Sleepy_Dragon

Hmph, I went back to that shop but they were all out. They said they'd have more in next week, so if I can get them then, I'll take a digital picture and post it here. Anyway, the ones I got last time are not like the ones in that link, though still obviously in the same family. They sprouted from white mushroom flesh which turned black towards the tips of each shelf. I guess it is something like that middle picture, but not so much a solid dark color. More like a gradient from white to black going from inside to out. The texture had some crunch to it, and it was juicy. The taste was very meaty. Umami. Sorry I don't have more words for it, I hope I can find more, then a photo will solve our identification problems. Pat

Re: PMS Tea Looking at the ingredient list on their page, this is a highly encapsulated take on each one: dandelion root: -- cooling and bitter, so ideal for reducing internal and external heat like inflammations and yit hay ("hot air"), and the bitter property stimulates the liver and kidneys to produce more of their biles and other cleaning functions, as well as reduce breast pain and swelling. It also has a lot of iron. carob pod: -- don't know that this does. barley grain: -- soothing, cleansing diuretic and restorative, though I wonder if this would work better in a soup rather than as a tea. chicory root: -- don't know what this does, suspect it's for flavor since roasted dandelion and roasted chicory are the primary ingredients in that coffee alternative. parsley leaf: -- warm and spicy. A diuretic and emmenagogue (brings on Aunt Flo...) also with lots of vitamins. oatstraw herb: -- sweet and cooling. Also a diuretic and it calms nerves and stress. Plus it has a lot of calcium. nettle herb: -- cool and a little bitter. Yet another diuretic, but also a tonic that boosts energy. chickweed herb: -- bitter, sweet and cool. This has a lot of calcium and iron, is a mild diuretic and an anti-inflammatory. By inflammatory I don't necessarily mean big red swollen somethings or others, rather it's a reference to anything to do with excess heat and swelling in the body. uva ursi leaf: -- cool, bitter, astringent. A (surprise!) diuretic, and also tones the uterine lining, as well as stimulates the kidneys and liver to do their thing. cornsilk style and stigma: -- don't know what this does. cramp bark: -- sounds like its name. For reducing cramps. Disclaimer: I am not a trained naturopath. I am just an ordinary person who studied this on my own because among other reasons, once upon a time I wanted to go into naturopathy. Pat

Cool, thank you. Maitake stockpile here I come! Pat

Thanks for posting this, I like her stuff. Read one book (Power Politics) and a few of her essays and had been puzzling what to get next. Sounds like this will be it. Pat

Wow. Just got done eating my beef and maitake mushroom stirfry. The umami factor in these mushrooms is off the scale. So.. do they freeze well? I'm wondering if I should buy up a bunch before they disappear. Pat

Maybe if people knew the ketchup was caramelized and sauteed with the rice with other seasonings like Worcestershire sauce, it would make a difference? I didn't want to try kechyapuraisu (sp?) for the longest time because I thought it was just ketchup and rice. Almost like eating white bread and ketchup sandwiches. But I like it now since it's cooked with other things, and also like the ketchup spaghetti too. Pat

Talk about coincidence. I saw some Maitake Mushrooms at the local farmer's market (Pike Place Market in Seattle) and got them without any idea of how to prepare it. Fortunately, the link you provided above has some recipes, so thank you. Pat

Actually, I suspect that's exactly it on a certain level, re: island nations and processed western food in recent years. Like Hawaii and spam musubi. Pat

Not only that but it's likely my mother is rolling in her grave because I a) do such a vile sacrilege to rice on purpose, b) like Japanese food. Neither were allowed at home when I was growing up. Pat

Yes, thank you from me as well. Sounds tasty! Pat

Being a lifelong white rice eater, I thought omuraisu was sheer disgusting sacrilege for the longest time. But for whatever reason, I've grown to like it in the last couple years. Not often, but just a few times a year. I like to make mine with sauteed caramelized finely chopped shallots and bacon. I like omuraisu topped with curry sauce too. Pat

