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Post by Secret Agent Jane on Dec 11, 2006 12:51:42 GMT 7
Not that Europaer isn't the best. And not that I don't like sweet spaghetti. But it's coming upon the feasting time (Dec.25-Jan.1) and I'm trapped in a western-food void.
Does anyone have any knock out western recipes for the microwave? Something with ingredients I might be able to find? I could make an apple pie if I only had an oven... *sigh*
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Decurso
Barfly
Things you own end up owning you
Posts: 581
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Post by Decurso on Dec 11, 2006 13:33:47 GMT 7
I don't do much cooking myself,but it should be pretty easy for you to find a small oven at your local mega mall or department store.You're not going to be able to cook a turkey or anything but it should be suitable for cookies,small cakes and pies,chicken breasts,small roasts ect.
The missus had great success duplicating chilli.The kidney beans were the hardest to find but they do have them here.the chilli powder is a little different but at the end of the day you can't really tell.Soups and stews are easy and cheap too.
good luck
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Post by Stil on Dec 11, 2006 14:13:57 GMT 7
They key to any good feast is the booze. Drink enough and it doesn't really matter what the m'kay you eat.
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Post by kcanuck on Dec 11, 2006 14:35:10 GMT 7
i brought some oregano and basil from home and managed to make a 'not quite like home but it'll do' pasta sauce. Check out the spice section of the grocery store, you might get inspired. I would expect crepes would be easy enough to make, milk, eggs, flour and a bit of sugar, whip up a nice fruit sauce and make those as a special xmas desert. what about rice pudding, doable in the microwave, add milk, eggs, sugar and raisins to precooked rice and microwave on low for awhile. Bread pudding would work if you had something that resembles western type bread.
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Post by Raoul Duke on Dec 11, 2006 18:13:49 GMT 7
The Europaer? Are you in or near Changchun? I don't cook all that much but have been able to cook a lot of Western dishes here. A strategic strike on a foreigner-oriented supermarket in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc. for some key ingredients will expand your range even more. Never underestimate the power of a great cheeseburger with home-fried potatoes, which I have been easily able to cook in every city I've lived in. I usually have to use sliced bread instead of buns, but who cares? Of course, you kinda have to be American to really know how to do this right, but you Commonwealth types are invited to try your hand at a near-imitation.   It's a great thing to offer Chinese friends, most of whom have never had a decent hamburger. It's even more fun with people who have never eaten ANY hamburger...watching them try to pick up one of my massive thick tomato-and-onion-laden cheeseburgers with chopsticks is alone worth the effort.  (PS- I eventually straighten them out on the right way to eat one...) Beef stew is also easy and cheap, a great winter warmer, and very popular with Chinese people. You can't bake corn bread to go with it, most likely, but the somewhat-sweet corn cakes sold in many markets are a great substitute. I've made both rice puddings and bread puddings here in the microwave with great success. The hard part is vanilla extract. You can find vanilla beans pretty easily; break off some small pieces, insert them into your puddings, then remove them after the pudding is done. I've also had to do the same thing with cinnamon...again, it's easy to buy cinnamon sticks but harder to find powdered cinnamon. The advice to buy a counter-top oven is good. Many department stores have them for under 400 RMB. If you have even a semi-decent supermarket available you can buy French rolls, sliced sandwich meats, and a few kinds of cheese. Split the rolls, load 'em with meat and cheese, and toast them in your oven for a sandwich that will make you cry. Note that Chinese baking powder is probably different than what you're used to, but it works just as well. Western BP is activated by moisture; as soon as you add water it will start acting. Chinese BP is activated by heat and starts to work when you cook it. It will give off a slight ammonia odor while cooking, but this will completely disappear and is nothing to worry about. With a little exploring and imagination you can cook a lot of familiar foods here. Again, a trip to City Supermarket in Shanghai, or its equivalent in the other megacities, can yield things like Italian herbs, vanilla extract, spices, mustard, salad dressings other than Thousand Island, and so on that will keep a long time and greatly add to your capabilites. |
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Post by Raoul Duke on Dec 11, 2006 18:27:00 GMT 7
PS, if you ARE in Changchun, two restaurants to look for. They were both in the district around the Shangri-La Hotel.
The Rose Garden had decent hamburgers and they also had cheese. Several months of patient cajoling eventually got them to successfully combine the two concepts.
Casablanca had some kickass pizzas on their menu, better and cheaper than Pizza Hut!
Downtown Changchun had a semi-decent deli that occasionally stocked such essentials as real cheese and Dr. Pepper. Some of the little hole-in-the-wall stores nearby would occasionally yield some surprising and totally inexplicable little treasures such as taco shells.
