Theresa and I participated in a Chinese cooking class this weekend that was not only fun but quite educational. Three caucasians and three chinese plus a Chinese chef and interpreter made up the class which started with each of us chopping off the head of a live fish (I think they called it a snakehead fish though it didn't look like a snake).
The menu for the day was watercress fish stew and Cantonese stuffed eggplant. The class was 2.5 hours and we got to eat our cooking at the end of the class. Needless to say the fish stew was a washout - no taste but smelly and filled with fish bones that could choke a horse - interestingly, our Chinese class mates had no problems with the soup or the bones - they ate their soup bowls dry.
The other dish we made, Cantonese stuffed eggplant was real yummy - pork & shrimp mushed up between two slices of eggplant all fast fried in a wok with garlic, ginger, red pepper, coriander, chili sauce and rice wine.
The class was educational as well. we learned how to wield a cleaver (though Theresa did cut her thumb) and how to correctly use a wok - did you know you are supposed to heat a wok with no oil in it till it smokes, then swirl some oil around the entire wok, then discard that oil and add more oil again before you throw in the food to be cooked. We bought a seasoned wok at the school plus a cleaver so now we are ready to take on any Chinese recipe - next class (we are on a waiting list though - this place is popular) is farmer's pork stir fry and deep fried stuffed crab claws - hmmm am getting hungry already.
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