Where can I find "lao ma"?

Here is a picture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chinkerfly ... otostream/

I am told that this is called Lao Ma. It looks delicious. Like "climb in and swim around in it" delicious. Does anyone know where I can find this dish in Chicago?

Thank you!

Erin

That looks like Ma La Tang to me.

Ma - Sichuan pepper corn, La - Hot chili and Tang - to cook in broth... forgive my "translations" from Mandarin, I'm a beginner

I'm sure that you can get it at Lao Sze Chuan in Chinatown or Downers Grove...

Once again, Wikipedia comes through:

Lao Ma is a fictional character in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess. She is portrayed by Korean-American actress Jacqueline Kim. Lao Ma is first introduced in the series in a two-episode story arc comprising The Debt Part I and Part II.

So I guess you should look for the two-episode story arc comprising The Debt Part I and Part II.

(Or: "Lao Ma" just means "(Old) Mom". I don't think we have any Chongqing restaurants around here, but what's usually called "Chengdu dumplings" on Sichuan menus should be close. Try any of Tony Hu's places in Chinatown or Asian Bistro in Arlington Heights.)

cilantro wrote:Once again, Wikipedia comes through:

Lao Ma is a fictional character in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess. She is portrayed by Korean-American actress Jacqueline Kim. Lao Ma is first introduced in the series in a two-episode story arc comprising The Debt Part I and Part II.

So I guess you should look for the two-episode story arc comprising The Debt Part I and Part II.

(Or: "Lao Ma" just means "(Old) Mom". I don't think we have any Chongqing restaurants around here, but what's usually called "Chengdu dumplings" on Sichuan menus should be close. Try any of Tony Hu's places in Chinatown or Asian Bistro in Arlington Heights.)

Oh, Gabrielle. I mean, er, Chengdu dumplings looks just right. Spring World also has an excellent version with fresh grated ginger and garlic on top of the wonton noodles in broth.

cilantro wrote:I don't think we have any Chongqing restaurants around here, but what's usually called "Chengdu dumplings" on Sichuan menus should be close.

Actually, GNR Double Li's name in Chinese is Chongqing Lou, with Lou meaning palace/building/place.

As for Lao Ma, it's probably mala as indicated above. The only other thing I can think of is the spicy chili sauce called Lao gan ma, which helped me a great deal in college. It is, I believe, loaded with MSG.

Stick with the Chengdu dumplings, mala tang, and boiled beef.

A subject near and dear to my heart. "Chengdu dumplings" sounds like a reasonable translation but they're known in parts east as Hong You Cao Shou ("Red Oil Fried Hands"). It's the kind of dish that one orders in conjunction with Dan Dan noodles. I ran around Taipei last December slurping down as many different versions as my gastrointestinal lining could withstand without perforating.

A superlative version from the venerable Din Tai Fung:

CIMG0021 (2)a by titus wong, on Flickr

Here's one with diced scrambled egg, torn scraps of nori, and chopped scallions strewn on top from a shop around the corner from my apartment. It was my post-workout treat and cost around 2 bucks. Of course, it simply had to be accompanied by a $1 Asahi tallboy from the local 7-11, thereby negating any positive benefits I might have accrued from recent exercise.

CIMG0003a by titus wong, on Flickr

Hong You Cao Shou from Taipei's #1 rated restaurant for Dan Dan noodles (Lao Deng):

CIMG0037a by titus wong, on Flickr

One last example from Sichuan Noodle King with shu mai-style dumplings:

CIMG0016a by titus wong, on Flickr

titus wong wrote:A subject near and dear to my heart. "Chengdu dumplings" sounds like a reasonable translation but they're known in parts east as Hong You Cao Shou ("Red Oil Fried Hands").

What an awesome superlative response!

For those inclined to read a bit of pictogram: "紅油抄手". Clarification, Chengdu dumplings (鐘水饺 - "Clock boiled dumplin") utilizes dumpling skin and sweetened, cooked, 5 spiced soy sauce in addition to chili oil. "Red Oil Fried Hands" calls for wonton wrappers, no cooking of the soy, and oft Sichuan peppercorn powder --See Google image search for reference. The picture above is clearly (to me & titus, at least) Sichuan wontons.

Sadly, the Taiwanese are just not as good as the mainlanders at this dish of dressed dumplings. Chengdu dumplings have been "advanced" to include just a gentle hit of Zhejiang black vinegar, and the result is a perfect combination of spicy/sour/sweet. Wontons will always just be wontons, with its floppy skin and soaked dough. A properly shaped (a flattened half circle, not gold ingot) 鐘水饺? Heavenly stuff.

My bad, it's 老麻抄手, not 老妈....

Not sure about Lao Sze Chuan, but Asian Bistro has both hong you chao shou (紅油抄手) and zhong shui jiao (锺水铰), the former on the main menu, the latter on the Chinese-language one. They are dressed the same way (a la zhong shui jiao), so the only difference is the dumplings themselves. Surprisingly (to me), I much preferred the wontons. But Chicago is not a great dumpling town, any way you slice it.

I love you all. So very much. Thank you for taking the time to answer me AND post pictures. I look forward to eating my way through these references.

Cheers!

eta: When i searched for 'lao ma' all I could find was the character. Funny how you can tell something is tasty even if you've never had it before, can't smell it or even know what it is called... that picture made my stomach growl.