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Decurso
Barfly
Things you own end up owning you
Posts: 581
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Post by Decurso on Dec 11, 2006 22:51:35 GMT 7
If you have a favourite small eats restaurant where the staff likes you ...you will be amazed at what you can do.Go into the kitchen and give western cooking lessons.My favourite small eats place now serves fries,chicken fingers and is not far learning how to batter and fillet a fish.Costs a pittance compared to UBC Coffee or some similar place..and much better atmosphere.
This is also a great way to make friends with the laobans at your local dive..give it a try!
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Post by Secret Agent Jane on Dec 12, 2006 12:13:16 GMT 7
If you have even a semi-decent supermarket available you can buy French rolls, sliced sandwich meats, and a few kinds of cheese. Cheese at the supermarket?? LOLOL. I can't even reliably find butter, let alone something resembling cheese. I'm in Benxi, in the NE. These monthly trips to Shenyang are costly... We're moving to a new city/school in a month. You make Chengdu sound most appealing... |
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Post by kcanuck on Dec 12, 2006 19:17:56 GMT 7
It's the same up here in IM, very limited western culinary resources or western anything, although we do have one KFC, it's the fanciest joint in town.
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Post by George61 on Dec 12, 2006 19:53:07 GMT 7
Stop whinging, ya lazy bathplugs!! There is an abundance of western food all around you. There is fresh pork, mutton, beef, chicken, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, beans, cucumber, celery, garlic, ginger, etc, etc, etc. All you gotta do is cook it! There is plenty of soy sauce, herbs, spices, etc. All you gotta do is improvise! Piece o' piss!!
Get fresh ingredients, add a touch of imagination, stir well over heat, and eat! Season to taste. Bloody useless lot! ;D
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Post by kcanuck on Dec 12, 2006 20:15:59 GMT 7
damn, you mean I gotta work at it? It's so much easier to just eat out. I'm on sabbatical you know, from my life as a single mother of a teenager who was always asking "what is there to eat?" Is it any wonder the mere thought of having to prepare food is a chore. The most I've done here is cooked frozen wontons. And I ain't complaining, I'm quite happy with the cuisine, I was just mentioning that certain items are not readily available here.
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Post by The Canink on Dec 13, 2006 6:02:42 GMT 7
I must be some kind of mutant. Five years here and I've not really missed western food much except for the times when I've got an attack of Chinanaphylaxis, and for that a quick trip to McD's or KFC is enough for me to pretend for a couple of hours that I'm not in China.
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Post by Missi on Dec 13, 2006 6:18:58 GMT 7
Soups, make soups. Easy. Use a rice cooker for the soup instead of the stove.
Where is that thread with a bunch of recipes on it? There are some great and easy ideas on it.
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Post by Lotus Eater on Dec 13, 2006 7:05:44 GMT 7
I must be some kind of mutant. Five years here and I've not really missed western food much except for the times when I've got an attack of Chinanaphylaxis, and for that a quick trip to McD's or KFC is enough for me to pretend for a couple of hours that I'm not in China. My stomach HAS mutated! When I eat western food now - even if I cook it myself - I get 'la duzi'. First happened when a bunch of foreigners came back from holidays, bringing their favourite supplies with them and for 3 days we partied on western food. I ended up in hospital on a drip (typical treament) for 3 days. Now - if I go to Pizza Hut or any western restaurant here - I know 4 hours later the bathroom will be calling me. Happened when I went back to Oz as well - not looking forward to my next visit there for this reason. As far as I am concerned - Asian food is great! |
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Post by Vegemite on Dec 13, 2006 7:38:06 GMT 7
I, too, enjoy the Chinese food - I just miss the fish. Up here, very much inland, we don't get much fish. Back home I used to eat fish nearly every day - I love fish...fish in coconut milk, fish drizzled with a little whiskey and lemon, fish on the bbq...ahh seafood..I'm salivating right now. I miss my fish...
What I've found the biggest difficulty adapting to Chinese cuisine is the cheapness (and quantity) of it! I eat out everyday up here - breakfast, lunch and tea...and my biggest problem was overcoming the guilt of not cooking. When we first arrived my daughter and I did take turns cooking a couple of times a week but as the semester progressed and we got busier and busier, we stopped. I haven't cooked since the summer holidays...apart from one soup (which I don't really count as cooking) and the odd rice porridge.
When Kcanuck arrived I felt so lazy...I tried to make excuses but then a few mates back in Kiwi land and the Pacifica pointed out that I support the local economy by eating out every day. So, I proudly raised my head, banished the guilt and go out everyday to give back something to the life that I love up here.
