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All our episodes are here in order. Be sure to download the podcast too.

Monday, January 08, 2007

EPISODE 4: Chicken Feet

HI, Everyone! This is Jack and here is the fourth podcast of Jack Ate the Beanstalk.

This week I am trying chicken feet. That's what I said. Chicken Feet. It is considered a delicacy in Asia. It is also eaten in Jewish culture. But most people think it's not a good thing to eat. I think most people think it's dirty.

Mostly people eat it in soups. The little bits of meat and cartilage fall off the bones and people like to suck the meat or cartilage from the toes. You can find chicken feet at most dim sum restaurants, where they deep fry it and steam it with black bean sauce.

It can be found in most asian markets. The cost per pound is sometimes more than the cost per pound for regular chicken meat. It looks gross in the pile at the store. They look like alien hands. Great. Sounds good.

I ended up not liking them. We cooked them Thai style with a little bit of chile sauce. I didn't like it because it didn't have much meat and seemed fatty and kinda greasy.

Thank you to my Aunty Shan for recommending chicken feet for this podcast. Thanks.

Don't forget to download my podcasts on my website and on iTunes.

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Puzzler Question: "What other bird's feet is eaten in Asia?"

Answer: Duck
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Recipes

Pork or chicken thigh can be used instead of feet.

Ingredients
150 gms Chicken Feet
350 ml Water
2 Tablspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon White Pepper
100 gms Green Chinese Cabbage

Ingredients for Red Sauce
2 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce
2 Tablespoons Red Wine
2 Tablespoons Chilli Sauce
2 Tablespoons Ketchup
1 Tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Oil
4 Garlic Cloves

Preparation
1. Into a saucepan, put the water, salt and white pepper and bring to the boil.
2. Add the chicken feet, boil for 30 minutes then remove from the water, keeping the water in the pan.
3. Clean the chinese cabbage and soak in the hot water the chicken feet were cooked in for 2 minutes (to soften and partly cook them). Remove and place on a plate.
4. Remove the bones of the chicken feet so that only the meat and skin remain.
5. To make the red sauce, put oil into a frying pan, chop the garlic and fry for 20 seconds to release the smell.
6. Add all the other red-sauce ingredients, and stir over the heat for 1 minute.
7. To serve, pour the red sauce over the chicken feet and vegetables.

Serve With Sticky Rice.

Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

EPISODE 3: 1000 Year Old Egg

HI, Everyone! This is Jack and here is the third podcast of Jack Ate the Beanstalk.

This is an interesting podcast! Ever heard of Green Eggs and Ham? I don't think this was what Dr. Seuss was talking about.

I have met a lot of people who love 1000 year old eggs (or century eggs). After trying it, I don't think it's so bad. I don't think I will eat it again. It was fun trying to find it in Chinatown. 1000 year old eggs are preserved in dirt or clay for days or months but not for 1000 years. The smell is really strong. My dad kept gagging during the filming.

Don't forget to download my podcasts on my website and on iTunes.

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Puzzler Question: "What animals preserve their food in a way just like the 1000 year old egg?"

Answer: Dogs! (and Wolves) Actually, any animals that bury their food. Dogs bury their food to hide it from other animals but also to preserve it so they have food for later. Burying food in dirt, clay, or sand is one of the oldest ways of preserving. Packing food tightly in dirt keeps oxygen off of the food and stops bacteria growth and rot.
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Recipes

1000 Year Old Egg & Tofu

1 block of silken tofu, sliced into bite-sized slabs

place on top of the tofu:
1 thousand-year-old egg, peeled and sliced into cubes

mix and then pour on top of the whole thing:

a few dashes of soy sauce
a little drizzle of sesame oil
a handful of thinly chopped scallions
a small amount of chopped garlic (optional)

Enjoy!