Mongolian hotpot. A large pot of simmering stock is placed in the centre of the table. Diners place items of food (raw meats, vegetables) into the pot, cook it as much or as little as they like, rather like a fondue. The food can then be eaten as it is or accompanied by any of a number of condiments. The broth which is the end result is rich and complex, and is consumed by the diners.
Chinese five spice is a mixture often used in Asian cooking amd usually consisting of finely ground anise pepper, cassia, fennel see, cloves and star anise. It could also, however, as easily be made with finely ground cloves, cinnamon or cassia bark, star anise, Sichuan pepper and fennel seeds The resulting flavour is almost of liquorice almost whatever the combination of spices.
These leaves resemble a stunted pak choi. Can be treated in the same way.
A yellow flowering member of the cabbage family, similar to a floppy kale. Commonly used in Chinese restaurants.
A name for the coral trout, a deep coral pink grouper which makes for good eating. The flesh is sweet, firm and, surprisingly, milky white, like a cross between sea bass and turbot. Very good catch!
Chinese geese are elegant on land and on water and are sometimes referred to as Swan Geese. Their long, graceful necks are topped by long heads with an erect knob. They are good layers and produce less greasy meat than many breeds. They are also useful to have around as they are active foragers and will do the weeding if carefully managed. In fact they are often called Weeder geese. They may come in either brown or white, both pictured here. Both varieties were admitted to the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in 1874 (Malone, et. al., 1998). They are also alert and set off the alarm with alacrity.
