Asian and Western Food Culture

Today I’ll share some food culture of Asian and Western.
I’ve got this information from my friend Wai Yan who is the cook from Qatar, Doha. Thank you my friend.

There is different type of food culture - Asian culture and Western culture.

Asian food culture is base in myths - like Chinese. They have their myths in their food (for example, they eat fish for lucky). In their new years they donate foods to their passed away grandfathers and mothers.

But western is different. They are food culture is with means.

Western has two kind of main menu - A La Carte and Table' Dorse.

A La Carte means one by one orders and Table’ Dorse means set menu. A La Carte is more expensive and smarter than set menu. Food quality and service style are also better.

There are two kinds of set in Table’ Dorse – 5 course set and 4 course set.
Set menu include Starter (Starter is appetizers - like small items), Soup, Main Course, Dessert and Beverage.

In Asia mostly menu is family style sharing menu. For example if we go to wedding they treat Chinese set menu. We can share at table with big potion.

In Western potato is necessary and we cannot leave potato. There are more than 1000 kinds of potato cooking methods. Moreover they chose the condition of cooking.
Their five conditions are
Rare
Medium Rare
Medium
Medium Well
Well-Done

Mostly Europeans like Medium and they don’t like Well-Done. In A La Carte you can choose condition but in Table set menu you cannot choose. Furthermore don’t forget that wine is one important thing in Western food culture.

^_^

Cooking Methods...(1)

we have a lots of cooking methods...but.....do we recognize it?i am a cook....i don't know too much a bout food culture...but i want to post about food cooking....there are 11 main cooking methods...
1.Boiling..
2.Blanching
3.Poaching
4.Streaming
5.Stewing
6.Braising
7.Roasting
8.Baking
9.Frying
10.Grilling
11.Microwave Cooking
1.Boiling
Boiling is a cooking of foods in a liquid,usually stock or water.The temperature at which boiled food is cooked at 212'F,is controlled by the temperature of boiling liquid and this temperature will not increase once boiling point is reached therefore simmering(gentle boiling)should be allowed to take place.
the cooking temperature is lowered when boiling which makes the cooking process slower,because of this slower cooking,boiling is therefore suitable method for older,tougher joints of meat and poultry.Stocks ,soup,sauces,certain fish(whole and in cuts),various vegetables,eggs and pasta are cooked by boiling...
2.Blanching
Blanching is cooking of food in a boiling salted liquid for a short time.The Liquid may be boiling water or boiling Stock.......The red meats such mutton,lamb can be cooked produce white stew dishes.The green vegetables,after blanching with boiling salted water than drain and refresh,retains the water soluble vitamins and nutritional value,improve the color,flavour,texture and smell....Yellow color vegetables(root vegetables)are started in cold salted water with the exception of new potatoes,proper cooking can make the vegetables retain color,flavour and nutritive value.Avoid overcooking of vegetables because not only will they become soft and mushy but also lose flavor,color and nutritive value.
3.Poaching
Poaching is the cooking of foods slowly in the minimum amount of liquid.e.g.water,milk,stock,wine.The liquid should never be allowed to boil but should be kept at a temperature as near to boiling point as possible.Since the foods are cooked in a minimum amount of liquid in order to conserve flavor and nutritive value they should be covered with paper during the cooking process.In order to poach correctly anf to prevent the foods from boiling,it is a good practice to bring the liquid almost to the boil on the stovethen to complete the cooing in a moderately hot oven.......The tender meats.e.g.supreme of chicken,fillet of fish and whole fish,vegetables and eggs can cooked by this methods.....
4.Steaming
Steaming is a method of cooking in moist heat........i.Slower than boiling in its simplest form.The food is cooked in (a)a perforated container or (b) on a covered plate over a sauce pan of water.In this method the food is cooked by direct or indiret contact with the stream,that is,the vapour from water......ii.Boiling in a streamer with a minimum pressure 11/4kg/cm2(2lbs8ozper in2)or in a high compression streamer will cook the food faster.Most streamed food is lighter and more digestible than that cooked by any other methods therefore foods such as fish,chicken and sweetbrerads when steamed are suitble for invalids and for those with weak digestion.
5.Stewing
This is the slow method of cooking food in the smallest quantity of water,stock or sauce in which the food is always cut up (1"-1.5" in cubes)and cooked the food ans cooking liquid are server together .Lightly season the cubes of meat with salt and pepper and seal quickly in heated oil.margarine,butter,dippping to color lightly brown.Add stock to half,covered the meat and place on stove top.Bring to boil quickly and then simme.Stew foods can be cookied in a converse stew pan or casserole on the stove or in a moderate oven.Stewing is both economical and nutritional because the cheaper cuts of meat and poultry,whuch would be unsuitable for roasting and grilling,can be made tender and palatable and there is very little waste by evaporation.The meat Juicewhich escape from the meat during cooking is not lost but is present in the liquid which is served with stew...
6.Braising
This is a combination stewing and roasting in a pan with a tight fitting lid(braisiere,casserole or cocotte)The lid is essential so as to prevent evaporation and to enable the food reatin its own juices and nutritional value Braising is a long slow cooking method and therefore less tender joints meat and poultry can be used.It requires the food to be marintaed in red wine and herbs for a few hours before being cooking.Marinating helps to tenderizeto impart additional flavour and moisten the joint...Meats are cut into big cubes;shallow fry to seal quickly by browing on all sides.Place in braising pan,half covered with stock andd add mire-poix(Onion and Carrots cuts into cubes).Continue cooking in hot overor in a pan on the stove with tight fitting lid...The meat cooked with braising method is good in smell tenderness and well cooked helps retain maximum flavour and nutritive value.

