Dad's Tamarind Chicken

You will need either a whole chicken cut up or chicken pieces. Six
pieces to serve four people.

chicken
4 oz tamarind pulp
8 cups boiling water
six cloves garlic
finely chopped
6 shallots finely chopped
6 oz palm sugar- or any dark brown sugar will do..
1 cup dark soya sauce
good handful toasted coriander seeds ( roast in dry skillet )
salt and freshly ground black pepper

you can add a little chilli too if you like it hot

Put tamarind pulp in a bowl- pour on boiling water. Mash it
thoroughly and after five mins strain into a larger bowl
Throw in garlic , shallots , sugar and soy sauce.

Add chicken pieces. Rest the marinade either overnight or AT LEAST
FOUR HOURS.

put the chicken and marinade into a large pan on top of the cooker.
Sprinkle over the coriander.
Cover and simmer for 40 minutes- until chicken is tender and the
liquid is reduced.
This is quite a dry dish so if you have too much liquid at this
stage- spoon some off and reserve for later use.
most of the sauce should be absorbed by the chicken pieces.
Season with salt and pepper
Serve with coconut rice and a spicy coconut and pineapple sambal

Playlist Tuesday 11th December 2007

• We Met in A Dream - Poon Sow Keng
  
• It is Passed Like the Dream - Anita Mui
  
• No More Sweet Potato - The Big 3 Trio
  
• Mash Potato Girl - Girl Satchmo and the Swinging Brothers
  
• Mashed Potato - The Crystals
  
• Potato Chips - Slim Gaillard
  
• Mash Potato Party - Link Wray and his Raymen
  
• I Wanna Be a Bond Girl - Leroy Holmes
  
• Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! That Cigarette - Tex Ritter
  
  
• Zither fight scene from Kung Fu Hustle (The still above is from the film Lord of the Lute which is referenced in this scene in Kung Fu Hustle.)
  
• Harry Lime theme - Anton Karas
  

Yuen Qiu (pictured) images and an interesting article about the cinematic influences of Kung Fu Hustle can be found on:
www.hkcinemagic.com

Playlist Tuesday 4th December 2007

• Birth Control - Lloyd Terrell
  
• Beautiful Town - Mar Mar Aye
  
• Racist Friend - The Special AKA
  
• The Entertainer - Tony Clarke
  
• Fearless Hyena - clips from the Jackie Chan film
  
• Infernal Affairs - Tony Leung and Andy Lau
  
• Talk of the Town - Rita and Sakura
  
• Ace in the Hole - The Griffin Brothers feat. Margie Day
  
• Follow - Pat Kelly
  
• Laughing and Clowning - Sam Cooke
  
• How Long - Pat Kelly
  

Playlist Tuesday 27th November 2007

• Burmese Golden Drum - Bo Hein
  
• Police and Thieves - Junior Murvin (from the Rockers soundtrack)
  
• Audio Bongo - Monty Norman (from the Dr No soundtrack)
  
• False Rasta - Jacob Miller
  
• Ca Ba Trinkham Than - Hat Du (from the R.Crumb compilation Hot Women)
  
• Cinemascope - Count Lasher and Charlie Binger
  
• TV Mama - Joe Turner (pictured)
  
• Pata Pata Rocksteady - Milicent Todd
  
• Night Lotus Pool - Night Recordings of Bali (Sublime Frequencies album)
  
• Lotus Blossom - Duke Ellington
  
• Sa Chul Ga - Korean Folk Singers
  
• Knockabout - trailer for the classic Golden Harvest kung fu movie
  
• No Other Like Jah - Sizzla
  

Eric Tsang

The veteran Hong Kong star - actor, producer, writer, director, TV presenter and restauranteur - was born on 14th April 1953. Eric started his career in cinema as a stuntman. His father Tsang Kai wing was a professional footballer and then coach and Eric was following in his footsteps until at 23 he got fed up of being compared to his Dad and wanted to excel at something different. As a footballer he had met Sammo Hung and Lau Kar Leung and become friends with them. Although he didn't know kung fu Lau Kar Leung thought his physical skills could be put to good use as a stuntman. He began working, often as a double for women as he was short.

Eric then decided to turn his hand to screenwriting and in 1977 wrote the script for the Shaw Brothers Kung Fu masterpiece (Wu Tang Clan and Tarantino favourite) The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. Industry friend Karl Maka helped him with this new career move.

