Shows
Your Mama’s KitchenBig Freedia’s Journey to Queen DivaThe Queen Diva herself, Big Freedia, joins to talk about all things New Orleans. From making his aunt’s Mardi Gras popcorn balls to coming out on his 13th birthday, Big Freedia shares what it was like to grow up on Josephine Street and Music Street. He’ll also share what it was like to get that call from Beyoncé and how he brought bounce back to New Orleans after Katrina. Plus he shares how to make his mom's cornbread dressing.Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.Produced by Soni...2025-03-0446 minYour Mama’s KitchenThe Award-Winning Flavors of Oaxaca with Bricia LopezRestauranteur and cookbook author Bricia Lopez takes us back to where her career in food really began -- the kitchen of the renowned, LA-based Oaxacan restaurant Guelaguetza, which her father opened in the 90's. Bricia and her siblings grew up washing dishes, bussing tables and helping their parents foster a sense of community for the Oaxacan diaspora in Los Angeles; something Bricia continues to do as one of the co-owners of the restaurant today. This conversation was recorded when record-breaking wildfires scorched LA earlier this year -- Bricia talks about how she was able to help through calling on...2025-02-2550 minYour Mama’s KitchenRoy Wood Jr’s Childhood: Country as a Sugar SandwichComedian Roy Wood Jr. dishes on his Birmingham roots and how his radio personality dad and law school student mom navigated meal times with their opposing schedules. He shares the simple but delicious meals that limited his palette before he ultimately became the foodie we know and love today. Plus, we learn about the biscuits that had his cousins fighting over who gets the last one.Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.Produced by Sonia Htoon.Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin....2025-02-1836 minYour Mama’s KitchenThe European Summer that Changed Ina Garten's LifeAmerica's favorite kitchen icon Ina Garten opens up about the tumultuous relationship she had with her mama's kitchen when she was a child. She walks us through how her relationship with food evolved in later years, thanks to her husband Jeffrey and a summer spent camping across Europe on a shoestring budget. Plus, we learn how to make the one dish Ina enjoyed from childhood: Chicken Parmesan.Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.Produced by Sonia Htoon.Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Le...2025-02-1142 minYour Mama’s KitchenHow John Legend Learned to Forgive His MotherMultiple Grammy and Platinum Record winning artist John Legend takes us back to his roots in Springfield, Ohio, where he was an academic overachiever and a musical prodigy. John opens up about his early rocky relationship with his mother and how, over time, they came together to nurture one beautiful family. Plus, we learn how to make his mama's special mac & cheese.Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.Produced by Sonia Htoon.Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.Sound design and engineering from An...2025-02-0442 min
Your Mama’s KitchenThe Colberts Find Love in the LowcountryLate Show host Stephen Colbert and his wife Evie reminisce on their romcom-worthy meet cute, which somehow happened years after they left their shared hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. We learn about what kind of food they ate while growing up in the coastal Lowcountry (hint: lots of seafood) and some of the cooking hiccups they faced as a new couple in their first shared kitchen. Plus, Stephen teaches us how to make his version of his mama’s fudge – a recipe that none of his siblings can agree on.Your Mama’s Kitchen is a p...2025-01-2846 min
The AI of MankindDigital Transformation and Resilience: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Flexibility with HR Expert Mukta AnyaGet ready for an eye-opening discussion on digital transformation and resilience in the workplace with HR expert Mukta Anya. In this engaging episode, Mukta shares her insights on the challenges and successes of implementing digital initiatives. Discover the importance of systematic planning, long-term vision, and skilled teams to sustain digital transformations. Gain valuable knowledge on navigating crisis management and supporting employee well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explore the concept of flexibility in the workplace and the balance between remote work and on-site presence. Don't miss out on this thought-provoking conversation that will empower you to drive successful digital transformations...2023-11-0316 min