i will post another methods in Cooking Methods (2)and i m sorry for my long post...
Refer;HTTC Beiyoke Kandawgyi Palace Hotel..Food &Beverage Production Basic Course

Types of Sushi

Previous post, "Itachi" submitted "Japanese Food - Sushi".


That time "internet education" gave comment that he wants to see pictures of different sushi types. So I find on the web sites and show some of them.

I hope everbody will like my images!




Spicy Shrimp Roll





Tuna Sushi

Spicy Tuna Hand Roll

Salmon Sushi

Roll Maki

Salmon Skin Maki

Salmon Nigiri

Gunkan Maki Sushi

Sasazushi

Now I think everybody start to get hungry!

^_^

Dangerous having food in NTU canteen!

NTU's canteens enjoy a wide popularity and a good fame especially among students which we may think it really deserve. True, most canteens in the university are rationally lay out and clean, staff are polite and considerate, food are cheap compared to those served in food court from outside and we can easily find something from our own countries to be delicious.

Will you believe me if I tell you having food in NTU canteen may be dangerous? For me, who have been cheerful for coming across with so many seductive lunch choices in Canteens, it is hard to believe.

Last week we, as usual, went to Cafe by the Quad to enjoy our dinner before having our Foundation course in SBS Building. As you know, that's a pretty nice Cafe with a pond and small fountains outside. The decoration has a white and blue tone, which coincide with the theme of the cafe :seafood.

I ordered my shrimps and couldn't move my eyes away from them: Lovely fresh nice little things. At the cash counter, I saw the drinks served. I ordered a glass of purple water. I didn't know what that sour sweet liquid was.

It was after having the dinner that I found a sentence writen on the paper cup of my drink: Rich in Vitamin C! God, haven't anyone tell the Cafe that most seafood can become poison when having together with Vitamin C?

I didn't feel good for the whole class though I knew it was just the realization that frightened me. I am a girl and I didn't eat too much. But I do remember the news came out in China that a man died because of taking Vitamin C and Seafood together regularly. And in film Deadly Delicious, Wu Zhenyu was almost killed by having the shrimps cooked by his wife and orange juice made by his secret lover within seven hours!

Therefore, friends, be ware of what you mix when you eat. And I do hope the responsibility of judging right food do not solely lies on the students themselves.

Woh!!! Pork Curry! I like it very much!

Ingredients

1/4 cup peeled slivered fresh ginger
1 1/2 lbs country-style boneless pork ribs, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 1/2 cups water 1/4 cup peeled slivered fresh ginger
1 1/2 lbs country-style boneless pork ribs, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
6 servings1 hour 20 minutes 15 mins prep

How to cook?
Place the ginger in a small bowl with 1/3 cup of hot water and set aside until needed. Cook the pork with the curry paste and brown sugar in a large deep skillet, stirring to coat meat, for about 15 minutes, until pork is nicely browned. Meanwhile, mix the turmeric, and soy sauce into the water and add to the pork. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until meat is tender and sauce has thickened, about 45 minutes. Add the ginger (with its water), the shallots, garlic, and lime juice. Simmer for 5-7 more minutes, allowing the flavors to blend through. Check seasoning, adding more sugar, lime juice, or even a little salt, if necessary. Serve at once with steamed jasmine rice.

