Chinese toon leaves are possibly one of the most popular seasonal vegetables in the country and seeing them in the markets give us hope that warm weather is just around the corner. This tree is the only tree with edible  leaves known to North Asia. The leaves are often cooked in an omelet, however are also extremely tasty served in a tofu salad with oil, lemon juice and walnuts.

If you prefer a more fusion style, we recommend this recipe from the Norwegians.  http://www.seafoodfromnorway.com/page?id=104&key=61826

No matter how you decide to cook them, just ensure that if you decide to pick the leaves straight from the tree that you opt for the fragrant toon as opposed to the inedible smelly toon. The best variety is the dark pink or purple toon leaves which are crisp, crunchy and truly aromatic, but you better be quick as these tasty treats are usually only in season for 2 weeks.

Full of anitoxidants, these  shoots are also rich in nutrients and contain protein, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 and B2 as well as loads of lipids.To read more about these little health wonders, Pauline D Loh suggests that these leaves have become the new micro-greens in Beijing restaurants.  http://www.changshouqu.com/n306732c30.aspx

Photo by Pauline D Loh China Daily

This Tour is offsite from The Hutong and runs at a large outdoor market in Beijing. To witness what the Chinese refer to as “da feng shou” or big harvest. Giving you the opportunity to see what is obviously in season. Also a fabulous opportunity for photographs. This tour also goes through a long and more involved spice and condiment for more advanced culinary seasoned Chefs.

Additions include: Understanding different tofu’s; identifying different teas based on their appearance; Chinese cooking implements;

Tour runs for 90 mins and meets at Dulmarti Market. Directions available from The Hutong.

This tour runs for private groups only (minimum 6pl).

Price:  100 RMB pp (Min 6 ppl)

This Culinary Market Tour helps you identify all the local ingredients available, understanding the different condiments including; vinegars, soya sauces, cooking wines, recognising the characters for MSG’s and various additives. We also go through all the spices and noodles understanding not just what they are but how to cook with these ingredients and make use of them.

The grains (flours, seeds and pulses) and oils we help bring to light the great many reasons for “going local” finding the very best alternatives to foreign imported goods. Vegetables we educate guests on the properties and benefits of each vegetable according to Traditional Chinese Medicine concepts. What to eat in what season and simple recipe ideas.

Buying local helps support environmental sustainability. Its also just a fun packed hour. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase items on tour. Bring cameras and meet 1 hour prior to cooking class at The Hutong.

Price: 80 RMB pp (Min. 6 ppl)

In the Beijing markets in March you will find an abundance of fresh new season cucumbers. Here are some health benefits we’ve found for you this month to bring you out of the heavier “winter” diet and get you to brighter notes of Spring.
Availability:  All local markets in Beijing
Price:  2RMB/Jin
1.
Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
2.
Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber.  Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.
3.
Steamy Beijing Bathroom? Bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower?  Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance

4.
Are grubs and slugs ruining your pot plants in your house or Beijing apartment?  Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make run like they have ants in their pants
5.
Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before your next Tai Chi routine, Chinese class or Hot Fri Night date?  Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite.  Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6.
Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache?  Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free.  Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!
7.
Need to polish or protect your shoes from Beijings’ harsh winter climate?  Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.
8.
Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge?  Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone. This is what we do at The Hutong for all our doors
9.
Stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa?  Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams
10.
Just finish a business lunch and realize you don’t have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemicals will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

Is cooking in Beijing a little too much trouble for you? Want to skip a few steps and end up with something beautiful and tastier than in the restaurants? This ‘Outsource Your Kitchen’ class tackles the famous xianr bing, or otherwise known as the Chinese stuffed breads most commonly found in the small single-window bakery shops throughout the hutongs of Beijing. At the Hutong you’ll learn some great recipes for making far better versions of these wonderful mini-sandwiches in your own home, and then have them finished for you in the shops! While they are in queue for cooking we’ll swing out to the local market for a quick tour as well.

If you have been in China this past new year, then no doubt you have seen what looks like  miniature orange tree, these are Kumquats and they symbolize prosperity. Not only may they bring you good fortune, your health will benefit too.

Did you know Kumquat helps…

• protect cells and absorb iron
• prevent constipation
• lower cholesterol and/or glucose levels.

Native to China, but now grown in many other countries the kumquat literally means gold orange and these little gems can be eaten on their own ‘skin and all’ or can be candied, marinated, prepared as marmalade, added to fruit salad, poached or preserved whole.

