What I am trying to find out; is the name of a paste that my parents used
many years ago, to prepare my favourite dish .

It was in fact around sixty odd years ago when I was approx. 14-16 ... ( I
am aged 81 so please bear with me)

It was a pretty simple dish to prepare, as all that was involved, was
marinating a large piece of belly pork in this mystery sauce that was
smooth, with a thick consistency and colour similar to
Lee Kum Kee's CHU HOU PASTE; which happens to be the closest
result I have found during a long long search.

The piece of pork was then slowly grilled on both sides and basted a few
times with the sauce and when cooked, cut into bite size pieces.

Trying to describe the taste can be difficult, especially after a long
period as this but I can still remember it as though it were yesterday..

If you have tasted LKK's CHP ; then the mystery sauce is a little sweeter
than that and quite a bit acidic on the tongue. (This made me think that it
may be fermented)

Now my parents used to get me to buy this sauce, as I worked nearby our
local China-town. I used to make my self understood to the mostly elderly
shopkeepers eventually, after many tries at the correct pronunciation, as
follows:

Guim Den, Gim Duen, Gim Deng. When I couldn't make myself understood, I
was able to locate the rectangular tin the product came in, to which the
shopkeeper would say "Ah, you want Gium Juim" or that's what it sounded
like......

It is my belief, that at that time, most of the shopkeepers were Cantonese.

Every time I visit any Asian Food stores, I keep looking, hoping that this
time I'll fnd it. These days most of the tins are round and not rectanglar
as
they were then.

My pantry just cannot hold any more jars that I've brought home, thinking
this is the one....

Please excuse my ramblings
regards
Ray
(Victoria,Australia)

On Nov 3, 11:34 am, "Ray" wrote:
If you have tasted LKK's CHP ; then the mystery sauce is a little sweeter
than that and quite a bit acidic on the tongue. (This made me think that it
may be fermented)

"Ah, you want Gium Juim" or that's what it sounded like......


First of all, there is no fixed recipe for Chou Hou sauce, so if LKK's
doesn't taste the same, try other brands.

As for "guim juim", well "jeung" is Cantonese for sauce, so I took a
stab at looking for "gum jeung", and found one hit - it's a certain
brand of fermented bean paste "min see jeung". However I've never
heard of this term before and I don't know of any sauces that came in
a can.

http://www.triumphsky.com.hk/modules.../016050002.jpg

The two big characters in the centre are the brand name, the two
smaller ones to the left are the "gum jeung".

Note "jap gum jeung" is totally different, it means "mixed sauce" and
can consists of whatever the manufacturer throw together.

"Tippi" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Nov 3, 11:34 am, "Ray" wrote:
If you have tasted LKK's CHP ; then the mystery sauce is a little
sweeter
than that and quite a bit acidic on the tongue. (This made me think that
it
may be fermented)

"Ah, you want Gium Juim" or that's what it sounded like......


First of all, there is no fixed recipe for Chou Hou sauce, so if LKK's
doesn't taste the same, try other brands.

As for "guim juim", well "jeung" is Cantonese for sauce, so I took a
stab at looking for "gum jeung", and found one hit - it's a certain
brand of fermented bean paste "min see jeung". However I've never
heard of this term before and I don't know of any sauces that came in
a can.

http://www.triumphsky.com.hk/modules.../016050002.jpg

The two big characters in the centre are the brand name, the two
smaller ones to the left are the "gum jeung".

Note "jap gum jeung" is totally different, it means "mixed sauce" and
can consists of whatever the manufacturer throw together.


Many thanks Tippi,
I thought I had frightened everyone away, with
me
sending six copies of my request..(accidently).

You have given me several leads I can follow up now thankyou very much.

Regarding the shapes of containers seventy or more years ago ; most
of the products from China were packed in rectangular tins, many of them
being hand made.

I believe this shape created a big saving of shipping space as compared to
round containers...

Thanking you once again
regards
Ray