"To help script The 36th Chamber of Shaolin I studied harder than I ever did in my life even more than when I was in school. I studied all the books I could find because I really wanted to put all the animal styles in the script - tiger, snake etc. I wrote about the theory of kung fu so I could put that material for Lau Kar Leung. Then the next scipt I wrote was Dirty Tiger, Crazy Frog."*

Eric then got into directing, his first job was as assistant director on the Jackie Chan movie The Fearless Hyena. Instead of joining the film production company Golden Harvest like Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung Eric's friend Karl Maka brokered a deal with Cinema city. Tsui hark was also part of the Cinema City family. Eric directed Aces Go Places for Cinema City which became a popular series of films (he also starred in them). Eric was definitely not the matinee idol type and believes he paved the way for other fat/quirky looking actors.

In 1984 Eric left Cinema city and Sammo approached him and asked him to join Golden Harvest to star in and associate produce Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars.

In 1986 Eric teamed up with old pal Jackie Chan to direct him in Armour of God:

"I talk to Jackie. I told him he was not improving. He had now girls in his films. I told him that, even though I'm not that famous, some girls like me. I also said he had no friends in his movies. I suggested that he should begin to work with singers like Alan Tam and put some girls in his movies."*

In 1992 Eric co-founded the film production company Untied Filmmakers Organisation (UFO). Around this time Eric's career as an actor was changing. In the 1980's he starred in numerous Carry On style, cheesy slapstick comedies. in the 1990s his roles began to be more serious. Notably his role as a mob boss wooing Maggie Cheung in Comrades Almost a Love Story directed by Peter Chan. Eric's character is introduced in very brief shots as longer shots may have got automatic laughs from the Hong Kong audience.

In the 1990s Eric began to get more serious roles in dramas and in 2002 he was given a fantastic role where he really came into his own as an actor - as Triad boss Sam in the finest film of the Hong Kong gangster noir genre Infernal Affairs. Apparently Anthony Wong was supposed to play this role but they wanted someone with real gravitas (and acting awards!) to play the policeman so they gave him this role instead. Good news for Eric and it is hard to imagine anyone else in the role now. Eric's inspiration for Sam came from watching Anthony Quinn in Avenging Angelo:
"In every scene he is eating and that defined his character. I wanted to be a guy that no one could pin down. No one knew when he was happy and when he was sad. He was always different...The most important thing about playing this role is the fact that I am old enough to be the boss of Andy Lau and Tony Leung. I sa these 2 actors grow up in the film business so it was natural for me to be the boss."


As well as eating in films Eric is obviously a bit of a foodie as he has now become a restauranteur. First he opened the restaurant Eric Deli Paradise in the Hartmas Shopping Complex Malaysia - in good company Kenny Rogers has a chicken restaurant there (I suppose he does look a bit like Colonel Saunders). The restaurant serves steam boat and dim sum goodies. Pictures of Eric adorn the walls and his TV show Super Trio Series plays on a TV.

Eric opened his first mainland China restaurant this year in Shanghai. Also a hotpot place, he thinks it will never go out of style and hopes visitng HK stars will patronise the restaurant.

Eric is still busy making movies, starring in the 2007 Wong Jing comedy Beauty and The 7 Beasts and due to hit our screens in Jay Chou's Shaolin Soccer homage Kung Fu Slam Dunk in 2008.

Eric Tsang with your raspy voice, cheeky expression and limitless talents, we salute you.

* Quotes taken from this interview with Eric from 2004:
http://www.hkcinemagic.com

Links:
Eric Deli Paradise

Blog review of Eric's Deli

Playlist Tuesday 20th November 2007

• Twist Barbie - Shonen Knife (pictured)
  
• Shaking Time - Candy and the Kisses
  
• Burning Farm - Shonen Knife
  
• Dating Courtesy - Mary from The Shangri-Las
  
• Flying Jelly Attack - Shonen Knife
  
• I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones
  
• Past, Present, Future - The Shangri-Las
  
• How Long - The Kittens
  
• Walking in the Rain - The Ronettes
  
• Insect Collector - Shonen Knife
  
• Koi O Kesunda - The Napoleon (GS I Love You CD)
  
• Let's Go on the Beach - The Outcast (GS I Love You CD)
  
• Mashed Potato Time - The Crytals
  
• Vent - Moe Moe Yee (Burmese Harp)
  
• Blue Oyster Cult - Shonen Knife
  
• Gift Receiving Etiquette - Mary from the Shangri-Las
  
• Foolish Little Girl - The Cookies
  

Taiwanese Snacks

Anchovies with Peanuts
Fishy salty and delicious, serve on its own or add it to congee.

