“Crossing the Bridge Noodles” is perhaps the best known dish from Yunnan Province in China. Located South of Sichuan Province and bordering on Burma, the food reflects elements of both.

The origin of the name is obscured in history, but has something to do with a scholar studying for exams, and his thoughtful wife bringing him noodles from the other side of the bridge. There are many variants on the dish, but the one constant is rice noodles which are typically used in that area.

The following recipe is adapted from one by cookbook author Fuchsia Dunlop

Crossing the Bridge Noodles   過橋米線

(4 servings)

8 dried Chinese black mushrooms (called “Dong Gu”)*

8 oz. dried rice noodles (aka “rice sticks”)*

¼ lb squid tubes, cleaned

¼ lb, medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 small chicken breast

1 bunch spinach, cleaned, and washed

¼ lb. thinly sliced prosciutto (similar to cured Yunnanese ham)

6 cups chicken broth

3 Tablespoons rice bran oil, peanut oil*,  or canola oil

2 tablespoons Shao Xing rice wine*, or dry sherry

5 scallions, both white and green part, sliced

1 tablespooon minced peeled ginger

Salt to taste

Cilantro leaves for garnish

Soak the mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes, drain, and set aside. Prepare the rice noodles according to their package, drain, and set aside. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil for blanching the ingredients. Slice the squid into small rings. Blanch the squid in the boiling water for 1 minute then remove with a strainer. Slice the shrimp length-wise and blanch for 1 minute, then remove with a strainer. Slice the chicken paper-thin and blanch for 1 minute, then remove with a strainer.  Blanch the spinach for 1 minute, drain, and set aside.

In a large covered pot, bring the chicken stock, vegetable oil, Shaoxing rice wine, green onions, ginger, and salt to a rolling boil for 1 minute. Into each of four large ceramic soup bowls, place 1/4 of the noodles. On top of the noodles, place 1/4 of the squid, shrimp, chicken, spinach, and prosciutto. Pour the boiling broth into the bowls and let them sit for 2 minutes. Top each bowl with a little cilantro and serve.

* available at Sun Sun, 8 Oxford Street, Boston Chinatown, or at any Asian grocery or supermarket.

written by Jim Becker-Chinatown tour guide

The first reference to the dish we know and love today is from 1330, and the first restaurant to specialize in Peking Duck was established in Beijing in 1416.

Peking Duck is traditionally roasted in a closed brick oven preheated with sorghum straw. The duck is placed in the oven immediately after the fire burns out to slowly cook through the convection of heat remaining within the oven. Before roasting, the duck is plucked, eviscerated and rinsed with cool water. Air is pumped through the neck cavity under the skin in order to separate the skin and fat. After a brief soaking in boiling water, the duck is hung to dry and brushed with maltose syrup.

Peking Duck is traditionally served in three courses. The crackling, crisp skin is served in thin wheat pancakes with scallions and a sauce called Tian Mian Jiang. The sauce is made from fermented wheat flour, sugar, salt, and fermented yellow soybeans. Tian Mian Jiang is available in Asian markets under the name “sweet bean sauce”. In the United States, some places use hoisin sauce as a substitute, but this is not as authentic. The duck meat is stir fried with vegetables as a second course and can be and served with noodles. The carcass and bones are made into a rich fragrant soup.

The best place to experience Peking Duck here in the Boston area is at China King in Chinatown.  With 24 hours notice, and for a mere $38, owners Erwin and Doris Mei will serve up a feast that will easily feed four people.

China King is located at 60 Beach Street, on the corner of Oxford,  and can be reached at  617- 542 -1763.

Written by Jim Becker-Chinatown guide

Chinatown is bustling during this time of year, with people preparing for Qing Ming. It seems the spirits have a fondness for roast pork and egg custard tartlets, or so the lines at the bakeries and the BBQ shops would suggest. The groceries provide incense and ancestor money (often labeled “Heaven Bank Notes”) to burn at the graves.

Qing Ming is also one of the first opportunities people have to spend time outside since the cold winter months, so it is also a popular day for kite flying and other outdoor activities. Kites are also flown after dark, with colored lanterns tied to the strings that hold them. People often cut the string allowing the kite to fly away, with the belief that it will bring them good luck.

The day also marks the cut off date for picking the highest grade teas in China. Green teas picked before this date are considered to be the best quality. Known as “Pre-Qing Ming” these teas are priced considerably higher than those picked after this date.

 written by Jim Becker, Chinatown guide 

Preserving duck eggs was originally done out of necessity. Chinese raised ducks, but preferred to eat hen eggs fresh, so they came up with a method to preserve the duck eggs for another use. The process for curing the eggs dates back 600 years to the Ming Dynasty, and was thought to have originated in Hunan.