If you want to balance out all this health, with something a little naughtier try  a Kumquat Caipirinha by replacing the limes wih Kumquats. All you need to do is mash together a few kumquat halves,  a pinch of grated ginger, and a bit of sugar, then add ice, white rum and soda. Garnish with a kumquat slice.

pomelo

The pomelo tastes like a sweet, mild grapefruit, though the typical pomelo is much larger in size than the grapefruit.  It is one of the largest and juiciest fruits on our planet. Pomelo originated in China and it was mentioned in ancient Chinese books. The fruit is rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene and the B vitamins.

Our TCM practioner Alex Tan adds;

Nature & Flavour: Sweet, sour and cool
Channels: enters the Lung, Spleen, Stomach channels
Functions and Indications: Fortifies the Spleen, transforms phlegm, stops coughs, and resolves alcohol toxins. It also treats cough with profuse phlegm, nausea, vomiting, and indigestion, even aiding hangovers from alcohol, wind damp impediment and swelling due to falls and knocks.

Here is The Hutong’s favourite Pomelo recipe, contributed by Joel Shuchat

Pomelo Salad

500g medium size Shrimp- shelled and cleaned
Two stalks of lemon grass sliced thinly against the grain. Hold the husks on the side
1000g of washed spinach, most of stems removed
Two cups of sliced mushrooms (approx 400g)
Two medium sized tomatoes cut into chunks
Half a pomelo peeled and broken into bite-size chunks
Four shallots sliced very thin
Dressing
Juice of three limes
100ml peanut oil
Four cloves of garlic chopped finely
Five teaspoons of fish sauce
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of maple syrup (or palm sugar is fine)
Two tablespoons of water
1 small fresh red chili pepper finely chopped
4 small dried chillies

1) Start by boiling some water and throwing in a pinch of salt along with the unused lemon grass husks. Continue boiling the lemongrass husks for 8 minutes prior to adding the raw shrimp. When boiled add the shrimp and cook for two minutes then remove and place in iced water until cool.
2) Pour some oil for deep frying in a pot and turn up the heat until it is about 140 Celsius. Add in the thinly sliced shallots and fry until evenly lightly browned. Remove and allow to cool.
3) Mix all the wet dressing ingredients except the oil and dry chillies. Blend well.
4) Pour out the oil until you are left with 100ml or so and when oil is a bit cooler, add the dry chilies. Take off heat as soon as the colour begins to change. Quickly pour it into the rest of the dressing and blend well. Taste for balance and adjust with either water, lime, sugar or fish sauce.
5) Place raw vegetables and fruit in a large salad bowl with the shrimp on top. Pour on the dressing. Top with the crispy shallots, toss and serve right away.

Join us for a culinary tour to explore all the colourful fresh items in a local Chinese food market. Help lift the intimidation factor that a lot of us feel when shopping at these market places. What is the difference in soy sauces and black vinegars, what are all those spices, and how can I learn to use them in my cooking back home, how do I avoid products using MSG, why are all the noodles different colours and what are all those grains in the silo bags used for?

A big part of the tour is focussing on information on food combining and seasonal shopping. How to utilize the best of the season to make suitable dishes for family and/or friends. We will also mention some of the ingredients and their actions according to Traditional Chinese Medicine Concepts.

Check our schedule for dates

This months brew Rou Gui  肉桂, comes from Wuyi mountain in Fujian. It is 30% fermented Oolong which retains a slightly roasted bouquet. It comes from Cassia Bark and contains a hint of cinammon. It’s a tad spicey which helps to warm the body through the fast changing seasons to colder months.
The Rou gui is particulaly nice when served with warmed cakes in the afternoon or brew as a light brew and savour this incredible flavour as a little stimulant to get you though a long day in the office. Steep for between 20 – 25 seconds only Enquire with The Hutong about latest brewing kits and pots just in!!

Chinese Yam (Fresh: 山药 shan yao) or (Dried: 淮山 huai shan)

If you visit a local market now, you will find an abundance of Chinese Yam. This is a great substitute for potato, just add it to your favourite casserole or soup. Alternatively is you visit a Chinese Medicine Practitioner, it is possible you will be given this same ingredient in it’s dried form. Huai Shan is known to strengthen muscles, enhance vigour and repair worn-out tissue. It’s a great Winter food, helping to aid digestion, diabetes, diarrhoea, kidney defects and dry coughs. We advise not to over do it though, asthis herb also helps get the bladder functioning and makes you perspire.

The Hutong’s favourite way to enjoy this ingredient fresh, is to chop it finely and stir fry with pink salt and paprika. We then steam it and pair with a light sesame, honey chili dipping sauce.

