Hunan Food (湖南美食)

It's always a good thing to explore the cuisine whenver we travel to another place outside of Singapore, even the MacDonald or KFC.

KFC in Changsha, Hunan, China

The food i had in Hunan was generally.... healthy. I had mainly non-meat dishes while i was there.

Why?

Because i find that their pork dishes had a really strong, raw porky taste (and really fatty), their chicken was usually soup based, which by the way, was way too oily though palatable (but bad for my weight!) and their fish had too much bones!! Not the big, thick needle sized bones but hair-thin choke-induced ones hor!! Please look below for the lunches and dinners i had.

I fared much better with Hunan snacks:

The Miao (minority tribe) fragrant spicy tofu, which added a certain warmth in the chilly weather. The dragon beard candy, unlike those in Singaopore, literally melts in your mouth.

The garlic candy was so tasty (beside garlic, sesame seeds and malt candy were used) i wondered why no one brings it to Singapore! It was one of the specialties in Feng Huang Old Town (凤凰古镇) and though the snack was now too commercialised, there were still a handful of stalls manufacturing it the traditional way; which is really labour intensive.

Though you can find some stalls selling 3 bags for RMB10, the quality is really not there (they use flour, chilli etc to lower the cost). Find the shop named Zhen Gan Zhang Shi (镇竿张氏), in existence since 1896! Just to warn you, it cost a high RMB25 a bag. Please disregard the fact it looked like wood chips (above)!!

We stumped into this delectable snack called Gao Cao Ba purely by coincidence when we reached this small town called Wang Village, 王村 (famously known as Furong Town, 芙蓉镇 due to a film that showed the ever first kiss on China screen lasting a minute plus plus). Anyway, it was drizzling and hungriness had seeped into our bones!! A steaming basket of this Gao Cao Ba proved too much for us to ignore any further!

At RMB1 a piece, it had a pretty rough greenish texture filled with peanuts and wrapped with a leaf that most of you should be familiar with. Tasted like a bigger peanut tangyuan, it was a throat warmer and hunger quencher for us.

Although i was not that suitable to Hunan food (yes, it was my fault, my problem!), there were 3 occasions the food was surprisingly palatable. I am going to spare the details (which will be very lengthy, I guaranteed) and provide only pictures (above)!

OH!! Almost forgot!! While i was dining at Feng Huang Old Town, there was a promotion on this meat sauce called Wild Boar Meat Sauce. A godsend from heaven, it made my meal much more scrumptious and bearable!

It was so good I bought two bottles back!!

Hunan Smelly Tofu (湖南臭豆腐)!

I am finally back from Hunan, the place known for its regional-specific Chinese cuisine called Xiang Cai (湘菜)! Before i left, i mentioned to some friends that smelly tofu will be the first thing i blog when i come back.

Why?

I heard that smelly tofu from China is the ultimatium in terms of look (black outside, green inside), taste (like shit, which i cannot comment since i have never actually tasted shit before) and of course, smell.

Being an avid smelly tofu connoisseur appreciator, i die-die must try!!

Due to hygiene purpose and not a very strong stomach, i controlled myself the first few days i was in Hunan. The tour guide promised i will definitely try it when i am back at the province capital of Hunan, Changsha.

The day came finally on 15 October 2009, at a famous restaurant called 火宫殿 (direct translation as Fire Palace). 

One Look:

it's charcoal black! Inside was a greyish color and the texture was a cross between the silky smooth tofu and the streaky rougher tao pok.

First Smell:

no smell!!! Blooody hell, even the smelly tofu sold in pasar malam has a more potent smell!

Initial Taste:

deep fried, crispy and tasted oddly like a lighter version of pork lard (which i like of course!). Aftertaste was more like the smelly tofu sold in pasar malam and peng lai ge in Katong. Both of which, unfortunately, were not my FAVOURITE.

I stated my disappointment to the tour guide, who clarified that the main reason for the lack of smell was due to the air-con setting. He added that he will buy some from the street stalls for us to have an "original" taste!

He did, on the very same night; very nice of him right?

However, I am still not convinced. The smell, though stronger, was not comparable to the one we have in Geylang. The taste was stronger this time, largely due to the spices used but again, not comparable. And i choked on the spices used!!!

