I finally succumbed to curiosity and bought a couple of those dried,
split fish you see hanging around in the Chinese markets. The
temptation was so great I bought two - and they're not cheap. $12
for one from the refrigerated section wrapped in cellophane (a
croaker of some sort - pretty meaty), and 17 or $18 for one that
unrefrigerated but twice as big. I also got a 6-pack of small,
whole croakers - about 2.5oz each.

Am a correct in assuming that these will be fermented as well, not
just salted and dried?

And of course the age-old question: What the heck do you do with
them? I plan on making stinky salted fish fried rice (with minced
chicken and shredded lettuce), but I can only eat so much of that.

-sw

Sqwertz wrote:
>
> I finally succumbed to curiosity and bought a couple of those dried,
> split fish you see hanging around in the Chinese markets. The
> temptation was so great I bought two - and they're not cheap. $12
> for one from the refrigerated section wrapped in cellophane (a
> croaker of some sort - pretty meaty), and 17 or $18 for one that
> unrefrigerated but twice as big. I also got a 6-pack of small,
> whole croakers - about 2.5oz each.

I've been real tempted by the pork sides that
appear to have been spiced and deep-fried or
something. Two (of the three) nearby Asian
food markets have a sort of deli section where
you can buy stuff like that. When I say "side",
I mean a whole side of pork, not "side dish".
I can buy pieces of a side.

My birthday is coming up, and I deserve a nice
present, even if it's a gift from myself. :-)

I'm most interested in the one Asian market which
carries live turtles. They have two different
types. There's a sign on the cage not to try
to touch them because they bite. One type is a
fearsome turtle with a beak like a parrot, and
the other is a more greenish turtle with a long
narrow nose. I swing by the turtle cage every
time I go to that store, and it seems as though
they are moving a considerable quantity of turtles.
The ones I've seen in the cage seem pretty frisky.

I don't know which type is better, or the best
way to prepare them. I anticipate that if I buy
one, I'll ask the butcher counter to reduce it
to the meat, rather than do it myself. Does
anybody have any recommendation on turtle
selection and preparation?

On Jul 31, 4:51*pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
> I finally succumbed to curiosity and bought a couple of those dried,
> split fish you see hanging around in the Chinese markets. *The
> temptation was so great I bought two - and they're not cheap. *$12
> for one from the refrigerated section wrapped in cellophane (a
> croaker of some sort - pretty meaty), and 17 or $18 for one that
> unrefrigerated but twice as big. *I also got a 6-pack of small,
> whole croakers - about 2.5oz each.
>
> Am a correct in assuming that these will be fermented as well, not
> just salted and dried?
>
> And of course the age-old question: What the heck do you do with
> them? *I plan on making stinky salted fish fried rice (with minced
> chicken and shredded lettuce), but I can only eat so much of that.
>
> -sw

Chicken and salted fish fried rice is pretty much the standard thing
to do with salted fish.

You can also flake some up and fry it, then use it as a topping for
congee, etc.

I mostly just flake it and fry it, then use it to top freshly cooked
rice.

When you fry it, don't forget to turn your vent on. Or you can heat
up some oil in a pan, carry the pan outside, and then add the fish.
It's really smelly (we've always called it "stinky fish" in my family).

On Aug 1, 7:46*pm, R Y > wrote:
> On Jul 31, 4:51*pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
>
> > I finally succumbed to curiosity and bought a couple of those dried,
> > split fish you see hanging around in the Chinese markets. *The
> > temptation was so great I bought two - and they're not cheap. *$12
> > for one from the refrigerated section wrapped in cellophane (a
> > croaker of some sort - pretty meaty), and 17 or $18 for one that
> > unrefrigerated but twice as big. *I also got a 6-pack of small,
> > whole croakers - about 2.5oz each.
>
> > Am a correct in assuming that these will be fermented as well, not
> > just salted and dried?

No.
>
> > And of course the age-old question: What the heck do you do with
> > them? *I plan on making stinky salted fish fried rice (with minced
> > chicken and shredded lettuce), but I can only eat so much of that.
>
> > -sw
>
> Chicken and salted fish fried rice is pretty much the standard thing
> to do with salted fish.
>
> You can also flake some up and fry it, then use it as a topping for
> congee, etc.
>
> I mostly just flake it and fry it, then use it to top freshly cooked
> rice.
>
> When you fry it, don't forget to turn your vent on. *Or you can heat
> up some oil in a pan, carry the pan outside, and then add the fish.
> It's really smelly (we've always called it "stinky fish" in my family

My grandmother made a sort of ground pork steamed meat loaf with a
changing variety of flavorings and ingredients (water chestnuts,
scallions, mushrooms, chiles). She mixed in a bit of dried fish
sometimes, with more scattered/garnished on the top of the loaf. I
ate it only a couple of times, the fish was pretty strong stuff. -
aem

Mark Thorson wrote:

> I've been real tempted by the pork sides that
> appear to have been spiced and deep-fried or
> something. Two (of the three) nearby Asian
> food markets have a sort of deli section where
> you can buy stuff like that. When I say "side",
> I mean a whole side of pork, not "side dish".
> I can buy pieces of a side.