Information sourced from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioscorea_opposita

Persimmons – shi zi

What are they? Although there are a few varieties, you will find the native chinese permisson during November and December, lurking abundantly in your local market and hutong stalls – look in the fruit section for something that resembles a large flattened tomato. These slightly odd looking fruits were known to the ancient Greeks as “fruit of the Gods”. And rightly so. Did you know persimmons can…

 - assist high blood pressure

- help coughs

- relieve mouth sores

- ease asthma

Our resident TCM teacher Alex advises;  This fruit is know to moisten the lungs and can assist with high blood pressures, coughs, sores in the mouth and hiccups. The coughing and wheezing and of asthma can often be eased by introducing persimmons to the diet. But eating persimmons is not a good idea if you have diarrhea – unless the persimmon is not ripe, in which case it can help diarrhea. Perfect for Autumn in Bejing when the weather gets cold and dry and sore throats and dry cough are prevalent. 

Our suggestions;

Look for persimmons that are round, plump, and have glossy and smooth skin. Avoid fruits with blemishes, bruises or cracked skin and missing the green leaves at the top. Select ripe persimmons only if you plan to eat them immediately. Otherwise, buy firmer fruits and allow them to ripen.

Pomegranate (石榴 Shi liu ) has always believed to have health benefits and even magical properties, however now it’s been proven that pomegranates are indeed a fruit with multiple health benefits. The antioxidant effect of pomegranates is believed to be three times higher than that of either red wine or green tea. Pomegranates also offer fiber, potassium, vitamin C, folic acid, iron, and niacin.

Pomegranates are know to  help ……..

• lower blood pressure
• lower cholesterol
• prevent development of cancerous cells
• reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease
• your skin
• prevent tooth decay
• slow the deterioration of cartilage to fight arthritis joint pain.

Pomegranates are either eaten fresh or the juice is the source of the grenadine syrup used in flavourings and liqueurs.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com

Here are some of The Hutong’s hints for adding pomegranate to your diet

Eat Fresh

cut it into quarters, place a large bowl in the sink, hold the 1/4 piece in your hand with the skin facing the ceiling. Use a large knife, spatula, etc with a heavy handle. Hit the skin side of the fruit with the handle part of the knife/etc. This will cause the little pieces to dislodge from the inside walls of the 1/4 piece and fall into the sauce pan in your sink. Place them in the fridge to cool and add salt or sugar depending on your taste preference.

Fresh pomegranate juice

Take the fruit and roll it between the palm of your hands and a hard surface like a table and try to crush the insides WITHOUT damaging or cracking the skin. Make a small hole in the side of the fruit and start sucking the juices out.

Pomegranate, Fetta, Pear and Walnut Salad

Make a salad by tossing pear & rocket in pomegranate juice. Crumble some fetta  and sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top. Make your dressing by blending together a handful of walnuts, a drop of olive oil, fresh garlic, lemon rind & Sea salt. Pour over the salad.

Tie Guan Yin, often referred to in English as Iron Buddha or more accurately Iron Goddess of Mercy, is a lightly oxidized oolong tea famous for its deep orchid aroma and its rich and creamy flavour. The Autumn season represents the most valued and fragrant pickings of the year, so make sure to join the tea classes in the Hutong’s tea room to have a taste.

This very fragrant tea is from Anxi in the Fujian Province of China. This hand picked oolong is a very green, only gently oxidized, oolong tea. This  tea has a powerful orchid scent, creamy sweet flavor and pale yellow liquor. The small leaves are tightly rolled allowing flavor to be released with each new infusion. Iron Goddess is the most famous of the oolongs from Fujian. 2 tsp. can be infused with 10oz. boiling water 8 times.

Features
* Orchid-like fragrance, sweet, and uplifting
* Our lightest, most fragrant oolong.
* Great yearlong and retains it flavor even after long storage
* A very famous and well regarded tea across China
* April 2009 Harvest

Information provided by Joel Shuchat & Celestina Swanston
Tea available for purchase at The Hutong
or if you are in USA you can order online at

http://store.swansisters.com/Iron-Goddess-Tie-Guan-Yin-Oolong/M/B001KUCL1A.htm

Traditional Chinese Medicine advocates that Autumn is the season for looking after our lungs which has a direct correlation with the skin. The colour of Autumn is white and as you look around the local markets you will see more white vegetables, or fruits in season, such as yam, lilies, pears, and melons. As the  Summer comes to an end and the humidity decreases our bodies get drier and drier  in tune with the weather. With all this dry heat in the body,  we are susceptible to dry throats, dry nose, and dry skin. All these nice white coloured goodies appearing in the markets this month are favoured for having the effect of reducing the inner heat of our heart & lungs.

