Published: October 18, 2007 11:04 pm            

Guanting Tang makes Oriental dishes in the Deep South

AMERICUS, Ga. — As she makes her way through her efficiency apartment, holding a colorful dish of chicken and vegetables, 21-year-old Guanting Tang is proud of her creation.

Tang, a native of Jianshu, China, had always relied on her mother Youyi Ding and father Gouohai Tang when it came to preparing meals. But once she finished three years of classes at Shang Hai University in 2003, and moved to America to begin working toward her master’s degree in computer science at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW), she began to cook out of necessity.

“I am the only child; I never had to cook,” said Tang, explaining she began to prepare meals once she moved to the United States.

“When I was at home, I watched my father cook. My father’s good at cooking fish. He prepares a fish soup. It has tofu, vegetables, very young bamboo shoots, green onion, fish, salt and ginger to remove the smell of the fish,” she said, explaining she was accustomed to eating fish, shrimp and crab in her homeland.

“We gain too much weight eating in the college cafeteria,” she said with a smile.

Tang said once she started gaining an interest in cooking, her mother sent packages of food from China.

“These are black mushrooms. They come dried. I take them and put them into water and then they become this texture. These here are white mushrooms,” she said while reaching into the package of dried contents.

“My mother sends me packages, some traditional Chinese food you can’t get here,” she said bringing out various packages with Oriental writing and pictures of fruits.

“This is dried plum and dried peaches,” she said, explaining she had not really been exposed to many sweets before coming to the U.S.

“Yes, I know how to bake chocolate cake,” she said smiling and explaining she learned how to bake cake from the directions on the back of the box.

Tang also has made use of her roommates’ — Albert Chen, Jason Chen and Stella Lu — ideas and skills while sharing their favorite recipes in the kitchen.

“My friend Queen Zhao also has shared her American recipe book with me, and Teresa Day has also helped me. She helps organize the International Christian Fellowship at Georgia Southwestern. She helps us if we have problems,” she said.

Among Tang’s favorite recipes is Tomato Fried Eggs, a recipe which she remembers preparing at the age of 12.

“I cut tomato and green bell pepper into pieces. I fry eggs, and put them together and fry them and then add ketchup. That’s good,” she said with a grin.

According to Tang, there are many vegetables which she is traditionally accustomed to, but unable to acquire in America.

“In China we have five to 10 mushrooms which I can’t find here,” she said describing another favorite recipe.

“It is call Hot Pot. This a big bowl of soup. It’s prepared with various vegetables, meat, green bean thread, Chinese cabbage, needle mushroom, spinach and other bean products. We cut the meat into a roll. We first freeze it and then put it into a machine and make it into rolls. You put it into water and add spice, a spicy soup blend,” she said explaining that many American-Chinese restaurants prepare dishes more American style.

“Actually, the Chinese restaurants cook much more American. It’s more sweeter and salty. Chinese food is much more healthier. But I Iike to cook pizza and I like Kentucky Fried Chicken. I once cooked apple pie. It was terrible. So we never cook it again. Albert can cook hamburgers! My friend Queen teach me to cook turkey! She has already invited us for Thanksgiving in her home,” Tang said with an enthusiastic smile.



Lisa Law writes for the Americus (Ga.) Times-Recorder.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.