Chinese Cooking 101

Food is a vitally important part of Chinese (and many Asian) cultures. The major event at a Chinese wedding? The ten-course feast at the reception. The key component to giving tribute and thanks to your ancestors? The food offerings placed on the altar table in front of the burning incense. After all, what other culture do you know in which the first greeting upon meeting is, "Have you eaten yet?"

In the interest of having this truly be a basic cooking post, I've decided not to do any research, but to only work from what's in my head after many years of observing in my mother's kitchen. We'll have more advanced cooking/food posts, but the "only what's in my head" approach for this one should guarantee that it won't get too advanced.

First, key flavorings. In my mother's kitchen, next to the stovetop, she kept the following: a large bottle of soy sauce, a container of sesame oil, a bottle of oyster sauce, vinegar (sometimes Chinese black vinegar, sometimes regular white vinegar), cooking oil, white pepper, and a container of salt. That was it. Sure, if she needed to work on more advanced recipes, she would buy additional sauces and spices, but these were the basics for everyday cooking. Also, two ingredients that were always in the kitchen were garlic and ginger. Thanks to Mom, I know that almost any vegetable can be sauteed at high heat with a little oil and garlic - and voila! You have a stir-fry.

At this point, I'd like to acknowledge my mother for being the fabulous cook that she is. Everything that comes out of her kitchen is mouth-watering. She is always willing to take risks, experiment, and try new recipes. Part of her genius (which I especially appreciate now, as a working adult) is that that she also figured out how to take short-cuts and substitute with American ingredients to save time and effort.

Since we're in the hot summer months and no one feels like slaving away in a hot kitchen, here's a super-quick and easy recipe (thanks, Mom!) to keep your family well-fed and happy in the dog days of August:

Mom's Peanut Noodles!

• 1.5 cups - Creamy peanut butter (brand of your choice)
• .5 cup - Cooking oil (olive, canola, vegetable - whatever you have on hand)
• 2/3 cup - Soy sauce
• 1/3 cup - Vinegar (white distilled or cider)
  
• 2 Tablespoons - Sugar or honey (for a touch of sweetness)
  
• 1 and a half packages - Spaghetti (I prefer whole wheat, but it's up to you)
• 1-2 - Cucumber(s) (depending on size and how much you like them!)
  
• 1 lb. - Chicken meat (you can cook up chicken breasts and shred, or go to your deli counter and get cold cuts and cut into long strips)
  

Optional: chopped scallions, whole toasted sesame seeds

1. Cook spaghetti, drain, set aside. Rinse under cold water to cool, drizzle with some oil to keep from sticking.
   
2. Mix peanut butter and cooking oil in a bowl until smooth. Mixture should be liquid enough to flow off of a spoon. (If not, add more a little more oil.) This is your peanut sauce!
3. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar/honey in a small bowl and mix. This is your additional sauce (to add more flavor to the noodles).
4. Peel and halve your cucumber (lengthwise), scoop out the seeds. Then chop the cuke into "slices" (the result should be little "u"-shaped slices of cuke). Place in a bowl and chill.
5. Prep your chicken (either shred your cooked chicken breasts and/or slice up your cold cuts) and place on a platter.
6. Place all ingredients on the dinner table (or on the counter in the kitchen) and let people combine ingredients as follows into a bowl: noodles on the bottom, 2-3 Tablespoons of peanut sauce drizzed on top, 2-3 teaspoons of soy/vinegar sauce, approx .3 cup of cukes, a few strips of chicken, and scallions/sesame seeds (optional) sprinkled on top. Adjust proportions of ingredients to taste (if you like more peanut-buttery, add more peanut sauce, etc.). (Also, if you'd like to have the noodles on one big platter, you can do so, just keep the ingredients proportional).
   
7. Eat and enjoy!
   

Do you have any favorite Asian recipes to share? Our tummies would appreciate it!

My Asian Ten from the Last 15

Confused? I was tagged by Jojo at BuddhaBelle and Karen at BusyMamas to share the following:

Think back on the last 15 years of your life. What would you tell someone that you hadn’t seen or talked to for 15 years? How would you sum up your life? You get 10 bullet points. A list of 10 things to summarize you. At the end of your list, tag 5 more people and send on the love.

So keeping in line with the theme of our blog, here's the list of Ten Asian-related tidbits from the last 15 years of my existence.