The ones I have seen are torsos, minus the loin. Basically, they're the
bacon and the ribs. They're pretty fatty if you're not used to that, so
be warned.

> I'm most interested in the one Asian market which
> carries live turtles. They have two different
> types. There's a sign on the cage not to try
> to touch them because they bite. One type is a
> fearsome turtle with a beak like a parrot

Snapping turtle, probably. Very handsome creatures, usually covered in
mud. None of the photos on the web show the horn, but the one I tried to
pick up last year, before I knew it was snapping turtle, had a horn. It
was was just steppign onto a 4-line highway and I thought I'd pick it up
and point it back towards the creek. That's when it dawned on me - Oh!
It's a *snapping* turtle. Duh.

-sw

R Y wrote:

> When you fry it, don't forget to turn your vent on. Or you can heat
> up some oil in a pan, carry the pan outside, and then add the fish.
> It's really smelly (we've always called it "stinky fish" in my family).

That's a good idea. I've only used the fish steaks in oil and I'm well
aware of the smell. I also use a little of the oil as well - adds even
more of that rotten fish goodness aroma.

Sqwertz wrote:
> Mark Thorson wrote:
>
>> ...fearsome turtle with a beak like a parrot
>
> Snapping turtle, probably. Very handsome creatures, usually covered in
> mud. None of the photos on the web show the horn, but the one I tried
> to pick up last year, before I knew it was snapping turtle, had a horn.
> It was was just steppign onto a 4-line highway and I thought I'd pick it
> up and point it back towards the creek. That's when it dawned on me -
> Oh! It's a *snapping* turtle. Duh.
>
> -sw


Still got all your fingers and toes?

Bob

aem wrote:

> My grandmother made a sort of ground pork steamed meat loaf with a
> changing variety of flavorings and ingredients (water chestnuts,
> scallions, mushrooms, chiles). She mixed in a bit of dried fish
> sometimes, with more scattered/garnished on the top of the loaf. I
> ate it only a couple of times, the fish was pretty strong stuff. -
> aem

I thought I'd seen it on hot pot menus. Sure enough, there are more than
a few recipes out there for salted fish hot pot. Also a Vietnamese
version (their "salted fish is much different - being wet fermented).
I'll probably use those smaller, whole fish in the hotpot and save the
meaty ones for shredding in flied lice.

-sw

On Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:16:46 -0500, zxcvbob wrote:

> Sqwertz wrote:
>> Mark Thorson wrote:
>>
>>> ...fearsome turtle with a beak like a parrot
>>
>> Snapping turtle, probably. Very handsome creatures, usually covered in
>> mud. None of the photos on the web show the horn, but the one I tried
>> to pick up last year, before I knew it was snapping turtle, had a horn.
>> It was was just steppign onto a 4-line highway and I thought I'd pick it
>> up and point it back towards the creek. That's when it dawned on me -
>> Oh! It's a *snapping* turtle. Duh.
>
> Still got all your fingers and toes?

I grabbed him at 180 degree angles directly on the sides of the
mid-section of the carapace. I felt his horn (those are nostrils,
BTW) bounce off when he realized he couldn't get a good bite.

Freaked me the **** out, though. Screw it. Let her try and cross
the highway. His carapace already had a 5-6" crack it. Might as
well let somebody else finish him off.

ObFood: Fort the next 2 weeks I had a craving for turtle soup but
couldn't find any meat. And as much as I shop the Asian markets,
I've never seen turtles (or their meat) for sale. Maybe it's an
Eastern US Chinese thing.

-sw

Sqwertz wrote:
> ObFood: Fort the next 2 weeks I had a craving for turtle soup but
> couldn't find any meat. And as much as I shop the Asian markets,
> I've never seen turtles (or their meat) for sale. Maybe it's an
> Eastern US Chinese thing.
>
> -sw
>


When I was about 8 yrs old, we went on a fishing trip and the
housekeeper went with us. She had something on her line, when she
pulled it out of the water, it was a snapping turtle. She freaked out
and we did everything we could to calm her down. lol We took it home
and had turtle soup. Us southern people eat anything.


Becca

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
>I finally succumbed to curiosity and bought a couple of those dried,
> split fish you see hanging around in the Chinese markets. The
> temptation was so great I bought two - and they're not cheap. $12
> for one from the refrigerated section wrapped in cellophane (a
> croaker of some sort - pretty meaty), and 17 or $18 for one that
> unrefrigerated but twice as big. I also got a 6-pack of small,
> whole croakers - about 2.5oz each.
>
> Am a correct in assuming that these will be fermented as well, not
> just salted and dried?
>
> And of course the age-old question: What the heck do you do with
> them? I plan on making stinky salted fish fried rice (with minced
> chicken and shredded lettuce), but I can only eat so much of that.
>

Yeah, no kidding. Sounds like something guaranteed to make you do the
technicolor yawn. yuk!

