Text 23194, 76 rader
Skriven 2015-01-23 07:21:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av RUTH HAFFLY
Ärende: Asian food 91
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 RH> Was it the same as American Big Macs? TTTT, I don't think I've ever
 RH> had one, not that I'm missing anything.

Surprising in both similarities and differences.

It cost as much as a US one, I think, almost $4, a huge
sum for the average Filipino worker, who earns that a
day, but with substantial discounts - 20% plus exemption
of VAT for senior citizens, so 2.80.

Bigger sandwich - I'd say 1/3 more of everything, just by
eyeball, as I am no expert. More pickles and less sauce
(though this seems variable - the one she had in downtown
Makati, across from the Stock Exchange and the Shangri-La
hotel, i.e., the fancy neighborhood, had almost as much
sauce as the domestic product, she said). Saltier and less
sweet sauce. Bread seemed similar, composition too (I
had a taste of each example). Can't tell about the cheese,
as I scraped that off. The high-rent district used fresh,
high-quality beef; the midscale one last night had a mealy
texture and a slightly off taste.

 ML> Lard is king, but palm oil is cheap.
 RH> Certain areas, lard is just as cheap.

We were talking authenticity, and in authenticland for
this kind of food, palm oil is way cheap.

 RH> That's even more mock Chinese than my tossing everything in a wok and
 RH> stir frying it. Years ago, you told me that it wasn't mock Chinese, it
 RH> was authentic as you did the same thing. (G)

Well, it is ... .

 -=> Ruth Haffly said to Nancy Backus <=-

 RH> Had a half offer of a cat today but turned it down, again, breathing
 RH> issues.

Better than an offer of half a cat.

Title: Chestnut Cream Treasure
Categories: Desserts, Chinese
Yield: 1 Servings

2 lb Chestnuts
2 Hard-boiled egg yolks
Sugar
Water
12 Walnuts
12 Red dates
1 c Heavy cream

Boil chestnuts until tender (about 30 min or, if using pressure
cooker, about 15 min). Halve and remove meat with a small spoon.
Mash and press through a sieve. Also mash and press egg yolks through
a sieve. Mix chestnuts, egg yolks and 1 1/2 cups sugar together well
and set aside. Shell walnuts. Soak dates in lukewarm water until
tender and remove seeds. Heat 2 T. sugar and 2 T. water until sugar
melts, dip walnuts and dates in one by one and set aside. To make
sugar threads, place two pairs of chopsticks, one pair at either end
of a long pan, leaving a space of 1 foot in between. Heat 1 cup of
sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan until sugar melts and
forms a thread when dropped from a spoon. Hold saucepan over long
pan, dip into melted sugar with another pair of chopsticks and draw
sugar out in threads, moving back and forth over the chopsticks on
the pan with long sweeping motion. The sugar will fall in fine
strands over the chopsticks. Repeat process until all melted sugar is
used. Whip heavy cream with 2 T. sugar. Arrange chestnut mixture on
serving plates, garnish with glazed walnuts and dates and whipped
cream, and top with sugar threads.

From "Mrs. Ma's Favorite Chinese Recipes". Typed for you by Joan
MacDiarmid.
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