80g dried anchovies (medium size about 5cm)
100g peanuts (shelled and plain NOT salted)
2 cups oil
2 large chillies, sliced
3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
3 spring onions chopped
1 tablespoon rice wine (Shaohsing)
pinch of pepper

Deep Fry fish in wok and drain. Remove most of the oil. Re heat and add chillies, spring onions, garlic and rice wine stir fry for 2 mins, add fish and peanuts and fry for a further 5 mins. If you like it spicy add chilli sauce or if you like it sweet add sugar. Or if you like it really fishy add fish sauce, yum.

Oyster omelette is apparently the most popular snack served in Taiwanese night markets (according to the China Post). I found a recipe here:
http://hipfood.wordpress.com

Playlist Tuesday 13th November 2007

• Suspicious Heart - Miss Yao Lee
  
• Playing Mahjong - Long Ge
  
• Grandma Plays the Numbers - Wynonie Harris
  
• Through the Bamboo Forest - Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon soundtrack
  
• Steal the Red String Box - Josephine Siao Fong Fong
  
• Scenery of Taiwan - Jin-Long Fang
  
• Brand New Second Hand - Peter Tosh
  
• Tsan Jo - Chung Woong Traditional Korean Music
  
• Lee Cross - Aretha Franklin
  
• Yombul T'yaryong - Chung Woong Traditional Korean Music
  
• Down by the River - Morgan Heritage
  
• Cantonese Opera
  
• Drinking Again - Dinah Washington
  

Okido Children's magazine

Lovely magazine for 2-7 year olds. See: www.okido.co.uk

Shaolin Girl

Just found out about this Japanese movie produced by Stephen Chow, to be released in 2008. It is in the same vain as Shaolin Soccer with a young lacrosse player (Kou Shibasaki) improving her game by learning Shaolin kung fu.

Thai ghosts advert

Cheers for this Simon.

Mackerel Tatsuta Fry Recipe

2 mackerel (filleted)
5 tablespoons sake/rice wine
5 tablespoons soya sauce
2" piece of ginger (peeled and grated)
cornflour
vegetable oil for deep frying
lettuce leaves
lime wedges
2spring onions (finely chopped)

Cut the mackerel into strips about 1.5cm thick. Mix the soya and sake in a bowl and add the grated ginger, put the fish in and make sure all pieces are well coated. Leave to marinate for 1 hour minimum. When ready to eat (perhaps your rice is gently cooking?) heat the veg oil in a wok (need lots for deep frying). Drain the fish pieces and coat them in cornflour (sprinkle some cornflour on a plate near the wok). Put them into the oil when it is ready and fry for 2-3 mins until golden. Remove from oil and drain on kitchen paper. You will probably need to to fry in 2-3 batches as to avoid overcrowding in the wok.
Arrange the mackerel on a plate of lettuce leaves, sprinkle with spring onion and serve with lime wedges. Delicious on its own as a starter/snack or with rice for a meal.

Playlist Tuesday 6th November 2007

• Band of Gold - Marcia Griffiths
  
• Let Me Hold You - Marcia Griffiths
  
• Here I am Baby - Marcia Griffiths
  
• Mazinga Z theme - from the cult manga series about a giant robot
  
• Half Idiot - Marcia Griffiths and Cutty Ranks
  
• Japanese Song - from Rock a Shacka volume 3
  
• Que Pasa Chica - Rock a Shacka volume 3
  
• My Boy Lollipop - The Dreamlets (Japanese female rocksteady group)
  
• I'm So Lonely - The Dreamlets
  
• Gone Away - The Dreamlets
  
• Bim Bam Boom - The El Dorados
  
• Little Girl of Mine - The Cleftones
  
• My Love - The Dovers
  
• Speedo - The Cadillacs
  
• Down In Cuba - The Real Holidays
  
• Churchbells - The Kingtones (Japanese doo wop group pictured above)
  
• Doraemon theme - classic anime about a blue robot cat from the future
  

Pumpkin Curry

small pumpkin or butternut squash

for the paste:
1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped up
2" piece ginger, sliced
2 tablespoon tumeric
1 teaspoon coriander seeds ground up or ready ground coriander
1 teaspoon shrimp paste or yellow curry paste (optional)

