Typically, I prefer Southern Chinese food, and I think there may be more to it than me being from the Chinese South. In America, when many think about Chinese food, common regional names come into play, like who-naaaaaan and seh-chew-on and shaaang-hiiii (Note: I am mimicking common verbal butcher jobs). Most probably do not know that Hunan (湖南) and Sichuan (四川) and Shanghai (上海) are Southern Chinese provinces and/or municipalities. Even Chinese buffet and Chinese takeout represent a cuisine descended and evolved from a very specific style, possibly that of a single ethnic minority, originating from Canton China (广东)--also the South. Whether it is because of historical ethnic migration patterns into America (more likely) or because the number of mind-blowing Southern Chinese canon foods is truly more numerous than the number of Northern counterparts (less likely, but I will insert my personal bias anyway), I do not know.
And so it is with great joy that I present to you a favorite Northern style dish called Tudou Si (土豆丝), probably something like vinegar potatoes julienne. This dish is super simple to make because you toss it in a little oil with similarly cut green onions on high heat for no more than two to three minutes. However, where the impact of this dish is truly decided is in the preparation. Slicing potatoes to amazingly thin widths takes careful effort, and it is not a quick job. Even most kitchen devices out there today cannot achieve the ultra-thin cuts that are needed by this dish (there are some German-engineered devices that can get close). Using five small golden yellow potatoes, it took me ten times more time to prep the potatoes than to cook them.
This iteration, I soaked the potato straws in vinegar water that was too heavy on the vinegar, so the final result turned out slightly more sour than expected though not bad when consumed with rice. Next time I might try adding some julienned red chili peppers to literally spice up the dish and make it visually more appealing.
And so it is with great joy that I present to you a favorite Northern style dish called Tudou Si (土豆丝), probably something like vinegar potatoes julienne. This dish is super simple to make because you toss it in a little oil with similarly cut green onions on high heat for no more than two to three minutes. However, where the impact of this dish is truly decided is in the preparation. Slicing potatoes to amazingly thin widths takes careful effort, and it is not a quick job. Even most kitchen devices out there today cannot achieve the ultra-thin cuts that are needed by this dish (there are some German-engineered devices that can get close). Using five small golden yellow potatoes, it took me ten times more time to prep the potatoes than to cook them.
This iteration, I soaked the potato straws in vinegar water that was too heavy on the vinegar, so the final result turned out slightly more sour than expected though not bad when consumed with rice. Next time I might try adding some julienned red chili peppers to literally spice up the dish and make it visually more appealing.
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