In summary, it was a good, tasty dish but not up to my expectation! According to wikipedia, China has a few variations of smelly tofu and this one from Hunan may not really be my cup of tea.

Nonetheless, my next focus shall be on Taiwan!!

Second Trip to China - Hunan (湖南), China (中国)

It is the much awaited second trip to China!! Yeh yeh yeh!!

Tomorrow at this same time, i should be at Changde, followed by FengHuang Town and then Zhangjiajie!!!! Hopefully the next few days will be as fun as my last trip to Yunnan!

At the same time, i would want to try the famous Hunan smelly tofu!! Most of my friends will know i am obsessed with smelly tofu and the one from Hunan is supposedly all black and stinks to heaven!!

A picture of the famous Hunan smelly tofu!

Looks digusting but i shall still try it!!

Just to give you a peek of the supposedly confirmed itinerary (nothing's ever confirmed until we have gone through it).

Kaoz, the quality really bad. Please refer to the pdf file HERE

Will update again once im back!

Enjoy!!!! For me of course! Wahahahahah.

The Beloved Foie Gras - Is it as cruel as rumoured?

BEWARE!

Do not proceed further unless you are willing to be repulsed badly

Most of you, who personally know me, should know that I will not eat any liver except for Foie Gras (fatty goose liver). I confidently declared to everyone I know that unlike normal chicken or pig livers, which have a sandy disgusting taste, foie gras is of a different class.

Beside costing much more expensive than the aforementioned, foie gras just had a unique savoriness. It tastes like an highly intense buttery combination of suckling pig, roasted chicken and pork lard. Twirl the liver with your tongue and wait for your million taste buds to gently absorb the extravagant, palatable taste.

Enough of extolling how good and delicious foie gras is! It’s a well known (though appalling) fact that foie gras is made by force feeding the geese with grains, enabling its liver to expand beyond its normal size.

However, today I am going to bring you to the harsh realities behind the scenes of making it! It was so astonishing, so shocking I swear im going to wean myself from ever eating foie gras again!

The following pictures were taken from an email sent by my sister. So kind of her to help me in totally eliminating the craving for this dish. Thanks Joyce (do note the sarcasm).

The geese are forced to eat. Yes, F-O-R-C-E-D! Even if they are freaking full to the throat.

The metal pipe will help to FORCE the food down the throat straight to the stomach! Try using a similar pipe and shove it down your throat!

To save space and increase revenue per square feet, the geese are squeezed in a tiny space with limited maneuvering.

Another picture emphasizing the "living quarters"

Due to space constraints, little exercise and constant standing, their legs are bloated. Reminded me of my deceased grandmother when she was really ill.

Force again and again and again to eat and eat and eat. Do i envy them? No. 

They are forced to eat until they die. Can you imagine? Look at this picture. It was helpless. It's destiny is to die for the satisfaction of human cravings.

Wat about those who survive? Are they lucky? Well, they end up with bloody ass! If i have a bloody ass, i believe it will be a constant torture.

This is the beautiful piece of foie gras (white) beside a normal size goose liver.

I know any meat item we eat involves a certain level of cruelty in processing them but I just cannot forget the picture of the dead goose with its mouth filled with food. I would love to turn vegetarian but I dun have the will nor the determination to do it. I cannot stand surviving without any meat!~!! My motto in life: Live to Eat Okay!

And please do not send me any "behind the scenes" in making pork lard.

I PLEAD YOU.

Horrid? - Ajisen Ramen

At least, that was the initial impression when I first dined at Ajisen Ramen in Parkway Parade.

Taken from capitalandretail.com

Fast forward to 7 years later (or was it 6?) in the newly built Sembawang Shopping Centre (not to be confused with Sun Plaza) on a cool day. Both Alex and I were pondering what to eat and our gastric juices were getting really agitated since it was almost 8. Should we have Aston Specialties AGAIN?

NOT!

Due to my age (30 next yr), I recently developed a penchant for soupy products!! Plus the fact I get full faster with soup products, which indirectly means I will eat lesser!! Lesser fats!! Lower cholesterol!! Defined abs!!!! Yehh!!!!!

Sorry, I digress.