1) Favorite mini-snack: Haw Flakes, which my grandmother used to give me as a treat. I still have no idea what these are actually made of, but you can't beat the fact that these mini discs are sold in packs of ten. (photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

2) Favorite sweets: Mochi balls, which are soft, chewy glutinous rice balls filled with a fruit jelly and sprinkled with powdered sugar. And it also comes as ice cream balls! I've always been a huge fan of Japanese sweets, and having a Japanese specialty food store across the street from my office doesn't help with my sugar intake. Photo courtesy of Gourmet Food Mall.

3) Favorite Asian country: Hands down, Hong Kong.

4) Favorite drink: Vitasoy's Lemon Tea and Chrysanthemum Tea box drinks. I used to suck these down as a kid.....and still do, whenever I get my hands on them.

5) Favorite Asian goodies store: Pearl River Mart in NYC - it's hard not to love a two-story emporium full of random finds that include back scratchers, brocade purses, paper lanterns, sushi sets, teapots, stationary, slippers, jade plants, Buddha statues, furniture, Japanese shampoo and the signature Chinese plaid/red, white and blue shopping bags. And good news for those not in the tri-state area....you can buy online, and they even have their own blog!

6) Memorable vacation: Taking my husband on his first trip to Hong Kong, and showing him where I lived, where I went to school, where I caused trouble with my peeps...

7) Memorable work experience: My life used to revolve around work. Now that I've got a child, I've definitely scaled back, but I'm addicted to my Blackberry and am still overly anxious on Sunday nights in anticipation of all that I need to get done during the week. Whining and complaining aside, it hasn't been all that horrible. In 2005 I was lucky to spend 6 weeks on assignment in Shanghai. I shopped, ate, explored, traveled, met lots of great people and soaked in as much I could in that short time. I absolutely loved it, and if I could move back tomorrow, I would in a second.

8) Good effort, but...Trying to pick up Mandarin again. Back in 2004 or so, my friend M and I enrolled in a beginner's Mandarin class at NYU. It was tough committing to a 2-hour class after a long day at work, but I managed to show up at least 80% of the time. But not doing my homework got the best of me, and not having anyone to speak Mandarin with on a regular basis contributed to my language downfall. And M's father is fluent in Mandarin so he helped her with her homework. No fair!

9) Guilty pleasure...Karaoke. I love it. I don't need to be hidden in a back room with my closest friends. In fact, I prefer to be in the open area - not on a stage, but around the bar where the microphone is passed from group to group - belting out pop songs from the 80s and 90s. Tiffany, Bon Jovi, Brittany, Christina, N'Sync, Oasis....you name it, we sang it. Of course having a few adult beverages to loosen up the vocal cords, and a group of equally karaoke-obsessed and drunk friends always helps.

10) Best experience ever: The birth of my daughter in February 2007.

Now it's Ivy's turn...and I'm inviting Project Nursery, The Q Family Adventure, Tsuruta Designs, and Whoopsie Daisy! to do the same!

Soymilk, a lactose-intolerant girl's best friend!

Like many other Asians, I can't drink cow milk. It's a very common Chinese thing - the lack of the lactase enzyme in my system. Once source I found estimated lactose intolerance at around 20% in the general population, but at 90% for Asian Americans!

So, what's a girl to do? Turn to soymilk, of course! Literally translated from Chinese, it's known as "bean liquid." During my childhood, my mom used to make it with just a kitchen blender for equipment. She'd buy the dried beans from Chinatown, soak them overnight, finely grind them in the blender, take a cheesecloth and strain out the pulp, then boil the remaining the liquid for at least an hour until it was foamy at the top (undercooking causes your tummy to be very unhappy). A few years ago she bought a fancy-schmancy machine, so all she does now is add dried beans and water, and it sings a little electronic song when the soymilk is ready.

My mother often pairs soymilk to accompany her homemade scallion pancakes (yummy!). At other times she'll buy some traditional Chinese breakfast treats to go along with them like youtiao (literally "greasy line" - a 24" long piece of friend dough) and shaobing (sort of a long rectangular pita crusted with sesame seeds). She also makes sweet and salty versions from the plain soymilk base - as children, my sister and I got ours sweetened with sugar, honey, or maple syrup (yes, these are American adaptations), and my Dad always preferred his salty (with soysauce, scallions, dried meat shavings (rousong), and the youtiao cut into pieces floating on the top. Goes without saying that this was all in a large bowl, and then slurped up with a Chinese spoon.

