| Snicker....
I know the feeling. Perhaps while folks are searching their
chinese cookbooks for entries on Dried Chestnuts, they can
also look for an entry on Dried White Fungus - it's a very
frilly white fungus, large (a hand's width), and very delicate
in texture and taste when soaked up and cooked. I haven't
figured out exactly what to do with it, and it has sat in the
cupboard for about 2 years now. You can't exactly use something
that delicate as you would use the less delicate black wood-ear
fungi. It might be good in one of the dishes that has a white-ish
sauce, like Mu Gu Guy Pan. Does anyone have a good recipe for that?
--Louise, who gets carried away in the South East Asian store in
Lowell on a regular basis, and usually when only non-English speakers
are minding the shop.
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| Dried chestnuts are usually used in Chinese "red-cooked" dishes,
which are basically stews. They consist of meat (just about any
kind--pork is always nice) in chunks, and a sauce made of stock
or water, soy sauce, sugar, slices of fresh ginger, garlic, and
scallions cut in 2" lengths. Optional ingredients include hoisin
sauce, five-spice powder, vinegar, more vegies (such as carrots),
or whatever you like.
You just dump everything in a pot together (including the dried
chestnuts) and cook till tender. The sauce will be salty-sweet,
and look dark reddish-brown. Just look in any good Chinese cookbook.
The French also used dried chestnuts in chestnut soup. Just dump
about a cup of cleaned dried chestnuts into a quart of chicken or
light veal stock, add a chopped onion, and bring to a boil. Simmer
until the chestnuts are soft, about an hour, then puree. Add salt
and pepper to taste. The soup will taste rather smoky and exotic.
It's not suitable for summer unless there's a freakish cold day--but
in winter it's great.
You can pre-soak the chestnuts in either of the above recipes.
I don't bother, since they'll get soaked plenty while they cook.
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| Well, I hope the things you think are dried chestnuts are clearly
labelled as such. I almost bought Betel nuts this weekend, thinking
they were dried chestnuts. They *looked* like I'd expect dried
chestnuts to look! Luckily, the clerk put me straight.
Another day in the South East Asian Shop...
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| RE: .4
Boy, did YOU almost get a nasty surprise! Betel nuts are a stimulant--never
tried them, personally, but I think they're more or less the Southeast Asian
equivalent of strong black coffee. A red-cooked dish made with betel nuts
would probably pack quite a kick.
--PSW
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