Papa C. Kitchen: Dumplings

Dumplings take a good half day to make, but you end up with about ten meals' worth of food (you can freeze them and they'll last for a couple of weeks). The key is to get a really dense, pasty filling; the cabbage will release a lot of water once you shred it, so make sure you squeeze as much water out of it as possible--just ball it up and squeeze (girls may not have the upper body strength).

Ingredients:

3 pounds ground pork

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons + 1/4 cup sesame oil

2 teaspoons + 1 tablespoon white pepper

1 head cabbage

1 bunch scallions

1 bunch chives

2 ounces ginger

1/2 cup soy paste

1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorn powder

1 pound dumpling wrappers

Directions:

In a bowl, mix ground pork, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and 2 teaspoons white pepper, and set aside. Meanwhile, in a food processor, shred cabbage, scallions, chives, and ginger. Squeeze as much water out of the cabbage as possible, then combine vegetables and pork in a large bowl. Add remaining sesame oil and white pepper, soy paste, and peppercorn powder, and mix well.

To wrap your dumplings:

Place about two teaspoons of filling onto the center of a wrapper. Dab water on the perimeter and fold the wrapper, pinching the middle. Make three folds on each side, with the last fold closing each end.

To boil dumplings:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add your dumplings. When the water starts to boil, add a half cup of cold water to stop the boiling. Your dumplings are done when the wrappers start to look puffy.

To pan fry/steam dumplings:
Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat, then add your dumplings. When the bottoms are browned, add a half cup of water, then cover to let steam. Your dumplings are done when the water has evaporated.

Booday Cafe 蘑菇

Booday Cafe is owned by a couple who also owns a design and advertising firm and edit a prominent lifestyle magazine. Every floor in the building is some extension of their company; the first floor is their t-shirt and merchandise shop, the second floor is the cafe, and the third and fourth floors are their offices.

Booday Cafe is one place where I have never had a single bad thing. Their savory items are good (like chicken and quiche), but my favorite is their pastries and cakes. On this visit, I had their lemon tart and banana bread. The lemon tart tastes so juicy and fresh, and the filling is really creamy. The banana bread isn't as rich or sweet as ones I've had in America, which I like--it's more like bread than cake. It's not quite as moist as most banana breads, but it's still really soft and bouncy. I also recommend the blueberry cake and vanilla crepe!

If you come here, check out the first floor (their shop), too; they carry their own t-shirts and bags, as well as random little things, like jewelry and stationary, from independent artists. And if you can read Chinese, I think their magazine is definitely worth buying; their articles are incredibly unique, well-written, and thoughtful.

One thing I like the most about the couple who owns Booday is that they are not in the business to make money; they are doing it to preserve and enhance culture, and to promote quality of life. While most of the places I've written about in Taiwan are more traditional Taiwanese, the Booday owners respect traditional culture while maintaining modern, relevant ideas--it doesn't show so much in their food, but their business plan shows how actively they support local talent. Their utensils, furniture, and merchandise are all sourced from artists and small business owners who love and help preserve Taiwanese culture. They really are a business that deserves to be supported, so go have cake or buy something!

Booday 蘑菇
http://www.mogu.com.tw/index.php
No. 18-1, Lane 25, Nanjing W. Rd.
台北市南京西路25巷18-1號

Emperor Foods 君悅排骨

A few weeks ago I posted about this place already, but I didn't write anything, and some people have been telling me I'd cheaped out. (You can see that post here). And honestly, it deserves a lot of praise and business.

Emperor Foods makes the most incredible fried pork chop. The outside is so crispy and slightly peppery, and the meat is incredibly succulent and fatty. It is the most glorious, beautiful piece of pork ever.

You can get the pork chop with either noodles or rice. The noodles are pretty simple; they're thin noodles in a light pork broth with bean sprouts, cabbage, and black pepper. The rice is kind of a Taiwanese style bibimbap, with various toppings that are different every day. They're both great, although I prefer the noodles--the pork chop with a ton of toppings can get heavy, so I like a light, clear broth instead.

This place really ruined Taiwanese food in America for me. There's a place in New York's Chinatown called Excellent Pork Chop House, but it is really far from excellent, especially when you've had Emperor Foods. Really, the pork chop here will make you feel like no other pork chop is good.

Emperor Foods 君悅排骨
Various locations
*This chain doesn't have a website, but you can Google it and find your nearest location

Papa C. Kitchen: Beef noodles

Not sure what to do with that jar of spicy bean paste left over from jajiangmian? Make beef noodles!

You can really use any cut of beef, but my dad uses a tougher cut (like brisket or chuck); it takes a longer time to cook, but you're going to get the best flavor, and you can make it just as tender as a fattier cut. You're going to find a million recipes for beef noodles, but save yourself some time and stop looking--this is the best.

Ingredients:
3 pounds brisket, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons oil
1 large handful garlic cloves, smashed*
1 large handful ginger, roughly chopped*
2 tablespoons spicy bean paste
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine
2 large handfuls scallions, roughly chopped*
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt, as needed
2 pounds noodles
*You're going to take out the garlic, ginger, and scallions later, so leave them in very large pieces to make it easier.

Directions:
Place the brisket in a large pot, and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil until beef is thoroughly cooked, then drain. Rinse the beef under cold water, then set aside. In a large pan over medium-high heat, saute garlic and ginger until fragrant and slightly browned, about two minutes. Add spicy bean paste, and saute for another five minutes. Add the beef into the pan and stir well. Add soy sauce, rice wine, scallions and sugar. Transfer everything into a pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer for two hours. Remove from heat, and pick out the the pieces of beef. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve, and discard the little gross bits. Return the beef to the broth. You can keep simmering it for a bit, or serve immediately over noodles. 

 

Eat it with bok choy, green garlic, and cilantro!