If you have excess of heat in the body, containing too much fire then you should look at  eating these Yin favoured delights on regular basis, like 2 or 3 times in a week. Lili buds are a great Autumn  delight and are especially good for our heart & lungs. They add nutrients to our body’s essences of qi & blood and are known to reduce coughing, calm the mind, help with insomnia and decrease anxiety.

Check out Sandra Huang’s recipe for Lily Buds & celery

Beware though as some people already have a lot of  cold in their body and should therefore eat less of these cooling wonderss, or at the very least avoid eating them on their own and instead make a nice soup with additonal yin food such as  beef or chicken.

If you want to find more about what your body is crying out for, why not visit TCM practitioner Alex Tan at the Straight Bamboo Clinic, located at The Hutong.

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners recommend foods to benefit the digestive system in summer to avoid the typical spleen and stomach problems associated with these steamy months. Lotus roots is one of the most highly recommended foods to eat as it contains high amounts of iron, vitamins B & C and is known to help clears heat & improve appetite. It also helps regulate the bowel by stopping diarrhea and relieving constipation.

Lotus root can be eaten as fruit, sliced and stir fried, or stuffed with rice. The tender young lotus roots are good for salads, while starchy mature lotus roots are good for making soups.

If you happen to be cruising along the  Yangtze river this month, the chances are you will see a Chinese strawberry tree or what the chinese call Yangmei. Due to it’s health inducing properties, this Chinese Super fruit has recently become more popular as a juice or powder in the west, so you may have been introduced to it by one of it’s many other name such as Myrica Rubra,  Yumberry,  Waxberry, Bayberry or arbutus. This little berry is packed with vitamins and other nutrients and can have a profound impact on your health. Full of  potent antioxidants this fruit helps

• protect your cells against oxidative stress.
• Improve cardiovascular function
• Assist with digestion
• Provide needed vitamins (vitamins C & B) and minerals
• Fights arthritis and related conditions

With a tart taste with sweet sweet undertones, tasting somewher between a pomegranite and a raspberry, try adding it to smoothies, fruit salad or even your favourite tea. The deeper the color the sweeter the fruit. With a very short picking season, this fruit is only available fresh for just a few weeks, so we suggest that you very quickly pop into your local market and some soon. Expect to pay about 15 rmb per jin.

Information sourced from www.best-natural-health-supplements.com

Garlic Shoots or Suan Tai (蒜苔）are too quickly overlooked in the West and quickly discarded before thought for creative dishes can be put to work. Sometimes referred to as garlic spears, these are one of the favourite vegetables in China. This is what Mark Thirlwall co-founder of The Hutong suggest for this fabulous spring time healthy twist to your cooking:

1.  Add to baked rice (Simply cook your rice for the last 15 mins in oven):  Finely chop garlic shoots with plain yogurt or a ricotta cheese and  some fresh dill or fennel and a little pepper.  Pour over cooked rice for a healthy simple meal to serve along side other dishes.

2.  Chop the garlic to 4cm long lengths and stir fry with cherry tomato’s. Add a light seasoning of lemon garlic, pink salt and pepper.

3.  Combine garlic shoots, some tasty cheddar cheese and nuts (brazil, walnut and macadamia, not limited to pine nuts) to a food processor, slowly add some tea seed oil (avail. from any Chinese supermarket) and 1/2 cup white wine a little at a time until you have reached desired thickness. Pesto can be served in a variety of consistencies, just do it the way you like. Tastes divine with fresh pasta shells and drizzle of olive oil and cracked pepper

The mixture of Honey and Cinnamon

Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a ‘Ram Bam’ (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases without any side effects.Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks, so why not mix them together to make a delicious tea. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases.Just add two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder to boiled water. This month @ The Hutong we are adding these ingredients to Yunnan Red Tea for a real winter treat.

Other ways to get your daily intake or benefit are…

A HEALTHY SPREAD:

Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast.

A HERBAL OINTMENT:

Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures acne, eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

A TASTY MEDICINE:

Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest  of meals and helps  fight cold and flu symptoms.

HINT: Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey.

Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality honey is always honey. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will crystallize. When this happens loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water, off the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as new.

BENEFITS

HEART DISEASES:

Reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS:

In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University , it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:

Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

COLDS & INFLUENZA:

A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ‘ Ingredient’ which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu . It will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

INDIGESTION, STOMACH ACHE & ULCERS:

Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

WEIGHT LOSS & CHOLESTEROL

Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body.

CANCER:

Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE:

Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible.

BAD BREATH:

People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS:

Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing.

Source: Weekly World News, Canada , issue dated 17 January,1995