January 12, 2012

What's Black and Tasty for Breakfast?

Eating of coagulated blood (duck or pig) is not uncommon in Asia. People who like me have a farming or rural background have seen lots of slaughtering of pigs and poultry to name just two farm animals. However by the age of 18 I could no longer stand the sight of animal blood although I did not turn vegetarian when I went to university. Dr. Albert Schweitzer's "Reference for Life" and other philosophers did make me eat more vegetables than meat.

Since the beginning of time I must say coagulated pig's blood has made its way to quite a number of Foochow dishes. Indeed some exotic dishes even call for its presence!! I know for sure that if porridge is made and peas and coagulated blood are added with some ginseng it is very health giving to some frail old people. This could be the time tried vitamins and iron the older generation knew of.

In fact I did not and could not cook anything with pig's blood for many years after an incident down river. I saw the slaughtering of two pigs by the river bank.

 Hence I was quite surprised to find black pudding as something very traditional and even exotic to people who relish a good heavy breakfast when I was introduced to it two years ago in the UK..All the blood which has been hidden by basil and other herbs and by fillers like oats have indeed made it quite palatable...

and in fact when challenged again if I could eat anything black in colour...I can say I can eat black pudding - a small slice though and find the herbs and seeds very interesting.

Logically people can argue with you that  if you have slaughtered a dear animal and can eat most of its parts..why not allow people to eat the blood as well? Good fresh food should not be allowed to go to waste...

By the way...incidentally there is indeed vegetarian black pudding..and you can find it in the UK!!


Black Pudding for breakfast prepared by my son.
In the UK, black pudding is considered a delicacy in the Black Country, where it can trace its origins back hundreds of years. It is to a lesser extent associated with Lancashire and particularly with the town of Bury, where it is sometimes boiled and served with malt vinegar out of paper wrapping.[4] In the remainder of the country, and especially in the south, it is usually served sliced and fried or grilled as part of a traditional full breakfast; it is also served this way in IrelandNew Zealand, and the Canadian provinces ofNova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. The further addition of the similar white pudding is an important feature of the traditionalNorthumbrianScottishIrish and Newfoundland breakfast. (Wikipedia) 
Vietnamese blood sausages - many people who have been to Vietnam enjoy this dish.

some Chinese families have started to make their own liver and blood sausages. I find those quite good too.

A friend in Sibu uses glutinous rice as fillers and she has some blood and liver added. Chillies and pepper make her home made sausages excellent. And they are eaten fresh during Chinese new year...and may be that would be what we can call poor man's foie gras  (Trade secret - no photos of her sausages...) She is a Heng Hua by the way. May be she learnt it from a Cantonese relative some where.

Cheers to food coloured BLACK!!

8 comments:

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

It is popular again, I was watching a lot of cooking shows, Black pudding is coming to the table. You either like it or don't like it. Nobody should tell another person what to or not to eat. One man's food is one man's poison.

May be your friend is related by sweet potato vine to me. My cousin is married to a Heng Hua, and may be she revealed the Cantonese secret recipe. LOL

sarawaklens said...

century eggs...

Ensurai said...

Ann
My friend is from West Malaysia and she is married to someone from Kuching..Ah Yo..husband's surnmae is Ng...who knows? We have so many potato vines now!!

Ensurai said...

Sarawaklens..yes certainly...I love those century eggs...but still..half is enough..And beef jerky..and yak jerky...they are all black...what about black mushrooms? And black toufoo? If we think again...food in black can be a long list indeed!!

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

your friend is not my cousin.

I came via from last post where I talked about the Chinese eatery. I actually wanted the Gui Lin Gao which is black. They didn't have any, so I has something all white. cloud fungus, nashi pear, chinese almond and rock sugar. My friend in Singapore made these for me when I cough too much.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

we got more than ESP, when I was commenting your post, I realise you are reading my blog simultaneously. Our sweet potato has become blogging relatives.

Ensurai said...

Ann

Gui lin gao is really lovely. we used to have one shop specialising in this dish..but now closed down.VEry sad for me...

Ensurai said...

Hahahah Ann

I read your blog first and then answer questions...otherwise I get ENTANGLED....

Soh Mien on First Day of Lunar New Year

 Today 10.2.2024 is the first day of the New Lunar Year of the Dragon. Yes I have cooked the chicken and made the soh mien. Happy New Year!!...