global gastronomy: guisados, gai-lan, gỏi, gongura, & guksu!

Sichuan food is described as 麻辣 (málà), with má meaning “numbing” and là meaning “hot” or “spicy”. The numbing sensation comes from the liberal use of the Sichuan peppercorn, which gives your tongue a tingly sensation when consumed.

Hunan cuisine, on the other hand, is often described as 香辣 (gānlà) “dry spicy”. This refers to the fact that its hotness comes almost exclusively from fresh chili peppers and very little else, so the spiciness is pure and “dry”.

Jiangsu cuisine is traditionally considered one of the Four Great Traditions but is little-known outside of China. Among the cuisines of this province, the most highly regarded is Huaiyang (淮扬), renowned for intricate knife skills and meticulous preparations. The name refers to the region surrounding the lower reaches of the Huai and Yangtze rivers. Typical raw materials are fresh and live aquatic products. Other cooking ingredients are often carefully selected tealeaves, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and pears.

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This will be a family-style dinner. Specifically, I'll plan a menu to include a variety of grains, meats, and vegetables featuring a balance of flavors and textures from among the dishes listed below. We'll share all of the dishes and split the bill equally. I'll aim to keep the cost to about $25 per person (incl. tax + tip).

Let's enjoy a meal where the pure flavors of fresh vegetables, including gourds and greens shine through. There is a fixed menu each day, but the meal ($15) always includes a bowl of vegetable soup (often squash or pumpkin), dark, leafy greens and two other vegetables, some type of grain (often rice), and some type of bean/legume, and some type of pickled vegetable (pickled red onion, curtido, sauerkraut, or kimchi). Blanched greens will often be topped with an unsalted nut sauce/gravy. Fresh/salad greens will typically be tossed with a light dressing. Cool (not iced) hibiscus tea is also included.

If the weather is nice, we can sit on the patio. If it's cold or rainy out, we can eat in the dining room.

This will be a family-style dinner. Specifically, I'll plan a menu to include a variety of grains, meats, and vegetables. We'll share all of the dishes and split the bill equally.

Here's a list of dishes from which I'll most likely order:
101. Fresh Shrimp Wonton Noodle Soup
107. Home Made Beef Stew Noodle
115. Subgum Fresh Bean Curd Soup

poached chicken w/ginger-scallion sauce (if available)
soy-sauce-marinated chicken
roast duck
Cantonese-style BBQ pork

216. Chinese Mushroom with Chinese Broccoli

418. Beef Flat Noodle ("chow fun"/"haw fun"/"gon chow ngau haw")

602. Double Cooked Sliced Pork with Vegetable

A1. Salted Fish & Chicken Fried Rice
A3. Salted Fish & Eggplant Hot Pot

A10. Peeled Shrimp with Egg
A11. Oyster Fried with Egg
A15. Oyster with Ginger & Green Onion
A20. Fresh Squid with Vegetable

A25. Beef with Bitter Melon
A35. Crispy Tofu Stuffed with Shrimp
A36. Chinese Style Steak

Sichuan food is described as 麻辣 (málà), with má meaning “numbing” and là meaning “hot” or “spicy”. The numbing sensation comes from the liberal use of the Sichuan peppercorn, which gives your tongue a tingly sensation when consumed.

Hunan cuisine, on the other hand, is often described as 香辣 (gānlà) “dry spicy”. This refers to the fact that its hotness comes almost exclusively from fresh chili peppers and very little else, so the spiciness is pure and “dry”.

Jiangsu cuisine is traditionally considered one of the Four Great Traditions but is little-known outside of China. Among the cuisines of this province, the most highly regarded is Huaiyang (淮扬), renowned for intricate knife skills and meticulous preparations. The name refers to the region surrounding the lower reaches of the Huai and Yangtze rivers. Typical raw materials are fresh and live aquatic products. Other cooking ingredients are often carefully selected tealeaves, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and pears.

---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
This will be a family-style dinner. Specifically, I'll plan a menu to include a variety of grains, meats, and vegetables featuring a balance of flavors and textures from among the dishes listed below. We'll share all of the dishes and split the bill equally. I'll aim to keep the cost to about $25 per person (incl. tax + tip).