1 tin coconut milk
a little water
dashes of fish sauce
1 tablespoon honey
juice of half a lime
a little oil (groundnut or veg)

Cut the pumpkin into chunks (take off skin and de-seed). Chunks should be about 2". Make the curry paste by pounding together all paste ingredients in a pestle and mortar. Don't worry about making the paste totally smooth.
Put the oil into a medium hot wok, add the paste and the pumpkin chunks and coat. Pour the coconut milk in and top up with water add a few dashes of fish sauce. Heat up and simmer for 20 mins. Then add th honey and lime - taste to check the balance is right. Serve with rice and tung choi.
If you like you can add a couple of halved crabs to the curry 10mins before it is ready. If doing this definitely add the shrimp paste to the curry paste. Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander before serving.

Playlist Tuesday 30th October 2007

• Black Magic Woman - Dennis Brown
  
• Hot Rod Hades - Charlie Ryan and the Timberline Riders
  
• Loch Ness Monster - King Horror
  
• Evil Cult intro - from the Jet Li film dir. by Wong Jing
  
• Vampire - Upsetters
  
• Evil Cult girlfight
  
• Vampire - Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
  
• Werewolf - Gary Warren
  
• Ghost Dance - Prince Buster
  
• Zombie Jamboree - Lord Jellicoe
  
• Pumpkin Belly - Tenor Saw
  
• Bells of Death - Augustus Pablo
  
• Chinese Ghost Story - Leslie Cheung (theme from the movie of same name)
  
• Dracula - King Horror
  
• Uzumaki - trailer for the Japanese horror film
  
• Yaraba Shango - The Tiger
  

Happy Halloween

Phi Ta Kon - 'Thai Halloween'

Sublime Frequencies have a DVD out of the 'Thai Halloween' festival Phi Ta Kon. The festival is held every year in June/July in Isan, Northern Thailand. People dress up as ghosts and spirits and dance all night to mo lam (Thai country music from Isan). Lots of rice whiskey is glugged down.

You can watch a clip on Yout Tube here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0VyM6B_v4o

Order the DVD here:www.sublimefrequencies.com/item.asp?Item_id=29&cd=Phi-Ta-Khon:-Ghosts-of-Isan
Read more about the Phi Ta Kon festival here:
www.utopia-asia.com/ghost.htm

Chin Tsi-Ang dies

China's first lady of onscreen martial arts and Sammo Hung's grandmother has died age 99.


Read the story on monkeypeaches.com.

Taiwanese Beatbox TV show

Check out the crazy on screen graphics and does that guy on the panel have an afro? The beatboxer is pretty good - Stand by Me with singing and beatbox at the end!

East Asian Food at Borough Market

Chicken cooking outside Fusebox (above) for the satay wraps they sell. I didn't rate the wraps, not enough flavour (more chilli, garlic ad fish sauce please). The shop sells noodles, Japanese chewing gum, soya sauce, kaffir lime leaves etc but prices are inflated. Better to try your local Chinese or Vietnamese supermarket or head to Chinatown.
Next door to Fusebox on Stoney Street is sushi restaurant Feng Sushi which I haven't had the chance to check out. Read a review here.




Tuesday's show was all about East Asian food at Borough Market. I was joined in the studio by Alex Fraser from East Teas (see above) who have a stall in the Green Market. Alex kindly brought in some delicious teas for us to taste. From chilled sparkling Jasmine tea to Gyokuro Jade Dew which was full of umami. As you can see from the pictures above East Teas also sell beautiful cermaics - tea pots and tea cups and bowls with strainers. Just to the left outside the picture there are really cool Vietnamese shopping bags for sale.

I visited the Tofu HQ in East London of Clean Bean Tofu who also have a stall in the Green Market. They sell fresh, organic tofu which is very delicious. Plain or marinated - soya, ginger and sesame or five spice. The beans they import are organic from Northern China and they use nigari (a by product of natural sea salt) for the coagulent. Neil from Clean Bean recommended Fuchsia Dunlop's Ma Pao Tofu recipe.

