Potatoes are very common in China. Except that the way they are prepared in China is quite different from what I knew about cooking potatoes when I grew up. While (at least in Germany) potatoes usually are boiled in water and salt, like most everything here they’re fried in the wok (without ever boiling them beforehand). This specific potato dish comes diced and mixed with meat, onion and spices. And it’s quite delicious, too!
Since cooking in China happens mostly with the wok, almost everything comes more or less fried in oil somehow. The same thing happens with this broccoli, which was fried in oil, while salt, other spices and garlic were added. It still makes a decent side dish at any meal!
Look at what we created today! My first ever real gingerbread house! And while it’s far from perfect, I still consider it quite a success for numerous reasons … Reason #1: The only time I’ve made a gingerbread house before, turned into such a disaster that we never finished it, and never dared touching a project like that afterward. Reason #2: I consider myself quite unexperienced when it comes to making a gingerbread house, or even working with and decorating things with icing. Reason #3: It’s not easy to get a gingerbread house kit here in China at all, and the same applies to the other ingredients such as icing sugar, or even suitable candy (we had to be a little creative). Reason #4: I don’t have the right tools to put together and decorate the house, so we had to be quite creative with what we had, and thanks to my two friends who helped me, we were able to figure out how to make things work. Reason #5: None of my friends who …
I’ve got another recipe for you this week. This time it’s about my all-time favorite Christmas cookies – vanilla crescents, also known as Vanillekipferl. You will need … 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour / 200 g all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (what fits on the tip of a knife) 1/2 cup granulated sugar / 100 g sugar 1-2 teaspoons vanilla powder / 1 pouch vanilla powder 1 egg (medium) 1/2 cup softened butter (unsalted) / 125 g softened butter or margarine 2/3 cup ground almonds / 100 g ground almonds 1/2 cup icing sugar (for dusting) 1-2 teaspoons vanilla powder / 1 pouch vanilla powder (for dusting) Time: 60 min. Difficulty: medium Preparations: Preheat oven to 350 F (160-180 °C depending on your oven). Lightly grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper. Directions: Sift flour into a bowl and mix with baking powder. Add all other ingredients and mix until the dough is smooth. Roll some of the dough into a strip, about as thick as a pencil. Cut off pieces …
Usually, I only present you with short descriptions for the food corner. Today, however, I have something special in store for you: A very easy cookie recipe. You will need: 2 cups flour (all-purpose) / 250 g wheat flower 1/3 cup granulated sugar / 75 g sugar 1-2 teaspoons vanilla powder / 2 pouches vanilla powder (16 g) 1 pinch salt 1 egg (medium) 1/2 cup softened butter (unsalted) / 125 g softened butter or margarine Time: about 40 min. Difficulty: Easy Preparations: Preheat oven to 350 F (180-200 °C depending on your oven). Lightly grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper. Dough: Sift flour into a bowl. Add all other ingredients. Stir until the dough is smooth. Take some of the dough, roll out to about 1/4-1/3 inch thick (about 1/2 cm; depending on the crunchiness you prefer). Cut out cookies with shapes/cookie cutters, and place cookies on your baking sheet. Bake for about 9 min. If desired, decorate the cookies with melted chocolate. Yield varies on how thick/thin you roll the dough …
Yes, you can find them in China. Those rare occasions of having real good chocolate cake. This one was actually made by my Chinese friend (note: Chinese people don’t normally bake; ever), but my friend is a full-blown exception. This cake had a very soft and moist consistence, with a rich layer of chocolate all around. It might look a little homemade, but it definitely was worth the treat!
I’ve told you about cold side dishes before. Salted peanuts in vinegar are another both common and popular side dish in China. They often get served with any bigger meal and make a tasty addition to the other side dishes.
Bake sales are great! They happen about twice a year, and it’s the one chance you get to indulge in western style baked treats. Our bake sale offers the full range of deliciousness: cookies, cupcakes, bagels with cream cheese, granola, and full size cakes. And this time they offered apple cider, coffee, and other hot drinks. There always is a silent auction for all the cakes, and the profits of the bake sales go to support orphans in our area. So, not only do you get to have yummy treats, but your treats also get to help children in need. What better way is there to indulge oneself?
One of the favorite dishes of one of my foreign friends is this aloe dish. It’s a cold dish that comes in a white sauce with colorful sprinkles, and has a sweet flavor. It’s a rather refreshing dish, that is great for hot summer days.
Another one of my favorite dishes here is crispy rice with meat and mixed vegetables. It comes braised in a delicious sauce, and is a wonderful addition to any Chinese meal.