Century Eggs are eaten sliced, with a bit of slivered ginger and toasted sesame oil. Alternately, they can be wrapped in pickled ginger and eaten on a skewer; eaten with chilled silken tofu with slivered scallions, spring ginger, soy sauce or oyster sauce and sesame oil;  or with black vinegar, mint and hot chilies. Simplest of all,  they are added to rice congee for breakfast.

Somewhat reminiscent of blue cheese, century eggs are an acquired taste, but they do grow on you.

They can be purchased by the package at Sun Sun Company located at 8 Oxford Street in Chinatown, or in any well-stocked Asian market.

written by Jim Becker, Chinatown Guide

All of the participants in the study had at least three major cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, obesity or smoking prior to commencing the study, and ranged in age from 55 to 80.

Those in the olive oil group had a 28 percent reduction in risk compared to the control group. Those in the mixed nut group had a similar reduction in cardiovascular risk. The same results occurred when the two groups’ diets were combined and compared to the control group.

Until recently evidence that a Mediterranean diet could substantially reduce the risk of heart disease was based mostly on circumstantial evidence. It was well known that people in Mediterranean countries had a lower risk, but it could not be proven as to whether the key could be found in diet, or attributed to other factors.

Then, along came Dr. Estuch. The results were so startlingly clear that researchers felt confident in saying that they support the use of the Mediterranean diet as a means “primary prevention of heart disease”.

Adopting a Mediterranean diet is the healthiest way to eat. Nothing new here for us, we’ve been showcasing this for almost 20 years and we feel quite flattered that our information has been verified. However, the ingredients are the key players and with all of the fraudulent foods out there, shouldn’t you know what to buy? Do you know that at least 50% of the extra virgin olive oil on the market doesn’t have olives in it! Join us and learn how to distinguish the best from the rest and open the door to countless culinary possibilities and good health.

written by Jim Becker and Michele

If you want this to be your lucky year as well, there is no better way to learn how than by touring with us in Chinatown on Sunday, February 17th. This once a year event will introduce you to Chinatown on it’s busiest, nosiest, and best of all- tastiest day of the year. And to sweeten up your Year of the Snake, check out our recipe for Chinese New Year Cake (Nian Gao 年高) at http://www.bostonfoodtours.com/recipes-tips/chinese/

Time and Rate:

Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 12:30 pm

$130.00  per person plus 5% tax

Tickets:

For tickets and information call our Boston Food Tours office: 617-523-6032. Confirmation and meeting information will be sent upon booking.

Nian Gao can be eaten in thin slices, or dipped in egg and pan-fried in a bit of oil to warm and crisp it.

Nian Gao

3 1/4 cups glutinous rice flour (available in Asian markets)

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

8 ounces boiling water, plus additional for soaking dates

1 c. cup Chinese dates , also called Jujubes (available in Asian markets)

about half a cup of water, used as needed

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon peanut, rice bran or canola oil

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the boiling water and the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Let cool. Soak the Chinese red dates in boiling water to cover for 30 minutes. Drain, cut in half and remove pits.

Place the glutinous rice flour in a large bowl. Add the the dissolved sugar and water and combine to make a dough. Add a little water at a time, until you have a dough that feels smooth and looks shiny. Mix in about half of the red dates, setting the rest aside. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with the oil. Place the dough in the cake pan and spread it out to the edges. Place the remaining red dates on top gently pushing them down onto the surface. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the cake.

You can steam the cake in a wok, with a cake rack and a wok cover. Fill the wok with enough water to come to the bottom of the cake pan when placed on the rack. Bring the water to a boil. Place the cake pan on the rack, cover the wok with the lid, or with foil, and steam about 50 minutes.

Test by inserting a chopstick in the center (This is Chinese after all). It should come out clean, and the edges of the cake should have pulled away slightly from the sides of the pan. Loosen the cake with a knife, and use a spatula to remove to a plate. Cover with foil and refrigerate.

Serve in slices as is, or pan fry until slightly crisp.

written by Jim Becker, Chinatown Guide

Bak Chit Gai

One 3 to 4 lb. free-range chicken

4 tsp. kosher salt

One  2” piece ginger

4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed

2 tbs. Asian sesame oil

¼ c. minced or julienned scallions (both green and white parts)

¼ c. julienned ginger (peeled ginger, sliced into thin “coins”, stacked and cut into very fine julienne)

¼ c. Chinese peanut oil, or rice bran oil.

