IN THIS ISSUE:

All Steamed Up Again 1

Types of Steamers 5

In the News 6

Quickies 6

Book Review 7

Letters 8

ALL STEAMED UP AGAIN

(An article on steamed Asian foods appeared in the September-October 2000 issue of GourMAsia. Here are some of the basics, along with new recipes.)

Steaming is the one of the easiest cooking methods used in Asia. It is used extensively in Chinese cuisine, especially for dim sum, fish, and chicken dishes. The Japanese use steaming to cook delicate custard-like soups. In India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the South Pacific, foods are sometimes steamed in banana leaves. Steaming is even used to cook desserts, even cakes.

There are several basic types of Asian steamers, discussed below.

Dim sum typically are arranged directly on the bottom of a bamboo or perforated metal steamer, sometimes on a piece of wax paper or bed of lettuce or cabbage leaves to prevent sticking. You can also steam food in heatproof bowls or on platters.

The basic steaming procedure is: Bring water to a rolling boil in the steaming vessel. Place the food in the steamer. Cover the steamer tightly. Cook the length of time the recipe specifies. Unless you are using a small microwave steamer that requires just 1/4" of water, you should place at least 1" of water in your wok or the bottom pan of the steamer; the water should not touch the rack. For foods that are steamed a long time, you may need to add additional water to the steamer base to keep it from boiling dry during cooking. You can cook several stacks of food in a tiered steamer if the heat source is strong enough for the steam to reach the top layer.

Be sure to have sturdy potholders (preferably oven mitts) to retrieve the food from the steamer, and always open the lid facing away from you. Chinese markets sell a clever, inexpensive gadget that has umbrella-shaped metal “arms” that open and close around the rim of a dish to retrieve it from the steamer – this only works on dishes that have a lip, such as a rimmed soup bowl. For large platters, you can fashion a sling from folded pieces of aluminum foil.

Steamed Char Shu Bao (China)

This recipe is adapted from one sent in by SIG member Bart Geraci and printed in the January-February 1995 newsletter. He noted, "In a plastic bag, they will keep for about three days in the fridge or up to two months in the freezer. However, the night I made these, we (my wife, daughter, and I) were all hungry and all 14 buns disappeared quickly."

Makes 14

Roast Pork Filling:

2 tablespoons cornstarch

6 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon oil

1 cup chopped onions

2 cups coarsely chopped roast pork

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

pinch salt & pepper

1/4 cup chopped scallions

Dissolve cornstarch in 4 tablespoons water; set aside. Heat oil in wok and sauté onions until soft. Stir in pork, remaining water, soy sauce, sugar, and salt & pepper. Push pork to the side of the wok, add the cornstarch mixture to the center, and stir until thickened. Mix pork into thickened sauce and stir in the scallions. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, or refrigerate and bring to room temperature when ready to stuff the buns.

Steamed Bun Dough:

3/4 cup warm water (105-115°)

1 package active dry yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons corn oil

2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

filling at room temperature

Combine water and yeast in a measuring cup with a spout. Stir until dissolved and let stand until foamy, about 1 minute. Add sugar and oil and mix well.

Place flour in food processor fitted with metal blade. While motor is running, add yeast mixture slowly and process until a ball forms. If a ball doesn't form, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it does. Continue to process another minute until dough is very smooth and does not stick to the fingers.

Roll dough into a cylinder and cut into 14 even pieces. Lightly roll each piece into a 3" round. Place some filling on each piece of dough. Bring dough around from all sides and twist to seal. Put each bun seam-side down on a small square of wax paper. Let rise in a warm place 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Place, still on their waxed paper squares, in a bamboo steamer. Cover with the steamer lid and steam over high heat about 15 minutes.

Steamed Chicken in Lotus Leaves (China)

For something really exotic, you might want to try this steamed chicken in lotus leaves recipe. It is adapted from the website of the Hong Kong and China Gas Company, Ltd. http://www.hkcg.com/text/en/cooking/cooking_01.asp

Lotus leaves are not eaten, but they lend a delicate fragrance to the foods they are used to wrap. However, you can substitute banana leaves, corn husks, or even aluminum foil as a wrapper.

