26th
Olly olly oxen free
“Law Bock Gow” - a recipe!
When life gives you languishing daikon radishes
1. Consider the impending Chinese New Year and realize: TURNIP CAKE
2. Steam two slices of cut up REGULAR BACON because in this town you know where to procure frog legs and alligator, but not “Chinese bacon (lop yok)”
3. Also necessary are RICE FLOUR and TINY DRIED SHRIMP. Fortunately you find “Dried baby shrimp” and “Indica powder” at Chun Ching Oriental Food & Gift Supply Center. You figure “Indica” is some kind of rice
and later learn that you are correct! “Indica rice is usually grown in hot climates. The grains are long and tend to break easily. When cooked, the rice is fluffy and does not stick together. Most of the rice produced in Southern Asia, including India, Thailand, Vietnam and Southern China is Indica rice.”
4. Soak shrimp & dehydrated shiitakes in water separately. In the meantime shred and boil the daikons. All this activity will cause your apartment to smell like it has never, ever smelt before.
5. Finally, a fun part! Cut up/ fry up that bacon. Add the shrimp, mushrooms, a pinch of sugar and some rice wine. Add the bacon fat that was shed during steaming. Let cool, then fold in the cooked daikon shreds (which you have prior to this half-assedly drained).
6. mix 1 cup “Indica powder” with a pinch of salt and the half cup of your mushroom soaking water. Though the recipe calls for shrimp water as well, smell it and think “NO THANKS.” Add a couple splashes of radish water and MIX. Add the bacon-goodies also.
7. “Hey, shredded coconut”
8. Find that it tastes like no macaroon on this earth, thank you Indica powder
9. Smush everything into a container that will conceivably fit into your pasta pot “steamer.” I used a bento compartment
10. Steam!!
11. When finished steaming, the thing will look like this
It will be nightime, hence the flash photography. Wrap in plastic, place in refrigerator, go to bed.
12. Once chilled, cut into quarters…
13. Then slices.
“Fry me please!!”
14. Eat on Chinese New Year! You may eat them “as is” but a better option is to FRY and DIP into a mixture of soy sauce, chili, and rice vinegar
Better yet- w/DUMPLINGS!
It may be my year (ox!), but I remain not the world’s best dumpling pleater
Happy new year!
