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Cooking Chinese/Asian food here


ComputerGuy

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I still use spun-steel woks. Originally I'd buy my woks in the Chinatown section of Ottawa (home town), along with cleavers, powdered soup base, and cooking ingredients. I was able to order a fine spun-steel wok from Amazon for shipment here, and it is a beaut, but not the $10 I paid back home! I've had two of the burners on my gas range modified here, so one has a super-high flame, and while I cannot tell you the BTUs, it provides the best wok cooking I've ever had in a home kitchen.

Chillin mentioned getting a wok for outdoor use; not sure what the difference might be, but the sheer number of ingredients and the Chinese cooking method would never see me outside. Non-stick woks are great for first-timers; I know that's what I learned on, but very quickly moved on to a proper wok when I realized the issues.

Here, when doing beef dishes, I buy flank steak at Tony's... while many Mexican butchers sell thing strips of various types of beef, I cannot find any that is tender enough, including some very marbled-looking versions that are just too stringy and chewy. I'll also get pork belly from time to time (although Tony wants me to buy 3 kilos at a time to make it worth his while) for crispy pork dishes.

One very cool thing is the very large assortment of condiments at SuperLake for Asian cooking. Some are WAY too expensive, but I can usually find what I want without breaking the bank. Tapioca starch is great to have (requires a lot less than corn starch), and recently I discovered large but inexpensive bottles of Shao Hsing rice cooking wine, which is much better for cooking than the typical bottles of saki-based rice wine.

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The outside part is mostly because I bought a Thai Bucket Stove from near Seattle. As well as a new Thai street vendor's wok. The stove only uses a handful of charcoal and it functions as a ceramic chimney which gets very hot. I recall the stove was about $99 U.S., the shipping to Laredo TX, including the wok and a bunch of other accessories was 13$ U.S. But I made a mistake not telling iShop (I should have use Estafeta ground service) how I wanted it shipped. They only handle air shipment, so they decided to ship it overnight air, which took three days, and the cost with duties, etc. was $139 U.S.!

With the charcoal smoke, spatter, and smell of singed ginger, garlic, chiles and onion the smell can be quite strong. I have never been to Thailand but I am sure this is one of the big lures for street food vendors.

The lady, Betty, who runs the Chopstix restaurant, will, or used to, bring things in from Guadalajara. There are Korean, Japanese and Indian stores there, but there is also a Chinese grocer there too. Apparently (from Betty) there are no signs, you knock at a back door, and they will not sell to the public. I have ordered things like glutinous rice from her. I haven't been to her restaurant for ages, so I would feel bad ordering. I'm sure she marks up to retail for her time and trouble, but I think Superlake has an additional markup to gringo retail.

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Very interesting; had never heard of that so I just looked it up, thanks. I guess I just don't cook as much Asian as I used to, so the smells are temporary (but there is little better than the wafting of ginger and garlic past your nose...).

SuperLake most definitely has their markup. The place in Guadalajara I use also brings inventory to SL, WalMart, and Soriana, although not as much as they used to, it seems. I can get bulk panko at SL from Toyo for dirt cheap compared to the commercially-packaged stuff.

I'm sure my friend More Liana will soon get involved in this thread. She has been doing this type of cooking for years, both commercially and at home.

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A lot of Chinese in Mexico City right now. I'll bet there are many excellent restaurants. We need on online grocery. I have tried Toyo foods, but their website is either very clunky, or it does not like Firefox. They advertise that they will deliver anywhere in Mexico.

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You might reach out to Jim and Monica who are in CASA and also the wine distributers here. They have given tours in Guadalajara of an Asian nature. 

Try this:

http://www.discovergdl.com/2014/05/21/asian-food-stores-in-guadalajara-mexico/

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6 hours ago, CHILLIN said:

A lot of Chinese in Mexico City right now. I'll bet there are many excellent restaurants. We need on online grocery. I have tried Toyo foods, but their website is either very clunky, or it does not like Firefox. They advertise that they will deliver anywhere in Mexico.

As many of you know, I started my professional culinary life as a Chinese chef--way back in the early 1970s--specializing in Szechuan and Hunan regional cooking.  

