[Samia's food facts and recipes]Chinese fondue for a romantic evening

I think the Swiss had the right idea when they developed their famous cheese fondue, although the dish packs quite a caloric punch. The French choice is fondue Bourguignonne, in which the food is fried in hot cooking oil. For this column I want to explore a healthier choice for those of you who, like me, enjoy a good fondue: Chinese fondue. I will share with you my very own Chinese fondue experience. I was with a lovely blue-eyed person - not Fabrizio - who wanted to impress me with his health-conscious foodie ways. He definitely did, and I fell in love with this wonderful dish. When I told a friend of mine about the fabulous candle-lit dinner I'd enjoyed with my new flame, she demanded to know every detail of what happened that night. I thought about the line in "Mamma Mia" when the daughter shares her mother's diary with her friends, and I told her, "Well, we ate his delicious Chinese fondue, and after dessert ... dot dot dot ..." My friend laughed and asked me to explain "dot dot dot." I just told her she must serve this delicious dish next time she wants to impress a guy.

What is Chinese Fondue? The word fondue is rooted in the French verb fondre, meaning "to melt." As with many other well-loved dishes today, fondue started out as a peasant dish. And as usual, accounts of how fondue was developed are varied. In general, the original Swiss fondue eventually led to other variations on the theme, such as the one in this column. The best thing about Chinese fondue is that the ingredients (beef, chicken, tuna, etc) are cooked in a good broth, yielding a much healthier result.

The idea of fondue dates back to Homer's "Iliad," which discussed a recipe made from goat's cheese, wine, and flour. The Swiss developed fondue centuries ago. It was a way of preserving food for use during the winter season. Bread was dried, and dipping it in the melted cheese made it edible long after it was made.

Modern fondue originated during the 18th century and became more popular when the Swiss promoted the use of fondue as a daily dish. Brillat-Savarin, the famous French gastronome, talked about fondue in his 19th century writings. The 20th century brought forth many new varieties and recipes. During the 1950s, the Swiss cheese industry began heavily promoting fondue, and by 1955, the first instant fondue was being produced and sold. American tourists discovered it soon after, in the 1960s. Chef Konrad Egli introduced the method of cooking meat cubes in hot oil at New York's Chalet Swiss Restaurant. Dessert fondues, such as chocolate fondue, became well liked in 1964 and continue to be popular.

As with any communal dish, etiquette prevails when enjoying fondue. One must use the dipping fork to cook the meat and taking the morsel off the dipping fork to eat. In the Swiss tradition, if a man loses his cube of bread in the cheese, he buys wine for everyone, and if it happens to a lady, she kisses the man on her left. If that ever happens to me, I just hope the man on my left is at least a little bit cute.

The ingredients for this dish are mostly very healthy. The beef is high in protein and if one uses flank steak, it won't be high in fat. Chicken is one of the most popular foods for many reasons. It is a dieter's delight due to its low calorie content, and it is economical. Tuna is also low in calories, high in protein, and high in Omega-3 fatty acids.

The best way to ensure that your Chinese fondue is of the highest quality is to produce a good broth, because that will make the difference in how the meat, chicken, and tuna taste. It is always best to start with high quality ingredients, such as fresh meat, fish and chicken. To figure out how much meat is required per person, a good rule of thumb is about 200 grams of meat per person. If there is meat left over, you can use it for lunch the next day.

All you have to do to properly enjoy this interactive dish is select your favorite meat, drop it in the broth, and then dip it in your favorite sauce once it is cooked. Bon apetit!

Chinese fondue for two

l 300 grams steak (flank, sirloin, or tenderloin,) cubed

l 300 grams of chicken breast, cubed

l 200 grams tuna, cubed

l 6 cups water

l 2-3 cubes beef or chicken bouillon or broth (or 2 large cans)

l 2 Tablespoons white wine (optional)

l 1 green onion, chopped

l 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, sliced

l 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

l 1 cup rice noodles (pre-cooked)

Different sauces, such as garlic mayonnaise, soy sauce, mustard, chili sauce, flavored dressings, and/or garlic sauce.

Prepare two dishes with the following on each: beef, chicken, and tuna.

Prepare dipping sauces.

Prepare a separate plate for each person.

Combine bouillons and water and bring to a boil. Add wine, onions, and ginger. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a fondue pot, fill about (r)? full (amount of broth needed depends on size of pot). Add mushrooms and noodles.

Place fondue pot on burner and keep it simmering during the meal. Leftover broth may be used for other dishes.

By Samia Mounts

(Samiamounts@yahoo.com)

Samia Mounts is a long-time nutritionist and gourmet aficionado. She is the Assistant Principal at Seoul American Elementary School. - Ed