The AI of MankindTransforming HR in the Digital Age: Insights from Mukta Anya, Chief HR Officer at Societe GeneraleAre you ready to uncover the secrets of successful digital transformation in HR? In Part 1 of this captivating podcast, join Andrew Liew as he sits down with Mukta Anya, a seasoned HR leader with over 24 years of experience. Discover Mukta's inspiring career journey and her expertise in driving digital change in the dynamic Asia Pacific region. Get ready to delve into the world of digitalization, learn about the challenges and opportunities it brings, and gain valuable insights into creating an innovative mindset within your organization. If you're curious about the power of digital transformation and how it can revolutionize...2023-10-2717 min
New WorlderEpisode #70: Andrew WongAndrew Wong is the chef of the two Michelin star restaurant A.Wong in London, England. Andrew grew up working in his parents’ restaurant, a straightforward Cantonese restaurant called Kym’s, and had no desire to go into the restaurant business. He went to Oxford to study chemistry, then switched to social anthropology, and then his father passed, so he jumped back into to the restaurant business to help his mother. He started to think about the relationship between food and culture and started visiting China and exploring its regional cuisines. Eventually, he re-imagined the restaurant around these cuisines. In ou...2023-09-081h 11
New WorlderEpisode #70: Andrew WongAndrew Wong is the chef of the two Michelin star restaurant A.Wong in London, England. Andrew grew up working in his parents’ restaurant, a straightforward Cantonese restaurant called Kym’s, and had no desire to go into the restaurant business. He went to Oxford to study chemistry, then switched to social anthropology, and then his father passed, so he jumped back into to the restaurant business to help his mother. He started to think about the relationship between food and culture and started visiting China and exploring its regional cuisines. Eventually, he re-imagined the restaurant around these cuisines. In our...2023-09-081h 11
XO SousedXO Soused x Albert AdriàFor years now , and since Andrew’s visit to the brilliant Albert Adrià in Barcelona in 2017, Andrew and Albert have been talking about collaborating on a menu that meshes the world of dim sum and tapas and upends European industry norms about pastry. Finally on Friday 7th July 2023 - after months of emails and calls - Albert arrived with his team and boxes of specialist ingredients to prep for a special weekend menu that is an industry first and marks an exciting new evolution in creativity for both chefs. On the eve of these dinners, Mukta recorded a l...2023-07-0954 min
XO SousedXO Soused x Susan JungIn a new format for XO Soused, we welcome a guest!Susan Jung - arguably the most powerful voice in East and South East Asian food and cookery - sits with Andrew and Mukta to explore; * why apprenticeships are sometimes better than formal culinary education* how a well-timed lunch can help launch a food writing career* what makes Susan angry as a restaurant reviewer* Susan’s favourite meal* What fried chicken reveals about East and South East Asia * the special artisanal ingredients that elevate East an...2023-05-1940 min
XO SousedMacanese gastronomy - how to 'fuse' a cuisineMacanese gastronomy is reputedly the oldest fusion cuisine in the world and has been recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. This tiny territory - smaller than Hong Kong, which it neighbours - also has one of the most dynamic economies in the world where some of the best chefs using the finest ingredients cook for the very rich. How does Macanese food cut through this noise?But how does a chef like Andrew - operating within a system of distinct yet connected regional Chinese cuisines - understand, embody, codify and cook a corpus...2023-05-0234 min
XO SousedXO Soused Special - British Chinese cuisine - Wong family dynamics from 2008-presentFrom being the little princeling in the kitchen during his culinary training to asserting his creative and commercial voice - Andrew’s authority has not always been clearly exercised, reflecting the complexities with succession in family businesses. Considering all these complex succession hangovers, why was Andrew so adamant that his own new venture - A. Wong - should be launched on the site of his dad’s previous restaurant? Why not a clean break and a new site? What has remained of his father’s empire - the other businesses, the team, the network - and ho...2023-04-2640 min
