Ham (Fresh)

by LadyTong | Sep 13, 2010 | Uncategorized | 1 comment

How do I prepare it?

• Can be used directly as purchased
• Rinse in warm water (although not always necessary)
• Most soups will slice or dice the ham before usage

Where can I buy this?

• All supermarkets will carry

What is the cost?

• Ham costs varies depending on the type of ham, but your average store bought ham costs around $2-3 CAD  for 5-6 slices
• In Hong Kong, imported Ham costs around $30-40 HKD

Any benefits?

• Pork contains many nutrients (including 6 essential vitamins)
• It is a good source of iron, zinc, Vitamin B6 and protein
• It is said to be a healthier red meat substitute over beef
• Can be used immediately and directly in soup (or even as a garnish)

Any precautions?

• Can be high in sodium as it is processed

References:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham

Preserved Chinese Ham

by LadyTong | Jun 18, 2010 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Ingredient Name: Preserved Chinese ham, Preserved ham, Preserved Chinese pork, Yunnan Ham

Traditional Chinese Name: 雲腿 (yún tuǐ) or 火腿 (huǒ tuǐ)

• A salty, preserved meat that is of pork (pig) composition
• Commonly known as Yunnan Ham because of a specialty of Yunnan Province (in China) to produce this type of product
• It is usually the dried & preserved thigh or leg of the pork (which is produced with only the marination of salt on a fresh thigh)
  
• The ham is flaky, crispy, slightly sweet and quite salty
• It is commonly used in soups, stews, dim sum and other Chinese or Asian dishes
  

How do I prepare it?

• Rinse in warm water before usage
• Can cut up into smaller more edible pieces for soups (or use as a whole)

Where can I buy this?

Most supermarkets sell this pre-packaged

What is the cost?

• Relatively affordable

Any benefits?

• The ham brings a nice, salty flavor to any soup base
• It is a slim cut of meat (so minimal fat)

Any precautions?

• Use in moderation (due to the high amount of sodium)
• Purchase your ham from a reputable source

Any additional information?

• Store in a cool, dry place
• Good for up to 6 months if stored in the refrigerator and less if not (they are usually marked with an expiry date)