Delicious Chinese Food--Mapo Toufu

Mapo Toufu, which was first called Chen Mapo Toufu,is perhaps one of the most typical Chinese local dishes.Many years ago there was a small restaurant named Chen Xingshenf Eating HOuse close to the Wanfu Bridge in Chengdu.As the owner Mr.Chen FUchun died in his prime, the restaurant was run by his wife Mrs Chen who was nicknamed Chen Mapo due to her pockmarked face.In Chinese mapo means pock-marked granny. Spicy,hot,delicious and tender with a distinct flavor,the dish of toufu she cooked was called Mapo Toufu.

Mapo Toufu is a typical food of Sichuan province where people here like spicy food very much.Sichuan is a good place for touring, there are such beautiful places as Jiuzhaigou(p1),E mei mountain and so on. If you are intererested in spicy food, it is an irresistable choice!

Hot Pot in China

Living in Singapore means that you can enjoy summer all the year. But sometimes I miss winter in North China. For I love snow and hot pot, both of which appear in winter.

HAVING a hotpot meal may be the simplest way to warm the body in cool winters. That’s the easiest way to explain its popularity.
But the explanation may not sit well with hotpot lovers, as the answer simply ignores the most basic yet most important factor that makes the dish a seasonal favorite: the taste.
After years of development, dozens of varieties of hotpot have evolved from the original pure-water hotpot. Now, there is seafood, mushroom, fish and even a chocolate hotpot. Hotpot tastes are therefore quite diversified, but the most popular still top the list.

Lamb hotpot
The original lamb hotpot that has come down from northern China usually uses pure water as the broth, with only onions and dried shrimp as the basic ingredients.
The cooking method, similar to Cantonese cooking, is believed to be the best way to preserve the freshness and taste of lamb.

Chaozhou-style hotpot
The favorite hotpot for Cantonese people might be the Chaozhou-style hotpot. Two features of this hotpot are the pure beef broth and meatballs made of fresh beef.

Korean-style hotpot
Speaking of stimulation, a Korean-style hotpot that is gaining wider popularity is worth trying. Popular Korean hotpots are the kimchi hotpot and the pickled vegetables hotpot. Sour in taste, these hotpots can readily stimulate your appetite with dazzling ingredients and fresh taste.

Sichuan-style hotpot
A popular hotpot that should not be overlooked is the Sichuan-style hotpot.
The essence of Sichuan hotpot lies in the broth, which contains oil, wine, sugar, spice and Chinese prickly ash. It may not be a good idea to drink the broth of a Sichuan hotpot, but the numbing spicy food with a unique fragrance makes it one of a kind.

Beijing Duck

Hi everyone!

Today I'd like to introduce one of China's most famous food.

Beijing DuckBeijing Duck (Peking Duck), or Peking Roast Duck is a famous duck dish from Beijing that has been prepared since the Yuan Dynasty, now considered one of China's national foods.The dish is prized for the thin, crispy skin with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook. Ducks are bred specially for the dish, which after 65 days are slaughtered and seasoned before it is roasted in a closed oven or a hung oven. When eating Peking roast duck, one wraps the duck skin and meat along with slivers of spring onions and cucumber - dabbed with sweet sauce (tian mian jiang) - with a slice of thin pancake. This is the most authentic way to savor the rich flovor of Peking roast duck. More than two million roast ducks are sold on average annually. The two most notable restaurants in Beijing which serve this delicacy are Quanjude and Bianyifang, two centuries old establishments which have become household names.

If you plan to visit China, this is just what you can't miss.

Hsi Hta Minn (Cooked Yellow Sticky-Rice)

Consuming relishes and savory snacks is the entrenched habit of Myanmar people. The Myanmar word for snack is 'ThaYayZar', which literally means as food for the salivary glands. Therefore, not only in the cities, but also in towns and villages, you can easily find a plethora of shops, stalls, mobile vendors and hawkers selling every imaginable kind of food, drink and snacks day and night.

The major ingredient of Myanmar snack is rice or sticky rice powder. Some snacks of rice powder are mixed with jaggery to make baked, steamed or fried snacks.