Mmmmm I love sweet bean stuff, whether things like Japanese aduki bean ice cream, or Chinese red bean filled pastries, or shaved ices topped with sweet red beans. It's something about the texture and taste being sweet accompanied by a meaty satisfaction from chewing it all at the same time. Pat

Journalistic fluff aside, I agree about the junk food rift. For the record I was born and raised in the US and my partner in Australia. If we had to choose between mass marketed candy bars, we'd both choose Australian ones, and it makes sense to me why she doesn't "get" Reese's and Butterfinger and other US junk foods: most of the flavor emphasis is on the salt, sugar and fat, rather than actual peanut butter. Isn't to say that Australian junk foods are free of salt, sugar and fat, but many of them do taste more purely like their primary ingredients. Between the mass produced chocolate brands, UK/Oz's Cadbury > US's Hershey's. Surely there is no doubt about this! Liking Hershey's more than Cadbury because that's what one grew up on, ok that makes sense, but on a sheer quality comparison, no way, hehe. I also like vegemite, liked it at the first try @5 years ago. If that somehow disqualifies me from whatever, so be it. Pat

Hmm.. how about putting key phrases of the recipe in quotes and punching it into google to see what that turns up. Pat

If it's the same as the Persian syrups, the only use I know of is for cold drinks and sharbats (shaved ice concoctions). Pat

I found some koseret the other day, here is a pic: Actual size is smaller by a factor of 3 or so. It's got a light herbacious taste, reminds me of basil, but with a different kind of floral to it. Seems very pleasant. Pat

Thanks for that info, Edward. I do have one of Julie Sahni's books (Introduction to Indian Cooking) but haven't tried any of her other ones because I didn't like my results from this book as much as the ones from others. But, if her other books go into that level of detail, then it's time to do some shopping. I'll probably go ahead with introductory ayurveda study anyway, just to get a basic idea, since I suspect it would help a lot with not just how the tastes are understood but seasonality and temperament as well. Familiar concepts in a different discipline. Pat

I've got several Indian cookbooks and one reference, though the ones I keep returning to are by Madhur Jaffrey. I've been thinking about this subject lately because I've been cooking Indian food at home on and off for the last 10 years but have felt like an amateur at it for a long time now. And more and more I'm beginning to realize why that is: I don't know anything about ayurveda and other Indian medicine traditions. The reason why I say this is because of my experiences eating "Asian fusion" food that borrows from Chinese tradition. I grew up eating Shanghainese food at almost every meal and that came along with an understanding from my mother about when and why you eat certain things in certain combinations. I find the fusion stuff very hard to digest. Yes, a lot of fusion tastes good initially, but afterwards it leaves me feeling off, and there is none of the wholesome feeling of well-being you get for hours afterwards. This isn't to say that there are no fusion cooks out there who can manage a traditional Chinese understanding of food energies and balances to go along with the fusion, but I've yet to come across any who can, in my limited experience so far. So ideally, what I'd like to see more in Indian cookbooks are more notes on why particular flavorings and spices are chosen, and why particular side dishes are recommended, aside from just tasting good. Though maybe the thing I really have to do is begin studying ayurveda. What do you all think? Or are there any books out there that make the vital connections between Indian food, medicine and health? Pat

You're welcome, I hope they're still around and come through for you. The book is a bit rough in places, there are liberal uses of "salt to taste" in this one too. But overall it seems pretty clear. I mean, most of the hot foods are stews, hehe. Anyway, here is the book's recipe for the Niter Kibe (spiced butter): 1 lbs unsalted butter 3 tbsp chopped garlic 3 tbsp chopped ginger 1 small onion chopped 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp cardamom powder 1 tsp basil 1 tsp savory 1 tsp koseret (*) 1. Melt the butter over moderate heat in a heavy sauce pan. 2. Melt it slowly and completely without letting it brown or burn. 3. Increase the heat and bring it to a boil. 4. Add all the ingredients and stir continuously, to mix well. 5. Simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes at low temperature or until the foam disappear from the top, stir continuously. 6. Remove the pan from heat and let it settle for about 5 minutes. 7. Strain in to a container; store in a cool, dry place. Requires refrigeration. (*) The book claims there is no English translation for koseret, but from poking around on the web, it seems to be Lippia Javanica. Also, there is no mention of using soda water for the injera, and the recipes specify 2 cups teff plus 2 cups self-rising flour, Rice or Barley flour, but you can use 100% teff if it is abundant enough. Happy hunting and cooking. My tiny little kitchen makes it tough to make large flat things like injera, though I suppose I could just make many many small ones instead. Hmm... Pat