XO SousedXO Soused Special - British Chinese cuisine - Wong family dynamics in the 1990s-2000sEpisode 2 goes inside Andrew’s family as they battle to carve a space in London’s hospitality sector . As Britain’s Asian restaurant sector transformed in the lead up to the new millennium, so too did the ambitions of many a restaurateur -not least Andrew’s father, who constantly cast about for new ideas and concepts. What kind of pressures, limits and opportunities did this present to the family? How did the teenage Andrew understand these forces as they impacted on his father in particular? What did it mean to have a family business in this pat...2023-04-2546 min
XO SousedXO Soused Special - British Chinese cuisine - Wong family dynamics in the 1970s-80sIntroducing a special three-episode mini series of XO Soused. One episode per generation, and one episode each day from Monday to Wednesday this week. Andrew’s family have been involved in the Chinese catering trade in Britain for three generations. Every generation of Andrew’s family had an ambition for their business. During the years that his grandfather owned these businesses, these ambitions were shaped by this powerful patriarch and his network in the midlands, and by the realities of baby boomer Britain and its effect on the Chinese cuisine on its shores.2023-04-2435 min
A Taste of the PastHistory and Art of Dim SumWhen the Michelin starred chef Andrew Wong was on a working tour of China, it ignited a burning curiosity in not just exploring the vast cultural and regional differences that have come to define the gastronomic identity of China, but also opened his eyes to the beauty of China’s 3000-year history first-hand. It inspired newfound respect for the local and ceremonial aspects of Chinese culinary heritage and began the formation of ideas for his own approach to cooking. And he sought help and collaboration with Dr. Mukta Das, food historian of China and Chinese diaspora, to find answers to...2022-09-2343 min
XO SousedXO Soused S2 E4 - Song Dynasty recipesHow do contemporary cooks interpret historically researched cookbooks? How relatable to contemporary dining are Song era historical recipes, and how far do recipe writers, cooks and chefs have to do this translation work? Andrew talks through a present day book of Song era recipes that he has been reviewing and researching as both he and Mukta explore how these recipes reflect Song dynasty social, economic, cultural and philosophical life. How do these recipes draw from and sketch out the luxury markets that defined the era, as well as the clean-eating philosophies that developed in reaction to these...2022-06-1428 min
XO SousedXO Soused S2 E3 - Eating bitternessHow does a chef cooking Chinese cuisine incorporate bitterness into their dishes? Is bitterness truly necessary as sweetness, sourness, pungency and saltiness in Chinese gastronomy? Or is it trapped in a traditional medicine cul-de-sac? What did key Chinese gastronomic thinkers and writers think about bitter tastes and how did this thinking shift in recent centuries? What ingredients and techniques layer in bitter tastes and how have these changed over the course of Chinese food history? XO Soused is now available as a video - watch belowFurther reading on drinking bitter tea: Mei, Yuan, circa 1790...2022-05-3122 min
XO SousedXO Soused S2 E2 - bear paws and other exotic banquet dishesWhat are braised bear paws doing on a (likely) imperial banqueting menu from the 1700s? What does the appearance of this exotic meat, and other dishes like steamed camel hump, tell us about the changing categories of ‘wildlife’ and ‘livestock’ in global food history, and about how Chinese heartland foods and peripheral cuisines are constructed? Are there more to the names of these dishes than straightforward description, or can these names signal less about the central ingredient and more about the look of the dish? As the skills and knowledge to cook such dishes remain accessib...2022-05-1737 min
