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| Shrimp dumplings, fried milk and dried beef noodles in black bean sauce are three signature dishes of Cantonese cuisine. (China Daily/Pauline D. Loh) |
Milk is cajoled into thick curds by the addition of egg whites and vinegar and then quickly fried with seafood, usually prawns. It has to be cooked enough that it will hold its shape as a snowy omelet, and must be tender enough that it melts in the mouth.
It must also not turn watery on the plate - and any home cook who has attempted scrambled eggs will know how difficult that can be.
It has been a long time since I have tasted this famous dish from my ancestral home, but I had the pleasure of savoring an excellent example on a recent business trip to Guangzhou, Guangdong's provincial capital, thanks to Ben Huang, executive chef of the Four Points Sheraton.
Chef Huang serves his fried milk garnished with another famous Shunde product, olive kernels, gently toasted and fragrant in the mouth.
It is difficult to get the flavoring for fried milk right. It needs to be savory enough, but only just enough so that the milkiness of the curds is not overpowered.
I am gratified to know that the international business community that makes up the Sheraton clientele can enjoy this most Cantonese of dishes. Perhaps it will finally neutralize the images of chop suey, sweet and sour pork and unknown meats smothered in lobster sauce.
At the Four Point Sheraton's China Spice restaurant, there is an excellent selection that showcases the best of Shunde cuisine ranging from noodles to soup to pigeon.
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