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Post by ironchefcanadian on Apr 19, 2007 10:18:25 GMT -5
*Jia-Cheng has stripped two pineapples of their skins, chopping the meat into rough chunks and loading them into a blender.
*Meanwhile, Sha-Shan has finished rinsing the rice and loading the rice cooker. She looks at the menu Chu has just written, nods and moves to the pantry, picking up a box of cornstarch and a couple of tins of macadamia nuts.*
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Post by missteetheironchef on Apr 19, 2007 11:55:11 GMT -5
Post---- This is gonna be very sweet battle today! End Post-----
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Post by Arrianna on Apr 19, 2007 12:40:22 GMT -5
Hattori: I have to say Fukui, this is an interesting choice on the part of the Chairman. Pineapple, while one of the sweetest fruits and much sought after is not originally native to either China or Taiwan as it actually originates from south America and is mostly grown in south and central America and Spain. One the other hand it familiar enough that this should be an easy ingredient for both chefs. I would say the real challenge for both chefs is going to be trying to be original while avoiding the complacency that can happen with such an ingredient.
Now Chen has already had a pineapple battle but where that one was against a Thai chef, chef Chu Si-Hung and his daughters are from Taiwan. Like Japan the cuisine in Taiwan tends to rely strongly on seafood. They also like pork but beef is almost never eaten there. The Chinese cuisine there, while spicy, is no where as spicy as either Thai or Schezuan cuisine. Along with a tendency to depend on root vegetables, such as taro or sweet potato, to supplement rice the cooking style is going to be very different from what Chen has competed with before.
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Post by ironchefcanadian on Apr 19, 2007 13:34:45 GMT -5
Chu (in Mandarin): "Eh, you hear that, Jia-Cheng? They think you're a master chef!"
Jia-Cheng: "Of course I am, Papa! With you raising me in the kitchen, how could I not become a chef?!"
*Chu laughs and continues to chop the tenderloin into bite-size strips, while beside him Sha-Shan scoops some cornstarch out of the box and into a glass bowl. There is a knob of fresh ginger beside the bowl.*
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Post by Man Alive! on Apr 19, 2007 15:59:29 GMT -5
Fukui: You know, Doc, I thought Chairman Kaga's selection for the theme ingredient today was odd as well. But then again, if he threw an ingredient that was right up either chef's alley, the battle would be slanted. I can see why he came from a whole different direction. But then again, what do I know about food- that's why you're here, Doc!
5 MINUTES HAVE ELAPSED!
Fukui: And five minutes are gone and we still haven't heard from Ohta! What's going on big guy?
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Post by ironchefcanadian on Apr 19, 2007 16:11:20 GMT -5
*Jia-Cheng has some pureed pineapple in cheesecloth and has squeezed some juice into a mixing bowl. Sha-Shan heads over quickly, dips a half-cup measure into the liquid, brings it to the rice cooker and pours half the liquid into the rice water. She then shuts the cooker, sets it to "quick cook," and turns it on.*
Sha-Shan: "Is that okay, papa?"
Chu: "Yes, I know that machine. That rice should be ready at the 35-minute mark. When you're done with the marinade, go and get the watermelon and bamboo shoots for Jia-Cheng."
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Post by Arrianna on Apr 19, 2007 17:00:17 GMT -5
Fukui: And five minutes are gone and we still haven't heard from Ohta! What's going on big guy? Hattori: Perhaps he's been distracted by Chu Si-Hung beautiful daughters. I have to agree Fukui that this ingredient does present a level playing field for both chefs. If can read Chu Si-Hung menu correctly it looks as if a pork stir-fry is in the running. I would be surprised if Chen didn't have at least one pork dish as well. It goes so well with the sweetness and the acidity of a fruit like pineapple.
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Post by allezcuisine on Apr 19, 2007 17:10:56 GMT -5
Ohta: Quee-san! There's been so much going on down here that its difficult to keep up! On Chen's side of KS today the rice cooker is already in use. He also has quite a few ingredients on his side such as Pineapple Jam, Light corn syrup, Soy Sauce, Green onions, Garlic, Ground ginger, Chicken wings, Ham, Green bell pepper, Almonds, Raisins, Sesame oil, and Vegetable oil.
