Cooking Tips-Recipes « Chinese Southern Belle

Emissions Inspection & Recipe Exchange?

While I was getting my emissions inspection done, I learned that the proprietor was Lebanese and enjoyed Chinese food. He asked me how to make hot and sour soup and I asked him about good area restaurants for Middle Eastern food. We chatted 20 minutes about food from the seat of my car! That was a very productive visit!

Hot and Sour Soup Tips:

Start with good broth – traditional is pork or beef, but can use vegetable broth
Use Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic), but sparingly to avoid overdoing “sour”
“Hot” is from white pepper (different warmth from black pepper)
Similar to making egg drop soup, gently stir in beaten egg after soup has been thickened (corn starch or other)
Woodear fungus, bamboo shoots (and blood tofu in Taiwan), scallions and dash of sesame oil in the bowl are traditional ingredients that make the soup special and hearty

Upcoming Asian Cooking Classes & Demos $15! New: Wild About Rice!

Wok 'n' roll Sushi class

Healthy Spring Rolls & Egg Rolls!

I did it!

Tuesday, June 22, 7pm, Demo & Tasting at Cook’s Warehouse (Brookhaven) ASIAN NOODLE CRAZY! $40

Wide or skinny, stir-fry or soupy, we’ll cover our favorite noodle-based dishes that you can make at home with a variety of ingredients that leave room for authenticity and creativity. Sample dishes (subject to seasonal variations) include Margaret’s Homestyle Chinese Spaghetti, Japanese Miso Noodle Soup, Singapore Curry Noodles. Come ready to twirl and slurp and be entertained in a state-of-the-art culinary facility. Register www.cookswarehouse.com or call 404-949-9945

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HANDS-ON COOKING CLASSES at Buford Highway Farmers Market, $15

Thur July 15–Creative Sushi (Black/Brown Rice, Veggie, Calif, Trad’l)

Tues July 20–Homestyle Springrolls (3 varieties)

Thur Aug.5–*NEW TWIST* Wontons & Dumplings!

Tues Aug 24–*NEW* Wild About Rice! (Demo, tasting, rice cookers, Asian rice +more)

Classes are 7-9pm at 5600 Buford Hwy Farmers Market, cost $15 and include learning, making, and eating plus plenty of kitchen & shopping tips, cultural learning, Chinese Southern Belle “Buddha-to-Bubba” family stories, plus $10 store gift card! Register and pay with Bill 678-873-7447 or customer service desk.

Come EAT, SHOP & LEARN with us!

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SATURDAY EXPRESS DEMOS 1-4pm – Popular topics (subject to change) — Free, drop-in, get a sample, tips, recipe & shopping list–all in 10 minutes! Location: 5600 Buford Hwy Farmers Market, Doraville, GA 30340

July 24–Express Sushi

July 31–Asian Noodles!

Aug 21—Stir Fry Tips!

Aug 28—Homestyle Springrolls

Stir Fry Questions

Ni Hao, Y’all!

Got an email with questions from a cooking class student:

1) What sauce did you use in your stir-fry demo?

In addition to the 3 G’s, I used a Vegetable Mushroom Sauce (alternative for oyster sauce). Wei Chuan and Lee Kum Kee are commonly found brands. I also added a few drops of Asian-style dark roasted sesame oil. It is very fragrant and adds a “Mandarin twist” instantly (also great in salads).

2) What type of tofu did you use? It was brown-colored.

A popular tofu option is the brown-colored “baked tofu” a.k.a. savory, 5-spice, smoked tofu sold in the refrigerated section. It is one of our “tofu converters” i.e. folks who don’t like the plain block of fresh tofu often like this because of the firmer texture and flavor. You can freeze it, too. It will change texture a little so you may opt to crumble in veggie burgers instead. It is the signature ingredient in my mom’s favorite childhood dish with garlic chives, Chinese sausage (optional) and red peppers.

Keep the questions, comments and letters coming!

Join us: Hands-On Asian Dumplings Class, this Thur. June 10! Springrolls, Tues. June 15!

Join us this Thursday, June 10, for a Hands-On Asian Dumplings cooking class and Homemade Springrolls, Tues. June 15!

CSB friends rate: $15 (includes class, dinner, shopping gift card). Treat yourself or come with a friends–you’ll have fun eating, learning and shopping with Chinese Southern Belle!

7-9pm, 5600 Buford Highway Farmers Market (just north/outside I-285)

Contact Bill at 678-873-7447 or email bill.bhfm@gmail.com to register now!

Purple Rice Eater: Healthy Fried Rice Tips!

No, not burnt or wild rice, but "purple" black fried rice! Yum

I was hungry and needed to use up veggies and leftover rice: Fast Fried Rice! I usually make it with brown rice or purple (black) rice. If I eat white rice, I sprinkle in toasted wheat germ!

Here are a few Fried Rice Tips (that I shared with a customer at Goodness Grocery, a great new natural, organic food store in Smyrna, finally! It’s in the same shopping center as L’Thai West – Organic Thai Cuisine, another gem.)

