After six months of living in Saigon, I haven’t even come close to sampling all of the fruits and vegetables available. I love how every "season" brings a plethora of new delights to try. Sugar apples have been my favorite fruit for quite some time, but they may soon be replaced by
vú sữa.
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A friend of mine has a "theory" regarding Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). He reckons TCM stems from a simplistic belief the Chinese have: food resembling body parts must be beneficial for those same body parts. For instance, walnuts resemble the brain and are therefore nourishing for the brain. Ginseng roots look like little men (or voodoo dolls) and so are considered therapeutic for total body wellness. I'm no TCM expert, but a cursory search online indicates "ancient Chinese doctrines" (no citation whatsoever) support my friend's theory... Add to this list the prized (and pricey) sea cucumber. With it's decidedly phallic appearance and behavior—"on being kneaded or disturbed slightly with fingers...it swells and stiffens, releasing a jet of water from...
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In Singapore, watermelon seed consumption is a predominantly Chinese affair. At wedding ceremonies the seeds are fertility symbols for the couple (representative of their family’s eager wishes), and at traditional Taoist three-day funerals the seeds are everywhere you look. Strangely enough, despite the Chinese love for symbolism there does not seem to be a significance for the watermelon seeds’ ubiquity at funerals. In the past week, I’ve asked all the matriarchs I know as to whether a deeper meaning lies behind it, and I’ve come to a (half-baked) conclusion. But first, a little preamble (bear with me): The Chinese believe that the deceased’s body needs to be watched over at all times—lest a pregnant cat jumps over the coffin,...
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The concept of "chestnuts roasting over an open fire" is an alien one to Asians, and the notion of buying chestnuts raw and roasting them yourself even stranger—why would anyone choose to go through all that hassle when the streets are lined year-round with hawkers frying them right before you?
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Lori Baltazar features favorite Jakartan street foods in her latest blog post, one of which is gorengan, literally "fried things." The golden offerings of this gorengan stall included tahu (tofu), tempe (bean curd), pisang (bananas), singkong (cassava), and ubi (sweet potato). And now I add "Jakarta" to the list of places I must visit before I die....
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My friends Barry and Betsy e-mailed me yesterday looking for one great restaurant in Hong Kong. Food & Wine's website had two really useful pieces on Hong Kong food. Here are three choices from the two stories Victoria City Seafood Restaurant Carrianna Dynasty Restaurant in the Rennaissance Harbour View Hotel Hope this helps. Any other suggestions from the Serious Eats community?...
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