Ohta: And on Master Chu's side of Kitchen Stadium, there are many things going on as well. Master Chu has everything from fresh pork to lime juice out on his side. I'll try to get a more detailed list for you soon.
Ohta: Keeshan! I spoke with Master Chu's assistants for the battle today. The older one, Jia-Cheng, is his middle daughter. She's an airline executive who's mastered both English and Japanese. The younger one, Sha-Shan, is his stepdaughter from his second marriage. Master Chu is confident in his assistants because he was the one who taught both of them how to cook! -Learning from the Master, I'd say. Back to you.
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Post by Man Alive! on Apr 19, 2007 17:13:55 GMT -5
Fukui: Thanks, Ohta! That's a lot of information to digest at once. I hope you can make sense of all that, Doc, because I certainly can't!
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Post by achen on Apr 19, 2007 20:07:09 GMT -5
Kurimoto: Hattori could the challenger be making a sweet and sour sauce for the stir-fry?
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Post by Arrianna on Apr 19, 2007 20:09:53 GMT -5
Hattori: It is very possible considering his menu. Yes, I think you are probably right. It is also nice to see the chicken and duck out on his side. The duck especially will go well with pineapple.
Now the ham on Chen's side confirms what I said about Chen probably using pork in a dish. Ham goes very well with just about any sweet or sweetened fruit, pineapple especially. I would be interested to know exactly what kind of ham he has. Ohta? Any chance of that information?
You see there are three kinds of hams; city hams, country hams, and fresh hams. City hams are wet-cured and lightly smoked, if at all, and precooked. Country or dry-cured hams are salted, dried, and often smoked and they don't have to be cooked at all, like the Italian prosciutto, but can be simmered or fried. Fresh hams obviously must be cooked by the chef and are never cured.
Chinese hams are always dry-cured so I would expect that to be the kind he uses but this being Iron Chef you never know.
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Post by Sanji Himura on Apr 19, 2007 21:14:36 GMT -5
*Assistant returns with the ingredients on the list as Chen finishes up preping the pineapples for cooking.*
Chen: Good, now stay out of the way.
*Chen then proceeds to mix in a saucepan Pineapple Jam, Light corn syurp, soy sauce, green onion that an assistant had chopped up, minced Garlic, ground Ginger. Turning his attention to the chicken wings, Chen seperated the portions, removing the tips as he instructed one of his assistants to keep an eye on the mixture on the stove.*
Chen(to his assistant): Get me some baking dishes. Because once we get started putting this together, there is no turning back.
*The assistant run to get the baking dishes. The other assistant, attentive of the saucepan, removes it from the heat.*
Assistant: Is this good enough.
*Chen dips a spoon into the sauce, allowing it to run down the spoon*
Chen: This is good.
*Assistant returns with the baking dishes*
Chen: Here we go.
*Transferring the sauce into a wok, Chen dumps the wings in to coat. Coating the wings on the way to the baking dishes. Distrubiting the wings equally, Chen then puts a piece of plastic wrap over each pan.*
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Post by ironchefcanadian on Apr 19, 2007 22:32:51 GMT -5
Hattori: It is very possible considering his menu. Yes, I think you are probably right. It is also nice to see the chicken and duck out on his side. ===post=== Chicken?! WHAT chicken?! ===endpost===
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Post by Arrianna on Apr 19, 2007 22:44:54 GMT -5
Hattori: Oh, my mistake. The chicken is on Chen's side. It looks like he's making some type of pineapple glazed chicken wings. What do you think Kurimoto, will this suite you or are you still hoping for a sweet and sour pork from the challenger?
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Post by achen on Apr 20, 2007 0:57:58 GMT -5
Kurimoto: I think the glazed chicken wing will be good but wouldn't the pineapple make it too sweet? Yes I am still hoping for some type of sweet and sour from the challenger.
*Chuckles a little*
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