I've traveled throughout Mexico and have lived for long periods in Tijuana, Ajijic, Guadalajara, Morelia, and now Mexico City.  I've eaten in more Chinese restaurants in Mexico than I can count.

IMHO there are exactly two Chinese restaurants in Mexico City that are worth the money and the calories to eat in.  The owners of one refuse to allow any publicity about it--no photos, no reviews, no nothing.  The other is this one, where I eat about once a month and where I often take people who are looking for real Chinese food:
http://mexicocooks.typepad.com/mexico_cooks/2014/06/restaurante-jing-teng-a-taste-of-hong-kong-in-mexico-city.html

We're fortunate in Mexico City to have ready sources for most fresh Chinese produce (bitter melon, long beans, two or three kinds of baby bok choy, and lots of etc) as well as an entire shop at the corner of that produce market where I find many kinds of rice, 15 kinds of soy sauce, rice noodles in every size, canned and bottled goods straight from the Mainland, and cooking utensils (including bamboo steamers, different styles of woks, and plenty of etc).  The ONLY thing I haven't found that I'd like to find is thick soy, and the owner of that shop has promised that he will order it for me when I need it.  This:

5121m+Oz+IL.jpg
The so-called Barrio Chino (Chinatown) in Mexico City's downtown is a joke; today, there are maybe three, maybe four restaurants of dubious quality in that 2-block zone.  The REAL Chinatown in Mexico City is far off the tourist path.  80% of the population of that huge colonia (neighborhood) are Chinese, and there are small Chinese grocery stores in several places in that area.  There's one grocery store in the area that carries items I've never seen elsewhere in Mexico, one being wheat starch, used for making har gow (shrimp dumpling) wrappers and a few other kinds of dim sum wrappers.
55308.jpg

Want to come eat with me?  Pick a date and let's go!  Come for a weekend--Sundays are always best, 11:00AM is the best time--the place is packed and chaotic, all Chinese customers.  We'll eat dim sum till we can't hold more--and then order from the menu.  
 

Gai Lan Estilo Jing Teng.jpg

Jing Teng Tallarín Singapur.jpg

Chinese Omelet.jpg

Tocino Chino.jpg

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Quote

Monica40 asked: Computerguy how did you modify your stovetop?

The gas jets in each burner are replaceable, so I got one very very small for simmering, and one very large for full-on flame (about twice the flame as my largest). Not all ranges have adjustable/replaceable jets.

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4 hours ago, More Liana said:

As many of you know, I started my professional culinary life as a Chinese chef--way back in the early 1970s--specializing in Szechuan and Hunan regional cooking.  

I've traveled throughout Mexico and have lived for long periods in Tijuana, Ajijic, Guadalajara, Morelia, and now Mexico City.  I've eaten in more Chinese restaurants in Mexico than I can count.

IMHO there are exactly two Chinese restaurants in Mexico City that are worth the money and the calories to eat in.  The owners of one refuse to allow any publicity about it--no photos, no reviews, no nothing.  The other is this one, where I eat about once a month and where I often take people who are looking for real Chinese food:
http://mexicocooks.typepad.com/mexico_cooks/2014/06/restaurante-jing-teng-a-taste-of-hong-kong-in-mexico-city.html

We're fortunate in Mexico City to have ready sources for most fresh Chinese produce (bitter melon, long beans, two or three kinds of baby bok choy, and lots of etc) as well as an entire shop at the corner of that produce market where I find many kinds of rice, 15 kinds of soy sauce, rice noodles in every size, canned and bottled goods straight from the Mainland, and cooking utensils (including bamboo steamers, different styles of woks, and plenty of etc).  The ONLY thing I haven't found that I'd like to find is thick soy, and the owner of that shop has promised that he will order it for me when I need it.  This:

5121m+Oz+IL.jpg
The so-called Barrio Chino (Chinatown) in Mexico City's downtown is a joke; today, there are maybe three, maybe four restaurants of dubious quality in that 2-block zone.  The REAL Chinatown in Mexico City is far off the tourist path.  80% of the population of that huge colonia (neighborhood) are Chinese, and there are small Chinese grocery stores in several places in that area.  There's one grocery store in the area that carries items I've never seen elsewhere in Mexico, one being wheat starch, used for making har gow (shrimp dumpling) wrappers and a few other kinds of dim sum wrappers.
55308.jpg

Want to come eat with me?  Pick a date and let's go!  Come for a weekend--Sundays are always best, 11:00AM is the best time--the place is packed and chaotic, all Chinese customers.  We'll eat dim sum till we can't hold more--and then order from the menu.  
 