Hsi Hta Minn (Cooked Yellow Sticky-Rice)

In the morning, Myanmars usually have warm or hot snacks as their breakfast. 'Hsi Hta Minn' is one of the snacks that Myanmars regard as the breakfast. It can be found in every market in Myanmar.


Here is the recipe for 'Hsi Hta Minn'.



Ingredients

1. Sticky Rice (i.e. Glutinous Rice)

2. Oil (Peanut oil is preferable for nice smell)

3. Turmeric Powder (for yellowish colour)

4. Salted Roasted-Peanut Powder

5. Coconut Shreds

6. Sugar (can also use Tapioca Powder)


Cooking Steps

1. Wash the Sticky Rice and filter.

2. Heat the deep frying pan and pour oil.

3. Add the Turmeric Powder to heated oil.

4. Add the washed Sticky Rice.

5. Add Sugar or Tapioca Powder and stir.

6. Add water and stir the ingredients.

7. Cover the pan and cook until the Sticky Rice is fully cooked.


'Hsi Hta Minn' is served by sprinkling the salted roasted-peanut powder and coconut shreds on it. Most people like to eat the crust of 'Hsi Hta Minn'. 'Hsi Hta Minn' can also be consumed together with grilled dried-fish.

Photo source: http://warwar81.blogspot.com;

SINGAPORE PRAWN LAKSA NOODLE

i want to introduce singapore prawn laksa noodle to my friends.....its a singapore noodle....mostly same like our traditional coconut noodle(ohne no' khaut swal)its a famous singapore food...and easy to make....deleicious....i hope u all like this...ok now we go for prepare
To prepare the prawn laksa u need ...

1.Udon noodle..........60 gm

2.Water Prawn...(headless shelless).......300 gm

3.Fried Tofu(Bean curd).......120gm

4.Boiled Egg..........1pcs

5.Chicken Stock............0.5liter

6.Laksa Paste......

7.Fish Sauce.........1Table spoon..

8.Seasoning...(salt,chicken powder)

9.Bean Sprots..(Boiled)

10.Lime leaf......3 pcs..

11.Lime juice.....2teaspoon

12.Coconut Milk.......150gm

13.Corn Oil.........3Tablespoon

14.Corieander Leaf......5gm(for garnish)

1.Take a pot and add the water for boil the Udon noodle...don't forget to add some oil into the boiled water..to avoid the noodle becomes stick...boiled for 5 minutes enough.....

2.Let the noodle cold set a side....

3.Saute' the laksa paste to become brown and the flavours come out....after that add lime leaf....and the add coconut milk and lime juice.....stir slowly...with slow fire......add the prawns into the paste and let them cook....after that add the stock...and boil for 20 minutes....with slow fire.....add the seasoning...if correct the seasoning put the noodle in a bowl and prepare it nicely...after that you are ready to eat....Boiled Beansprot and Corieander Leaf for Garnish..

Ps..Laksa is easy to buy in big supermarkets...and food centers..but i will give a home made recepie..its more specieal....For the paste..... and u can use chicken beef whatever u like....and put some vegetables is fine....

1.Onion 50gm

2.Garlic 30gm

3.Shrimp Paste 5gm

4.Tumeric 5gm

5.Tamarind Paste 3gm

6.Dried Shrimp(soaked) 5gm

7.Ginger 50gm

8.Lemongrass 80gm

9.Galanger 50gm

10.Red Chilli 20gm

Combine all the ingredients together into the food processor or blender and mixed well to be a smooth paste....

If i have something wrong please pardom me.....and enjooy your meal..

Wet Thar Dote Htoe (Pork Stick)

Hi everybody let me talk to you about my very favourite Myanmar food, wet thar dote htoe (pork stick).

Have you ever tried pork stick? Countless pork stick booths can be seen on the streets. It is very popular. Pork stick is a kind of snack, pork put onto a stick. It is not the same as pork curry, it is mixed with sweet spices and just the delicious smell of it can make you feel hungry.

This snack’s origin is China but it has been adapted as a traditional snack for more than 50 years in Myanmar.



Various parts of the pig are cooked with soy-bean sauce and seasoning. The parts include carious internal organs like intestine, liver, kidney, spleen, heart, lungs, tongue as well as meat, skin and cartilage. They are then cut into small pieces, and put on tiny bamboo sticks and served. The vendor usually sells on the road side, with all the food served on a large metal pan with charcoal stove underneath. Customers sit around the pan and eat the food dipped in sauce. The meat is really delicious. If you want to try one, just walk in the streets of downtown Yangon. There are many shops there.