Serves 2

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon ginger wine

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 pound boneless chicken, cut in bite-size

pieces

4 Chinese dried black mushrooms*

4 pieces cloud ear fungus*

1 dried lotus leaf*

2 slices fresh ginger, shredded

* Available in Asian markets and by mail order.

Combine first 6 ingredients. Toss with chicken and let marinate 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak mushrooms and cloud ear fungus in hot water until softened, trim off hard stems; slice caps. Blanch lotus leaf in boiling water. Trim off hard stem.

Place lotus leaf on a heatproof plate or directly inside a bamboo steamer. Mix chicken, mushrooms, and cloud ears. Place on lotus leaf. Top with ginger shreds. Wrap up edges of leaf to form a packet. Steam for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Otak-Otak (Malaysia)

These fishcake parcels traditionally are grilled over coals or steamed in banana leaves. Fresh or frozen banana leaves are occasionally available in Asian and Hispanic markets, or you can substitute corn husks. The wrappers are not eaten.

Serves 8

8 (8") pieces of a banana leaf, or 16 corn husks

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

8 scallions, chopped coarsely

6 fresh kaffir lime leaves, chopped coarsely*

2 or 3 small fresh red chiles, seeded and

chopped coarsely

1 stalk fresh lemongrass, white part only,

chopped coarsely*

1 teaspoon belacan (dried shrimp paste)* or

anchovy paste

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound firm white fish fillets, cubed

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup coconut milk

kitchen string

bottled Asian chili sauce or sweet chili sauce

(dip)

* Available in Southeast Asian markets.

Prepare the banana leaves or corn husks: If using banana leaves, cut into 8 (8") squares. Dip squares, one at a time, into a large pot of boiling water, removing immediately (the leaf should be flexible). Pat dry on paper towels. Repeat with remaining leaves. Do the same thing if using fresh corn husks. If using dried corn husks, soak in water until flexible, then pat dry.

Combine cilantro, scallions, lime leaves, chiles, lemongrass, belacan, turmeric, and black pepper in a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Add fish and process until combined. Turn into a bowl. Stir in eggs, then coconut milk.

Divide fish mixture among banana leaves (if using corn husks, overlap two husks to cover). Fold leaves to form a neat parcel. Tie with kitchen string.

Place parcels in a single layer in a bamboo steamer. (Four parcels should fit in each steamer try; use two tiers). Cook, covered with the steamer lid, over boiling water about 10 minutes, until fish mixture is firm.

Place parcels, still in their wrappers, on a serving platter. Serve hot or at room temperature, with a small saucer of bottled Asian chili sauce or sweet chili sauce as a dip.

Sooji Dhoklas (Gujarat, India)

These savory semolina cakes are popular in South India for breakfast, afternoon snacks with tea, or late-night snacks.

3 cups semolina (or regular Cream of Wheat)

1 cup besan (chickpea flour)*

1 cup plain yogurt

2-1/3 cups (or more as needed) water

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced fresh green chiles

pinch coarse salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Tarka (Garnish):

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon whole black mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

3 or 4 fresh curry leaves, torn into pieces*

1/4 cup minced cilantro

3 tablespoons grated fresh coconut

*Available in Indian markets and some health food stores.

Combine semolina and chickpea flour in a bowl. Add yogurt and enough water to make an airy, flowing batter (not runny). Stir in ginger, chiles, salt, and oil.

Leave in a warm place 30 minutes to 1 hour. This allows the batter to ferment and helps bring out the sourdough flavor that is part of the dhoklas' appeal.

Stir in baking powder just before ready to cook. Divide batter between two greased 8" cake pans. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bring water to a boil in a steamer (preferably two-tiered – if you have only a single-tiered steamer, steam the cakes one at a time).

Place cake pans in the steamer. Cover and steam 10 minutes over high heat. The dhoklas are ready when they are spongy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from heat. Carefully remove cake pans using tongs.

Heat oil for tarka in a small skillet. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves. Remove from heat almost immediately.

Pour over the dhoklas. Sprinkle with cilantro and coconut. Cut into diamonds. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Basic Steamed Sticky Rice (Thailand)

Popular in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, sticky rice has a unique texture and fragrance. Sticky rice is served as a side dish with other foods, or used in the dessert recipe below.