Gai Lan Estilo Jing Teng.jpg

Jing Teng Tallarín Singapur.jpg

Chinese Omelet.jpg

Tocino Chino.jpg

WOW!!

Thanks for sharing!

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35 minutes ago, ComputerGuy said:

The gas jets in each burner are replaceable, so I got one very very small for simmering, and one very large for full-on flame (about twice the flame as my largest). Not all ranges have adjustable/replaceable jets.

I clean my burners regularly. In the last few months I have noticed it taking considerably longer to boil a big pot of water. I'm starting to think they are doing something to the propane. Maybe just me.

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Well I had to chime in on this subject.

I have been cooking Chinese food for over 35 years, and love it.

Coming from the Seattle area, we had a unlimited supply of fresh ingredients to choose from. When I moved here I brought three of my woks down, a 10", 12" and a 18".

For heat I purchased a stand alone gas cooker at a local hardware store, purchased a good sized burner at the Monday market in Chapala. And with a little paint and some fine tuning I have a great heat source for my Chinese cooking.

I cook outdoors to eliminate any odors and keep the mess down. (Splatter) 

As for ingredients I have found several places at the wholesale market (Abastos) in Guadalajara.  Good selection and good prices.

Super Lake has a good selection for the area, but you pay for it. I stock up when I go to Guadalajara.  

DSCF5173.JPG

DSCF5174.JPG

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Hi mkshawn,

what you see there is a barrel smoker I built last year.  I use it for slow cooking pork butt and brisket.  Also as a smoker to smoke sausage. Thought I would paint my wok cooker to match my smoker.

If you are interested I can send you some more pictures.

Half Glass

 

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10 hours ago, pappysmarket said:

I clean my burners regularly. In the last few months I have noticed it taking considerably longer to boil a big pot of water. I'm starting to think they are doing something to the propane. Maybe just me.

I have a friend who has a similar problem... and the gas lines go under the house, so unless we rip up the yard and floor, there is no real way of finding possbily compromised lines. Pressure is low, and has gotten lower. Every now and then a good jiggle of the copper line behind the stove seems to help, although it shouldn't... there are no bends in the line that we can see. It has been disconnected and checked, and burners have been --as you say-- cleaned, with some small effect. BUT the jets on this stove cannot be replaced.

Is fiddling with the actual LPG a thing?

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We are in a condo building and there is no problem with the pressure. I get a good flame but for some reason the BTU's just don't seem to be there. Same gas company. There have been more carbon deposits requiring weekly cleaning to eliminate that as the cause. A pot of spaghetti water used to take 15 minutes to boil now takes over 20 and I'm starting to think they are adding something to the propane to stretch it for larger profit. Just my paranoia I suspect.

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Those flexible gas lines are often the culprit, as they are rubber, with a stainless reinforcement.  With age; or sometimes just a manufacturing defect, the interior rubber can collapse, crumble, or otherwise constrict the flow of gas.  I have even had a brand new one which leaked from the start.

So, if your gas flow seems less than ideal, you might want to change the flex line as a cheap first step in your investigation.  Next, I would suspect the regulator at the gas tank, as they can also fail with age.

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On 6/14/2017 at 9:38 AM, pappysmarket said:

 I'm starting to think they are adding something to the propane to stretch it for larger profit. Just my paranoia I suspect.

I remember something about adding butane for propane tanks in hotter areas. It makes it more stable in the heat, but can cause problems with propane powered vehicles at higher elevations. Butane is less volatile than propane, but that probably means that is has less energy. When propane and butane are mixed, it is called LPG.

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I find it doubtful that polluting propane is a widespread tactic, if it exists at all in this area. Having used several propane companies, I note that the pressure is still the same at the range.

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I have 3 areas outside the house that are served by the large 25Kg cylinders of propane. Each has one of the 4-5" regulators on it. A plumber told me to change them every 2 years or so otherwise the plastic thing inside wears out and will cause a diminished flow of gas. 

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