For more info on Borough Market see: www.boroughmarket.org.uk

Playlist Tuesday 23rd October 2007

• Stone Cold Dead in the Market - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan
  
• Mei Hua, Plum Blossom - Li Xiang-Ian (Shanghai Divas' Lounge)
  
• Tiki Tofu - Calypso King and the Soul Investigators
  
• Fallen Petals - Lu Ming (Shanghai Divas' Lounge)
  
• Monkey Brand Oolong Tea - Shonen Knife
  

Chinatown Strike

Two weeks ago the British Immigration Authority raided restaurants in Chinatown, cracking down on illegal workers. They invited the media along and turned up in bullet proof vests and riot gear. Understandably the residents of Chinatown were not best pleased with this and thought the BIA were using the Chiense community as a scapegoat to meet government targets to deport illegal immigrants. The following week Chinatown went on strike for one hour in protest. Read more here:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/10/384046.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7039952.stm
It is probable that in fact the entire catering trade in London relies on immigrant workers, not just Chinatown. BIA say other raids will be carried out too but so far no news of any in the media....

Pickle Your Own Vegetables

Cheap, easy and delicious, you can keep the vegetables in an air tight jar in your fridge for a few weeks.

Ingredients:
225g Chinese Leaves
2 Fresh Chinese Chillis (don't use Bird's Eye - too spicy)
225g Carrots (peeled)
300g Turnips (peeled)

Pickling brine:
2 tablespoons Ginger
2 tablespoons Garlic
50ml Rice Wine
50ml Rice Wine Vinegar
1.5 litres Water
75g Sugar
50g Salt

Don't feel constrained by the measurments, you can do it by eye and just keep checking the taste is right.

Prepare all the veg - cut the carrots, turnip and washed Chinese leaves into 1inch chunks. Thinly slice fresh chillis, keep the seeds.
Mix all teh pickling ingredients in a large bowl, put the veg in and cover. Let it sit in the fridge for 3-4 days (longer=saltier and spicier so you decide). Drain the veg and rinse well in cold water before putting into an airtight jar. Keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.

Serve as a side or just snack on them whenever you feel peckish.

Playlist Tuesday 16th October 2007

• Reggae Popcorn - Laurel Aitken
  
• Movie Stars - The Tiger
  
• Rainbow - Jia Peng Fang
  
• Father and Son Vocal with Erhu - Streets of Lhasa CD on the Sublime Frequencies label
  
• Erhu Solo - Streets of Lhasa CD
  
• Butterfly and Sword Intro - soundclip from the movie
  
• Cats Claw - soundclip from Snake in Eagle's Shadow
  
• Baar Baar Dekho - Mohd Rafi
  
• Heart is Cold - Miriam Yeung and Raymond Lam
  

Yellow Earth Theatre

Phillipe Cherbonnier of Yellow Earth Theatre joined me on my show to talk about Typhoon Live - 2 plays curently being performed in a double bill at The Oval House. Marriage by Yi Kang-baek (South Korea) and Dogs by Elangovan (Singapore).

Two plays are about relationships, Marriage is about the beginning of love, a surreal fable. Whereas Dogs is a cruelly funny story about the end of love.

If you missed the interview it is repeated on Friday at 2pm on 104.4Fm or listen at:
www.resonancefm.com
Find out more at:
www.yellowearth.org

Made in Hong Kong Film Season at ICA

A season of films from Hong Kong is showing at the ICA 12th - 16th October. Ringo Lam's 1997 thriller Full Alert, Ann Hui's Ordinary Lives and the more recent 2006 musical Perhaps Love plus others.....

Ringo Lam is pictured right.

Playlist 9th October 2007

• Mai Ow Mai Ow (Marriage No Way!)- Gawow Suenghtong
  
• Classic Moment Live - Anita Mui
  
• Stop the Wedding - Etta James
  
• Shotgun Wedding - Roy C
  
• Some Like It Hot - Marilyn Monroe
  
• Fire Corner - King Stitt (prod. Clancy Eccles)
  
• Sop Na Kap Mon - Sabaithong Powpuri
  
• Hot Pepper - The Griffin Brothers
  
• Title sequence sound clip - Snake in Eagle's Shadow
  
• Meeting Sifu sound clip - Snake in Eagle's Shadow
  
  

'Lust, Caution' Trailer

The new Ang Lee film is showing at the BFI London Film Festival. Watch the trailer here:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/lff/node/2315/trailer

Nam Prik Pao Terror Alert

Last week there was a very funny news story about a Thai restaurant sparking a terror alert here in London. Thai Cottage in Soho were making some nam prik pao chilli sauce and the stench of chillies burning caused concern and was thought to be some kind of chemical attack (well, everyone has heard of mustard gas? chilli gas?). Police cordonned off the area but then found that it was not a terror alert at all just a very hot chilli sauce.