Now I really miss Wet Thar Dote Htoe and start to feel hungry. Similar Wet Thar Dote Htoe can be got in Singapore but taste is very different. If you come to our country and eat it, you will know it.

^_^

Bu Thee Gyaw (Crispy Gourd Fritters)

Bu Thee Gyaw (Crispy Gourd Fritters) are one of the most popular traditional snack foods in Myanmar.

ALMOST everywhere you go in Myanmar you will see men and women squatting by the side of the road next to a blazing fire, tending a frying pan half-filled with oil is placed.

These street vendors are preparing bu thee gyaw or crispy gourd fritters, a popular Myanmar snack food.

The dish consists of gourd strips dipped in a rice flour batter and deep-fried in smoking-hot oil.

This snack is most frequently sold on the street, at intersections, bus stops and markets, but can also be ordered in restaurants.

By far the most authentic way to enjoy this snack, however, is at small roadside teashops that are found all over Myanmar.

While waiting for the oil to heat, the vendor prepares the fritters. A young tender gourd is cut into finger-like strips before being soaked in the batter. When wisps of smoke start to rise from the surface of the oil, the gourd fingers are dropped in and are not taken out until they turn golden brown.

Small tables nearby bear a couple of tea cups, a pot of plain tea, a plate of lettuce, coriander leaves, and a small dish of sauce. Low stools stand around the tables waiting for customers to fill them.

The sauce served with bu thee gyaw is a concoction of hot chilli pulp, garlic and tamarind juice.

While you wait for your snack to be prepared you can drink tea, which is on the house, and watch the gourd fritters swimming in the oil while the fire underneath crackles and blazes.

At last the bu thee gyaw come out of the sizzling oil and are placed on your table. They are usually eaten with lettuce, coriander leaves and the spicy chilli, garlic and tamarind sauce, with hot tea as a chaser.

For lazy cooks, it is a great makeshift meal. You dip a bite-sized fritter in the sauce, add a morsel of steamed rice and top it with a lettuce leaf for a complete meal. It also makes an easy, quick and cheap appetiser for those times when guests drop by unexpectedly.

So some people say “At least once a week we cannot help eating bu thee gyaw”.

This simple food was even the preferred snack of the Myanmar kings, or so the story goes.

If you would like to try making your own gourd fritters, here's the recipe:

one large young gourd
200 grams of rice flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sodium bicarbonate
½ litre water
½ litre oil for frying

Slice the gourd into thin fingers. Mix the rice flour, salt, sodium bicarbonate and water to make a runny batter. Heat the oil. Once the oil starts to smoke, dip the gourd fingers into the batter and fry until golden brown. And then, enjoy!

Japanese Food - Sushi

In here i would like to talk about Japanese famous food - Sushi

This is another of the many foods Japan obtained from China, this one coming in about 2,500 years ago. It originally meant "sour-tasting food." This was probably because the sushi was prepared by pickling pieces of salted fish and shellfish in cooked rice.

In spite of common misperception, sushi is not raw fish. Sushi actually refers to the vinegar and rice used in making sushi. The "su" refers to vinegar, and the "shi" refers to the cooked rice. The vinegar/rice portion is often topped with raw fish which is why most people think sushi means raw fish.

During the Nara Era (710-794) sushi achieved gourmet status and was even given to dignitaries. That particular kind also used wild boar and deer meat in addition to fish.

Modern-day sushi did not come about until late in the Edo Era (1600-1868). This was started with the opening of a sushi shop in Edo (downtown old Tokyo). Period living in Edo liked sashimi, which are slices of raw fish. Hanaya Yohei, the shop's proprietor, invented a new dish by placing a piece of raw fish on top of a small amount of vinegared rice pressed together into a small mound. Customers then would dip the freshly made sushi into soy sauce. He had created Japan's best-known fast-food.

Some type of sushi include:
-Edomaezushi

-Hakozushi (pressed sushi)

-Maki Sushi (rolled sushi)

-Inari Sushi (Soybean pouch filled with sushi rice)

-Temaki sushi (hand-rolled sushi with vegetables or seafood wrapped in sushi rice then shaped into a cone)

-Chirashi sushi (bowl of sushi rife topped with seafood or vegetables)

-Nigiri sushi (hand formed sushi rice ball topped with sliced seafood)

Maki Sushi, or rolled sushi, refers to rice with various toppings rolled in a piece of nori (seaweed), and then but into pieces.

