Sriracha

Or as I like to call it, "the new ketchup". Seriously, this stuff is good on everything. I distinctly remember one meal time at college where a group of my friends and I followed a group of Indonesian kids into the grub spot. At the college I attended you had to scan your I.D. card in order to get into the cafeteria, and at each entrance to the cafeteria there were workers stationed to confiscate any outside food or drink, as well as try

I Do I Do I Do-oooo!

to bring some order to the zombie-like droves of college students cycling in and out of the building. One of the Indonesian kids was trying to sneak in a bottle of Sriracha, when he caught the attendants eye. In a panic he turned away from the approaching attendant, quickly crammed the whole bottle of Hot Sauce down the front of his pants, before finally pulling his sweatshirt down over the bottle. As it turns out, she wasn't after him after all, and he made it into the Four Winds with his green capped bottle of hot sauce.Victory was his and the prize was sweet sweet Sriracha; however, I doubt his friends were to keen on handling the bottle after that.
A recent hot sauce craving has rekindled my love for all things spicy/hot/peppery and while chowing down on some fried rice and Sriracha, I began to do a little research on the history of the popular clear bottle that is stamped with a rooster.

The NYTimes did a fantastic article on the history of Sriracha that can be found in the link below:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/20united.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Without a doubt Sriracha has a cult following that cannot be stopped. The popularity of the hot sauce has spawned everything from Halloween costumes to documentaries, books, and tattoos. All I can say is this, I love Sriracha! HIYa!

Journey To The West

I am hooked!

Awhile back, I purchased a copy of one of the four great classic novels of Chinese Literature on my Kindle. Journey to the West was written in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty. Its authorship is attributed to We Cheng'en. I opted to buy the unabridged instead of the chopped down version of book, and am only about 40% done! I absolutely love the story! This comes as a shocker to many folks who know me, because I am not a fiction reader.
While clicking around on Youtube the other day I discovered Journey to the West was made into several different Chinese television series bearing the same title. The series that remains truest to the story was produced by Zhang Jizhong. This 66 episode series ran in mainland China in 2011 and can be viewed in its entirety on good ol' Youtube. 
I just finished up episode 12 and am loving the characters, cheesy cg, and incredible subtitles! I highly recommend this series to anyone who is interested the lore of the Monkey King! HIYa!

A Collectors Worst Nightmare

Well, maybe a collectors 2nd worst nightmare, next to losing ones entire collection. Whenever F.Y.E (For Your Entertainment) has a BOGO sale I am like a kid in a candy store. As luck would have it, I just so happened to swing by my nearest FYE when the sale was on. My HK cinema/mainland film collection is nearing the 300 movie mark; no doubles and all DVD/Bluray. With a collection this size it is necessary to keep an updated list of movies to keep myself from mistakenly buying doubles.
Depending on a list is only valuable when you have the list in your possession when you need it; on this trip I didn't have it on my person, ergo my problem. I selected 5 DVDs: Police Story, The Martial Arts Essentials Vol 2: The Films of Sammo Hung, The Martial Arts Essentials Vol 3: The Best of the Best, 8 Diagram Pole Fighter, and King Boxer.
I knew I had a copy of Police Story that was purchased used that, unfortunately, did not work properly, so I decided to replace it. When I got home, much to my dismay, I discovered that Police Story was not the only double I bought. I already had copies of both King Boxer and 8 Diagram Pole Fighter!!! AAARRRRGGG! Both movies were sitting on my shelf unopened, though I had seen both films in the past. This little mistake cost me $11 total, but I now will be making a digital list to put on my phone so it was a lesson well learned. HIYa!

My face when I saw the doubles...

Chinese Buffet Tips

Mmmmm Buffet...

So, you are going to a Chinese buffet? Traveling around the steaming islands of far east delights can be a joy or a total travesty. The stigma around buffets in general can be attributed to tales of cold food, low quality ingredients, uncleanliness, dried out food from heat lamps, recycled food use, and so on. While many of these claims may be grounded in reality, I submit to you that many of them are easily avoided by following a few easy steps.