I have been looking for a good nam prik pao recipe and food blogger Pim has a great one:
http://chezpim.typepad.com/blogs/2007/10/nam-prik-pao.html

Read the story here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7025782.stm

Playlist Tuesday 2nd October 2007

• Qian Li Zhi Wai - Jay Chou & Fei Yu Qing
  
• Fearless - Jay Chou (theme to the Jet Li movie)
  
• Grandma - Jay Chou
  
• Transport Connection - Sister Nancy
  
• My Guy - Joy White
  
• Only Sixteen - The Heptones
  
• Agility - sound clip from Snake in Eagle's Shadow
  
• Baby - The Heptones
  
• Siboney - Connie Francis
  
• Breaking in a Brand New Heart - Connie Francis
  
• Shaolin Temple - Prince Jammys
  
• Seemingly is that Old Friend Comes - Anita Mui
  
• Love Potion No 9 - Nancy Sit
  

Lucky cat is broadcast every Tuesday at 10pm from Resonance FM in London on 104.4FM or online at: www.resonancefm.com

If you have any requests or suggestions or would like to be added to my mailing list please email me:
luckycatzoe@gmail.com

Hiang Kee Exhibition London

Chinese Malaysian UK based artist Hiang Kee has her first exhibition at the Indar Pasricha Art Gallery in London. Beautiful paintings on silk. See their web site for details:

www.ipcontemporary.com/currentexhibition.html

Jay Chou

周杰倫/周杰伦

Clean cut filial piety fan and all round nice guy Jay Chou.

Links:
www.jay-chou.net
According to the forum here (who quote the source Shanghai Morning Post) Jay Chou will duet with David Beckham at a publicity event for the Beijing Olympics this week! History tells us: footballers + singing = turgid. Evidence: John Barnes rapping, Waddle and Hoddle. I rest my case.

www.jaychoustudio.com

www.jay2u.com

Click here to watch Jay Chou as Super Mario in this Flash animation.

Wong Kar Wai's short for Philips Ambilight TV

Here is the short film There's Only One Sun WKW has written and directed for Philips to show off the Ambilight TV. A symphony of colour, a femme fatale and Connie Francis singing Siboney. Classic WKW stuff.

Mooncakes Recipe

Ingredients:
Crust:
4 cups of all purpose flour
1/4 cup dried milk powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1&1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temp
1&1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
1 12 Oz jar apricot preserves
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
3/4 cup raisins
Glaze:
1 large egg lightly beaten
2 tablespoons water

To make the crust, sift together the flour, milk powder, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, and beat vigorously until the mixture 'ribbons' off the beaters, about five minutes. Add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and the sifted dry ingredients to the egg mixture, folding after each addition. Mix to a rough dough, turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly to a smooth dough. Form the dough into a long, snakelilfe roll and cut into 20 pieces.
Mix together the ingredients for the filling and stir to combine evenly. Divide the filling in half. Cover one half with plastic wrap. With your hands, roll the other half into a long snake and cut it into 10 pieces. Uncover the first half and repeat.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. Using your fingers press each dough piece into a 3" circle, making the edges thinner and the centre thicker. Spoon a portion of the filling into the centre, gather up the edges to enclose and pinch them to seal. Roll the cake into a ball and flatten it to a 3" round. Press into a mooncake mold or carve a criss cross design on top.
Arrange the cakes about and inch apart on the lightly buttered baking trays. brush them with the glaze. Bake for 30mins until golden brown. Cool on a rack and serve.

This recipe was taken from the book Moonbeams, Dumplings and Dragon Boats published by The Children's Museum in Boston.