Use leftover, not fresh rice (too sticky/wet)
Use nonstick, ceramic or seasoned cast iron wok or skillet
Try Sushi Fried Rice for a change
Add scrambled, seasoned egg (garlic powder, salt, pepper) and scallions for classic Chinese dish
Don’t need a lot of oil, especially in non-stick or seasoned cast iron skillet
Add toasted wheat germ and diced veggies to make white rice healthier
Add salt, not soy sauce. Chinese folks eat white fried rice, not Americanized brown-colored fried rice
For tasty twists, try adding:

–touch of sesame oil

–touch of fish sauce, Thai chili paste or curry paste/powder

–nuts—peanuts, cashews

–basil leaves

–shredded coconut (Indonesian)

–brown, black or red rice!

Tips for Eating Local, Farm Fresh Greens! (May)

I went to a local farmers market last week and went on a greens binge (in Chinese, I had “big eyes”) buying a bunch of greens from every table. One start-up farmer, selling escarole, didn’t know how to eat or cook the vegetable he grew. I remember loving it in Italy so I bought some.

One mouth, 5 big bags of veggies and my household zero-waste rule. What to do? Thanks to my Brookfield Farm shareholder days and their great website, here are tips on enjoying spring greens of the season:

Tatsoi – came home late, veggie-deprived but didn’t feel like cooking. Wilted the chopped tatsoi in the microwave, tossed it with dash of sesame oil, minced garlic, salt and soy sauce and served it with leftover rice. Fast, healthy and yummy. You can also eat it raw in salads.
Mustard Greens – cooked similar to tatsoi, varied with olive oil, crushed red pepper, carmelized onions, dried cranberries. Mixed another portion with sesame oil into my fried rice.
Beets and beet greens –Love Borscht! (beet soup) – add onions, tomatoes (or paste), garlic
Escarole and Beans – I do my own version of the Italian classic comfort food. Brookfield Farm recipe
Baby Spinach – another long work day and need a shortcut. Mixed can of corn chowder (or mushroom soup), soy milk, garlic powder, black pepper, chopped fresh spinach, heat through.

New Asian Noodle Class! Cook’s Warehouse, June 22

Back by popular demand: Registration is open for our new spring class on Asian Noodles at Cook’s Warehouse, June 22, 7-9pm, $40, Brookhaven location.

Wide or skinny, stir-fry or soupy, noodles are family and crowd pleasers and symbolize “longevity” in Asian culture. You’ll get a cultural, historical and product overview of the world of noodles and learn how to make easy, delicious home-style dishes, like Margaret’s Chinese Chili Spaghetti, Sesame Vegetables and Sweet Potato/Glass Noodles, and Curry Rice Noodle Soup. Atlanta natives and mother-daughter duo, Natalie and Margaret Keng, enrich their unique classes with Buddha-to-Bubba family stories plus plenty of kitchen, shopping and eating out tips. Come slurp and twirl with us! Ni Hao, Y’All!

This Tues. May 4, Hands-On SUSHI class – Space available!

Space Available! Hands-On Class: Easy Sushi, Tues May 4, 7-9pm, 5600 Buford Hwy Farmers Mkt. Use farm-fresh veggies in easy Asian favorites! Healthy, creative and easy variations you can make at home on a weeknight! Veggie, Calif rolls or traditional with fish with brown rice, black rice and more!

*Limited Time Offer* CSB Friends Special $10 (new students only), call Bill 678-873-7447, bill.bhfm@gmail.com. Say Ni Hao, Y’All or Natalie to get discount.

All classes include eating, rolling, kitchen/shopping/cooking tips, cultural learning, Chinese Southern Belle “Buddha-to-Bubba” family stories, plus $10 store gift card!

Also Asian Dumplings, Spring Rolls classes coming up! Full class schedule

Healthy & Fast: Sesame Soba/Buckwheat Noodles!

Sesame Soba/Buckwheat Noodles

One major distinction between Asian noodles and Italian pasta is the source ingredient. Italian pastas are made mostly with semolina flour and vary by shape and size. Asian pastas use a variety of sources, from mung bean to buckwheat and are mostly long and thin.

This is an easy and wonderful “non-white flour” noodle dish that is great as an appetizer, last-minute potluck or light meal! It’s worth finding good quality soba noodles to add depth to this simple dish.

8 oz. Soba (buckwheat) noodles

2 chopped green onions

3-4 T tamari or Kikkoman soy sauce

1 T dark sesame oil or hot sesame oil

1 t rice vinegar (or basalmic)

1 t sugar

½ t chili flakes (optional)

Sesame seeds

Boil/drain noodles according to pkg directions. Mix oil and seasonings together then toss hot noodles in. Chill/marinate for 1 hour. Serve garnished with scallions.

No More Soggy Stir-Fries!

Smoked Tofu with Garlic Chives & Chinese Sausage

Tips for Avoiding Soggy Stir-Fries:

1) Have everything ready before cooking—sliced vegetables, mixed sauce, minced 3 G’s (garlic, green onion, ginger). Stir-fry time should be only 1-2 minutes, no more. Color, aroma and taste come together!

2) Wait until oil and skillet is hot over medium/high heat.

3) Cook your meat first (set aside), separate from the veggies. If using bean sprouts, throw in at the very end. They wilt almost instantly. Don’t leave your stir-fry in hot pan/wok on stove, it will keep cooking!

4) Mix a little (1/2 t) cornstarch to your stir-fry sauce before cooking. Salt releases the water in your veggies.