China Puzzle #21

Here is your next puzzle challenge.

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda

The Leaning Tower of Xi'an

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Tasty Chinese Food

One of my favorite Chinese dishes is Cold Sesame Noodles.

I first experienced this taste treat delight many years ago in New York City's Chinatown.

A friend of mine told me that they were his brother's favorite but that he himself thought they were nasty. The way he described them (noodles with peanut-butter) was not flattering and I didn't try them for some time based on his critique.

One evening we were eating at a Chinese restaurant, we were having a disagreement over something I can't remember what, but I decided just to aggravate him I would have the Cold Sesame Noodles, eat them in front of him and tell him how good they were. The big surprise? They were and I was forever hooked!

Cold Sesame Noodles

Makes: four servings

Time: About 30 minutes

Sesame Noodles are most often found on the menu as an appetizer.

 

If, however, you would like to turn them into a one-dish meal, you'll probably want to add some protein. Use can use leftover chicken, duck, pork, beef, seafood or you can use tofu if you are going vegan. 

If you want to add some crunch like I do, try adding slivered cucumbers and carrots (that is my usual choice) but I also like bean sprouts and daikon (Asian/Japanese radish or Chinese turnip) shredded cabbage is another option. You know what you like experiment, be creative and use what suits you. 

So then, lets make some noodles. We'll do the version with chicken.

What you'll need

• Salt, I use sea salt.
• 1 to 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or about 8 ounces boneless chicken breast
• 1 pound cucumber or other vegetable choice
• 12 ounces long pasta like linguine, spaghetti, fettuccine or fresh Chinese egg noodles or rice noodles.
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 cup Asian sesame paste (some use tahini but it hasn't got the same flavor as the Asian sesame paste) or you can use peanut butter (my choice is chunky fresh ground peanuts since it is sugar and salt free.)
• 1 tablespoon granulated stevia or a few drops of stevia extract (or you can use 2 tablespoons sugar, some people like to use honey)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger, optional
• 1 tablespoon rice or wine vinegar
• Hot sesame oil or dried pepper flakes to taste, optional leave it out if you don't like spicy.
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
• At least 1/2 cup minced scallions for garnish, adjust to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts for additional crunch, optional
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional

How you'll put it together

• 1. Set a large pot of water to boil and salt it. If your chicken is uncooked, poach it in water as it comes to a boil; it will cook in about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel cucumbers, cut them in half, and, using a spoon, scoop out seeds. Cut cucumber into shreds and set aside.
• 2. In boiling water, cook pasta until tender but not mushy. I like mine al dente (If chicken is not done, you can still add pasta; remove chicken when it is done.) While pasta is cooking, whisk together sesame oil and paste, sugar, soy, ginger, vinegar, hot oil and pepper in a large bowl. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with hot water, so that it is about the consistency of heavy cream; you will need 1/4 to 1/2 cup. When pasta is done, drain it and run pasta under cold water. Drain and run the chicken under cold water. Shred chicken (use your fingers, it the easiest way) or you can slice it julienne style.
• 3. Toss noodles and chicken with sauce and cucumbers. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking (some people may think the dish needs salt), then garnish with the minced scallions, chopped peanuts and sesame seeds and serve.

As they said to 'Mikey' - Try it, you'll like it. 

If you are going low-carbs, try the following variation:

Substitute finely shredded cabbage in lieu of noodles. 

If you are using the sauce while it is hot (some like it hot or warm), the only change to keep in mind is to keep the sauce thicker- when poured hot over the cabbage, the cabbage wilts slightly and releases liquid that thins the sauce down to its proper consistency.

It doesn’t have the lush unctuous quality that the noodles do, but the flavor is still great.

China Part XVI - Vist to Children Village Orphanage outside Xi'an

After leaving the terracotta museum we were scheduled to visit an orphanage where we would deliver gifts to the kids who live there. This was one of the preplanned attractions of our tour package. Before leaving home in the United States, we prepared for this event by packing gifts that we would be able to distribute to the children. We were told that the children ranged in age from less than one year to the early twenties.

First, however, we had an appointment with lunch at a restaurant near the museum. 

There was a large statue of Emperor Qin in front of the complex that housed the restaurant, shops and vendors booths.

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This photo was taken through the windshield of the bus, thus explaining the blue-green tint at the top..

 

We resisted temptation and passed by the vendors and had lunch in lieu of shopping.

Refreshed after lunch we sauntered past the vendors. There was quite an array of furs on display.

 

(Click on photos to enlarge) 

Soon we were back in the bus and on our way again. We saw some police directing traffic in a very militaristic fashion.

We also drove by the Xi'an Poly-technical University.

This apparently had something to do with a construction project, keeping the soil from washing into the roadway.

 

We continued on our way through the countryside...