1 bunch cilantro, washed and picked into sprigs

Remove any clumps of fat from the chicken. Wash thoroughly both inside and out with running water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Bring 3 quarts of water with the ginger, garlic and 3 tsp. of the salt to a boil in a pot large enough to hold the chicken. Carefully submerge the chicken into the pot. (A good trick is to insert a pair of chopsticks through the body of the chicken, and, holding it by the chopsticks over the pot, carefully slide the chicken into the boiling water). When the water returns to a rolling boil, skim any scum that appears on the surface.

Turn off the heat, and cover the pot with a secure lid. Allow the chicken to cook in the hot water for 30 minutes, without removing the lid. When the 30 minutes is up, remove the cover, and use a sharp knife in the thigh to make sure any juices are running clear. Alternately insert a thermometer into the thigh, which should register 160 degrees.

Carefully remove the chicken to a colander in the sink.  Prepare a bowl of ice water, large enough to immerse the chicken in. Plunge the chicken into the ice water, just to stop the cooking process. Remove the chicken back to the colander and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the chicken with the sesame oil.

Combine the scallions, ginger and the remaining salt in a small heatproof dish. In a small pan, heat the peanut or rice bran oil until hot but not smoking. Carefully pour the oil over the ginger scallion mixture.

To serve: On a cutting board, chop the chicken into bite size pieces. Arrange on a platter, garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve warm or at room temperature with the ginger scallion sauce. Plain white rice is the traditional accompaniment.

written by Jim Becker, Chinatown Guide

Things that we’ve had enough of in Italian restaurants-

• Dishes served out of season. Not only does the in season food supply contain more nutrients, it supports health and energy and reduces the carbon footprint. Osso bucco is a winter dish. Vitello tonnato is a summer dish. See below.

• Caprese Salad served out of season. If you can’t get fresh garden- ripened tomatoes, don’t make Caprese Salad!

• Caprese Salad with balsamic vinegar, or worse yet-balsamic glaze. Mozzarella has a delicate fresh, lactic flavor. Why disguise it with something sweet and syrupy?

• Restaurants that serve only fresh pasta. In Italy, comparing fresh and dried pasta is like comparing apples and oranges. They both have their place, and they are both equally delicious when chosen appropriately.

• Cooks that don’t salt the pasta water! Italians will tell you it’s about the flavor of the pasta, complimented by the sauce. Pasta with no salt has no flavor. Period.

• Cooks that drown the pasta in sauce.  See previous pet peeve. In Italy it’s not called sauce; its called a condiment.

• Tiramisu ad naseum. Come on chefs! There are plenty of other dolce to choose from. What about fresh fruit served with a simple Zabaglione (winter only)?

• Sweet salads with dried cranberries and cloying balsamic dressing. The role of salad is to provide a balanced acidity to aid digestion. Save the sweet for dessert please.

• Salads served at the beginning of the meal. See above. Since salad is to aid digestion, it should be served at the end of the meal.

• Waiters that mispronounce “Bruschetta”. “ch” is pronounced with a hard “k” sound. (think of the word “chianti”).

• Italian words misspelled on menus. Come on guys. Go buy an Italian dictionary, or check the spelling on line. It looks lazy when a word is misspelled.

• Misspelled English words on the menu. Need I say more?

• Bolognese that isn’t. (What it isn’t, is tomato sauce with ground beef).

• Carpaccio that isn’t. Carpaccio is thinly sliced beef, dressed with a small amount of mayonnaise- based sauce flavored with a hint of mustard. It is named after the famous painter Vittore Carpaccio, known for his tones of reds and whites.

• Redundant names such as “shrimp scampi”, or “garlic aioli”.

• Ridiculously priced wine lists. Yes, we know that the markup on a bottle of wine should be 30%. We also know that that $55 bottle of wine on your list sells for $8.00 at the nearest wine shop, and you pay even less.

• Waiters that don’t tell you the price of the “special”.  Best is having the special printed out and attached to the menu, but if you must do it orally, then please tell us the price.

• Sugary-sweet cocktails. Again, please save the sweet for dessert.

And here’s our list of things that we’d like to see no more of in Chinese restaurants:

• The bottle of soy sauce on the table for non-Asians. Soy sauce is a seasoning in cooking, or a dipping sauce for a scallion pancake etc. It is not Asian ketchup. Look around you. The Asians dining at the next table are not drenching their food with soy sauce.”