There are several varieties of rolled sushi. These include Tekka Maki (tuna roll); Kappa Maki (cucumber roll); Ikkura Maki (salmon roe roll); Tsuna Maki (cooked tuna roll); Kampyo Maki (dried gourd shavings roll); and Shiso Maki (sushi rice with shredded shiso).

There is also a form of Maki Sushi referred to as Futomaki Sushi. This is a larger variety of Maki Sushi that has a mix of ingredients in it. Standard ingredients include a mix of the following items: tamagoyaki (fried egg roll), kani (crab), kanpyo (rehydrated dried gourd shavings), shiitake (rehydrated dried Chinese mushrooms), maguro raw tuna, unagi (eel cooked in sweetened mirin and soy sauce), salad leaves and cucumber.

In the U.S. we have a variety of Maki Sushi which is called the California Roll. It contains tuna, avocado, lettuce and mayonnaise.

Desserts in Myanmar

Burmese tend to prefer tea to coffee. Hot-Milk Tea is a common choice to be served during or after the meal. The reason is simply because, Myanmar Tea Leaves have a special aroma and it is handpicked from the mountainous region of Myanmar.

For the health-conscious folks, Avocado fresh juice in Myanmar style is recommended to relish.

A Taste Of Myanmar Cuisine

Traditionally, Myanmar cuisines are based on rice and main dishes of poultry such as chicken, pork and seafood. However, beef is not consumed by the majority of Burmese. Vegetable salads, are usually served to compliment the unique flavor of sweet and sour.

The methods of food preparation vary depending on the region and ethnicity as the country itself is populated with multi-ethnic diversity. In addition, due to the influx of Chinese and Indians immigrants in the past had also brought together to give birth a unique flavor of sweet, sour and mild spicy Myanmar cuisines.

Exotic Crispy Water Pancake (Ye Mont)

Delicious Myanmar snack commonly sold in the market and Pagoda festival around the country. It is also a best seller food item in the annual food festival night of December every year.

Pancake is in fact a snack of the evening enjoyed during the relaxing stroll around the festival grounds in the cool of the night.

Require Kitchen Utensils

Flat Pan or Frying Pan, Brush, Medium Size Soup ladle and Turner.

Ingredients

There are many varieties of rice in Myanmar from super grade Fragrant/Aromatic "Paw Hsan Hmway" to the less refined hard grain "Nga Sein" with which such rice based snacks are made. I will recommend not to use the fragrant rice and use the lower grade hard grain rice.

Rice Flour 300 g (2 cups)

However, if you are really adventurous and want to experiment the professional’s ways, use this method.

Wash the rice and sock in the clean water for overnight. Then put in the grinding wheel. For you, put into the blender and grind it with highest speed. Put the fine ground wet dough into (very thin) cotton beg and hang it for some time to drain out water.

2 Eggs

¼ teaspoon Baking Soda (Bicarbonate Soda)

1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger

3 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (spring onions can be substituted)

2 table spoons vegetable oil

100 g (1/2 cup) cow pea (garden peas can be substituted)

Methods

Mix the rice flour (or wet dough) with salt, baking soda, ginger in a bowl. (If you used the rice flour, add half cup of cold water into the mixture.)

Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add into the mixture.

Mix it well.

Add the remaining water and stir slowly until the mixture is completely syrupy but not too thick.

(The thickness of the mixture is important.)

Heat the flat pan or frying pan.

Brush the surface with vegetable oil.

When the pan is reasonably hot, pour the rice batter (about 2 to 2-½ tablespoon) with medium size soup ladle and spread it thins circularly.

Lightly brush the pancake with a little oil to make it crisp and sprinkle with boiled peas and coriander leaves (or spring onion). Cook for 3 to 4 minutes till underside is crisp. Fold in half (with Fish Slice) and cook for further ½ to 1minute on each side. Remove it onto plate and serve it hot.

Pickled Tea (Laphet)

Young and old in Myanmar fond of the pickled tea (laphet), which is a traditional delicacy. The laphet, mixed with fried garlic, sesame and groundnut, is served at merit sharing ceremonies and weddings. It depicts friendship and hospitality. It has a mixed taste of light, sweet and bitter. These tealeaves are also a kind of herbal leaves and largely grown in Palaung Hills in North east of Myanmar. The tea leaves like cool weather thriving at a place of high and shady trees at a place of 4 thousand feet high above sea level. The tea sprouts are harvested between April and October every year. Two leaves and a sprout at the top of the tea plant are plucked gently. Tea leaves plucked before April are the best.