XO SousedXO Soused S2 E1 - The banquet experience...from the other side of the passWe kick off season 2 of XO Soused with an update from Andrew about the swap he has made to his evening menu - from à la carte dining to a fixed banquet menu - at his restaurant A. Wong. This has meant changing from catering for a variety of guests who bring different appetites: ‘some people eat more, some people eat less, some people…. have five or six different dishes, others just want to have a duck in the middle’ to serving 19 different dishes to every guest across four or five courses. What do these changes now demand from An...2022-02-2200 min
XO SousedXO Soused Festive Special - Awesome Chinese banquetsAndrew is taking his restaurant in a new direction in 2022. Gone is his à la carte menu and in its place will be a a dining experience akin to some of the historical Chinese banquets written into court records and novels, and painted on to silk. In this special festive episode Andrew and Mukta discuss why Andrew has taken this direction, what historical recipes are inspiring, and what underlying rules and rituals shape flavours combinations, the dishes that are served and to who, and even where dishes are placed on the table. Download Dr Isaac Yue’s excellent cha...2021-12-2347 min
XO SousedXO Soused - BeginningsAs we come to the end of the first season of XO Soused, we share a rough cut of a recording by Andrew and Mukta as they look back on almost 8 years of working together —from the very first research Mukta did for Andrew for the launch of his basement bar the Forbidden City to almost ending it all over their presentation at SXSW - a presentation they didn’t even deliver as a result of COVID travel restrictions. Andrew and Mukta pick out key moments and summarise the lessons they have learned. They end with some advi...2021-10-1941 min
XO SousedXO Soused - Beggar's ChickenWhat is Beggar’s Chicken? What are the myths that surround it and why are they important? How has Andrew attempted to bring Beggar’s Chicken - chicken stuffed and wrapped in leaves and clay - into his professional kitchen, and what iterations of the dish is he trying next? Why is the technique such a fundamental part of its origin story and how has that technique and the recipe changed over time? XO Soused is a fortnightly audio newsletter.Intro and outro music: 遊子 [wanderer] by mafmadmaf.com This is a public e...2021-10-0534 min
XO SousedXO Soused - Family food v restaurant foodWhat are the differences between family cooking and restaurant cooking? How has lockdown and chef-prepared cook-at-home meal kits blurred the boundaries of home and restaurant? Is there a difference in the way Chinese chefs approached this compared to chefs of other cuisines? How did the divide between family food and restaurant food get created in China, and how has the divide been muddied in Chinese food history? And as family meals increasingly take place in restaurants - in family-style eateries and Michelin-starred places - how do chefs cater for a new generation of - perhaps - more...2021-09-2144 min
XO SousedXO Soused - Notes and queries on drying and rehydrating in Chinese cookingWhy are there so many ingredients in Chinese cuisine that are dried? What is the cultural and culinary importance of these foods? Weaving their way through key dried items such as abalone, bird’s nest and even controversial ingredients such as shark’s fin, Andrew and Mukta discuss why Chinese chefs have chosen certain seafood, livestock and plant matter for drying and rehydrating, and what flavours, textures and cultural value this adds to dishes. And how are these foods dried? What marinades and stocks are used to soak the foods before drying? How many times ingr...2021-08-2441 min
XO SousedXO Soused - Raw foods in Chinese cuisineRaw fish and vegetables appear in some regional cuisines in China, with a variety of dipping sauces. Were the Chinese the first to champion raw meats and fish in East Asia? With such a rich culture of preparing raw meats and fish to present to diners in Confucian and Han times and on-and-off up until 14th Century China, what knife and saucing techniques, and skilful finishes with hot oils and fats did Chinese chefs have to master? Why have raw preparations of vegetables and salads narrowed in recent centuries in Chinese food history? And what about the...2021-08-1044 min
The Food ProgrammeAndrew Wong: A Life Through Food“It’s about trying to paint pictures – of different places, different moments in time, throughout China’s past.”Andrew Wong grew up helping out in his parents’ Chinese restaurant in central London, convinced that he would never work in hospitality himself.
