tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190698551624574472.post2281106545657399259..comments2024-03-06T15:41:15.077-08:00Comments on Trout Caviar: Gong Bao Tu Dou DingTrout Caviarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236671377889601457noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190698551624574472.post-26958904786475120502010-06-25T15:59:49.759-07:002010-06-25T15:59:49.759-07:00nt: Another thing that says it's summer here ...nt: Another thing that says it's summer here is opening the cupboard and being hit by the scent of hua jiao blasting out. It really gets fragrant in the hot, humid weather.<br /><br />When I started cooking Sichuan food, in the '80s, the Sichuan pepper available in stores here was crap. That was perhaps the result of the fact that there was a ban on importing it for many years--supposedly because it can carry a fungus that attacks citrus fruits.<br /><br />Anyway, when I got to Chengdu in '89 and tasted the real thing, at the source, I was blown away--incredibly fragrant and "ma," or numbing.<br /><br />Now the stuff available at places like United Noodles is actually pretty good. I will just point out for those who may be unfamiliar with it, that it's the reddish-brown husk that has all the flavor, and the small black seed is just like a tiny pebble--no taste or aroma there at all. So in shopping for it, look for a high percentage of husks, and very few of the black seeds.<br /><br />I use it raw and whole in stir-fries like this, or toasted in a dry skillet for a few minutes, then ground to use on finished dishes, the same way you'd use black pepper--which is also used in Sichuan cooking, though less so than hua jiao.<br /><br />Cheers~ BrettTrout Caviarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11236671377889601457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190698551624574472.post-28422115666092110912010-06-23T11:38:20.102-07:002010-06-23T11:38:20.102-07:00Hi Angie: Yes, unfettered access to the many flavo...Hi Angie: Yes, unfettered access to the many flavors of New Glarus is one of the delightful perks of life in the Land O' Cheese. You can't get it in Minnesota.<br /><br />Cheers~ BrettTrout Caviarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11236671377889601457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190698551624574472.post-72027676537354637522010-06-23T10:17:59.197-07:002010-06-23T10:17:59.197-07:00Lovely. On my short list to try (as is the pea sa...Lovely. On my short list to try (as is the pea salsa)!<br /><br />I note your choice of beverage...angiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580426976030683874noreply@blogger.com