Step 1: Do Some Research

Come now, Blake, research before I eat? I am appalled at how many people step out in blind faith when it comes to eating out. We investigate so many other areas of our lives (investments, purchased items, mechanics, etc.), but we leave our eating out with friends and family up to chance Before I eat at a new place I do three things:
          A. Check Restaurant Review Sites: Urbanspoon is my favorite and has handy tools like user reviews which help gather the common consensuses of others who have gone before you. A general satisfaction rate is also available along with hours, prices, and other general information.
          B. Health Scores: In my county at least, by Googleing the county, restaurant name, and the word "health score" a list is prompted of the restaurants most recent health scores.
          C. Ask Around: This is not always full proof because of wide variations in taste. However, I do have a few trusted souls whom I know like the same things as me and with generally gather their opinions.
These checkpoints are not always a safeguard, especially if the restaurant is new in town. Now that your research is done you can move on to step two.

Step 2: Make Your Choice

Process of elimination from step one should have whittled down your options. Make sure that your selected buffet has the options you are looking for. The three big areas to consider are Sushi, Mongolian BBQ, and General Buffet. Rare is the place that can master all three, but I have been to a few. Now that your selection has been made, load up the kids/spouse/friends/homeless and get on down there.

Step 3: Tackle The Buffet

The Chinese buffet is an art form. Success is a fine balance of getting what you want and plenty of it for the money you are spending. I am told that the human stomach is about the size of a fist so you needn't eat much more than that. If this is your mind set then just skip to step four, because you are about to be disgusted. Go on, we will see you there.
Now that the pansies are gone, we can get down to the niddy griddy.
       

  A. Getting Your Money's Worth- Why spend $12 on a buffet in which you go and eat the food that is cheapest for the restaurant to make? I'm not trying to save them money! I'm trying to put them out of business! Soda is usually an additional $2, therefore I suggest just getting water. Your money is best spent of the more quality items.
          B. Choosing Your Food- Lo Meins, rice dishes, and other carb heavy items are easily made at home and will fill you up the fastest and are usually not that great in a buffet setting. I suggest you avoid them and save room for the more delectable dishes. Because it digests the fastest, protein is the king of quantity. Seafood, especially shrimp, is usually in abundance at dinner buffets; this fact is what can help make you, as my friend Mark says, a "Buffet Killer". Filling your first plate with crab legs, various shrimp dishes, clams, and mussels will have your meal paid for on the first trip around the silver coffins. The second round is usually reserved for your other favorite meat based dishes of choice, followed by a run through the sushi line.

Step 4: Tips And Tricks

A watchful eye and patience are key to a good buffet experience. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
          1. Other people are touching the tongs that you are touching. My guess would be that most of them did not wash their hands before dining. Hand sanitizer is your friend at a Chinese Buffet and I suggest you use it several times throughout your meal.

A Real Life Nasty Buffet

          2. If you see something gross, REPORT IT! I once saw a little girl grabbing food out of the communal bowl with her bare hands. Don't be afraid to say something to the staff, they will replace the dish. If you see someone coughing up a storm into their bare hands and then touching tongs, report it. If a fly is blowing the food, report it. Most of the time the staff will thank you.
          3. Oh no, my favorite dish is almost out and only has one or two scoops left. Do not, I repeat, do not take the last two scoops. A dish on the line that is running that low is bound to be replaced within a few minutes. Keep your cool and wait it out; hot and fresh food will be your prize.
          4. Don't be afraid to toss something that you don't like. Buffets can be a time of experimentation and if you happen to grab something that looks great but tastes awful, just leave it on the plate. You are by no means obligated to clean the plate, and unless your mom is there telling you about the starving children in Africa, just go up and get something you like better.

Conclusion

Chinese Buffets are not for everyone. If you like one particular dish and know of a place that does it well, I suggest going there. If you are looking for great Chinese while on a date, a Chinese Buffet is probably not for you. For a night out with friends/ bro's/ family, a Chinese Buffet can be a great place to gather, eat, and enjoy each others company. By following the above tips, your trip can be that much more enjoyable. HIYa!

Top Ten Fight Scenes of all Time

There are a lot of great fight scenes out there. Thousands upon thousands of martial arts movies have been made, and out of the few hundred I have seen, these are ten of my favorites.

