Ask the A2K cooks!

I'm told that a few slices of ginger "steeped" in boiling water for a bit is an excellent start-to-the-day health drink, mac. Must try it.
Though your drink definitely sounds more exciting!

I've presently addicted to a packaged Saag Paneer. I know better, it is a blast of salt.

Oh, btw ... I tried my one of my tried & true, dinner-in-a-rush standby recipes - lemongrass chicken - with a few (very young) mandarin leaves thrown in ... & I'm hereby reporting that it made absolutely zilch difference to the taste of the dish! Oh well ....

A question about black pepper & white pepper: I recently came across a recipe (an Asian one - a congee) which called for white pepper at the end of cooking. Which I hardly ever use ... relying on freshly ground black pepper most of the time. When (if ever) do you use white pepper in your cooking? And why is it preferable to black in those particular recipes?

I have the same question, except that I never use white pepper at all. I've figured that is just a color choice having to do with "white" dishes, but of course I may be completely wrong.

Maybe it's milder/more subtle?

no expert, but I asked a chef I had much respect for this question once, and he said it was so kids would eat it in mashed potatoes, mostly...

it just gives you food with taste and no black spots is my take.

I saw an explanation of the different "heats" generated by black, white, and red pepper. I think white pepper is supposed to have a back bite (heat after swallowing), rather than be peppery to the tongue. I'll see if I can find it...

White pepper comes from ground white peppercorns. Here's one type...

Muntok White Peppercorns

Rich and sophisticated. The "insides" of the Lampong Black Peppercorns, slightly earthy with superior flavor. This pepper is suggested for use in dishes since it "blooms" when heated or cooked.

This isn't quite what I was looking for but it provides a good explanation. I have a recipe that calls for both black and white pepper because they have different heats and react at different points in the taste (front bite vs back bite).

http://www.culinarycafe.com/Spices_Herbs/Pepper.html

JPB, interesting, and the opposite of what I was guessing about mildness or subtlety. Off to see what Penzey's has of white peppers.

a link - http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyspeppercorns.html?id=SImp6A77

Thank you for that JPB! I must admit my thinking was more along the line of osso's.

I actually went out & bought some white pepper & it does, in fact taste very different. I can see, in some recipes, it might well be preferable to black.

No one asked about this, but I feel I really must share!
I'm rather amazed.
This is a method of cooking chicken I'd heard about (most recently from Kylie Kwong, contemporary Oz/Asian cooking guru).
Then I found this (similar) recipe in a Vietnamese cookbook.
I decided to try it. :

Poached chicken:
1 fresh whole free range (preferably) chicken trimmed of excess fat.
5 sprigs of coriander
4 lires of water.
(Plus a Vietnamese dipping sources for later (when you're actually eating), which I'll tell you about, if you want to know more . Pretty easy, really.)

All that you have to do is to bring 4 litres of water (with the coriander) to a rolling boil in a large pot.
Place the chicken in the pot.
Bring the liquid back to the boil & boil for 10 minutes.
Then turn off the heat. Put the lid on the pot & allow to steep, undisturbed, for about an hour, until the chicken is cooked through.

I was a bit dubious, but I'm now reporting that it actually worked!

Lovely tenderly cooked chicken!

I'm amazed, really. So easy. ...

I'd be a little concerned about food safety with that method. I don't want this to sound like an accusation, but did you check the internal temperature? It should be 165 degrees F according to here: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Is_It_Done_Yet/Brochure_Text/index.asp

Gosh. No, I didn't.

It didn't occur to me. I guess I could gently re-heat the remaining meat, which I plan to use in a broth/soup tomorrow, with other goodies included. (& perhaps purchase one of those thermometer thingies for future use)

Anyway, it was pretty good, with a Sweet Soy Sauce & chillies & ginger dip.

This is a traditional Chinese/Asian way of preparing chicken. Just looked & I've found quite a few other recipes using the same method. Here's another one:

http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/kgk/0998/succulent.html

Remember Jes is a Jew and all they like to do is thoroughly remove all flavor and nutrients from chicken by boiling the **** out of it for weeks.Then they spread the yellow glop on bread

Well I don't know about that, farmer ....

But I figure I haven't heard of heaps of Chinese deaths caused by cooking this way. Anyway, I like to live dangerously!

Huh? I hate overcooked food. But I hate food poisoning a lot more.

cooking is like chat

heat transference

Isn't Kylie Kwong marvellous! her recipes are wonderful.

Poached chicken is a great way to go. I really enjoy the results.

(I'd probably boil for 15 - 20 minutes, before turning the heat off, but I'm Nervous Nellie who doesn't do meat thermometers)