Rice

I can't extol the deliciousness of rice dumplings enough. In Mandarin, they're called "Jung- dz" and in Taiwanese they're called "Ba tzang." There are many versions of Ba tzang, depending on where you hail from. Regardless of the individual spins on the recipe, it usually incorporates some kind of pork-based filling and is always wrapped in bamboo leaves before steaming.  As a kid, I used to watch my grandmother Ah-ma make Ba tzang, so I have some recollection of the ingredie

This dish is a staple from my childhood - it's a sticky glutinous fried rice that's sautéed with thinly shredded pork loin, dried shrimp, Shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, sesame oil, five spice powder, fried shallots, rice wine, sugar, and white pepper. Taiwanese comfort food at its best! My grandma "Ah Ma" made IMHO the best Yu Bung ever and, although I'll never be able to replicate her version exactly, here's my best shot.

When I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I used to call these ebony-hued & ghoulish green-centered duck productions "Thousand-Year-Old Eggs." Not a diss, but simply the moniker that was passed down to me by the family elders. I have to admit I absolutely abhorred the taste of this seeming abomination of nature throughout my formative years. My grandma would always serve these eggs as an appetizer for Chinese New Year, and I always had to find a way to pretend that I ate them. B

A Dim Sum favorite. In Taiwan we had "Jongzi," or "Ba Tsang" as we say in Taiwanese, which is sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves - traditional fare for Dragon Boat Festival. My grandmother made the absolute bestest, most delectable Ba Tsang ever! They were loaded with fatty pork, shiitake mushrooms, chestnuts, and fresh bamboo braised in soy sauce, and dried shallots - all seasoned with a touch of Five Spice powder. My first taste of this Cantonese version using lotus leave

Taiwanese congee or rice porridge is usually cooked plain (just rice and water) or with some diced sweet potato, but another traditional version called "Giam Mue" (translated as "salty" rice porridge) includes savory ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, tiny dried shrimp, celery, fried shallots, and ginger. My mom makes a delicious version, but since I don't have her exact recipe, this is my take on it. I've gone off the rez a bit by adding ground pork but, hey, everything's