There is a dim sum restaurant here in Winnipeg that does a North Chinese
version of dim sum.

Their pot stickers use only pork and lettuce - far different from the normal
versions - jucier and lighter...

AND, in their Har Gow (steamed shrimp dumplings) they use a little dried
fish! Not much of course, but just enough to bring out all the flavours.
Also, they use a mix of tapioca and wheat starches in the dough - a little
softer and a little stickier...

wjmark

my food page is disappearing in a couple of months - please enjoy the
visit...

http://www.geocities.com/wjmarkca/index.htm


"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
>I finally succumbed to curiosity and bought a couple of those dried,
> split fish you see hanging around in the Chinese markets. The
> temptation was so great I bought two - and they're not cheap. $12
> for one from the refrigerated section wrapped in cellophane (a
> croaker of some sort - pretty meaty), and 17 or $18 for one that
> unrefrigerated but twice as big. I also got a 6-pack of small,
> whole croakers - about 2.5oz each.
>
> Am a correct in assuming that these will be fermented as well, not
> just salted and dried?
>
> And of course the age-old question: What the heck do you do with
> them? I plan on making stinky salted fish fried rice (with minced
> chicken and shredded lettuce), but I can only eat so much of that.
>
> -sw

On Aug 20, 6:01*pm, "wjmark" > wrote:
> There is a dim sum restaurant here in Winnipeg that does a North Chinese
> version of dim sum.
>
> Their pot stickers use only pork and lettuce - far different from the normal
> versions - jucier and lighter...
>
> AND, in their Har Gow (steamed shrimp dumplings) they use a little dried
> fish! Not much of course, but just enough to bring out all the flavours.
> Also, they use a mix of tapioca and wheat starches in the dough - a little
> softer and a little stickier...
>
> wjmark
>
> my food page is disappearing in a couple of months - please enjoy the
> visit...
>
> http://www.geocities.com/wjmarkca/index.htm
>

Which dim sum place is that? I'm in Winnipeg, too.

New Hong Kong Snack House

Notre Dame Ave - north side - between downtown and Isabel...

Other stuff is good, but the Fried Peking Perogies, and the Har Gow are what
I usually eat many plates of.

For normal dim sum, I like Kam Ho - way out St Mary's, and Noodle Express -
on Rupert in the Dynasty Building (try the lobster roll - it's on the
regular menu - not the dim sum menu...)

Seeya there!



"R Y" > wrote in message
...
On Aug 20, 6:01 pm, "wjmark" > wrote:
> There is a dim sum restaurant here in Winnipeg that does a North Chinese
> version of dim sum.
>
> Their pot stickers use only pork and lettuce - far different from the
> normal
> versions - jucier and lighter...
>
> AND, in their Har Gow (steamed shrimp dumplings) they use a little dried
> fish! Not much of course, but just enough to bring out all the flavours.
> Also, they use a mix of tapioca and wheat starches in the dough - a little
> softer and a little stickier...
>
> wjmark
>
> my food page is disappearing in a couple of months - please enjoy the
> visit...
>
> http://www.geocities.com/wjmarkca/index.htm
>

Which dim sum place is that? I'm in Winnipeg, too.

On Aug 22, 1:05*pm, "wjmark" > wrote:
> New Hong Kong Snack House
>
> Notre Dame Ave - north side - between downtown and Isabel...
>
> Other stuff is good, but the Fried Peking Perogies, and the Har Gow are what
> I usually eat many plates of.
>
> For normal dim sum, I like Kam Ho - way out St Mary's, and Noodle Express -
> on Rupert in the Dynasty Building (try the lobster roll - it's on the
> regular menu - not the dim sum menu...)
>
> Seeya there!
>

We used to go there when they first opened, but the quality declined.
Kam Ho is good, but it's very inconsistent--they are very sorely
understaffed. Didn't like Noodle Express that much. Their spring
onion pancake was a huge disappointment.

Yes - New Hong Kong was in decline a few years ago - but they have got it
back, imho.

I find most green onion pancakes disappointing (haven't tried them at Noodle
Express). Haven't noticed the inconsistancy at Kam Ho (I have only been
there 3 times this year.

"R Y" > wrote in message
...
On Aug 22, 1:05 pm, "wjmark" > wrote:
> New Hong Kong Snack House
>
> Notre Dame Ave - north side - between downtown and Isabel...
>
> Other stuff is good, but the Fried Peking Perogies, and the Har Gow are
> what
> I usually eat many plates of.
>
> For normal dim sum, I like Kam Ho - way out St Mary's, and Noodle
> Express -
> on Rupert in the Dynasty Building (try the lobster roll - it's on the
> regular menu - not the dim sum menu...)
>
> Seeya there!
>

We used to go there when they first opened, but the quality declined.
Kam Ho is good, but it's very inconsistent--they are very sorely
understaffed. Didn't like Noodle Express that much. Their spring
onion pancake was a huge disappointment.