But the “magic” of the industry drew him in – and today he’s chef-patron of a restaurant on the very same site as his parents’ place, but totally transformed.In the decade or so since its launch, A.Wong has built a reputation for lunchtime dim sum, with an evening menu showcasing imaginative interpretations of regional and histor...2021-08-0829 min
XO SousedXO Soused - The (r)evolution in Chinese dessertsWhy should dessert go at the end? Why have western and westernised restaurants embraced this structure of cooking and eating, while in some Asian cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes are served together? More importantly, why do western professional kitchens barely use sugars in their savoury dishes? Meanwhile chefs cooking some Asian foods use sugars - cane sugar, beet sugar, honey, and maltose - in equal quantities as savoury ingredients for taste, colour, viscosity, and depth and balance of flavour. So where does that leave Chinese desserts? What are their levels of sweetness and creaminess? How does Andrew...2021-07-2744 min
XO SousedXO Soused - female chefs in the professional Chinese kitchenWho are the iconic female chefs in Chinese food history? What influence did they have on Chinese cuisine? And why are they not more prominent in the histories? What are the gender dynamics that Andrew encounters in professional kitchens in China and in the UK? And does he think about gender when he recruits or supports his kitchen team? And take a look at the book that Andrew has a hankering for: Johnson, Ian, 2021, Forbidden City: The Palace at the Heart of Chinese Culture. New York: AssoulineXO Soused...2021-07-1344 min
XO SousedXO Soused - Creativity in the Chinese professional kitchenHow does creativity work for a professional chef cooking Chinese food? What was creative culinary life like in the palace kitchens in China? What was the role of tradition and how did other rules and boundaries either restrict or even elevate innovative thinking? When there’s too much choice - a defining characteristic of working from vast and well stocked palace stores - how does a chef find a culinary direction or a theme, and find a space for his specialism?And what rules and boundaries allow Andrew to innovate in his kitchen? How does hi...2021-06-2941 min
A Slice of Cheese - FoodFMA Grand Cheese OdysseyIn partnership with Peter’s Yard petersyard.com - Jenny Linford, cheese expert, takes us on a sumptuous world tour of cheese and cookery, dropping in on China, the Middle East, Scandinavia and the Swiss Alps. Jenny speaks with chef Andrew Wong of A. Wong, food anthropologist Mukta Das, Rachael Sills, founder of KaseSwiss, chef Itamar Srulovich of Honey & Co and Bronte Aurell of Scandinavian Kitchen.In partnership with Peter’s Yard. Savour the crunch of Peter’s Yard sourdough crackers. Available at Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Ocado, Amazon, petersyard.com and specialist food retailers. Visit petersyard.com/shop and...2021-06-221h 04
XO SousedXO Soused - constructing a menu for a Chinese restaurantChinese restaurants in the UK (and in other places) often offer a hundred or more dishes on their menu. What is the reason for this? Why does Andrew’s restaurant, A. Wong, offer 70 items every day and what has he had to negotiate to get to this number?How is the professional Chinese kitchen and its arrangements of stations, and the construction of meals in the dining space, geared to offering this variety compared to a western restaurant of similar size?How has Chinese banquet culture defined the length of composition of Chinese restaurant menu? What is th...2021-06-1544 min
XO SousedXO Soused - How crucial is lard in Chinese cooking?With so many oil and fat substitutes available to the modern chef, what role does lard still play in professional Chinese kitchens? What classical Chinese - and particularly dim sum - recipes require lard? And how is the fat from the pork put to other uses by Chinese chefs, including and legendary Cantonese chef, William Poon? What techniques using pork fat has Mr Poon taught Andrew recently?How have dim sum chefs adapted their pastry making to suit western palates unused to the porcine aroma of lard-laminated dough? And what of the other dishes that use lard...2021-06-0126 min
XO SousedXO Soused - tofu and few notes on non-meat eating identitiesWhat is tofu? What reputation does tofu have among western diners and chefs? What varieties of tofu can you find in supermarkets and how does this effect the way that tofu is used and enjoyed? When was soybean curd first formed and pressed into existence and when did varieties of dried, smoked, fried and fermented tofu become ubiquitous? What are the differences in the way these varieties absorb flavour and impart mouthfeel?How are tofu skins now being used by other 3-star Michelin chefs? And how and why does Andrew use tofu in vegetarian and meat dishes...2021-05-2534 min