Natto is still difficult for me, I've tried it twice. I don't want to give up on it though just because it's supposed to be so insanely nutritious. I gagged the first time I tried uni nigiri sushi. It took me four tries to finally figure it out somehow, and now I love it. So, I'm hoping the same thing will happen with natto. I also don't like kazunoko either, and have no interest in trying to learn to like it, because I can't discern any kind of taste to make the plasticky styrofoam texture worthwhile. What is the appeal to it? Pat

I've got an Ethiopian cookbook, but can't find a web link for it at the moment. It's called "Taste of Ethiopia: The Other Good Food", by Webayehu Tsegaye / Merkato Market. It seems good though I haven't tried to make anything out of it yet, mostly because I keep shying away from making injera, without which the meal would be sorely lacking! There are around 60 recipes in it broken down into Breakfast, Vegetarian (21 recipes in this section alone), Poultry Meat & Fish, Snacks, Breads and Beverages, plus separate sections on making the base spice mixes, sauces and pastes, and one on ingredient translation and explanation. More things are pictured than not. There is contact info in the book if you want to try this route: MerkatoUSA@aol.com. Or (202) 483-9499. Pat

Just about all of the Ethiopian places are good, provided you don't mind eating with your fingers off of a common platter with your friend. My favorite places are Fasica (Columbia City), Pan Africa (Pike Place Market area on 1st Ave) and Zobel (Central District). I love Hidmo as well, an Eritrean place also in the CD. If it's available, try and pre-arrange for the coffee ceremony too if you two have the time for it and like coffee. Given your budget, it shouldn't be a problem money-wise. They are between $15 - $25 per person (food tends to be very inexpensive), and your coffee is made from beans freshly roasted (the roasting thing is brought around for everyone to sniff), ground and brewed on the premises in a special urn, and served in shots while you sit at a low table with incense being burned. Very smooth stuff. Pat

The Chef of the Day is a new 5th quarter student each day, with entirely different menus the students put together themselves, along with selection of tableware and decor, and coordinating the staff of fellow students in the front and back. They also tend to be mobbed with friends and family. It's a pretty big production; my COD project isn't for another four quarters and I'm already worried about it. Pat, 1st quarter student speaking for myself only

Hello: Could someone explain what betel leaves and paan masala taste like? I was very happy to discover background info here though less happy about learning of the cancer concerns; I've wanted to try paan for a few years now ever since reading about it in Madhur Jaffrey's "A Taste of India" but haven't been able to find it. At least now after reading the old related posts on egullet I finally know it's considered contraband by the US gov't. Drat! Pat

Hehe yes indeed, what bbqer said. Anyway, I know some people have mentioned not liking to eat with their hands, but I love it. It's fun to me. (needless to say, I love Ethiopian and Eritrean food too, as well as Indian) The couscous can be a bit hard to manage though, I still need to practice that. Plus be patient for a bit in order for the food to cool enough to dig my fingertips into it. Oh well, more excuses to keep going. Anyway, bbqer, when next you go to the Seattle Marrakesh, I'd be interested in hearing how the lentil soup compares. I actually don't like it as much as what I got at the Spokane Marrakesh a few years ago, a little too much on the tomato for me as opposed to the Spokane version being lighter, more cumin-y, and with the addition of barley, though it's still nice. I'm just happy to have Moroccan food back in Seattle with all the atmosphere and fingerlickinggoodness. Pat