I guess it’s always good to give a second chance to all unfortunate events. Anyway, since that episode with Ajisen Ramen eons back, I have not given any chance to try them again. Until now (with my latest interest in soupy things).

And obviously, I din regret it! Wahahahahahaha. The food was notably better although the set meal remains the same; ordered one ramen, get a side dish and a free drink (hot tea or ice lemon tea).

Some items ate:

Ramen(s) of course

Some of e ramen were more spicy so do choose carefully. Seafood ramen and pork ribs ramen were the two ramen I tried. The seafood ramen was loaded with prawns, crab stick and even scallops! The pork ribs were in fact deep fried. It was delicious but really fattening!

In order to reduce the carbo intake, always ask for half the noodles!

Side Dishes

I tried both the fried calamari and mayonnaise prawns. No complain since I really like seafood and so long they are fresh, the taste should not differ too much.

Drinks

I am very particular with Ice Lemon Tea and the one in Ajisen tasted like “Seasons” brand, which I dun fancy. However, their fizzy soda was a different story; we tried Strawberry, Mango and Blue Coral. Strawberry was great!!

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Overall, the ala-carte pricing is mid range but the set meal is quite economical at $13.80 or $14.80. With multiple outlets across the little red dot, you have a range to choose from! For more information (outlets, promotions, menu etc), please visit HERE.

If you insist on visiting this particular outlet at Sembawang Shopping Centre, no one is gonna stop you. Be prepared to drive, take a cab, take a bus or take a mrt and follow by bus.

If you want to save a few cents, utilise the free shuttle-bus services available at Yishun and Sembawang MRT stations. More information is available HERE.

F Cholesterol (Part 2) - Korean Butter Cuttlefish (韩国烤鱿鱼)

Further to my last post HERE, my friend found a branch that sells the cuttlefish!! I dun need to travel to Hong Kong and yet i can eat it fresh and warm from e stove! Yeh!!! Despite the fact that it costs slightly more; at $5 a piece.

I managed to take some pictures to tempt your taste buds! Although it looked like any dried cuttlefish bought from supermarkets, do take note the unique seasoning that makes it SO SO SO GOOD!

 

To try it, please go to the food area outside People's Park Complex! I am attaching a map for your perusal (look for e red star).

Mid Autumn Festival (中秋节)

My first memory of this festival was back in my kampong days; e big group of cousins will congregate in the big badminton court in front of the house, each taking a paper lantern propped by any branch we can find. Candles were lit and placed all over.

It was then i realised how fun and exciting fire can be. Im no fire arsonist but i hold the same amazement cavemen had when they first discovered fire! hahaha.

Enough about fire! The government has been diligently educating us (e papmpered citizens) that it's wrong to play with fire and how badly we tortured the road sweepers after this festival.

Enough of the educational messages! As most Singaporeans know, Mid Autumn Festival is also termed as Lantern or Mooncake Festival. Various items synonymous with this festival include:

Mooncakes

It is the ONLY time mooncakes are highly sought after and everywhere you go, its mooncakes, mooncakes and more mooncakes for sale; round shaped, retangular shaped or flower shaped filled with lotus seed paste, yam paste, red bean paste, green tea, five kernels (nuts), chocolate or even champagne!

Phew...... Singaporeans (me inclusive) can really accept a wide range of variations in their food.

Lanterns

Next in line; Lanterns!! Long time ago, only paper lanterns were available. Kids then took great joy to find an excuse to burn them. It's fine to give a muffled scream when it happened and react sadly when daddy or mummy confronted us.

In the late 80s to early 90s, mummies and daddies finally realised their angelic children were not so cherubic after all; they developed battery operated lanterns.

This year, i saw a super heads-turning lantern; loaded with numerous colourful LED bulbs! It looked more like a toy to me! What are we going to expect next year? Hologram lanterns?!

Fireworks Sparklers! 

A subtle form of fireworks, it was the only consolation in the past when we could hear and see the REAL fireworks across the Singapore Straits (our neighbours in Malaysia were so lucky then).

Finally, the lightup at Chinatown was really quite a disappointment but this festival is not about how elaborate the lightup is but on companionship, whether it is with your family or friends.

Go and Enjoy this Festival with your Loved Ones!

Happy Mid-Autumn!