 

(Click on photos to enlarge)

 

and at long last arrived at the Children Village Orphanage.

 We piled out of the bus and gathered up the gifts that we had brought for the children.

 There was and entry way and then a short walk down a quiet lane

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 where we were greeted by one of the staff and the woman who runs the orphanage. They opened the gate and welcomed us in.

 

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Many of the walls were gaily painted by it would appear the children themselves, inside and out.

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 Many of the buildings bore signs designating nations and groups who had made donations providing for their construction and or maintenance.

 

We were invited to inspect some of the living quarters.

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This is the woman, we were told, who founded and runs the orphanage.

(see the YouTube video link toward the end of the post)

Here she introduced us to some of the youngest children.

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Some of the kids showed how they do their school work.

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Here our guide Henry #2 gives us details of how the children spend their days.

Here are the rooms of some of the older teen aged girls. Like teenagers everywhere they had posters on the walls of singers and movie stars.

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Their mode of heat (as is the norm in China) was coal. This is their coal shed, the supplies looked a little low.

We collected money from our group for a donation to help them buy coal to heat their buildings through the winter.

Next we visited the cafeteria/classroom. The staff were busy preparing for the next meal.  Outside was a garden where they grew some of the food they would use.

Note the exposed wiring (above - click on the photo to enlarge for a better look). This was very common throughout China.

(Click on photos to enlarge) 

The last place we visited was an assembly room which had a little stage at one end. Here we delivered the gifts that we had brought for the kids. There were toys, books, handmade quilts, clothing, toiletries etc.

 

The kids were ushered in and sang for us.

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 Then the gifts distributed.

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Among the din of the children playing and celebrating sat one little girl by herself.

 

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This little girl sat dejected as the other kids received gifts and began to play and share their new found bounty. I watched her sitting by herself. She had tears welling up in her eyes. It was so very sad. Who knows what her young life has been like. Most of the children were here because their parents were in prison or had been executed as criminals. (Many we were told were convicted for various crimes and or acts of political dissidence. They say half of the parents were convicted for murdering their spouse and face long prison terms or have been executed.)

I remembered that among the things I had carted over from the USA, was some costume jewelry that I'd picked up at a 'dollar store' (plastic bracelets, necklaces and rings etc., ironically made in China). I saw that they were still sitting on the chair where I had originally placed them, untouched. I picked them up and approached lonely little girl. I offered them to her. She reluctantly took them, head down  barely looking up at me or the jewelry, perhaps to hide her tears.

I paused to think about the whole situation. Here they are, they live here in an orphanage, in a spartan world of want, and every now and then we foreign tourists arrive to hand out gifts and trinkets and we expect them to jump for joy and show us their gratitude, make us feel that we had made a big difference in their lives. That we have brought them everlasting happiness, assuaging our egos, when momentarily we will be on our luxury coach ride back to our luxury hotel rooms focusing on all the tourist attractions we will be visiting tomorrow or the souvenirs we plan to purchase while we dining on a bounteous meal in what for them would be an out of reach luxurious restaurant. They are left with trinkets that soon tarnish, are lost or break and a meager cafeteria style dinner and a crowded noisy dormitory. My heart and prayers go out to them and I attempt to enumerate my countless and copious blessings. I only hope that in some way, if only for a moment, we actually did bring some happiness and  hope into their lives.

Incidentally, I did see the little girl a little later, she was showing off her bangles, and yes, sharing them with some of the other girls. The tears in her eyes wiped away at least for now.

Click on the link for an informative and moving YouTube video about this orphanage.

Children Village - Morning Tears

If you are interested in adopting there are many agencies. 

Click link for one based in Ogden, Utah with a branch in Burnsville, Minnesota.

Wasatch International Adoptions

©2001 Wasatch International Adoptions
1140 36th Street, #204
Ogden, Utah 84403
Phone:801-334-8683
Fax: 801-334-0988
info@wiaa.org

©2001 Wasatch International Adoptions
2646 Boulder Way
Burnsville, MN 55337
Phone: 612-802-5614
charles@wiaa.org

Our time with the children passed quickly and it was soon coming time  for us to return to our hotel. We left the room and went out into the courtyard where we could join the kids at play for a short time. They showed off their skills with the soccer ball.

Mom, in her chariot, enjoying watching the children at play.
(Click on photos to enlarge) 

We thanked the staff and children for inviting us into their lives, make our last goodbyes and gave our final hugs to everyone..

and were once again on our way past the modest homes and farms back to the city.

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Along the way we witnessed the farmers air-drying their corn. In some places they had covered half of the roadway with ears of corn. The only photos we got were a bit blurry, sorry.

The sun was setting as we arrived back in the smoggy modern city of Xi'an.

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 Tonight, after dinner we would go downtown for a water and light show in the public square.

Next up:

The evening Water and Light show in Xi'an