I once wondered what it would be like to cook a bao (a steamed bun) like you would a pan-fried dumpling. I entertained the idea for a while trying to figure out how it would work and followed my instincts and went for it. I didn’t get too far until my mom told me that pan-fried baos are an actual thing and popped all my dreams of being a hybrid dumpling-bao visionary. Chances are unless you’ve traveled to Jiangnan or Shanghai China, you’ve probably never had these pan-fried pork buns here in Montreal – no one makes them here… but now YOU can!
Category:
Food
How was brunch created? How is it an actual thing that we’ve come to embrace? I have a strong theory. Brunch was created by a mysterious breed of people known as the “jerks-who-wake-up-early-on-weekendians” who once made an arrangement to go have breakfast with their friends. But their friends were overcome by a spell while they slept cast by an evil force known as “weekend modetiosis”. They waited and waited and waited until their friends awoke from their slumber at an hour that was too late for breakfast, but too early for lunch. And thus, the meal named “BRUNCH” was born, abiding by no rules with the ability to rationalize eating breakfast foods late into the morning, and justifying eating lunch foods before noon.
Dim sum is one of my most favourite meals. Piling into a crowded dim sum house on a Sunday morning with aunties pushing metal carts singing in melodic condescension the contents of the steamers they pimp is the best way to start the day. These carts are filled with delicious dumpling delights made with pork and shrimp, seafood wrapped in bean curd, various braised meats in deep rich aromatic sauces, as other carts display fried dumplings, golden and crunchy fried calamari or octopus and other battered fried goodies. One of my favourite dishes is the steamed black bean spareribs, and it will be yours too!