For those still checking out this blog, thank you very much, and by the way, Happy New Year!
I'll be doing a bit of travel throughout the year ranging from Hong Kong and Madras, to New Orleans, and a quadruple threat of Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
I never thought I'd ever even DREAM of visiting even ONE of these places, and yet, 2017 has me both, beginning my year, and ending my year (as well as starting 2018!) in Asia.
One thing that always meant a lot to me (and still does) is the ability to transport yourself by eating foods from other cultures, even if you've never GONE to those cultures, we can still experience the delights that each country can provide us, and often times, elevating humble ingredients into something truly special.
I cannot imagine going to the homelands of dim sum, or nasi goreng, or beef rendang or pla lad prik! I'm hoping to come home with a new perspective on things, and with some new favorite items to learn how to make.
In the 15 years I have been married, I was unable to incite excitement in my husband, aka The Maharajah, regarding dimsum, and this was something relegated to girl's days out with a friend. In October, I seized a moment when we both were in NYC for an appointment, and left without a plan for lunch, I took my husband hostage and took him to Jing Fong in Chinatown--which to me is something truly special. Surely there are places that might do certain dishes better, but Jing Fong is accessible by an escalator which dumps you upstairs into what amounts to a vacuous ballroom sized dining room.
As of current date, to my knowledge, Jing Fong is still operational--I keep an eye on news updates on line regarding it, as it IS planned for demolition as a developer wants to put up a new high rise and hotel etc, in the on-going gentrification of the lower east side of Manhattan. However, as of today it's still alive--I just checked online just now. Who knows when it's subject to change.
Anyway, I took the husband there, and despite not seeming all too keen on it, the place left an impact on him. And soon we have been visiting a local dimsum place near our homes, which is considerably smaller, and offers some of the same types of dishes.
And one of our favorites we gravitate to consistently is turnip cake. To be honest, I'd be happy with nothing but har gow, bbq ribs, char siu bao, and turnip cake. It truly is something very special and each place we have gone to makes it nice.
It is my hope that after visiting Hong Kong, which I view as the mother land for dim sum itself (with Shanghai being the motherland for dumplings, specifically), that I will be making this dish regularly. I found this recipe online and the photos really SELL the recipe as being tasty. The photos make me salivate:) Posting this link to share, as well as a "note to self" for when I return stateside.
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