Linda, It was a Chinese version, but it was a very good one, as I said, much better than any restaurant I've been to. I no longer have the original recipe, but, if you (or someone) is interested in it, I remember it well enough to put it together again - at least the ingredients if not the exact quantities. Let me know. AndyB Linda Hutchinson wrote: >Well WHERE is the recipe, Man???!!!! I love Hot n Sour soup, assuming it is >the Thai version and not the Chinese! > >Linda > >----- Original Message ----- >From: CH2060@xemaps.com >To: Jim Graham >Cc: Chileheads List >Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 10:22 PM >Subject: Re: [CH] OOPS..... :-) > > >Jim, >If I correctly sense where you are going with this, I would suggest >some caution, as I once came to some regret [a story ensues]. > >Many moons ago (before I was a CH), I decided to make an authentic >Hot and Sour soup (I had an excellent recipe). I also decided I >had to *make* my own chile oil. I had bought (along with many other >ingredients) a bag of red chile peppers from the Chinese store >(that was located in Chinatown, Philadelphia, PA). I presume that >these were some form of Cayenne. > >Not having any guidance in this aspect, I hydrated them, and began >to saute them in some light sesame seed oil. I sauteed them for a >long time. Each time that I went back into the kitchen, I coughed and >my eyes watered. Additionally, I was feeling a little chilly from >having to keep the doors and windows open. > >Finally, they reached a dark red-brown-black, I turned off the heat, >and went to bed (I was smart enough to have kept the bedroom door >closed.) > >For two weeks I could not invite any normal person to my apartment. >It was three to four weeks before things returned to normal in the >kitchen. I had to cleanse the stove top many times with the strongest >agent that I could find. And after many trips thru the dishwasher, >the pan still gave an interesting 'flavor' to anything I cooked in it. > >Oh, by the way, the H&S soup was most excellent -- better than any >restaurant. I since have made this soup, but I have never again >made my own chile oil. > >AndyB > >Jim Graham wrote: > > > >>Oops..... >> >>Ok, so...I'm cooking up some chicken. Before starting the chicken, >>I season up the skillet by sauteeing (sp?) some chopped red onion, >>mushroom, a small bit of rosemary from the garden (one of two >>non-chilli items out there), a minced clove of fresh garlic, etc., >>and as I'm walking by them, I notice some fresh cayenne I picked >>yesterday (I *LOVE* the flavor of fresh cayenne).... >> >>Anyways, I know better than to do this (anyone NOT know where I'm >>headed at this point?)...but I wasn't thinking, and chopped up the >>cayenne and dropped 'em straight into a very hot skillet. About >>30 minutes later, my lungs started working again. As the owner of >>a local Indian establishment said to me a few months ago (regarding >>the heat level we both like our curry/vindaloo at), "We're not happy >>unless the cook is coughing...." Well tonight, I was the cook, and >>I was definitely coughing. And after all that, I ate a few bites of >>chicken and some of the corn, and I had to put the rest in the fridge >>for another meal or two (or three---this is one BIG chicken breast). >> >>So, here's the question: does anyone know where (in the US) one >>can find a charcoal-filtered gas mask or something similar for >>times when I do things like that that I know better than to do, >>but for some reason end up doing anyways? >> >>Another question.... What is it about heat + cap. that causes it >>to launch a wave of pain directly at your lungs like that? >> >>Later, >> --jim >> >> >> >> >>------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> >>No virus found in this incoming message. >>Checked by AVG. >>Version: 8.0.100 / Virus Database: 270.3.0/1504 - Release Date: 6/15/2008 5:52 PM >> >>