Note that Thai sticky rice is a particular variety of rice. Other forms of rice, including Japanese sweet rice or mochi rice, will not work in this recipe.

Yield: 1 cup raw rice = about 4 cups cooked rice

1 to 2 cups Thai sticky (glutinous) rice*

1 banana leaf, sheet of plastic wrap, or piece of cheesecloth

* Available in Asian markets and by mail order.

Rinse the rice several times until the water is clear. Cover rice with cold water to 2- 3" above the rice and let soak at least 3 hours or up to overnight. The grains will absorb much of the water and grow in size. They will also soften; pressing them between your fingers will easily break them into pieces.

When ready to cook the rice, drain and place (without any additional water) in a bamboo steamer lined with a banana leaf, sheet of plastic wrap, or cheesecloth. If using a leaf or plastic wrap, poke several small holes in the center to allow the steam to pass through the liner.

Steam over high heat about 45 minutes, until rice is tender but not mushy.

Coconut Rice with Mangoes (Thailand)

This is served as a dessert in Thailand. If you cannot find good mangoes, you can substitute ripe papaya, peaches, or nectarines.

Serves 8-12

6 to 8 cups (cooked) sticky rice, steamed as

above

1 12- to 14-ounce can coconut milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 piece pandan leaf (optional, if available)

1 to 2 ripe mangoes, chilled, peeled and sliced

toasted coconut or chopped peanuts (garnish)

While the rice is steaming, make the coconut sauce by heating the coconut milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. (Do not omit the salt – it helps bring out the sweetness of the mangoes.) If a pandan leaf is available, heat in the coconut milk mixture, then remove and squeeze the fragrant juice into the coconut milk. Keep the sauce warm.

When the rice is done, turn it out of the steamer. Pour half the coconut sauce over the rice. Stir to make sure all the grains are well coated. The rice should be wet but not swimming in sauce. Add more sauce if needed; reserve remaining sauce. Let stand 15-20 minutes.

To serve, spoon about 3/4 cup rice per portion into a measuring cup, then unmold onto an individual serving plate to form a neat mound. Drizzle with reserved coconut sauce. Arrange sliced mangoes over or around the rice. Sprinkle with toasted coconut or chopped peanuts. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steamed Ginger Cake (Japan)

Steamed cakes developed in Asian countries where ovens are not part of most kitchen ranges as a way of "baking" Western-style cakes without a home oven.

Makes 1 7 x 3" loaf

1 cup flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 large egg

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon fresh ginger juice (squeezed from

about 1 tablespoon grated ginger)

2/3 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon minced candied ginger

Line a 7 x 3" loaf pan with wax paper, then grease with vegetable oil. Bring water in steamer to a boil over high heat.

Sift flour and baking powder together.

Beat egg; beat in granulated sugar and ginger juice, then beat into brown sugar. Blend in flour mixture until smooth. Stir in walnuts and candied ginger. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Place pan in steamer. Fold a linen kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels and place between lid of the steamer and the cake to absorb moisture, making sure the edges do not hang down near the burner. Steam cake over high heat 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove cake from pan; let cool on a wire rack. Serve in slices.

TYPES OF STEAMERS

There are several different types of steamers you can buy or improvise:

Bamboo Steamers

A traditional bamboo steamer is attractive enough to double as a serving tray for steamed foods. It is especially fun to own if you regularly serve dim sum. The bamboo steamer is placed above boiling water in a wok or skillet. It allows several tiers of food to be cooked simultaneously (and even for different lengths of time) – an ingenious cooking system that requires only one burner and one pan. Another real advantage is that because the woven lid provides ventilation, water will not condense on the food being cooked.

Bamboo steamers come in many sizes, from the 6" diameter dim sum steamers used in Chinese restaurants, to 10", 12", 14", and even larger sizes. If you are buying a bamboo steamer for all-purpose use, get the largest one that will fit your wok or wide skillet. For the best quality, look for traditional woven bamboo fastenings on the sizes – not cheap metal staples.

Metal Steamers

Available in aluminum or stainless steel, tiered metal steamers consist of two (or more) perforated tiers, a bottom pan, and a lid. The large ones are especially useful for steaming seafood and vegetables, or for balancing several large heatproof plates. The large bottom pot can double as a spaghetti pot.