Thanks to new technology, I've tried milk for the lactose intolerant, but it doesn't taste quite right to me now. I miss the fragrance and slightly thicker texture of the soymilk. That being said, I'll admit that I'm much lazier about my soymilk. I buy a pre-made version from the supermaket that comes in a milk-like carton, and it's mostly my cereal base in the morning. In the winter, I'll use it in oatmeal or just chop up a banana and heat it in the microwave for 2 mins for a gooey warm treat, or just warm a cup to drink as my hot beverage in the morning, in lieu of coffee.

Do you have soymilk stories to share? Tell us here!

For the love of ramen

Here's the scene: you're young, you're poor (or perhaps just lazy), it's chilly out, and you're starving. You set some water boiling on your stove, open up your rickety cupboard, reach in and take out that little air-tight packet of goodness...yes, instant ramen!

We all have that memory...for me, it was such an oft-repeated scene in my first few years out of college that they all blur together. What I *do* know for sure was that there was no longer a dining hall to turn to, the packets of Top Ramen or Maruchan were sold 10 for $1 at the supermarket, and within minutes I could cook up a hot and satisfyingly slurpy bowl of salty, msg-infused broth and noodles that would chase away my hunger late into the night. (And yes, I'm involuntarily starting to salivate as I write this.)

Ramen is a traditionally Japanese dish, although it traces historical roots to ancient China. During the Meji period, ramen noodles were introduced in Chinatowns in Kobe and Yokohama. Instant ramen, a variation of the traditional dish, dates back to the Qing Dynasty in China, when the technique of deep frying noodles was discovered. This new approach kept noodles from spoiling and made them faster to prepare.

Modern ramen noodles were invented by Taiwanese-born Momofuku Ando, the founder of Nissin Foods. Introduced in 1958, "chikin ramen" (as in, chicken) was boiled with flavoring and then deep-fried in palm oil to remove moisture. In 1971 (same age as me!), "Cup Noodles" were introduced to the world with their very own styrofoam container, thereby changing the lives of college students forever after. Alas, "Noodle Papa" (as Ando was lovingly known to the world) died last year, at the ripe old age of 98. He credited his longevity to golfing and eating chikin ramen almost every day.

Others are not such boosters of ramen's nutritional benefits. For starters, they're generally high in sodium - up to 60% of the USDA recommended daily allowance of 1,200-1,440 mg - and in extreme cases, over 3,000mg. Also, since they are deep fried, they are also high in saturated fat/trans fat.

That being said, I've made my peace with my squiggly 'ole post-college friend. Since most of the sodium is in the flavor packet, I don't use all of it. I'll throw in an egg for protein, and some fresh/frozen vegetables for fiber. Also, I've decided that it's my new air-travel staple. Light and easy to pack into a carry-on, I indignantly spurn the insultingly small packet of peanuts or the $10 sandwich they try to sell to you by whipping out my pre-packaged bowl of ramen (usually Korean, because I like spicy) and asking the flight attendant to fill the styrofoam bowl with hot water. Minutes later, I'm the envy of all passengers within smell-range as they hear and watch me slurp down, rehydrate, and warm up with my bowl of goodness. Long live the ramen noodle!

Have you had a secret love affair with the ramen noodle? Any good recipes you'd like to share? Tell us your tale!

Mmm...mmmm.....Mongolian!

How much do you know about Mongolian food, and have you ever had it?

Our pal Jojo (check out her very engaging, very honest and very funny blog BuddhaBelle), who was born and raised in Mongolia, gave us some insight on her favorite Mongolian dishes. And the picture of the woman on the horse to your left happens to be Jojo's mother, in her younger years, cruising around the Mongolian countryside.

Mongolia is a nomad country, and its nomadic people move from place to place 2-4 times a year. They raise sheep, horses, cows, camels and goats in the forest, steppe and Gobi desert. In Mongolian culture, the horse is considered man's/woman's best friend, and Mongolian cuisine reflects the nomadic lifestyle.

Boortsog - think of this as a fried dough ball, or biscuit, of various shapes and sizes. Bouillon fat that is left over from cooking meat is traditionally used for frying, giving the boortsog a unique aroma. However, any type of vegetable oil will do. Jojo says she whips these up whenever she's feeling homesick. A picture of boortsog is in the "Your Asian Heritage" photo gallery on the left.