Playlist Tuesday 25th September 2007

Bear Cat - Rufus Thomas (show theme)
Pussy, Pussy, Pussy - Light Crust Doughboys
Autumn Evening - Bai Kwong (Shanghai Lounge Divas LP)
What A Little Moonlight Can Do - Billie Holiday
Pinghu Qiuyue: Autumn Moon Over Still Lake - UK Chinese Ensemble
There's A Silver Moon On The Golden Gate - The Girls of The Golden West
Love Song Under the Moon - Miss Yao Lee
Moon of Manakoora - Dorothy Lamour
Howling at the Moon - Hank Williams
Moonlight Lover - Joya Landis


Read about giant mooncakes here: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-09/24/content_6782901.htm

Lucky Cat back on the Airwaves

I am pleased to announce that the Lucky Cat radio programme returns to the airwaves this week. The new show time is 10 - 11pm on Tuesdays, with a repeat on Fridays 2 - 3pm. The show will be broadcast from Resonance FM's brand spanking new studios here in London. As before you can tune in on the radio in London (104.4FM) or online if not: www.resonancefm.com

If you have any requests or suggestions for the new series please do email me:
luckycatzoe@gmail.com

RIP Papa Noodle

Creator of the first instant noodles Momofuku Ando has passed away age 96. Born in Taiwan whilst it was under Japanese rule he then moved to Japan. In the World War II when food was scarce he came up with the idea of dried, flavoured instant noodles. The first instant falvour was chicken ramen, launched in 1958. The Cup Noodle was created in 1971 (Pot Noodle is the preferred brand in the UK) and his most recent product was for astronauts - Space Ram.
There is even a museum in Japan dedicated to Momofuku's life in the noodle world:
http://www.nissin-noodles.com/index_new.html
And so farewell Cup Noodle King......

Lust, Caution

Ang Lee's new film Lust Caution stars Lucky Cat favourite Tony Leung Chiu Wai and is set in Shanghai in the 1940s. Here is the Chinese poster. It has been given a 17 rating in the US and should open this Autumn (or Fall depending on which side of the Atlantic you're on). The Chinese poster certainly has echoes of In The Mood For Love - gorgeous cheongsam, check, brooding Tony, check, period setting, check.
Looking forward to this one.


Read more about the upcoming film at monkeypeaches.com

Recent Vinyl Purchase

Lovely picture cover EP from the Bollywood movie Chinatown set in Calcutta's Chinatown. Mohammed Rafi is the vocalist, joined by Asha Bhosle on one track. Looks like an interesting film, the record is pretty good; Baar Baar Dekho has an old Rn'B/ Rock n Roll feel to it. You can watch it on You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75SRg70XrVY

Oriental City - Settlement Announced

Good news, the shopping mall in North London will continue to serve up lo pak ko alongside ramen noodles and roti canai until June 2008.

Laurence Martin – Development director of Development Securities said, “Following five months of discussions with tenants involving the GLA and Brent, we’re pleased to have reached an agreement to move forward and redevelopment an exciting new OC.....We recognise that it is not possible to temporarily relocate tenants during redevelopment and because of this there is a period of uncertainty for the tenants. Therefore, we have agreed a clear timetable for close down of the package of measures including rent free from now until closure to provide assistance to tenants.”

For more info see:http://www.dimsum.co.uk/viewpoints/oriental-city-agreement-reached.html

Steamed Chicken

I'm trying to be a bit healthy at the moment so the other night I tried steaming a chicken instead of roasting it. The result was delicious. I bought a smallish chicken and placed it breast down in a steamer. I filled the pan below with 5cm of water and threw in some star anise and jasmine tea. 2 hours of simmering later the chicken was ready. It didn't look too appealing but the meat fell off the bone and was moist and flavoursome. I served it with a Ken Hom recipe dip:

• 2 spring onions chopped finely
• 1 2cm lump of ginger chopped finely
• 1 tea spoon salt
• 1 table spoon soya sauce
• 2 tablespoons of heated groundnut oil

Mix all the ingredients then heat the oil in a wok until smouldering then pour over (make sure to use a heat proof bowl).
Serve with the steamed chicken, rice and steamed vegetables.

Sugarpie De Santo News

Check out this news clip. Chess Records singer and songwriter and Lucky Cat favourite Sugarpie De Santo:
http://cbs5.com/video/?id=20907@kpix.dayport.com&cid=129

Hong Kong magazine 1953 Monroe cover

Chinese Caribbean Cookbook

http://eshopjamaica.com/product_info.php?cPath=36&products_id=56
I will endeavour to get a copy of this and try out some recipes. Stir fry jerk chicken perhaps?

Dirty Ho

Recently I went to see Dirty Ho at the NFT (or should I say BFI as it has all changed now). The film is shwoing as part of the Heroic Grace : the Martial Arts Film Part II season. I went to Part I some years back and saw the Cheng Pei Pei classic Come Drink with Me.

