The ever-generous and very lovely S was kind enough to let C and me invade her new kitchen today to cook lunch. I went taro/yam-mad and prepared two yam-based dishes: Hakka abacaus seeds (left - I’m sorry you can’t quite see the distinctive shape of...

The ever-generous and very lovely S was kind enough to let C and me invade her new kitchen today to cook lunch. I went taro/yam-mad and prepared two yam-based dishes: Hakka abacaus seeds (left - I’m sorry you can’t quite see the distinctive shape of the seeds/beads!) and a yam ring (right). C did this gorgeous, gorgeous oyster sauce-based mixed mushroom and vegetable stir-fry, which you can just see behind the abacus seeds in the picture above. Lunch was rounded off with an apple pie from F that was absolutely to die for, and earl grey and fig ice cream from the Ice Cream Gallery.

There was also cupcake-decorating later in the day, the cupcakes in question baked that afternoon by S. I expect C will have a more detailed account of this lunch on her website some time in the near future. *looks meaningfully in her general direction*

The abacus seeds, or 算盘子,  were stir-fried with minced pork, green bell pepper, shitake mushrooms, beancurd skin, and whitebait. 

The filling of the yam ring was a simple cashew chicken stir-fry of chicken, cashews, baby carrots, baby corn, French beans, swiss mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms.

I’m sorry the pictures are rather yech. I’m absolutely awful at making most Chinese dishes look good.