Airag - a traditional drink of fermented mare's milk that's got 7-8% alcohol and guaranteed to have some kick. Airag is a popular summer drink and is said to provide strength and cheerfulness, destroy pathogenic microbes in the intestines and help improve the living body metabolisms. If you visit a Mongolian family or attend a Mongolian wedding, you'll typically be offered a big bowl of airag.

Buuz - steamed dumplings traditionally made with onions, seasoning and mutton, but beef and other meats work just as well. Mongolians consider fatty meat to be better quality. These are a favorite during the new year.



Aarul - Dried curds, or curdled milk that has been dehydrated and thoroughly dried in the air and sun. Some believe that aaruul is one of the reasons why Mongolians have strong and healthy teeth.


Khorhog - the REAL Mongolian barbecue! It's prepared by mixing water, hot stones, onions, potatoes, carrots and mutton chops into a large, vacuum-sealed kettle and simmering it over a fire for about an hour. In earlier times Khorkhog was a cooking method commonly used by soldiers, and the meat would typically be cooked in the animal's skin...this eliminated the need to tote around heavy pots and other utensils.


And for the record, the Mongolian barbecue options you may see on the menu at Chinese restaurants aren't the real deal...

Jojo - Thanks for sharing an important part of your heritage with us!

*Food photos from Alagtstar Adventure Tours

Super Tuesday - Sushi Pack!

No, the super Tuesday bit doesn't have anything to do with elections. It's about a cute sushi superhero cartoon that I discovered while flipping channels on a recent Saturday morning.

Sushi Pack, which airs on CBS, is about a team of wasabi, and salmon egg, crab, tuna and octopus sushi who live in a Japanese restaurant with humans and come up against the evil Legion of Low Tide. Led by the bad Titanium chef, The Legion of Low Tide is a group of not-so-nice sushi who live in the Titanium chef's sushi restaurant.

The Sushi Pack use their powers and smarts to overcome the bad guys, save the world, and most importantly, teach kids valuable lessons about friendship, teamwork, social skills and more. With characters ranging from Kani, the crab sushi who uses her pigtail crab claws to pinch the bad guys, to Maguro Maki, the calm tuna sushi who enjoys meditation and Feng Shui, to Fugu, the mean blowfish who puffs himself up when he's up to no good, Sushi Pack is an endearing bunch that's suitable for pre-school kids and above.

Check out clips from recent episodes here and the opening theme song below. Got any other Asian-inspired cartoon recs? Thoughts on Sushi Pack, or Ni Hao Kai-Lan? Let us know!

Chinese Tradition: Red Egg and Ginger Party

Last week Ivy talked about Dol, the Korean first birthday soiree, and she touched on the red egg and ginger tradition in a post about her nephew's 100 day party....so today we'll continue the celebration trend and share more details on the Chinese "Red Egg & Ginger" party that I, alas, neglected to throw for my daughter to commemorate her 1st month.

Like many other countries in ancient times, China experienced high infant mortality rates, and babies who reached the one month mark were likely to survive…so that called for a celebration!

In Chinese culture, parents ring in baby's first full month with red eggs and ginger. The color red represents happiness and good luck. Eggs symbolize fertility and the renewal of life, and their shape is traditionally associated with harmony and unity. Think of ginger in the context of yin (cold) and yang (warm) – ginger adds a touch of “warmth” to a new mother’s diet, which is necessary given she’s typically weak and tired (yin) after giving birth.

At the Red Egg and Ginger party - which can be done at home, or in a lot of cases, at a Chinese restaurant - parents proudly introduce their new baby to family and friends and formally announce their baby’s name. The Chinese believe that one’s name can influence all that happens in life, so making that decision is an extremely important task. Naming is usually handled by grandparents (like mine and my sister’s Chinese names), and in some cases, fortune tellers.

Traditionally, the one month celebration is also the time to reintroduce the new mother to the world. Why? According to Chinese beliefs, women are in a weakened state in the weeks following birth and are expected to rest indoors for a month after delivery (I went crazy after three days). Staying inside ensured that new mothers wouldn’t over-exert themselves, get sick or pass germs on to their newborns. In addition to resting, new Chinese mothers also drink a soup made with pig’s feet, eggs, vinegar and ginger. While I broke every one of these rules and refuse to eat eggs, many Chinese mothers around the world still follow this ritual...and I know my mother was house-bound and sipping creative brews during my first month of life!

