Fuschia Dunlop on Magic Ingredients & a recipe

[justaprogressive]

Who is Fuschia Dunlop? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuchsia_Dunlop

Hello fellow wokkers

MAGIC INGREDIENTS

One of the reasons simple Chinese cooking is so exciting is the use of what
I think of as magic ingredients: richly flavored seasonings that transform
common foods into delicacies fit for an emperor. Just as the Italians might
use a sprinkle of Parmesan to awaken the tastes of an entire plateful of
pasta, or shave white truffle over a simple poached egg to turn it into
something ambrosial, Chinese cooks use small amounts of dried shiitake
mushrooms, soy sauce, preserved vegetables, dried shrimp and other
seasonings to enhance the flavors of fresh produce. Getting to know these
magic ingredients is the key to making largely vegetarian ingredients taste
so delicious that you won’t miss meat at all.

A NOTE ON UMAMI

The word “umami” has come to refer to the rich, savory tastes of some
ingredients. It was first used in this way in 1908 by a Japanese scientist who
discovered that the irresistible savory taste of kombu seaweed came from its
natural glutamates; “umami” was the name he gave to their taste.
Many of the foods that cooks have used for centuries to create intense
savory flavors—such as cured hams, Parmesan and dried fish—are now
known to be rich in umami compounds. Umami, it turns out, is just a new
word for something good cooks have known about for a very long time. I
find umami an invaluable concept in thinking about food, so I use it freely
in this book

Black fermented soy beans

Fermented tofu

Sichuanese chilli bean paste

Sweet fermented sauce

Preserved vegetables
A wide variety of salt-preserved and brine-pickled vegetables are used
across China for their salt-sour, umami flavors. They add a delicious savory
richness to all kinds of dishes, and are particularly exciting with fresh peas
and beans. If you’ve ever eaten Sichuanese dry-fried beans and wondered
about those utterly delicious dark crinkly bits that cling to the beans, they
are one of these preserves, Sichuanese ya cai.

Dried shiitake mushrooms

Cured ham

Dried shimps

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Recipe:

FISH-FRAGRANT EGGPLANT
YU XIANG QIE ZI

1¼ lbs (600g) eggplant
Salt
Cooking oil, for deep-frying (1½ cups plus 2 tbsp/400ml will do if
you are using a round-bottomed wok)
1½ tbsp Sichuanese chilli bean paste, or Sichuan pickled chilli
paste, or a mixture of the two
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
⅔ cup (150ml) chicken stock
2 tsp sugar
¾ tsp potato flour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
2 tsp Chinkiang vinegar
4 tbsp finely sliced spring onion greens

Cut the eggplant lengthways into three thick slices, then cut these into
evenly sized batons. Sprinkle them with salt, mix well and leave in a
colander for at least 30 minutes to drain.
In a wok, heat the oil for deep-frying to 350°F (180°C). Add the eggplant in
batches and deep-fry for three to four minutes until slightly golden on the
outside and soft and buttery within. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Drain the deep-frying oil, rinse the wok if necessary, then return it to a
medium flame. When the wok is hot again, add 3 tbsp of oil. Add the chilli
bean paste and stir-fry until the oil is red and fragrant, then add the ginger
and garlic and continue to stir-fry until you can smell their aromas. Take
care not to burn these seasonings; remove the wok from the heat for a few
seconds if necessary to control the temperature (you want a gentle, coaxing
sizzle, not a scorching heat).
Add the stock and sugar and mix well. Season with salt to taste if necessary.
Add the fried eggplant to the sauce and let them simmer gently for a minute
or so to absorb some of the flavors. Then stir the potato flour mixture, pour
it over the eggplant and stir in gently to thicken the sauce. Add the vinegar
and spring onions and stir a few times, then serve.

From Every Grain of Rice

]https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13707601-every-grain-of-rice