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Korean Dumpling Soup 만두국 (Man Du Guk)

Review submitted by: Jane Ong

I love dumplings. But I had never had Korean dumplings until today even though I go to Korean restaurants a lot.  It's because every time when I ordered steamed Korean dumplings or boiled dumplings in Korean restaurants, I was told the dumplings were sold out!!   It just made me even more curious about the Korean dumplings, and it therefore made me more eager to try them out.  I finally was able to order the Korean Dumpling Soup (laced with egg drop and topped with shredded dry sea weed) today at one Korean restaurant. I felt so lucky!! While I still prefer Chinese dumplings a lot more, I enjoyed the Korean dumpling soup very much.  The  broth was so soothing and comforting. I think the broth was infused with anchovy. But there was no obvious fish taste.  The broth  just tasted delicately delicious.  As for the dumplings, I think the filling is minced beef, glass noodles and some veggies, which I think were a little under seasoned.  But then may be it's supposed to be this way to be paired with the tasty broth and an array of richly seasoned vegetable side dishes. I love the side dishes in this restaurant because they made me love eating my veggies.  Besides, this restaurant always includes my beloved potato salad among the side dishes, while it varies the rest.  The dumpling soup also came with a bowl of rice on the side.  As a lunch special, it costs $11.95. But I usually stuffed myself up so much with all the side dishes and rice that I always ended up taking most of the dumpling soup home.  The dumplings actually tasted  better the next day.  Service can be slow, so I suggest ordering to go by the phone and go for pick-up when time is a luxury during lunch hour.  I was overall happy with the food in terms of taste and satisfaction.  I also love that I learnt a new Korean word today, "Man Du" means dumpling in Korean.    

Restaurant: Pine Tree Korean BBQ Restaurant
Address: 25890 S. Western Ave, Harbor City, CA 90710
Tel:(310) 325-1186

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Chinese New Year Food That Americans Can Serve On Halloween

Content submitted by: Jane Ong

Can you guess what this is by looking at the photo?  This is Pig's Hand Stew In Southern Chinese Miso, Chinese name is 南乳炆豬手, Cantonese phonetic: Nam Yue Mon Chue Shau. (I call the sauce miso because it's made with the same principles of fermenting the bean curds, but in this case, Red Yeast Rice is used for the fermentation).

I went to one of my favorite dim sum places yesterday and I discovered this off-the-menu special dim sum dish just by talking to the table next to me.  The couple at that table recommended this to me because they said I got to have the "must-have" Chinese New Year dish that was supposed to bring prosperity and wealth in the coming year.  Then I remembered my parents always had the dish called "Unexpected Wealth On Hand"  every Chinese New Year when I was growing up.  This is the dish that is made of stewed Pig's Hand with some special hair-like vegetables called Fat Choy, which has the similar sound as "Getting Rich" in Cantonese.  The sale and harvest of this vegetable has been banned by China since 2000, because the mass  harvest of it had allegedly caused desertization, which is bad for the environment.  There are now simulation fat choys in the market, and due to the huge demand for the real thing, there is actually a black market selling the real fat choys.  This sounds crazy.  I had it every now and then when I was a kid and it tasted nothing special to me. The vegetable had actually no taste at all, it's  like  extremely  fine glass noodles, but black in color.  

So when I ordered this special pig's hand stew, I was expecting it to come with the pig's hand and also some veggie (veggie has the similar sound of "Fortune" in Chinese).  But it turned out there were just the pieces of the pig's hand.  I took one bite and I spitted it out because it got the subtle  funky smell and taste like the fermented  bamboo shoot in Japanese Ramen.   I never liked this kind of smell and taste because it reminds me of "urine"...  I suspect that it's either the quality of the Chinese miso that was used, or the quality of the pig's feet.  It could be that the pig's feet wasn't thoroughly blanched and treated before being stewed. 

I used to love this stew when I was a kid. Last time I had it was a few years ago at a Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong.  It tasted so good, and not fattening, yet it was really tender.  Back then, I loved the sauce so much I actually boxed it up to bring home to dress my steamed white rice.  I had never had this dish in America, but now that I tried, I don't think I will order it again.  But if you know which Chinese restaurants in America makes great Pig Hand's Stew in Southern Chinese Miso, please let me know.

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Taiwanese Pickled Ground Pork Rice With Marinated Egg

Review submitted by: Jane Ong

I always love the little diners and tea houses in Taiwan whenever I visit.  I'm so happy to find a Taiwanese tea house within a short drive from my home to relive my vacation memory in Taiwan.  One of the Taiwanese dishes I love from my vacation in Taiwan is Pickled Ground Pork Rice With Marinated Egg, so that's what I often order whenever I visit this tea house.  I usually order a small size for lunch ($6.85).  It comes with a bowl of delicious meat sauce, a tasty marinated egg,  a bowl of steamed white rice, sprinkled with seaweed flakes, topped with corn and Chinese cabbages.  It's a comforting and filling meal, and it feels healthy to me because it's so balanced with grain, veggies and proteins.  The meat sauce makes the veggies and rice taste so good.  I'm not naturally a veggie lover, and I don't like the boiled and bland veggies side dishes in the typical American restaurant.  But I enjoy my veggies in this Taiwanese meal.  I also ordered a large iced Yami Coffee at regular sweet level (it tastes okay, not great), which is a mistake because it's pretty expensive at $5.13.  I will just stick with water the next time...

Restaurant: Yami Tea House
Address: 24705 Narbonne Ave #101 , Lomita, CA 90717
Tel:(310) 326-2650

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Trader Joe's Streusel Topped Blueberry Muffins

Review Submitted By: Jane Ong

Even though I can make delicious banana nut muffins from scratch,  I always go to Trader Joe's to get its Streusel Topped Wild Blueberry Muffins whenever I crave for blueberry muffins ($3.99 for a box of 4).  They taste really natural and not overly sweet with the corn syrup that is widely used in a lot of cheap baked goods in discounted warehouses and the typical supermarket chain.  They expire fast but they can be stored in the fridge and are really good for several days. They are light and fluffy after being warmed up in the microwave for 20 seconds.  I also feel good and clean after eating them, which from my experience indicates that there is no hydrogenated vegetable shortening.  I can't tolerate margarine and vegetable shortening because I feel nauseous every time when I consume a baked product that has it.  Regardless what the bakery tells me, I can absolutely feel the presence of such hydrogenated oil because my body for some reason just rejects it every time and makes me feel sick.  I like these muffins at Trader Joe's because they don't make me feel sick at all.  Each muffin has 320 calories and it's good for my portion control for breakfast.  I stick to only consume less than 500 calories for breakfast.  I don't think I can make these muffins any cheaper based on my hourly pay at my job.  Between spending an extra hour at work and spending an hour making my own blueberry muffins, I'd rather get them from Trader Joe's.  I still will make my own if only I can find a really good recipe and I have the free time:)

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