A WONTON POINT OF VIEW

Two comments underneath a post about food, separated by years, disagree with each other and demonstrate several generations of enmity. They almost encapsulate the insurmountable differences between the two sides, and why irrational hatred frequently remains part of a culture.

The post was about wonton.

Wonton (雲吞) are, in their most perfect form, little poached shrimp and pork dumplings floating in a broth, sometimes with fresh wheat noodles added. And sometimes bakchoi and charsiu, for extra oomp.

There's a recipe here if you want to make them at home.

The key to a truly Cantonese broth is dried flounder (左口魚 'joh hau yü'), by the way. Dried seafood is a far more southern flavouring in Chinese cuisine than northern. And, by some standards, northern cooking is the poorer because of that.


OPPOSING SIDES

The two comments are below. The first was left nearly five years ago, the second was waiting for approval this morning.

Zheng Xie said…

Dried fish? Huh, typical. Probably stinky for words. I'll stick with steamed dumplings.


Mandarin people are insignificant said…

Not surprised that a Northern scum would say that. The only reason you cannot stand the nice smell of this is because you are too attached to your smog. No wonder China is going up shit creek.

[End cites.]

Other than giggling while gleefully hitting 'publish' on that second comment, other thoughts immediately came to mind.

Such as:

How very un-American! A controversial statement about the north-south divide among us Yanquis would engender a hundred-plus comment string filled with bile and vituperation within a day, not just two comments in five years.

My own sympathies are rather the opposite of what they would be about our own north-south divide, in that our deep south is comprised mostly of despicable monsters and subhumans, whose culture is vile and base, and whose political points of view are repulsively Fascist.
Whereas Chinese northerners are not as refined and broadminded as their countrymen in the south, and more rigid besides.

Southerners speak Cantonese, Northerners speak Mandarin. The areas where neither tongue is native are the wild and hairy boundary zones, although Shanghai is an anomaly and weird besides.

Shanghainese make the best steamed dumplings.


Please note that in this context steamed dumplings (蒸水餃 'jing suei gaau') are not dimsum (點心), which are strictly Cantonese and prove the superiority of the cuisine of Hong Kong and Canton, but the little dough pockets filled with minced pork, chives (or cabbage) and garlic often eaten as a snack or street food in northern China, especially when the weather is cold and something comforting is required.
Best with a generous dab of chili paste.



Anyhow, far be it from me as a Caucasian to take sides in what is clearly a regional and ethnic rivalry, despite the evident superiority of Cantonese food to almost anything Mandarin speakers can produce.
It wouldn't be fitting. Perhaps even considered rude or out of place, although many Mandarin speakers don't know what that is.

Nope. Stepping aside. I'm neutral.

Got no dog in this fight.



AFTERWORD

It's been rather beastly cold these past few days. Perhaps what a man needs on a day off is a plate of dumplings at the only Shanghainese restaurant in Chinatown. Perfect for this weather.

韭菜豬肉水餃 ('gau choi chyu yiuk suei gaau').
That, plus a pot of hot tea.
Mid afternoon.




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