• Cheap flavorless tea served with the meal. Aside from Dim Sum, Chinese do not drink tea along with the meal. Its OK if we westerners do, but please give us decent tea with real flavor.

• Waiters that insist we won’t like authentic food. This is 2013. We travel, we watch the cooking channel. We’ve moved beyond egg fu young. We’ve even moved beyond General Gao’s Chicken. (At least some of us have).

• Kung Pao Chicken that isn’t. (What it isn’t is chicken with celery and bell pepper spiced up with some chilies and served with peanuts).

• Cantonese restaurants that serve “Sichuan” dishes.   (See kung Pao Chicken).

• PuPu platters of greasy fried foods. The name alone should tell you something.

• Beef with Western Broccoli.  Gai Lan, or Chinese broccoli is readily available, has more flavor, and is authentic.

• Canned water chestnuts, canned bamboo shoots, and canned baby corn. Would you settle for canned peas and carrots at your local new American bistro?

• Gross misspellings on the English side of the menu. Please buy a dictionary or look up the word online.

• Canned pineapple (or any pineapple) in Sweet and Sour Pork.

• Maraschino cherries in Sweet and Sour Pork. Need I say more?

• Brown colored fried rice. ( See the comment on soy sauce)

• Rolls and butter served with the meal. Seriously??

• Main courses served before the appetizers, and everything served before the rice.

• The unspoken rule that says Chinese restaurants in this country have to be red, plastic, and lit with cheap florescent lights.

Food for thought? These are some of the things we wish would disappear in the New Year.  Do you have any restaurant pet peeves?

written by Michele Topor and Jim Becker

The Lunar New Year celebration provides the ultimate opportunity to witness the sights, sounds and flavors of Boston’s Chinatown. Also known as the Spring Festival, this 15 day celebration is all about getting rid of last year’s old baggage, and welcoming in good fortune for the year to come. The customs surrounding the New Year are steeped in ancient history, but are every bit as important to today’s Asian population. Why not let our guide escort you through the narrow streets of this cacophonous ethnic neighborhood, explaining these colorful ancient rituals along the way?

We’ll begin our day in Chinatown with a sampling of Cantonese Dim Sum, where you will learn which items have particular significance for the New Year. We’ll discuss the various customs surrounding this incredible holiday with ancient roots. You’ll learn what actions will bring you good luck in the year ahead, and which ones to avoid. Afterwards, we’ll explore an herbal pharmacy, and learn some seasonal remedies to ward off colds and flu. A neighborhood bakery will provide some sweets to “sweeten up “ your good fortune during the Year of the Snake. Perhaps you’ll want to pick up a Nian Gao, the traditional Chinese New Year’s cake made of sticky rice, to take home with you.

And we can’t forget a visit to a 72 year-old grocery where you’ll discover which items are commonly used during the Spring Festival, and how to put together a “Tray of Togetherness” to offer your guests when they stop at your home during the New Year.

Then, we’ll take to the streets to witness the spectacle of the Lion Dance, as the Lion visits the various shops on each street, to expel any evil spirits and open the way for a prosperous year to come.

When the crowds and the pop, pop, popping of the firecrackers become too much to bear, we’ll slip into a restaurant to enjoy a multi-course New Year’s banquet with traditional Spring Festival dishes.

During this event you will:
• Hear about the “Kitchen God” ritual as he reports to the “Jade Emperor”
• Find out why the Chinese prefer wishes over resolutions
• Discover your Chinese Astrological Animal and what this means
• Learn why some Chinese hang the good luck character upside down, and others right-side up
• Discover why it’s OK to buy new red socks (or underwear) for the new year, but not new red shoes.

This annual special event is great for those who have previously taken our Chinatown Market Tour, or for anyone wanting to see how a different culture celebrates its most important holiday. This event is approximately 4.5 hours in length. Due to the nature of the event, substitutions in tastes, dim sum and banquet dishes are not possible.

It is very important that you arrive on time for this event. This is a walking tour.

The tour will be held rain or shine (or snow!) Please dress appropriately for the elements. Feel free to wear your new red frock! Make sure to bring your cameras, as you will not want to miss these unique photo opportunities.

Advance reservations are required. This exclusive event is limited to 10 participants. Both meals and all food samples are included in the ticket cost. Alcoholic beverages are not included, but can be purchased separately at the restaurant.

Time and Rate:

Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 12:30 pm

$130.00  per person plus 5% tax

Tickets:

For tickets and information call our Boston Food Tours office: 617-523-6032. Confirmation and meeting information will be sent upon booking.