XO SousedXO Soused - XO Sauce and some thoughts on Hong Kong culinary identityXO Sauce - a combination of dried seafood, ham, chillies and other seasonings in a stock - has grown to be a Hong Kong condiment par excellence. How is this condiment now used in the Chinese kitchens, and what ingredients does it go well with during the cooking process? What does the XO in the name signify, and what are the origin stories surrounding the sauce, and how does it play up the distinctions and disjunctures in Hong Kong society? In this edition we revisit and do a deep-dive into our ‘sort-of’ namesake. How many ways do you...2021-05-1129 min
XO SousedXO Soused - taming the chilli pepper in Chinese cuisineFor an ingredient that entered into China in the 16th century - the chilli pepper has become a fundamental part of Chinese cooking. How does a chef learn to use this vegetable and it complex palate and texture? What was Chinese cuisine like before the chilli arrived? And how did it change the idea of Chinese ‘pungency' or 辛 [xīn]? How would you use salted chillies, dried chillies, pickled chillies, fresh chillies and chillies in oil? What techniques are best and what attention to do you need to pay to the texture and cut of the meat and o...2021-05-0432 min
XO SousedXO Soused - spices that flavour Chinese chicken stocks, soups and meat pastesMany Chinese dishes use a spiced chicken stock as a building block. This is a meat broth infused with cinnamon, cassia bark, fennel seed, angelica root, liquorice, and star anise. How are these spices used? What use do pre-mixed spice powders have, and why does Andrew prefer 13-spice powder (a classic western Chinese spice mix) over the Cantonese 5-spice powder for some dishes? How is history reflected in the different regional spicing cultures and spiced cooking techniques in China? And have Chinese cooks gradually eased off on spicing over the centuries? Could a 12th century Chinese recipe...2021-04-2737 min
XO SousedXO Soused - using cheese in Chinese gastronomyCheese, like milk, has always been an important part of the Chinese diet. The remnants of China’s artisanal cheese sector are found in China’s western regions - and made by ethnic communities - Rushan [乳扇, rǔshān], Rubing [乳餅, rǔbǐng], are the better known. But Nguri in Hokkien or Niuru in Hanyu [牛乳, niúrǔ], made in Fujian and Guangdong show that artisanal Chinese cheese making was more widespread and made deep in the Chinese heartland. Why are fresh cheeses preferred over aged cheeses in Chinese gastronomy? How is Chinese cheese integrated into cooking and what flavours and text...2021-04-2033 min
XO SousedXO Soused - whole fish and fish headsCooking and presenting a whole fish - from nostril to tailfin - is a classic approach in Chinese gastronomy. Meanwhile, in Western kitchens filleting is the usual practice. What difference does it make to the taste and texture of the fish to cook it on the bone and with the head? How does the collagen from the bone keep the flesh moist? What techniques make the best of this and how many ways to cook whole fish demand preparation as opposed to the a la minute methods of western cookery? Has whole fish always been prized? How...2021-04-1335 min
XO SousedXO Soused - techniques for the cooking and eating of chicken feetA star-player in Chinese nose-to-tail (or beak-to-claw) cooking, chicken feet have been a long-term staple in dim sum restaurants. In what solution do you blanch chicken feet to cleanse them? How does deep-frying improve the falling-off-the-bone quality of the cut and its absorption of steamed aromatics and flavourings? And why does Andrew cook it so infrequently? Why is does the dish have an alternative name of ‘Pheonix claw’ (or Fèng zhuǎ, [鳯爪], if you want to find it on the menu once Chinese restaurants reopen after lockdown)? What is the difference between British and European dish naming convention...2021-04-0627 min
XO SousedXO Soused - Cantonese crispy pork bellyWhat is the difference between Cantonese crispy pork belly and British roast pork belly with crispy crackling? How does a chef achieve the ‘digestive-biscuit-y’ quality of the Cantonese style finish rather than the toothy crunch of the British dish? Should we serve it with infused soy or mustard sauce? Why is the fat in the cut as crucial to Chinese cuisine as the meat? How did pork become so important? How is pork’s popularity in China connected with not eating beef? And how exactly has Andrew recreated Cantonese crispy pork belly for vegeta...2021-03-3034 min