Lu Yan vs. The Silent Monk

The coming together of two martial arts legends that was 30 years in the making. Say what you want about the movie Forbidden Kingdom, but there is no denying that this fight sequence is epic. The incorporation of animal fighting styles, drunken boxing, and wire-fu are impressive considering that neither Lee(54) nor Li (45) were spring chickens when this was filmed. From this legendary scene we learn that old dogs really can learn new tricks.

Ip Man vs. General Miura 

The movie Ip Man (starring Donnie Yen) has no less than 5 supurb fight scenes. Besides being one of my favorite martial arts films of all time, I believe Ip Man will be considered a classic years from now. The final fight between Ip Man, a kind hearted master of  the Wing Chun fighting style, and the evil Japanese Karate expert, General Miura, plays itself out as a pretty easy victory for the ol' master Ip, but is enjoyable nonetheless.

Wong Fei-Hung vs. The Ax Gang

Jackie Chan at his finest. This classic sequence from Legend of Drunken Master proves that the only thing you need to take on an angry ax wielding gang is two Chinese benches.

Lee vs. O'Harra

Not really a fight scene so much as a royal beat down. Though this is not one of Enter the Dragons more iconic fights, it is one of my favorites. Here we see Lee going up against Mr. Hans right hand man, O'Harra. A number of years before this battle, O'Harra and his band of renowns kill Lee's sister while on furlough. In this scene we learn that revenge is a dish best served without the bottle.

Chen Zhen vs Japanese School

Another Bruce Lee classic pits Lees character Chen Zen against an entire Japanese Karate school. True to its title Fist of Fury this scene has great screams, hits, kicks, and "chucking". Lees radical response is caused by the Japanese school calling the Chinese people "the sick men of Asia". From this clip we learn that sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will get you killed.

Chan Ka Kui vs. Bad Guys on Playground

This fight from Police Story 2 is absolutely incredible. So incredible in fact that you cannot find it on youtube (sad face). This missing scene teaches us that Jackie Chan really cares about copyright laws.

Jung Tae-Soo and Seok-Hwan vs. Street Gangs

One of my favorite Korean movies of all time, City Of Violence, is also one of the martial art cinemas most underrated movies. This fight scene has the ageing Jung Tae-Soo fighting several groups of themed street gangs with some assistance from the actor/director who plays Seok-Hwan. All around fun and great action ensue as we learn to respect our elders.

Tony Jaa vs. Some Huge White Guys

The Protector features no wires, cg, or stuntmen. If that is not enough reason to watch, check out Tony Jaa beat these huge white guys. The first guy can also be seen beaten by Jet Li in Fearless. Never ever steal/kill a Thai mans elephant...seriously, those flying knee kicks hurt...

Tang Lung vs. Colt

What could be more iconic that Bruce Lee fighting a young Chuck Norris with a cute kitty referee? In this clip we learn that if you ever see a martial arts legend rip out the chest hair of another martial arts legend, save it. The ebay earnings will give you an early retirement.

Ip Man vs. 10 Japanese Blackbelts

Donnie Yens young friend is killed by the Japanese in a fight for rice. Donnie proceeds to teach them a lesson. In this clip we learn that Snap, Crackle, and Pop or no longer just found in rice Crispys.

Well I hope you enjoyed these awesome fight scenes! Like I said, these are just ten of my favorites. If you disagree, agree, or have another fight you would like me to check out, please comment below. HIYa!

Childhood Photos of Kung Fu Stars Quiz

It is actually really hard to find childhood photos of many of Hong Kongs most famous action stars. Can you recognize these Kung Fu kids before they were stars? Answers below.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

G.

H.

I.

Answers:
A- Tony Leung
B-Chian Sheng
C- Chow Yun Fat
D- Jet Li
E- Sammo Hung
F- Jackie Chan
G- Bruce Lee
H- Donnie Yen
I- Jay Chou

How to Make Shrimp Shumai

I love Chinese food.

I mean I really love it. 

I love it so much I wanna marry it!!! 

     Ok, that got a little weird, but seriously, its great stuff. I could, and often do, eat Chinese food every day. Whether I am cooking it myself or hitting up my favorite local spot, conveniently located one block from my house (I'll probably do a post about it in the future) Chinese food is usually on my menu. 