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Post by Vegemite on Dec 13, 2006 7:42:50 GMT 7
Oops, I forgot to add, I miss my vegemite, too! I couldn't forget to add that, could I?  As to cooking western type food for Xmas, which was the original question in the thread, I'd go with making bread and butter pudding in the microwave or rice pudding. And I do have a non-dairy, gluten free Xmas cake recipe back in NZ, it's a recipe that is specifically made to be made in the microwave. I haven't made it, but I've eaten it - devine...  |
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Post by The Canink on Dec 13, 2006 12:16:20 GMT 7
I know how to roast a chicken using a wok and a microwave/grill oven. Any takers?
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Post by Noodles on Dec 13, 2006 13:18:28 GMT 7
Sometimes i do love my little corner of this great country. Especially when i hear about people missing food stuff.
I just had a great shepards pie for lunch, just like my mama used to make.
Got a big fat turkey with all the trimmings ordered for xmas.
I might be missing out on the culture down here but i'm not missing much else.
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Mimi
New Chum
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Post by Mimi on Dec 13, 2006 13:32:11 GMT 7
I'm not in China yet, so I may be missing some things... but aren't there at least *some* ingredients for western foods? I mean, all you need for mashed potatoes are potatoes, milk, and butter or oil. And all you need for stuffing is bread, a toaster (or any heat source) and an imagination. Most other western foods can be made as long as you have some way of frying things (though you're better off abstaining). I've made some pretty incredible things living in a tiny studio apartment with no oven and a $20/week allowance for food.
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Post by Raoul Duke on Dec 13, 2006 15:01:07 GMT 7
Mashed potatoes are easy...even with gravy, if you know how to make it. Finding sage and other herbs for your stuffing, though...  A supply of favorite seasonings can be a smart thing to bring along. |
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Post by Stil on Dec 13, 2006 15:12:14 GMT 7
I'm not in China yet, so I may be missing some things... but aren't there at least *some* ingredients for western foods? I mean, all you need for mashed potatoes are potatoes, milk, and butter or oil. And all you need for stuffing is bread, a toaster (or any heat source) and an imagination. Most other western foods can be made as long as you have some way of frying things (though you're better off abstaining). I've made some pretty incredible things living in a tiny studio apartment with no oven and a $20/week allowance for food. It depends where you are. I live in a tiny town and if I want to find bread that isn't full of sugar I need travel for 3 hours. Toasters are not available in town either. I get butter from a bakery now but couldn't find any to buy in a store before. Something that's not often mentioned is the kitchen itself. They can be tiny with very little counter space, no oven of course and makes doing any serious cooking a pain in the ass. In the summer it's to bloody hot to cook in my kitchen not to mention that i have to buy food daily because you never know when the power is going to go out and all your food in the fridge spoil. Since i've got to pass restaurants on the way to the market, I just eat out. Also it's much cheaper to eat out in the hole-in-the-walls than it is for me to cook. This years Christmas dinner involves a couple bottles of Bombay gin and a small bottle of olives. Not sure what we are eating yet. |
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Post by solongtinik on Dec 13, 2006 15:35:54 GMT 7
xmas' dinner isnt a prob since im leavin on sturday...but i guess ill be missin chinese food! i'm just salivating for PESTO pizza now...a welcome treat for me!
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Post by cheekygal on Dec 13, 2006 20:48:28 GMT 7
there was a wonderful thread that i cant find now on recipes. WHERE DID IT GO?
Drop by the ladies lounge - there should be another one on that matter
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Post by Secret Agent Jane on Dec 15, 2006 0:21:59 GMT 7
Wow, I'm overwhelmed by the responses. I think I should have been more specific. I really wanted to find a way to make a pie in the microwave (or toaster oven), specifically. I think I'll just put some apple slices with some sugar and cinnamon in there and see what happens.
Either way, we three foreigners decided to head to the big city of Shenyang for Christmas dinner after all. Perhaps we'll find a turkey with it's head still on.
Just a note: while veggies and meat are technically western fare, frying it all up just isn't the same. It's not just the ingredients that are a limitation (Butter, ground pepper or sugarless bread? What are they?) but the single gas burner on a narrow counter as well. I'm used to baking cookies and pies for christmas. How do you do that in a toaster oven?
I just need to try to wrap my mind around different methods. Mashed potatoes = yes. Gravy from a microwaved chicken breast? Hmm....
Note 2: Find a toaster oven, some French bread, some butter, and some garlic. It makes it self, once you can find all the ingredients.
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Post by cheekygal on Dec 15, 2006 11:14:25 GMT 7
may be this will help... see which one you can find the ingredients for www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,cake_in_microwave_oven,FF.html copy and paste the url - it works! |
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