Part II is 1970's - 1980s period of HK martial arts cinema. Dirty Ho is a Run Run Shaw classic starring Tarantino's favourite Gordon Liu (inscrutable face, amazing kung fu). Directed by Lau Kar Leung, legendary martial artist and director (most recently seen acting in Tsui Hark's Seven Swords). The bright, gaudiness of the early scenes set on a floating brothel are wonderful.

Links:
http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews/dirty_ho.htm
http://www.dvdcult.com/rev_DirtyHo.htm
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0514904/ (G Liu)

SAVE ORIENTAL CITY CAMPAIGN E-PETITION

Despite receiving 10,000 objection letters opposing the development as
it currently stands, the Mayor approved Development Securities planning
application on 15 March 2007 to demolish Oriental City with no
provisions on the relocation of businesses or community facilities.

The Save Oriental City is taking the matter to the Secretary of State
for Community and Local Government to hold a public enquiry on the
application.
Oriental City Tenants Association will take the battle to the next
stage to get this planning application overturned.  After the Mayor’s decision,
the Secretary of State for Community and Local Government Ruth Kelly MP
will now consider this application and reach her decision by 22 March 2007.

We launched an e-petition to call upon Ruth Kelly MP to ‘call in’ the
planning application for a public inquiry, you can sign the e-petition
at
http://www.gopetition.co.uk/petitions/save-oriental-city-campaign.html. 
For more information please go to the Save Oriental City Campaign SOCC
website at www.saveorientalcity.co.uk.

London Chinatown Celebrates the Year of the Golden Pig

The Duelist

Loosely based on an original manga by Bang Hak-gi and set during Korea's late Chosun Dynasty era, acclaimed Korean filmmaker Lee Myung-Se's (Nowhere To Hide, Bitter And Sweet) innovative and visually impressive reinvention of martial arts genre conventions, DUELIST is a ravishingly shot and brilliantly choreographed tale of intrigue and romance. Taking visual inspiration from the works of artists Matisse and Mondrian (specifically the pieces "Dance" and "Manhattan" respectively) and basing the fight choreography on rhythms and movements more associated with the tango and ballet than with kung fu and swordplay, in DUELIST Lee Myung-Se has created a uniquely artistic and visionary martial arts film unlike anything seen before.

Well, that's what the blurb says. Decide for yourself when it is released on 9th March in the UK.

Save Oriental City

The Asian themed shopping centre 'Oriental City', on the outskirts of London in sunny Colindale, is under threat from developers!

I have been to the centre a few times and it has an excellent food court with outlets selling food from all over Asia. Thus you are able to sample dim sum turnip cakes, Vietnamese pork and sushi all at the same time! Not to mention the delicious range of teas on offer. There is also a large supermarket and some shops selling Chinese dresses, DVDs, pottery and of course Hello Kitty and Doraemon goodies. When you're done shopping you can kill some zombies on the House of the Dead game in the arcade. The first time I went to Oriental City I spent 5 hours in there! Managed to fit in 2 meals. Yum. There is a large Chinese restaurant on the top floor which I have heard is good but I haven't tried out.

It seems to me it would be a great shame to get rid of it. It needs refurbishing if anything and some good publicity. Our mayor seems to have a penchant for all things Chinese at the moment perhaps he should intervene?

Check out info. on dimsum.co.uk:
http://www.dimsum.co.uk/viewpoints/oriental-city-protest.html

Blog of interest:
http://british-chinese.blogspot.com/

Wong Kar Wai style

The sumptuous colours remind me of a Wong Kar Wai movie. His first English language film My Blueberry Nights should be out here in the UK this year. It is a road movie with Norah Jones in the lead role. Jude Law also stars, hmmm that does not make me leap about the room with enthusiasm. A remake of The Lady from Shanghai is apparently Wong's next project. I had heard rumours he was to make a martial arts film with Tony Leung (The Master), now that is more like it!

The magazine pictured also reminds me of the Thai movie Tears of the Black Tiger, a technicolor melodrama/cowboy film. Very good. The director Wisit Sasanatieng's second film Citizen Dog previewed at the London Film Festival 2 years ago but never got a general release. Shame as it sounded interesting (people with tails). Korean site with nice animated trailer:
www.citizendog.co.kr/
Watch an extract on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdS1poPa4SM

Podcast of show on Hip Hop & Martial Arts

Happy New Year!

The show I did with my brother on Hip Hop & Martial Arts is now avaialable as a podcast online:http://luckycat.podOmatic.com