So what kind of gifts do you bring to a Red Egg and Ginger party? Lucky money, of course! Crispy bills neatly folded into red “lai see” or “hong bao” packets are the gifts of choice for baby boys, while baby girls may receive pricey jewelry; however, nowadays money is always your safest bet for both. And rest assured, guests don’t leave empty handed, as they’re sent home with their own red eggs - an even number for a boy, and an odd number for a girl.

What was your Red Egg and Ginger Party experience? If you’re a Chinese mom, did you stay home for a month and drink grandma’s soupy concoction?

Just have a baby? Forget cigars...check this out!

With all the recent research on the negative health effects of smoking tobacco products, giving out cigars upon the occasion of a birth seems a little passe....not to mention cancer-causing.

Thank goodness, our Japanese friends at Yosimia have come to the rescue! How about this for an idea: you can give out little bags of rice with a photo of your recently-arrived-precious-one emblazoned on the front with the choice of a rainbow of colors in the background, and - GET THIS - the heft of the bag of rice is the same as the birthweight of your newborn!

If you don't have a birth to announce, don't despair - you can also order this cleverly-packaged favor for a myriad of joyous occasions. Are you getting married, but have yet to solve that headache-inducing dilemma of finding appropriate, unique, and adorable wedding favors? Well, you can get little pouches of rice with photos of you and your beloved's infant visages on the front...dressed in traditional Japanese bride and groom outfits. We'll bet your friends and family haven't seen that one before!
Do you have any other ideas for fun Asian-inspired favors for various events? Share with us here!

Top 5 Korean Treats

I'm a Korean food rookie. I love a good Korean BBQ, and I'm a big fan of all the panchan (side dishes) that come along with it. But don't ask me to name any of them, because I'd fail miserably. And I know there's much more to Korean cuisine than grilled beef and spicy cabbage.

So I consulted a few of my Korean buddies to get a sense of what makes their mouths water. Here's their Top 5:


Kalbi - The signature Korean dish (at least in my opinion). Kalbi is marinated beef short ribs in a ganjang sauce (Korean soy sauce). According to our friend Jackie, it's best if cooked over charcoal.

Kimchi chigae - A stew that's considered peasant food since it's made up of "sour" (or "aged") kimchi along with a range of other ingredients including tofu, green onions, seafood and beef....and it's considered comfort food by many.

Dukbokki - A hot and spicy rice cake. A perfect midday or late night snack.


Dwenjang chigae - A bean curd stew with beef, veggies and seafood. According to Jackie, "it's like miso soup on steroids."


And finally, gyeran jjim - steamed egg custard with green onions.


You can never go wrong in NYC's K-Town. According to my foodie friends M&G, Shilla's food is yummy, and the restaurant itself is spacious and clean (and I can vouch for that). Don's Bogam BBQ - strange name, yes - is known for its wine cured pork belly. And Do Hwa in the West Village never ceases to disappoint.

Got any others to add to this list, or Korean restaurant recs in your city? Let us know!

Holiday Spotlight: Dragon Boat Festival

Growing up in Hong Kong, I remember vividly the annual Dragon Boat Festival. The colorful boats, the steady drumbeats, the roar of the crowd....and not to mention all the associated celebrations and great food that came with it! For those of you East Coasters, it's like Boston's Head of the Charles, but BETTER (no offense to those of you who might have ties to this event).

Also known as the Tuen Ng Festival in Hong Kong, the Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, a popular Chinese national hero. Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Mi Lo River over 2,000 years ago to protest against corrupt rulers. According to the legend, as the townspeople attempted to rescue Qu Yuan, they threw dumplings into the sea and beat drums to scare away the fish...and prevent him from being eaten.

As for the races, teams of 20-22 paddlers in elaborately decorated boats that measure 32+ feet, row to the beat of heavy drums. Each boat has carved and painted "dragon" heads and tails, with the drummers in seated in front pounding away.

Now to the best part...the food. Zong zi - sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves with various fillings that include egg yolk, meats or dates - are the traditional Dragon Boat festival fare. Zong zi is also popular at dim sum, and I still credit my pau pau (maternal grandma) for making the tastiest ones that I've ever had.

While the Hong Kong races are scheduled for Sunday, here's a sampling of Dragon Boat races and celebrations around the U.S.:

San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival
Lotus Festival Dragon Boat Races, Los Angeles
Boston Dragon Boat Festival
Washington, DC Dragon Boat Festival (already past)
Atlanta Dragon Boat Festival
Chicago Dragon Boat Race for Literacy
New York Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon Boat Races Austin (already past)

Ever thought of participating? Ever been to one of these events?