Asian restaurant supply shops also carry small stainless steel steamers meant for plates of dim sum.

Steamer Inserts for Woks

To hold larger plates, you can place a metal steamer insert, like this perforated aluminum plate, or even a round metal cake rack, in a wok to balance a heatproof bowl or a dish. (The wok must be covered, of course.) A perforated aluminum plate can also be used to set dim sum on directly. Only one layer can be steamed at a time, but the inserts are inexpensive and do not require much storage space.

Some wok sets include a wooden steaming rack in a cross or tic-tac-toe grid design, which is meant to balance a heatproof plate.

If all else fails, for steaming food in bowls or on platters, you can improvise a steamer using any large pan with a lid (such as a wok, an electric skillet with a domed lid, a large stockpot, or a roasting pan), and a support to hold the dish or rack off the bottom of the pan. The support can be inverted teacups or empty tin cans with both ends removed. The lid of the pan should have at least 1” of clearance over the food so the steam can circulate. Whatever arrangement you choose, make sure it is stable and won’t tip over.

Electric Steamers

Electric steamers, such as the Krups OptiSteam Plus model pictured above, can steam two layers of food, such as vegetables and rice. I personally don't think they're very good for Asian foods, but some folks swear by them.

Thai Sticky Rice Steamers

Thai and Vietnamese restaurants often serve sticky rice (which is cooked by steaming) in decorative finely woven rattan baskets that hold an individual portion.

Microwave Steamer

One of my favorite little gadgets is a microwave steamer I picked up for $1.29 in an Asian food market; NordicWare and Joyce Chen offer more expensive versions. It consists of a plastic tray, perforated rack, and vented, domed lid. It's great for steaming vegetables or reheating small portions of food, and we've even used it to cook frozen dim sum.

Microwave Steamer with Bamboo Basket

While researching steamers for this article, I came across a unique system from Ireland: the Waveware Microwave Master Chef with Bamboo Steaming Basket.

http://www.waveware.ie/wholesale/masterchef.htm The set includes a plastic base pan, rack, and high domed lid along with a bamboo basket tier meant to be placed inside the plastic set-up for cooking, then used for attractive presentation of steamed dishes. I have not located any American retailers carrying this product, but it should be possible to rig up a similar system using any microwaveable rack set-up large enough to hold a standard bamboo steamer.

IN THE NEWS

McCormick Identifies Flavors to Watch

Spice giant McCormick & Co, Inc. released the 2003 McCormick Flavor Forecast report predicting the flavors and trends that will shape the culinary climate this year. It identifies the following as the top flavors to watch: Bay Leaf, Chiles, Cinnamon, Coriander/Cilantro, Lemongrass, Mustard, Pepper, Sea Salt, Sesame, Turmeric, Vanilla, and Wasabi.

Upscale Instant Ramen Hitting Japan

In Japan, instant ramen is going upscale to cash in on a craze for gourmet ramen. Manufacturers have teamed up with famous local ramen shops to develop high-quality brands with tastes the makers claim are similar to those of the best ramen chains.

Nissin Food Products Co., which makes Cup Noodle, has sold more than a million cases of its new Goo Ta brand ramen, whose recipe is based on that of a popular ramen bar.

Launched last year, gourmet instant ramen sell for double the price of ordinary instant ramen, at ¥200-300 (US$1.70-2.50) per cup.

QUICKIES

Terung Udang Kering (Malaysia)

A reader at an online bulletin board recently requested – and got – the recipe for this spicy Malaysian eggplant dish. Use the long, thin eggplants (often called Japanese eggplants) that are sold in Asian markets. It's not clear from the original recipe if "shallots" refers to French shallots or scallions; either would work, for slightly different flavors.

Dried shrimp are sold in small cellophane packets in Asian markets. Look for shrimp that look pink; not grayish. Different brands have different saltiness – taste before adding more salt to the recipe.

Serves 4 or more as a side dish

2 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons dried shrimp*

3 shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon (or to taste) Asian chili oil

1 pound Asian eggplants, sliced 1/3" thick

salt to taste

1/4 cup water

* Available in Asian markets.