     Recently I dedicated a half-day to making one of my all time favorite dishes, Shrimp Shumai. Shumai, not to be confused with Shu mai the Presidente of the Commerce Guild, member of the Separatist Council who was killed by Darth Vader on Mustafar along with the rest of the Separatist Council in Revenge of the Sith, is a delicious bite-sized Cantonese morsel that is found in Dim Sum joints all across the western world. 

     Shumai itself dates clear back to the Qing Dynasty and has undergone an innumerable amount of transformations. Shumai, also referred to as a "dumpling", is at its most basic form, a sheet of dough wrapped around a filling no larger than a golf ball.

Shrimp Shumai (aka the king of shumai)

With a little patients and the right tools, Shrimp Shumai is a breeze to make. Most of what you will need can be purchased at a local supermarket.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb of Shrimp (raw or cooked)

4oz of lean pork

1/4 of a medium sized onion

1tbls Fresh Ginger

1tbls Soy Sauce

1tbls Cooking Sherry

1tbls Corn Starch

pinch of Salt

1 package Wonton Wrappers

I have a few personal preferences when it comes to the ingredients.  First, I like to use salad shrimp because they are cheaper and have a little more "shrimpy" kick to them; I find that the big shrimp cost more and don't pack the flavor punch that is needed for a good shumai. Secondly, you can use any cut or grade of pork as long as its lean; steaks, ground, scraps, whatever you want, but I prefer lean loin. Thirdly, the amount of onion and ginger levels can be changed to suit your taste; the listed amounts are just the way I like them. Finally, there are several kinds of wonton wrappers: wheat, gluten free, big ones, small ones, some as big as your head, save yourself the brain power and just buy standard, white, thick or thin wrappers.That being said, on to the process.

How to Shumai

The Ingredients Set Out For Easy Use

Once you have rounded up all of your ingredients, prepare yourself a large work space on a kitchen counter or table. There is an easy way to make shumai and a not so easy way. My way of doing it, the easy way, is to pop all the ingredients into a food processor and turning it on high until everything is blended into a paste. The not so easy way is to do it by hand.

The Filling

Step 1: Pick through shrimp and make sure all veins and shells are removed before giving them a good rinse under cold tap water.

Step 2: Place shrimp on a clean cutting board and use the back of a butcher knife to mince the shrimp into a paste and add it to a large mixing bowl.

Step 3: Mince the pork with the sharp side of the knife until almost a paste (some chunks will remain). Add pork to bowl mixing bowl containing shrimp.

To Save Time I Use a Food Processor and
Whip Everything Into A Thick Paste

Step 4: Finely chop onion and peeled ginger and add into bowl with the meat

Step 5: In separate bowl, mix soy sauce, sherry, salt, and cornstarch until starch dissolves. Add mixture to large bowl.

Step 6: Mix all ingredients well until a paste is formed

Forming the Shumai

Step 1: Place 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture into the center of a wonton wrapper and wet the edges with a small amount of water.
Step 2: Bring all the sides into the center and press to gently seal the bottom and sides (the tops should still be exposed with the shrimp mixture). Flatten the top and place onto a baking sheet. Repeat until all the filling and wrappers have been used.

Cooking These Bad Boys

Boil/Steaming the Shumai

Traditionally Shumai are steamed in bamboo baskets over a pot of boiling water. Since those things are a pain in the booty to clean, I prefer the boil/steam method.

Step 1: To cook your freshly made Shumai, place them in wide-bottomed frying pan and fill the pan with water until the water level reaches half way up the Shumai.

Step 2: Bring the water to a boil and cook for 10 minutes

Whats Next

At this point the Shumai are fully cooked and ready to consume. One of the joys of Shumai is that it keeps in the freezer very well. If you are looking to make a large batch to freeze, there are a few precautions to take.

Shrimp Shumai On The Cooling Wrack

First, when the Shumai are done cooking, place them on a wire grate or wax paper (not touching each other) and pop them in the freezer for about an hour. If they are not given time to cool, they will stick together in the freezer bag and ruin the Shumai. 

Secondly, Once the Shumai are frozen, you may transfer them into a freezer bag until you are ready to eat them.

When ready, just pull them out of the freezer and arrange them on a microwave safe plate. Cover the dumplings with saran wrap and microwave on high for two minutes.

There you have it, freshly made Shrimp Shumai right from your very own kitchen! If you have any questions, feel free to comment below! HIYa!!!