Infant traditions: 100 Days and Red Eggs

Sometimes I think I'm closet Korean. I love wandering through Koreatown and browsing the cute chachki stores while soaking up the garlicky wafting aroma of kimchi and bulgogi. One tradition for Korean infants that I think is particularly adorable is the 100-day celebration known as Bek-il(literally, 100 days).

The Bek-il hearkens back to pre-western medicine days during which infant survival rates were low. So, the 100-day mark was a time when extended families feted the arrival of the new member and honored the parents. A small feast, with offerings of rice and soup, is prepared, and family, relatives and friends then celebrate with rice cakes, wine, and other delicacies such as red and black bean cakes sweetened with sugar or honey.

Tradition states that if steamed rice cakes are shared with 100 people, the child will have a long life. So, rice cakes are sent to as many people as possible - and those who receive them return the vessels with skeins of thread, expressing the hope of longevity, and rice and money, symbolizing future wealth.

Since she liked the idea but we're not even an iota Korean, my sister celebrated the first 100 days of my half-Taiwanese, half-Caucasian nephew by incorporating the Chinese tradition of celebrating the first full month with red eggs (symbolizing happiness and the renewal of life) and ginger. Quite a pan-Asian celebration!

Do you have any infant traditions you'd like to share?

Shop Talk: Crazy for Chopsticks

I love chopsticks. To me, they're a multi-purpose tool - not only do I use them to pick bones out of my fish, grasp donuts so my fingers don't get sticky, and guide chunks of chicken into my daughter's small mouth, but I've also found the disposable wooden type to be useful for unclogging drains and scraping dried cheese off the toaster grill.

Chopsticks - which come in a variety of lengths, are made from a range of materials and can be pointed or blunt squares at the end - originated in ancient China as early as the Shang Dynasty, nearly 5,000 years ago. To help save fuel, the Chinese would shred their food into bite-size pieces so it would cook faster. They also found it easier to pick up these food bits with two sticks called "kuai za," or "fast ones." The word "chopstick" came about in the 19th century when English-speaking traders attempted to say "kuai za" but settled on "chop" - derived from the phrase, "chop chop."

So now that you've got the history, let's talk about the best way to train your little one....or perhaps yourselves...on the fine art of chopstick usage. If studying diagrams or watching real-time chopstick demos aren't cutting it, don't sweat it, as there are many sets of training chopsticks that you can get sucked into buying.


Here are the Combi Trainer Chopsticks that I own and am waiting to test with my tot. The "bridge" helps guide little thumbs, forefingers and middle fingers to hold the chopsticks properly. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm guessing this will work with adults as well....adults with small hands perhaps...



These one-piece chopsticks by Hog Wild Toys come in a variety of bright colors and are held together by a selection of plastic dinosaurs, animals or fish. While these may not help as much with proper hand and finger usage, the look and design will at least encourage exploration.


Chopstick Kids by Modern Tots are just that - mod-designed, washable hinges that you can attach to the tops of your own chopsticks to keep them in line. I love the style and am tempted to get them for myself...may make a fun desk ornament as well!


And finally, the Training Chopsticks for Kids by Asian Ideas come with a ring halfway up the chopstick to hold little thumbs in place.

We'll save chopstick etiquette for another day. In the meantime, let us know if you've got any other kiddie chopstick suggestions or homegrown tips.

Ask the Expert - Dr. Tiffany Yip, Explore ethnic identity and more...

I'm guessing that many of us with an Asian background have experienced ethnic identity issues at some point in our lives. In my case this was most pronounced when I was uprooted from my cushy teenage existence in Asia at the very volatile age of 15. There I was surrounded by my fellow yellow people who understood why shoes came off at the front door and why I enjoyed snacking on leaf wrapped rectangles of sticky rice and lop cheung, so you probably get why I had issues figuring out how to fit in when we moved to a predominantly white suburb of Atlanta. Keep in mind this was nearly 20 years ago, long before it was trendy for white people to wear cheong sams (or qi paos) and learn Mandarin, and where I was one of about a dozen Asians in a school of 4,000 kids. Oh, the drama of it all....

