盒子材料只有韭菜和鸡蛋,喜欢粉丝或虾仁的朋友可以按自己喜欢的口味加入。


Friday, May 25, 2018

Pickled Wild Garlic 【糖醋野蒜】


Wild garlic (Allium vineale, also called wild garlic, onion grass, crow garlic or stag's garlic) is one of the first feral foods available in Spring, when the weather still cold.

These alliums are very easy to spot as it stands out in grounds that are still brown/dry from winter, pull a leaf and sniff at it, if you smell the strong garlicky odor, you just found yourself the close relative to the shop bought garlic.

Years back when I was a novice to foraging edible wild plants, wild garlic was one of the first few that I had the confidence to bring home to our plate, use only tender young leaves as they merge out of soil in early spring to cook , these alliums grow very fast and within days the green will become tough and too fibrous to be eaten.

The bulbs, though can be used for cooking at any stage of the growing. I have used it as a substitute to shallot or garlic in most cooking and find the taste to be very agreeable. It is especially delicious when pickled, taste like Pickled leeks (罐头藠头)that I used to eat as a kid.

每年春天万物苏醒的时候,第一批出土的植物里一定有野蒜(Allium vineale)。野蒜是葱属植物,美国这里的野蒜和中国国内的小根蒜/薤白应该是同一个属科的植物,味道用法也接近。

刚来美国的时候我摘过野蒜回家切碎了煎蛋吃,谁知摘回来的野蒜已经老了,绿叶部分纤维很大,味道虽然不错,却有让人点难以下咽。后来我才知道野蒜的绿叶只有在春初刚出土的时候才能够入菜。

自从我发现了野蒜头的用处比蒜叶大得多,味道也更好后,摘野蒜基本就是奔着蒜头去的了。野蒜头可以在野蒜各个成长阶段摘取食用,收成期更长,而且它完全可以取代大蒜和小葱做菜,真的让我如获至宝。

前几周有一天我不上班,送了孩子上学后我就到附近的公园逛。公园后边是一大片我们这里的自然保护区,里头有非常干净的小溪和许多的野生植物,我几乎每个春天都要去那里挖点野菜吃。

小溪边已经钻出许多郁郁葱葱的野蒜,我不一会儿就挖了一大把,顺手在小溪里洗去泥土,带回家做一罐糖醋野蒜,夏天没什么胃口时拿来下粥一定非常好吃!



Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Black Locust Blossom Syrup 【槐花糖浆】


It is May and is the season to forage black locust flowers (Robinia pseudoacacia) again, I made Steamed Black Locust Blossoms and 

Black Locust Blossom Pancake  in the past years.


This year I decided to make a batch of black locust flowers syrup, it can be use to mixed with liquor and seltzer to make cocktails or used on pancake/pastry as drizzle


阳历五月,又来到了槐花香的季节。自从知道槐花能吃,还特别好吃后,我每年的槐花季都要摘点回家做蒸槐花槐花煎饼吃。

今年我家附近树林里的槐花又开了满树,带儿子去公园玩的时候顺便摘一盆槐花回家做槐花糖浆。做好的槐花糖浆能够用来做鸡尾酒或者淋在糕点上吃,非常当即美味。

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Hakka Style Braised Duck 【客家卤全鸭】


Braised duck is one very common dish Malaysian Chinese prepared for the Chinese reunion dinner. I personally liked to have it the next day, the taste of it will be fuller.

This recipe I am sharing today was given to my mom by my aunt, slightly different than my mom's recipe, it is very tasty.

卤全鸭是马来西亚华人过节时都会煮的一道菜。选择肉质比较紧实的番鸭来制作,口味丰富,隔天吃更是美味。

今年过年我妈口传了阿姨家的卤鸭秘方,和平常妈妈做的有点不一样,味道更醇厚,非常好吃。