Fuchsia Dunlop's "Every Grain of Rice"

[LizR]

It sure does!

The red-barised beef was great, I'm eating some leftovers as I type <pg 108>. Just the perfect amount of spiciness for me. Yesterday DH continued our EGOR feeding frenzy by making the chase the rice recipe <pg xx>and the steamed chicken in lotus root packets <pg 114>. Don't know the official names off the top of my head. They were both ok, but not something we were raving about. The chase the rice was just kind of nondescript, while the chicken, although very tasty, was a kind of strange soft texture from the steaming. It was sort of an odd color as well; took some getting used to.

So, standouts so far for us were the tofu and avocado, the red-braised beef (mmm, tofu skin), and the cumin beef.

[AndyBoy]

I did 2 more dishes from EGR last night, both were tofu based. The first was silken tofu with pickled mustard greens <pg 88>. Got some of this stuff last time we were in Atlanta at BHFM. It came in this beautiful little crock and smells a little weird but in a good way. Really good soup and so easy to make, the pickled mustard gave it a very complex flavor boost.

The second dish was firm tofu and vegetables with black bean and chili <pg 86+>. It used a black bean and chili sauce that she recommended, again from BHFM. The sauce gave this dish some heat. I may try to cook my way through this cookbook, everything so far has been right on.

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

I did 2 more dishes from EGR last night, both were tofu based. The first was silken tofu with pickled mustard greens. Got some of this stuff last time we were in Atlanta at BHFM. It came in this beautiful little crock and smells a little weird but in a good way. Really good soup and so easy to make, the pickled mustard gave it a very complex flavor boost.

The second dish was firm tofu and vegetables with black bean and chili. It used a black bean and chili sauce that she recommended, again from BHFM. The sauce gave this dish some heat. I may try to cook my way through this cookbook, everything so far has been right on.

I have all the ingredients, it is time for me to crank up a EGR recipe, so which one should I do first?

.....

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

<<< big delete>>>

 I may try to cook my way through this cookbook, everything so far has been right on.

I would like to do that too on some days.   

.....

[AndyBoy]

The best dish for me so far was the little neck clams in fermented black bean sauce <pg 146> but every dish we have cooked has been really good.

[Lorenzo]

Add me to the list of fans.  So far I've only made the chicken livers with Chinese chives <pg 126>, but I've read through most of the book.  I noticed there is a small amount of overlap with Land of Plenty, from which I've made many dishes.

[LizR]

Made Green Peppers with Pork Slivers <pg 215> and the fried eggplant on the opposite page last night <pg 214>. We also made our standard Ma Po Tofu from another source, which I love. I think I liked the pork and the eggplant even more.

I continue to be amazed by how delicious these recipes are, and by how simple as well.

[LizR]

More adventures cooking out of this book. Recently did the first pork dumpling recipe <pg 296> (out of this world!) and the Muslim beef dumpling recipe <pg ?>. Did not care for the dipping sauce with the beef dumplings. DH is rendering lard today using her method and  I will be making my own chili oil later today or tomorrow. Chinese chives with pork slivers is also delicious.

As much as I love this book, I continue to run into errors in the amount of some ingredients. In my experience, the US measurements seem to be more correct, although you would expect it to be the other way around.  You really have to use common sense.

Those dumplings are pretty darn close to the best thing I have ever made.

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

I added page numbers to the recipes I guess you'all have cooked.  A couple were undecided, I DO WANT TO USE THIS BOOK, but my schedule has kept me from it. .


....

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

I did 2 more dishes from EGR last night, both were tofu based. The first was silken tofu with pickled mustard greens <pg 88>. Got some of this stuff last time we were in Atlanta at BHFM. It came in this beautiful little crock and smells a little weird but in a good way. Really good soup and so easy to make, the pickled mustard gave it a very complex flavor boost.

The second dish was firm tofu and vegetables with black bean and chili <pg 86+>. It used a black bean and chili sauce that she recommended, again from BHFM. The sauce gave this dish some heat. I may try to cook my way through this cookbook, everything so far has been right on.

That preserved Mustard green is called many names by many peoples. 

preserved radish is another one or the same one depending on the translation and I'm not really "up" on my Chinese, though I wish I were.     I love that funky, preserved but changed stuff.  Talk about Umami, it is all there.  What an interesting  strange pantry and refrigerators we both must have.

I would love to stop buying completely, and see how long it took to empty my local freezers or refrigerators.  I think there might be several benefits to that.   

.........

[AndyBoy]

I have been using this cookbook often lately cooking mainly tofu and chicken dishes with fermented black beans. I love the way the beans punch up the flavors of the ingredients they are used with. We were in Atlanta over the weekend and I hit BHFM for more staple ingredients for my pantry. I need to get my pantry organized.

[Lorenzo]

That preserved Mustard green is called many names by many peoples. 

preserved radish is another one or the same one depending on the translation and I'm not really "up" on my Chinese, though I wish I were.     I love that funky, preserved but changed stuff.  Talk about Umami, it is all there.  What an interesting  strange pantry and refrigerators we both must have.

Due to just such confusion, I've ended up with several jars and cans of different preserved Chinese vegetable products.  At least one of them was the "ya cai" that I believe was called for in some recipes I was trying to follow in Land of Plenty.  But they are all pretty good and indeed add a unique punch.  When I'm feeling in a healthy-lunch mood, I might poach some chicken breasts and just sprinkle some chopped "preserved Chinese vegetable" of one kind or another on top.

My wife has taken to Every Grain of Rice and has cooked some nice dishes.  I think I still prefer the dishes in Land of Plenty over those in Every Grain of Rice.

[LizR]

One nice thing about EGOR is the description of ingredients section with pictures at the back. I've been able to use that to pick the "right" things at BHFM. The section right before it that deals with making your own staples like the aforementioned chili oil is also cool.

[LizR]

Made a variation on her suggested menu number 3 for 4 people for Father's Day and it was fantastic. Smashed spiced cucumber salad, Sichuanese green soy bean salad (we did not have preserved vegetables, so just left them out), gong bao chicken with peanuts, blanched spinach with sizzling oil. We also served her Sichuanese wontons in chili oil sauce as a starter. Everyone was exclaiming about how delicious everything was and actually oohing and ahhing when my husband poured the hot oil on the spinach tableside. Highly recommend.

[jackbrouno]

Something new to know