COCONUT (POL) SAMBOL
We spent our winter break in Sri Lanka, and during a visit to a village, we had the chance to learn how to make a few dishes. Together with our host, we made coconut sambol (pol sambol), and I can still taste it in my mouth.
TEA CEREMONY
I’ve already mentioned in a previous post that I’m not an avid tea drinker and that there’s nothing better in the world than my mom’s tea with sugar and lemon. During our time living in China, my knowledge of tea has definitely expanded, and we’ve even forgotten the word “tea bag.”
SPICE OR MEDICINE
In Chinese medicine, there has been a close connection between nutrition, the biological effects of food, and medical science since ancient times. As early as 2200 BCE, people had already discovered the medicinal value of plants and were using them in their daily lives. The experience gained over the centuries forms the basis of traditional Chinese medicine and, in this context, Chinese nutritional practices.
THE TEA OF JING MOUNTAIN
Organized by the Tea Museum, we picked the leaves and learned about the history of Longjing tea and the traditions of drinking tea. The question naturally arose: which is older? Chinese tea culture or Japanese tea culture? Just as with the origins of writing, the answer here was clear: it spread from China and was adopted by the Japanese. I haven’t been to Japan yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a different point of view there.
ZONGZI
On the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, the Dragon Boat Festival begins. With the Dragon Boat Festival, the Chinese honor the memory of Qu Yuan, King Chu’s loyal minister, and also celebrate Poetry Day. One of the traditional foods of the festival is zongzi.
DOG MEAT
Why do the Chinese eat dog meat? And do they really eat it? More than 20 million dogs end up on plates each year, and in addition to China, Korea and Vietnam also do not shy away from consuming it. Although the Chinese government does not prohibit the processing of dog meat as food, the sale of dog meat is contrary to the position of the "Food Safety Authority."
HOTPOT
Simply put, hotpot is a thick soup served in a hot pot simmering in the center of the table, where it is also prepared. Eating hotpot is a great opportunity for family and friends to gather and share a meal from a single pot. Furthermore, from a nutritional standpoint, steaming or boiling is healthier than frying, and the nutrients released from the fat, joints and bones into the soup have a warming effect on the body.
LOTUS ROOT SWEET CREAM
At a small shop that sells homemade sauces, they "forced" me to try the cream. I wasn’t too confident about it at first. It reminded me of pink, ready-to-use wallpaper glue. But as soon as I tasted it, my opinion changed, and we fell in love. I didn’t know its name at the time; our shared language barriers with the salesperson only suggested that I was eating some part of a lotus. After doing a little research, I was able to call it by name. I had eaten sweet cream made from lotus root.
DRIED FISH
The finest dried fish is made in the village of Wufeng, near Hangzhou. Black carp, weighing an average of 5 kg, are opened with bamboo strips, cleaned, and then coated with a layer of salt. The next day, they are turned upside down and once again covered with a layer of salt. This process is repeated five times, until the salt has thoroughly soaked into the meat. The fish is then rinsed and left to dry further in the sun. It is repeatedly brushed with baijiu until the meat is 80% dry. Dried fish can be stored for up to one year.
SUN-DRIED DUCK
It’s winter, and it’s hard not to come across meat drying in the cool air; whether in the city (!) or in the surrounding towns. It’s hanging in front of houses, on balconies, in windows, on clotheslines, on the sidewalk… wherever there is free space. The cold, dry, and often windy weather is ideal for drying meat……and, well, for drying clothes too. So sometimes wonderful combinations are created. In the Hangzhou area, duck is perhaps the most common sight.
LOLLIPOP
From my childhood, I remember the red lollipops with roosters on them, the old round lollipops with flower patterns, winter ice cream, and the taste of roasted honey. And, of course, the gingerbread heart cookies.
STREET FOOD IN LONGJING
In Longjing, in addition to tea, you can also enjoy some absolutely delicious flatbread. The shaped and filled dough is tossed onto the side of the iron stove with an elegant flick of the wrist, and the cooked flatbread doesn't fall off!
CHOCOLATE BALLS WITH AVOCADO
We don’t have an oven. (In China.) I know this is a pretty direct way to start, but it explains why you won’t be finding recipes like Rákóczi-style cottage cheese dishes on my site. Here in Hangzhou, an oven isn’t considered a basic appliance in an apartment. They’re perfectly fine without one. I’m not quite as fine with it, but I’m trying to adapt to the situation and make the best of it.
SEAFOOD
We haven't had any reason to complain so far, but it seems that after the summer "slow season," the fishing season has begun. You don’t have to go to a big shopping center to browse and pick from a wide variety of beautiful (and delicious) fish. The selection at our local grocery store is almost as extensive as the one at the nearby Wumart, just in a less fancy setting. :-D
EGGPLANT, YANGSHUO-STYLE
I love eggplant purée, and luckily, there’s plenty of eggplant here in Hangzhou, too. They’re shaped differently from the eggplants we have at home, but the varieties here are also delicious and a delight to the eyes. Here’s a simple dish: “Yangshuo-style” eggplant, which I learned from my son.
THE ETERNAL BUTTER
Butter is a regular feature of our meals, and fortunately, there’s a brand we liked and used back home. It’s Kerrygold Irish butter. My status as a conscious consumer in Hangzhou quickly faded; trying to translate the countless Chinese labels using a translation app exhausted my desire to learn the details.
DONALD, THE DUCK
When you’re not a fan of Asian cuisine but live in an Asian city, the first thing you do is go on a hunt for products that are either familiar from home or remind you of the flavors you’re used to.
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