Cooking Videos — 2026-06-16#

Watch First#

The absolute must-watch today is an exploration of a nearly lost Northeast Chinese banquet dish called “Water-Slid Tofu” (水溜豆腐). It is a masterclass in treating delicate ingredients, teaching you how to achieve an impossibly hot, tender, and fresh tofu dish without relying on any deep frying.

Highlights by Theme#

Recipes & Tutorials#

On the recipe front, channel 老东北美食 resurrects a traditional Northeast banquet dish—historically served at the end of funerals—in 東北老宴席菜！水溜豆腐，不煎不炸，清水汆燉豆腐！吃正宗老味道. The chef demonstrates brilliant culinary techniques, such as gently simmering tender diced tofu in salted water to prep its texture, and utilizing the soaking water from dried shrimp to create a deeply flavorful starch slurry. For a festive but practical meal, MASAの料理ABC offers 端午節必吃！電子鍋版古早味肉粽飯，簡單又好吃. This quick tutorial breaks down a highly approachable, everyday rice cooker version of traditional Dragon Boat Festival zongzi (sticky rice) bowls for the busy home cook.

Food Science & Tips#

While reviewing a sesame oil chicken zongzi, chef James shares an excellent technique for preventing poultry from drying out when wrapped inside sticky rice. He recommends soaking the chicken leg in a saltwater brine and a bit of sesame oil before assembly, which allows the meat to absorb the necessary moisture and aromatic fat to stay perfectly tender during the intense cooking process.

Restaurant & Travel#

If you are fascinated by regional culinary culture, 端午節不吃傳統粽！這顆要價＄199？珍奶、咖啡也能變粽子？！5 款特殊粽子試吃給你看 [詹姆士] from the 詹姆士官方專屬頻道 explores the evolving landscape of Taiwanese Dragon Boat Festival treats. James reviews five unique styles of zongzi, including an umami-packed boiled version layered with dried scallops and mullet roe, alongside wild modern dessert interpretations flavored with bubble tea and Arabica coffee. He also provides a great foundational breakdown of the textural differences between Northern-style steamed zongzi, which have distinct and separated grains, and Southern-style boiled zongzi, which are beautifully sticky and melded together.