Chinese confusion

This Morning I got up extra early to go grocery shopping for a tasting I'm doing (back story; I took a job to open an upscale Cantonese restaurant, the problem is that I don't know Chinese food all that well. Yikes!!!
So I'm a an Asian store Uwajimaya and trying to shop for a list of ingredients in a store where most of the products and labels are in a language that you know nothing about is an overwhelming and confusing task. Who knew that there are hundreds of different types of soy sauce? Asking the employees is also difficult because of the language barrier but at the end of the shopping experience I feel that I'm more understanding of the importance of respect and patience. I even found Pickled Mustard Greens!! Well moral of the story, be adventurous and take on something that is new to you and learn it, you will be a more well rounded cook!

Recipe of the day: Soup Name:  Papaya Fish Soup

 

Traditional Chinese Name:  木瓜魚湯 (mù gua yú tāng)

 

Introduction:

 

This neutral soup is extremely rich in carotenes, antioxidants and vitamin C.  It is the soup to make for women who are going through confinement and is said to aid in production of milk for breastfeeding women.  The soup itself is very sweet and high nutritious.  It is also ideal for babies and children. * (I know it's more information than you wanted to know but the more you know the better!)

 

What Ingredients are required?

4 medium-sized *golden threadfin bream (or any other appropriate substitute)
1 large papaya (use green papaya if used for increasing milk in breastfeeding)
5-6 pieces of dried scallop
3 large dried dates
2 slices of fresh ginger
2 L of water
1 teaspoon of salt (to marinate the fish)
1 teaspoon of oil (to fry the fish)

How do I prepare it?

1. After the fish is cleaned, wipe the fish with paper towels or a cloth to remove excess water
2. Cover the fish with a small amount of salt (inside and out)
3. Let it sit for an hour and then drain any water
4. Peel and cut the papaya into large edible cubes
5. Start boiling your soup water
6. In a pan, add oil and fry the ginger with the fish on low-medium heat (until the fish is completely cooked and the skin is a slightly browned)
7. Put the fish into a *soup bag and add to water
8. Add papaya and ginger
9. Boil for at least an hour
   
   
   
   
   *golden threadfin bream: What is this?
   • A type of fish that is found in the Western Pacific
   • The Chinese name is directly translated as “Red Shirt Fish” which means the fish is colored red
   • It is a popular type of fish found in the East and South China Sea
   • They reach maturity in less than 15 months and do not grow very large in size, reaching 2 feet in length at most
   • Since they can be purchased relatively small in size, a whole batch is ideal for soup
     
     
     
     
     *soup bag What is this?
     • This is a mesh polyester bag that is used for boiling soups
     • It is usually no bigger than a piece of A4 paper in area
     • The contents to put inside usually disintegrate in the soup and therefore the bag keeps it together (like fish)
     • It is an efficient separator of soup and ingredients
     • You can directly dispose of the unedible ingredients in the bag
     • Do not reuse the bag

Introduction

I have been wanting to start a blog for some time now and have been putting it off for tomorrow and as we all know, it's always a day away. I think that I have nothing to say or talk about until I start talking.

 As some people may know I lost my job at the end of march and it was devastating. I felt that I had never worked harder for someone or invested so much of my self in a project. It was sudden, unexpected and it crushed me for a few days. During that time I started to think of what to do, as I had moved to Camarillo to be part of that dream. What to do I thought, stay in Camarillo or return to Santa Barbara felling deflated? I made the decision  to take a gamble and move to Seattle, a city that I always wanted to visit but was too afraid to leave the familiarity and comfort of home. I questioned everything, what I did or did not do, my career choice, was food really my passion? Thinking about this and trying to gain perspective, I started to think of the control that was needed in my life and how I could get it back. I thought to my self, how does a chef gain control in the kitchen? It all started to fall in to perspective, "Mise en place!" Mise en place translates as "everything in it's place," it's the preparation a chef or cook puts into his or her work in order to gain the upper hand on any thing that comes your way during service. It might be pans in the oven so they are hot and you don't have to wait 30 seconds for them to heat up allowing you a wee-bit of time to breathe. It might also be having backup hard-boiled eggs for the cob salad because a group of 20 people came in for lunch and that's all they ordered. It is just being prepared for anything and everything! Chef Daniel Boulud said, "mise en place is to put your recipe in kit form." In terms of my situation, life is like a dinner service and your next move is your recipe. You can prepare, study it and be confident with all the things you have put in their place or you can be a sloppy cook in life. In conclusion; I just want to say to you, be prepared. Do the work, do your mise en place for things to be in their place in your life.

About this blog: This will serve a a place for me to share my experiences in the restaurant as well as in life. I will also bring you comprehensive recipes and restaurant reviews from the eyes of a chef, as-well as a funny story or tow of things that happen in the restaurant. Flawed as I might be, I have something to say!

Stay Tasty!!