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Add dried shrimp and stir-fry a few seconds until fragrant. Add shallots, then garlic, and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add sesame oil, chili oil, and then the eggplant and salt to taste. Continue to stir-fry until eggplant is slightly softened. Add the water, cover, and simmer over low heat until eggplant is soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Sweet-and-Sour Fish (Chinese-American)

That Chinese restaurant favorite, sweet-and-sour sauce, is just as good with fish as it is with pork or chicken.

Serves 4

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons ketchup

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 pound halibut, turbot, or other firm white fish

fillets, cut in 1/2" cubes

5 tablespoons oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 onion, cut in 1" cubes

1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1" squares

1 tomato, cut in 1" cubes

Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch with the sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, and chicken broth, stirring until cornstarch and sugar are dissolved. Set aside.

Place remaining cornstarch in a plastic bag. Add fish pieces and shake to coat completely; dust off excess.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok. Add half the fish and stir-fry until fish is browned on all sides and flakes when tested with a fork (about 2 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon. Repeat to cook remaining fish, adding 1 tablespoon more oil. Remove.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in wok. Add garlic, onion, and green pepper. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Add sweet-and-sour sauce and tomato. Bring to a boil, stirring.

Return fish to the wok and stir gently to coat with sauce.

Serve over rice.

Masala Pork Chops (Anglo-Indian)

An Anglo-Indian way with pork chops.

Serves 4

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon pure ground chiles

1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed

salt to taste

lemon juice

4 pork chops

Mix the spices, garlic, and salt to taste with enough lemon juice to make a paste.

Slash the pork chops in several places on both sides. Rub the paste into the meat and let stand 30 minutes.

Broil, grill, or barbecue until the pork is cooked through, about 6 minutes each side.

BOOK REVIEW

By Kathleen Stipek

The Encyclopedia of Sushi Rolls by Ken Kawasumi, Graph-Sha distributed by Kodansha America through Oxford University Press. ISBN 4-88996-076-7, 2001, $36.

If you want to roll your own, this is the book to get. It covers all the rolled sushi from the fat futomaki to the thinner hosomaki to temaki
handrolls and uramaki inside-out rolls. The author is a celebrity sushi chef himself in Japan. He's taken a page out of Jacques Pepin's La
Technique and done step-by-step photographs of the basic processes, including dealing with the rice. He talks techniques and equipment, gives
basic recipes for handling various fillings, and walks you step-by-step through many modern sushi rolls, including some with western ingredients (including corned beef and canned corn in one roll). And it you want to do kazarimaki or decorative rolls, Kawasumi provides detailed instructions for rolls that slice into flower designs, card suits, abstract forms, the Chinese zodiac, the English alphabet, some Japanese characters, and Christmas designs. He also provides advice on how to solve common
sushi-rolling problems. The price is a little steep, but the pictures are great, the advice is sound, and if you've got the time and the patience, these should work.

Somebody interlibrary loaned this recently, and I requested a copy for myself. Then our shop went out and bought the rascal. It looks like more work than I'd be willing to do, but it might make a sushi-making party a real success.

LETTERS

From Suzanne Carmichael:

Quick question for you – I found some "sweet rice flour" at a mill here in Maine recently and bought it... now I wonder what to do with it.... any ideas of how it's used traditionally?

Editor's response:

"Sweet rice flour" is made from glutinous rice; it's also called mochiko in Japanese. Traditionally, it's used to make Japanese mochi and Korean duk (glutinous rice cakes), as well as glutinous rice doughs that are used in Asian desserts (most of which are not to American tastes!).

You can also use it to flour fried chicken for a local Hawaiian favorite called Mochiko Chicken.

Mockiko Chicken (Hawaii)

Serves 6-8

1/4 cup mochiko

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup sugar

5 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup chopped scallions

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs, beaten

2 pounds chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-

sized pieces (with or without bones)

oil for frying

Combine all ingredients except chicken and oil. Add chicken and mix well. Marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

When ready to cook, heat oil for frying (you can do this in a large skillet, as for Southern-fried chicken, or in a deep-fryer). Add chicken in batches and fry until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temperature. Good picnic food!

Note: You can also vary the marinade by adding a little oyster sauce, grated ginger, and/or sesame oil.

