Elizabeth Chong's Tiny Delights
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Elizabeth Chong's Tiny Delights is a cooking series originally aired in 2003. It follows renowned chef, Elizabeth Chong in her journeys around the culinary map of China. The program consists of Elizabeth spending ten minutes talking about a specific place, the attractions and the 'tiny delights' engendered to the area, it then splits to the studio where she shows the audience how to make one of the 'tiny delights' from the area. She generally does four segments on the area and two tiny delights.
Series synopsis: Renowned Asian food expert Elizabeth Chong travels to China, the land of her birth, and shares with viewers the yum cha and small dishes from the four major regions of China. Returning to the kitchen, in each weekly 25 minute episode Elizabeth demonstrates how to prepare two new “tiny delights” at home.
Episode titles and synopsises are as follows:
EPISODE ONE: “EAT IN GUANGZHOU” GUANGZHOU
Elizabeth travels by sampan up the Pearl River to Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province (formerly Canton), region of her birth. She starts by visiting Qin Ping markets, and then visits one of Gunagzhou’s best dim sum restaurants, Dai Tung. Elizabeth returns to her kitchen to prepare two of her favourite Cantonese yum cha dishes, WON TON SOUP and FIVE WILLOW PRAWNS. Finally Elizabeth takes a night cruise on the beautiful Pear River.
EPISODE TWO: “HAVE YOU EATEN YOUR RICE TODAY?” GUANDONG
Elizabeth travels by train up country into Guangdong province to visit a rice farm in her mother’s village. There she visits a beautiful lychee plantation, a working pig farm, and a fisherman’s home, where she joins in the preparation of the daily meal of a whole, braised fish and vegetables. In her kitchen Elizabeth demonstrates two rice-based tiny delights, CANTONESE FRIED RICE and HAINAN CHICKEN RICE.
EPISODE THREE: “PARIS OF THE EAST” SHANGHAI
From the rooftop of the historic Peace Hotel in Shanghai Elizabeth gazes fondly over The Bund, and recalls the days of Shanghai’s colonial past. Visiting Shanghai’s best dumpling restaurant, Elizabeth is shown the techniques for making the local tiny delight Siu Lung Bao. Later she visits an historic tea house in the back streets of the Old Shanghai quarter and witnesses an impromptu concert by a local orchestra playing traditional Chinese tunes. After the concert Elizabeth discovers a quaint little store in an alley that sells only tea pots. In her own kitchen Elizabeth prepares two regional specialities, “pot sticker” SHANGHAI DUMPLINGS with a local chef, and SWEET AND SOUR SALAD.
EPISODE FOUR: “PEARL OF THE ORIENT” SHANGHAI
On the newly emerging Pudong side of the mighty Huangpo River Elizabeth reflects on the rapid pace of change that has overtaken modern Shanghai. Visiting one of Shanghai’s biggest food halls in the Old Chinese quarter, Food Heaven Land, Elizabeth introduces viewers to the many traditional dishes on offer, and then contrasts this with the modern offerings in the Next Age Food Court on the Pudong side. In her own kitchen, Elizabeth prepares WUXI SPARERIBS and GRAPE CLUSTER FISH. Later Elizabeth takes the newly opened underground rail service to see the spectacular Shanghai Acrobatic circus in the new Performing Arts Centre.
EPISODE FIVE: “MOST SPLENDID CITY IN THE WORLD” HANGZHOU
By the banks of the famous West Lakes in Hangzhou, Elizabeth recalls Marco Polo’s dictum that Hangzhou was the “most beautiful and splendid city in the world”. Visiting the Guo Villa and later the memorial to Sung-dynasty poet Su Tong Po, one-time governor of Hangzhou, Elizabeth in reminded of his dictum on port and bamboo shoots. A trip to a small village near the city reveals some exotic bun vendors. Returning to her own kitchen Elizabeth prepares STEAMED BEAN CURD WITH FISH FILLING and delicate PRAWN AND OYSTER SPRING ROLLS. Later she picnics on the beautiful bank of the West Lakes with tiny delights from a nearby traditional tea house.
EPISODE SIX: “ALL THE TEA IN CHINA” HANGZHOU
At the Dragon Well Tea Plantation in the hills near Hangzhou, Elizabeth recalls the myth of the two dragons that gave the region it’s name and then hand picks and dries the freshly picked green tea, said to be the finest in China. Returning to her own kitchen, Elizabeth demonstrates DRAGON WELL TEA PRAWNS and SIEU MAI. Finally Elizabeth visits the Emperors Tea Garden, where 18 tea bushes were planted hundreds of years ago.