After plucking the tealeaves, they are kept in open air to keep away from heat. Later, the tealeaves are put in an oven and steamed for 5 minutes. Then, the tealeaves are spread on a short table and rolled by a team of worker. Rolled tealeaves filled big baskets in no time by collective work of Palaung youths. Plastic sheets are spread in the baskets to save the tealeaves from softening and getting rot. And then stones are put on the leaves for tenderising.

After tenderising for 2 days, the pickled tealeaves are sieved for separation of tender and rough leaves. Rough leaves are cut and then mixed with tender leaves. Then we can have a plate of delicious pickled tea (laphet), which is rich in mixed light sweet/and bitter tastes. :)

Myanmar Food

Myanmar food has its own special identity. Although it draws on its’ neighbors, it is neither as hot as Thai, as spicy as Indian nor does it resemble Chinese cooking much except in the stir-fry vegetables. Nowadays various kinds of Myanmar food and snacks are available in the street stalls, market stalls and local restaurants. Also most of hotels in different destinations offer Myanmar set menus, which allows visitors to try the taste of the Myanmar cuisine.

Myanmar dining tables are round and low-footed. Family members sit on the mat around the table to have meals. Unlike the Western kitchen, food is not served in courses. Dishes with different items are spread out on the table for people to take themselves form onto their plates. Food is eaten with the fingers of the right hand. Homes in cities and towns have dining tables and chairs, some people eat with fork and spoon.

Table manners

We talk about food, food culture and also some other useful or interesting things related to them here in the blog. Today, our topic is – table manners, one of the most important food cultures.

As a visitor or guest in either a home or restaurant you will find that table manners are essential and the distinctive courtesies displayed will invariably add to the enjoyment of your meals and keep you in high spirits. It is really an admirable custom to respect others at the table.


Firstly, let’s talk about the table manners of China.

China lies in the east of Asia, famous for its abundance and exquisite, Chinese food culture has occupied an important part in the nation's tradition cultures. Chinese people stress filial piety. The practice of and presenting the best or fine food first to the senior members of the family has been observed for countless generations. There is also a strictly requirement of arranging the order of the seats in formal occasions. Before starting to eat dinner, the host may offer some words of greeting. Guests should not start to eat before that, otherwise it suggests disrespect and causes displeasure.


Secondly, we take a look at some special Japanese table rules.

Nowadays, Japan is a more and more popular modern tourist city. People who are interested in travelling may feel helpful to know the food culture there. In Japan, you say ‘itadakimasu’ (means ‘I will start to eat’) before eating, and "gochisosama" (means‘Thank you for the meal’) after finishing the meal. We can easily hear these words in Japanese teleplay which seems as basic proprieties. It is considered good manners to empty your dishes to the last grain of rice. After eating, try to move all your dishes back to the same position they were at the start of the meal.

After focusing on two asian countries, thirdly, we concentrate on western country.
Britain is famous for Gentlemanliness, they advocate proprieties and appearance. When it comes to table manners, several points you need to pay more attention to. For instance, putting the hands below the table is considered as disrespect. It means even something falling onto the floor, do not pick it up during the meal. When you have meal together with Britisher, try your best to avoid making noise of tableware. Smoking during the eating time is also disrespectful either.


In above paragraphs, we focused on showing some table manners according to our experiences and the information we collected. These are just a few distinctive table manners we picked out and coordinated to share with everybody. If there are something wrong or inaccurate, any criticism or suggestion is welcome, and again, please let us know your opinion after reading the article. Thank you ^_^~

Welcome

Welcome here~~~~~~~~~~~


We are all interested in FOOD, one of the most popular topics around the world, without exception for Singapore. There are five members of our blog team, we five respectively come from Burma and China.


We would like to share the information and perspectives with all of you wherever you come from. We hope it could make sense to you during your colorful trips to other countries, bring you more fun, and every one may also make friends here. At the same time, we eagerly look forward you to come, comment, join in the discussion, and also give us some precious suggestion in various aspects (e.g. topics, content, blog design and so on). ^_^


We will keep on updating and enriching the blog, so please pay continuous attention to us, thank you sooooooo much~