XO SousedXO Soused - Chinese food..globalised, a view from New DelhiAndrew is in New Delhi for work in this double-length episode, and oof, is he working through some stuff! How does a British-born Chinese chef contend with the parameters of Chinese food in India, or of Indo-Chinese food? What is the difference between Chinese food in India and Indo-Chinese food? What are the flavour profiles of this hyphenated cuisine? What can these dishes tell us about how Chinese food travels and lands in distant places? And what mental and physical work do chefs have to do to translate Chinese food for local palates?Intro and...2021-03-2342 min
XO SousedXO Soused - succulent healthful Soy ChickenSoy chicken is Andrew’s favourite dish to cook and eat. And as a poached dish it sits apart from all the other roasted meats of the Chinese roasting kitchen. How does residual heat work to cook this chicken perfectly and how is this different from sous vide? How did Chinese chefs cook slowly at low temperatures in the past without technologies such as thermostats? How does this boost the dish’s health-giving qualities and what is the medicinal or flavouring function of the aromatics sealed in with the chicken as it gently cooks?Intro and outro musi...2021-03-1622 min
XO SousedXO Soused - some notes on rice flourRice flour is the key ingredient that makes hundreds of different types of dim sum possible. Is it still as important in the Chinese kitchen as it was 2,000 years ago? What happened when wheat flour arrived? What does rice flour do that wheat flour doesn’t? What is the difference between glutinous and non-glutinous rice flour? Find out how to use this ingredient to create a variety of dishes with many different finishes, from crispy outer textures for pastries to a squidgy chewiness for cakes. Intro and outro music by mafmadmaf.com...2021-03-0923 min
XO SousedXO Soused Sunday special - how to spark a culinary revolutionWhat revolutionises everyday cooking into an effort that is considered gastronomy? How did parts of French cooking and Japanese food culture become elevated into ‘gastronomy’? What factors need to exist for this transformation to happen? This special feature-length episode explores these question by looking at the work that chefs in France, Spain, Japan and other countries do, the ingredients and techniques that they use, but also the kind of food media that surrounds them and the diners that support them. And what could be next for Chinese cuisine? This is a public episode. If you...2021-03-0739 min
XO SousedXO Sauce - meaty cooking sauces and condimentsAndrew’s mum always says ‘get the sauce right and the cooking will take care of itself’. What Chinese sauces are available to chefs and home cooks? What are the big differences between Chinese sauces and European sauces? Why are Chinese base stocks different from European versions, and how are they used to lengthen the fermented, umami ingredients at the centre of Chinese sauces? How have Chinese sauces developed through time? Andrew also shares his techniques for enhancing the humble bottle of soy sauce with spices and stock to turn it into a superior condiment for your table. 2021-03-0229 min
XO SousedXO Soused - getting noodle dough rightLearning to make noodles teaches you about touch, the feel of flour, hydration rates, and fermentation. What is the right flour for noodle making? How much gluten should it contain? Why does Chinese culinary culture place an emphasis on the amount of gluten contained in flour (low, medium and high), rather than its use (bread flour, etc). Why are measurements for dried ingredients such as flour so complicated to western readers of Chinese noodle recipes? Which doughs truly sing when you make and eat noodles immediately and just how many different kinds of noodles are out there? 2021-02-2323 min
XO SousedXO Soused - "Beijing" roast duckRoast duck is a centrepiece of Chinese gastronomy. Why can it take two decades for specialist roasting chefs to perfecting “Beijing” roast duck? What corners are sometimes cut and what difference does it make? What wood should be used for roasting and what techniques result in a chef being able to take off the crispy skin in one go at the table? Errata: Major apologies for the constant mispronunciation of Jia Sixie’s name [賈思勰] throughout this episode - we don’t plan these conversations in advance and sometimes our [on the fly] recollections of the names of people, books...2021-02-1629 min