To give us insight into ethnic identity and related issues is our first contributor, Dr. Tiffany Yip, a psychology professor at Fordham. Dr. Yip's research focuses on the development of ethnic identity, and on the context in which this development occurs. She also examines how context influences variability in ethnic identity across days and situations and looks at the implications of ethnic identity for psychological functioning among ethnic minorities. You can check out some of her work here.

Dr. Yip's research and insights are very relevant to those of us who are ethnic minorities, or to those who are currently raising minority children. In future posts we'll share some of Dr. Yip's more recent research, and she can answer your questions on anything related to ethnic identity. So send us a note to share your stories, and to let us know what you'd like to hear about - info@myasianheritage.com.

Editorial disclaimer: Not only is Dr. Yip a brilliant psychologist, but she's also a close personal friend who I've known since we were kids running around the streets of Hong Kong. She's also a great mom with an adorable toddler three weeks older than mine, a fabulous cook, and the inspiration for our "Take off your shoes post."

Bubble Tea Part Deux

Thought I'd add one final word to Friday's posting on Bubble Tea...

For the "21 and over" version, read about NYC's Bar Q concoction in yesterday's New York Times "A Drink Puts on the Kid Glove" article. Owner Anita Lo "combines green tea-infused simple syrup with milk and a shot of vodka, yielding a familiar flavor...The tapioca pearls at the bottom of the glass, which Ms. Lo coats with a mixture of almond extract and amaretto, are the size of fine couscous, so you don’t get the happy thwack of inhaling those viscid balls that you get with traditional bubble tea. Still, this is a happy drink, satisfyingly silly."

Too bad it's only Monday morning.

A Bubble-icious treat

I can't remember exactly when I first discovered bubble tea...but it was probably a few years ago, when I was kid-less and spending weekend afternoons at dim sum in Chinatown, followed by stops at Ten Ren Tea for drinks and the pastry shop for a lemon cake dessert.

According to many sources, Bubble tea's origins trace back to a sidewalk tea stand in Taiwan in the 80s. Also known as “boba”, “neu-nai tsa” and “boba neu-nai tsa," bubble tea is a combination of crushed ice, sugar, tea, milk, and fruit flavoring. What distinguishes bubble tea from any other chilled milkshake-esque fruity beverage is the packaging - a fat plastic cup with a clear lid, fat, bright straw, and a layer of black tapioca pearls clustered at the bottom. The marble-size tapioca balls include sweet potato, cassava root and brown sugar, and the consistency is somewhere between a gummy bear and a piece of gum. If you're not into the black tapioca, you can opt for the clear jelly bits instead.

Due to a bad experience with sour milk in college, I prefer my bubble tea lactose-free and with the jelly bits. Word of caution - be careful when sucking up the tapioca or jelly bits, as they do present a choking hazard. And if you get the cool looking vacuum sealed plastic top on your bubble tea drink, don't stab it too hard with your straw as the liquid tends to squirt out and get you all sticky. I speak from experience on both accounts!

Here are a few sources from fellow bloggers about the best boba in several cities...enjoy!

Los Angeles, Austin, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago

Yum Yum Dim Sum!

Mother's Day is around the corner, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than with my family over dim sum and a pot of hot tea. Dim sum, which literally means "touch the heart" and pronounced deem sum in Cantonese, consists of a dizzying array of bite sized treats that are steamed, fried, grilled or baked. You can order off menus, but I prefer the dim sum palaces, where waitresses push carts full of steamy delights to each table and allow you to check out the goods before making your selections. Typically served in round bamboo steamers, dishes range from steamed pork buns (cha siu bao) to Chinese rice porridge (jook) to steamed shrimp dumplings (har gow) to one of my personal favorites, chicken feet (feng zhao). Check out Yum Yum Dim Sum, a clever book by Amy Wilson Sanger, that's sure to give dim sum rookies of all ages a quick primer on these special treats.

I'll be headed to New York's Evergreen for my Sunday Mother's Day brunch. It's very family friendly, and I suggest making reservations for big groups. Other NYC Chinatown favorites include Dim Sum Go Go, Triple Eight Palace, Mandarin Court, and Golden Unicorn. My advice...get to any of these places by noon to avoid long waits.

During my time in Boston, I spent many Saturday and Sunday afternoons at China Pearl, and when in San Francisco, I usually end up at Yank Sing, although it's pricier than your usual Chinatown fare. If you've got other dim sum recommendations in your area that you'd like to share, let us know...and Happy Mother's Day to all!