EPISODE SEVEN: “THE EMPERORS CUISINE” BEIJING
In Beijing (formerly Peking) Elizabeth starts at the Imperial Palace, visiting the dining halls and kitchens where food was prepared daily for the 5000 palace residents. She visits Beijing’s most famous Peking Duck restaurant and later visits the Fang Shan restaurant where the chefs still prepare over 800 of the Emperor’s favourite recipes. In her own kitchen Elizabeth prepares ROAST DUCK ROLL and CELLOPHANE AND BEAN SPROUT SALAD. Finally Elizabeth visits the Temple of Heaven and recalls the prayers for bountiful harvest that took place there.
EPISODE EIGHT: “THE PEOPLES FOOD” BEIJING
In the streets of Beijing Elizabeth discovers the stalls that feed millions every night with tiny delights on sticks! Taking a relaxed rickshaw ride through the ancient hutongs, Elizabeth arrives at the home of Mrs Wong, who prepares a traditional jao zi dumpling meal in her kitchen with Elizabeth as her assistant. In her own kitchen Elizabeth prepares QUICK STIR FRY NOODLES and EGGPLANT SHELLS STUFFED WITH PRAWNS. As she is leaving Beijing, Elizabeth comes upon some senior citizens still practising the ancient art of calligraphy using water and giant paint brushes on the pavement in the park !
EPISODE NINE: “THE TEXAS OF CHINA” CHENGDU
In the “wild west” of China, Sichuan province, Elizabeth visits the capital Chengdu, home of spicy chilli and fagara pepper dishes. Elizabeth visits the main city markets, where turtles, snails and snakes are on the menu. Up country in a small village she discovers a Muslim boy still making bowls of steaming “hand pulled noodles” from a tiny store front restaurant. Returning to the city Elizabeth visits a quaint chilli duck restaurant where dozens of sucks are cooked at a time in a hug wok! In her own kitchen Elizabeth demonstrates her techniques for cooking SHOULDER-POLE NOODLES and SMOKE RAINBOW TROUT. Finally Elizabeth takes tea by the lake in the Ren Min (People’s) Park after watching a tournament of mah jong.
EPISODE TEN: “THE GREAT HELMSMAN” CHENGDU
Chairman Mao’s statue in the main square of Chengdu in Sichuan province reminds Elizabeth of the powerful impact “the Great Helmsman” had on changing the course of history in China. Going into the country Elizabeth helps the “fastest chef in the world” at a tiny farmhouse-style restaurant that prepares a local version of spicy stuffed eggplant. Back in the city she visits a famous soup ball restaurant for a lesson. In her own kitchen Elizabeth prepares her tiny delights creations, CHAIRMAN MAO’S LITTLE RED FISH and SPICY EGGPLANT. And before finally leaving Chengdu, Elizabeth spends a very different “night at the opera” !
EPISODE ELEVEN: “SYMBOL OF PROSPERITY” HONG KONG
Out in the New Territories of Hong Kong Elizabeth visits three fishing villages, Po Toi O, Sai Kung and Lai Yue Mun, where the fresh live fish are cooked and served straight from tank to table. Back in the western district of Central, on Hong Kong island, Elizabeth visits the dried seafood capital o fthe world at Shueng Wan. Returning to her kitchen, Elizabeth prepares SCALLOP EGG ROLLS and STEAMED OYSTERS IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE. Finally, Elizabeth visits the Moon Garden tea house to demonstrate an authentic Chinese tea ceremony.
EPISODE TWELVE: “THE PEAK OF HONG KONG” HONG KONG
In cosmopolitan Hong Kong, Elizabeth starts at The Peak, then goes “dim summing” at Maxim’s, one of Hong Kong’s more popular yum cha restaurants and shares some secrets about dim sum culture. Later Elizabeth takes a Star Ferry ride across the harbour to lunch at the award winning Golden Bauhinia Restaurant. At the Tang Court Restaurant on the Kowloon side, Elizabeth meets Executive Chef Kwan and he personally prepares a fresh lobster for her dinner. In her own kitchen Elizabeth prepares hearty STEAMED BEEF BALLS and her ultimate tiny delight, LOBSTER IN GINGER SAUCE. Finally Elizabeth visits the amazing street markets at Mong Kok, where rich and poor alike come to shop.
EPISODE THIRTEEN: “THE WORLD ON A PLATE” HONG KONG
The non-stop pace of modern life in Hong Kong creates a hearty appetite for Elizabeth, who visits Causeway Bay for shopping, Lan Kwai Fong for an “east meets west” dinner with an expatriot San Franciscan chef and finally a unique restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui for a chilled red bean dessert confection! In her own kitchen Elizabeth prepares SALMON FILLETS IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE and SPICY CHILLI SQUID.