XO SousedXO Soused Special - Chinese New YearChinese New Year is here! How do people in the Chinese restaurant sector celebrate Chinese New Year? Just how many red envelopes do you have to give out once you’re married and own a business? What kind of dishes are eaten for the special Chinese New Year eve dinner, and what’s the secret to getting a crispy coating on your sweet sticky rice cake? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewwongandmuktadas.substack.com2021-02-1228 min
XO SousedXO Soused - cheese, ice cream and condensed milkHow is dairy used in Chinese cooking? How have minority groups in parts of China turned milk into cheese and what kind? Does ice cream have its origins in China? When did the first few references of iced butter, iced cream and iced yoghurt appear in Chinese history? Has ice cream always been a novelty in China, and what role did missionaries play in popularising condensed milk in Hong Kong and Guangdong? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access...2021-02-0914 min
XO SousedXO Soused - laminated pastry for dimsum puffs and tarts‘Puff pastry’ in Chinese cooking is a very different beast. But what is unique about the laminated dough that dim sum chefs make to wrap, cocoon or encase dim sum fillings? What ingredients, ratios and techniques create the pastry of the Hong Kong egg tart or the millefeuille effect of baked dim sum savoury puffs? Was this mastery something that came out of early Chinese dynastic history? Or did it emerge during the later tumultuous centuries when European settled in China? Did their interactions with an open minded professional dim sum system lead to experimentation? This is a...2021-02-0220 min
XO SousedXO Soused Special - 2 Michelin stars and chef identityThe recent media interest in Andrew - following the award of 2 Michelin stars to his restaurant A. Wong this week - has caused him to reflect on his identity and position as a British chef of Chinese heritage. In this special episode of XO Soused, Andrew and Mukta grapple with today’s thorny questions. Who has the right to cook what? What is cultural appropriation? What does borrowing from another food culture actually mean? How might chefs treat ingredients, techniques and dishes that seem far removed from their own background and cultural context? 2021-01-2828 min
XO SousedXO Soused - har gau dumplingWhat is har gau [蝦餃] ? What starches make up its sticky texture and clear skin? What techniques are required to create the unique, juicy ‘bounce’ of its prawn filling? How important is a vigorous steam? How far back in Chinese history did the required flours make their appearance? How far did Cantonese millionaires of 19th century South China push local dim sum chefs to create the modern har gau that we know and love today, and are these so different from early har gau of the Song dynasty - nearly 1,000 years ago? This is a public episode. If you w...2021-01-2609 min
XO SousedXO Soused - Char Siu bunWhat is Char Siu? Directly translated at ‘fork roasted’ what are the origins of this technique in China, and what are the connections to Central Asian roasting techniques? What other ingredients are stuffed with the barbequed neck-end of pork into the fluffy bun? What are the techniques and ingredients to create that texture and finish to the bun itself? How did China develop leavening agents and leavened dough and what is the historical connection with wine production? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonu...2021-01-2217 min
XO SousedXO Soused - SteamingWhat is steaming? Why does steaming food have such a long history in China? Why is it important to control the velocity and vigour of steam? What does this control mean for cooking meat, fish and dough? How does this affect how you design and cook dim sum? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewwongandmuktadas.substack.com2021-01-2212 min
XO SousedXO Soused - IntroductionsIntroducing XO Soused - a weekly audio newsletter from Chef Andrew Wong and Dr Mukta Das sent out every Tuesday afternoon. Setting the scene, this intro explains the conversational style and previews upcoming episodes - each one based on a specific technique or ingredient. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit andrewwongandmuktadas.substack.com2021-01-2217 min
The Chef Social PodcastS4 Ep8: Andrew WongIn the last 'proper' episode of the series I meet with Andrew Wong chef of A Wong and Kyms in London. We are also joined by Mukta Das a food historian who specialises in asian cuisine. They talk about chineese food history and Andrew lets me taste some of his refined Asian food.
With thanks to Craig Fields at ambientlightproductions.com for technical support and Ruby Chow who looks after the bookings. The Pass Podcast is edited and mastered by Adam Linder from bespokenpodcasting.com.2019-02-0158 min