Follow-Up Re: Sichuan Peppercorns:

BTW, a follow-up to Suzanne's question about not being able to find Sichuan peppercorns (November-December 2002 issue). My local newspaper just confirmed that they're no longer available in this country because they can carry a citrus virus. It suggests substituting ground sansho (Japanese pepper from a species of prickly ash, the same as or very similar to Sichuan peppercorns). That's sold in small bottles in Japanese markets and online. http://shop.store.yahoo.com/chefshop/sanjappep.html

From Bob, an online reader:

While in Japan and Okinawa, I used to get a filled dough ball from the deli. They were in a heated glass cage, 4 or 5 shelves and each shelf had a different filling. The dough was a round white ball and was soft with fillings like sweet beans, minced meat, etc. I think they were called An Pan but I'm not positive. I cannot find a recipe anywhere. Can you help?

Editor's response:

You're absolutely right that the buns are called an-pan, at least the ones with the red bean paste (an) filling are. Pan is the word for bread in Japanese.

I could swear I had found and posted a recipe for an-pan in response to someone else's question a couple of years ago, but darned if I can find it either online or on my own computer! Maybe it was on a different message board.

Anyhoo, authentic an-pan is almost impossible to make at home as Japanese bakeries use a special sake-based starter instead of regular yeast. I found a commercial bakery recipe at the California Raisins website, http://www.calraisins.org/Industrial/recipes.htmlbut it's complex and difficult to adapt for home use.

My best suggestion is to use any basic recipe for white bread dough that calls for milk and sugar (or add a little sugar to a basic white bread recipe). Or use the basic dough from a recipe for Cha Siu Bao (Chinese roast pork buns). See the recipe at the beginning of this newsletter, or another one is online at: http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/asia/chinese/pork/bbq-pork-buns2.html

Divide the dough into small portions. Fill each with a little sweetened red bean paste (you can buy this in cans in Japanese or Chinese markets; it's called tsubushi-an or koshi-an – or you can make your own by cooking dried azuki beans in water until soft, then adding sugar to the drained beans and cooking that until well blended). Form into buns and bake at 350° until golden, about 15-20 minutes.

Bob's response:

You have just made my day...it's been '73 since I've had these and I can't wait to try my hand at trying to make them... Thank you very much.

And a few weeks later:

I tried the recipe for the Chinese baked sweet bread and it was great. In the write-up the author stated the Chinese steam the bread. I would like to know how I could steam this recipe and for how long, if you can advise me. I think this would enhance the flavor and give me what I'm really looking for vs. the baking
method. And thanks again for bringing back memories.

Editor's response:

Glad this worked!

I can't give you a precise time for steaming because it depends on the size of the buns. I checked several of my Chinese cookbooks – the times in their recipes were anywhere from 10-15 to 15-20 minutes. The buns should be puffed and the dough cooked through.

Homemade dough works better than frozen bread dough for steaming. Make sure to place each bun on a square of wax paper before steaming so it doesn't stick to the steamer.

From Gene, another online reader:

I am looking for artisinal soy sauces. Meaning made in very small batches, by hand and most often by a multi generational family. Country of origin and price not important.

Editor's response:

Interesting question! I've never seen artisanal soy sauce marketed even here in Hawaii. An online search produced the following reference to a "shiro shoyu" ("white" soy sauce, made in small batches) imported by a
distributor in California.
http://www.globalprovince.com/bestofclass101-125.htm

I know there are a lot of small soy sauce breweries in small towns in Japan, but I doubt that their products are exported even as far as Tokyo! They're usually strictly local family businesses, although the products may be sold
to tourists as souvenirs.

Good luck in your quest! I'd be interested to hear if you turn up anything more.

Gene's response:

Thanks for the reply. I too spent much on line time on this one. I am a food product maven (a Yiddish word meaning expert) and write about food for many mags, but this one stumped me. I spoke to the distributor and they do not carry the white shoyu any longer.

This could become my search for the holy food grail. Ah to become the white knight of the food world and win fair maiden...

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The latest issue online is two years old! If you know some HTML and can upload and index the more recent issues, please contact me. [email protected]

(Sorry… this is purely a volunteer task; GourMAsia is a nonprofit publication and even I don't get paid a cent for my work.)

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ALOHA TILL NEXT ISSUE!

Susan