Hiroyuki

I think that boiling it in water for 30 to 60 minutes and then keeping it in cold water until use should be enough. I really don't know much about homemade konnyaku, though. Before we use store-bought konnyaku, we prepare it in some way or other, like rubbing it with salt to remove the odor, pounding it with a pestle or something similar to soften it, and parboiling it for a few seconds to 5 to 7 minutes to remove harshness. Here is a link to what you might be interested in, konnyaku ramen : http://esearch.rakuten.co.jp/rms/sd/esearc...A5%E1%A5%F3&x=0 We also have such a thing as sashimi konnyaku, which does not require you to do 'aku-nuki' (harshness removal) http://www.konnyakuya.com/syohin/namasyoku/namasyoku.htm http://japanvcs.co.jp/m.html We often eat it with su-miso (vinegar-and-miso sauce).

You did it! (I thought you had given up the attempt because you started a thread on purchasing konnyaku elsewhere.) What puzzled me about the recipe above is that it does not include an "aku-nuki" (harshness removal) step, which I think is necessary to make the resulting konnyaku eatable.

I will post a recipe when I have enough time. But, can you get those small ume in your area? http://www.pickled-ume.com/info/karikari_ume.html ← Thanks I would love the recipe! I haven't seen them as small as the one in your photo but they are close, maybe 1cm bigger. ← A recipe for karikari ume deserves its own thread, so here it is: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...=0entry862981

A thread on Japanese-style cheesecake in the Japan Forum: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...3&hl=cheesecake

Making karikari ume The following is a recipe for making small to medium size karikari (crunchy) ume. Note: This recipe is subject to revision. I once made karikari ume for my mother, but they turned out rather soft. I didn't know at that time that eggshells were a key to success. I think I'll make them again when ume are in season and revise this recipe and add some photos. Cautions: 1. Don't use anything metallic. Ume are acidic. 2. Don't eat hard and green ume because they are toxic. (But don't panic if you do. Eating 100 and 300 ume would kill a child and an adult, respectively.) Ingredients: 1. 1 kg ume Recommended variety: Small variety, 'Koshu Saisho', produced in Yamanashi, Japan 2. 2 eggshells 3. 50 to 80 ml shochu (35-proof white liquor), to be poured over ume after they are all put in container 4. 100 to 120 g salt (10 to 12% of the weight of ume) Native salt recommended. 5. Shochu, used for disinfection. - If using aka jiso (red shiso), put them after the liquid called umezu (plum vinegar) comes out completely. Equipment: 1. Container made of glass, plastic, or ceramic (not metal) 2. 'Drop lid' or plate, to be placed on top of ume 3. 2 kg weight (twice as heavy as ume) PET bottle with water in it recommended because you can halve its weight later easily. 4. Gauze, used to wrap crumbled eggshells 5. Toothpick or bamboo skewer, used to remove the steam end from each ume. 6. Rubber gloves 7. Spray bottle and/or cloth 8. Small container, small enough to fit in refrigerator. 9. Paper towels - How to make karikari ume A. Prepare eggshells: Using eggshells prevents ume from softening. 1. Peel off the membrane from the inside of eggshells thoroughly. 2. Rinse eggshells in water. 3. Expose to the sun for 1 or 2 days to dry. 4. Crumble and wrap in gauze. When you start preparing eggshells, order ume from green grocer. Freshness is the key; order hard and green ones. B. Prepare ume: 1. First roll ume in water to wash. 2. Soak in plenty of water for 1 to 2 hours to remove harshness. (Otherwise, the liquid that comes out from ume, called umezu, will become cloudy.) 3. Take out one ume from water, remove the stem end from it, using toothpick or bamboo skewer, and put it in colander. Repeat this step for all ume. (Otherwise, the liquid called umezu will become cloudy.) 4. Remove water from all ume, using paper towel or something similar. (Otherwise, mold may result.) C. Disinfect container, drop lid, weight, and gloves (everything that comes in contact with ume): 1. Wash container, etc. with soapy water, rinse with water, and dry. 2. Put shochu in spray bottle and spray for disinfection. Alternatively, wipe with cloth impregnated with shochu. (To make doubly sure, disinfect with boiling water before step 2.) D. Pickle ume 1. Just like making regular umeboshi, sprinkle some salt on bottom of container. 2. Lay out a layer of ume, one-ume thick. 3. Put eggshells wrapped in gauze. 4. Repeat steps 1. and 2. As you go higher, increase the amount of salt sprinkled. 5. Pour shochu evenly, and sprinkle remaining salt. 6. Place drop lid on top of ume, then weight on top of lid. E. Daily care, etc. It will take at least 3 days for the liquid called umezu to come out thoroughly. 1. Once or twice a day, take off weight and drop lid, and rock container so that salt is distributed evenly. 2. When liquid comes up above drop lid level, transfer to container small enough to fit in refrigerator, and halve the weight. 3. Put in refrigerator. 4. In a month, remove weight. Ume are now ready to eat. Finish off in 3 months to enjoy good flavor.

I can't tell from your description or photo which type of ramen soup you are referring to, but I hope this site may be of some help. http://www.worldramen.net/ Access the site and go to the "Recipe & Mail Order" page.

Today, we are going to celerate Hina Matsuri with: Inari zushi, not chirashi zushi, because my daughter loves the former and won't eat the later. Hamaguri no osuimono (clean soup with clams) Strawberries Canned peach Yesterday, I bought both an odairi-sama (emperor) pack and an ohina-sama (empress) pack of "Caramel Corn Hinamatsuri Package" http://tohato.jp/news/news041224_1.html as well as a pack of traditional hina arare.

I will post a recipe when I have enough time. But, can you get those small ume in your area? http://www.pickled-ume.com/info/karikari_ume.html

I found a method in which 'seashell calcium' is used. I think (but I am not 100% sure) seashell calcium is similar to eggshell powder, the main ingredient of which is calcium carbonate. The method is not significantly different from the one I previously posted. The main difference is that the temperature of the water in which the konnyaku powder is to be dissolved is much lower (79 F) and salt is used in addition to the seashell calcium. I hope this helps in any way. Source: http://www.di-hana.com/teneri/index.html (The description is modified by me where necessary.) Ingredients: 25 g konnyaku powder 1 g seashell calcium 1 g salt 850 cc water (used to dissolve konnyaku powder) 150 cc water (used to dissolve seashell calcium) 1. Add konnyaku powder and salt to 850 cc water at a temperature of 26 C (79 F) and stir for about 5 min. Leave it for 90 min. and it will be jellylike. 2. Add seashell calcium to 150 cc water. Add the solution to the jellylike konnyaku unevenly and quickly until firm and sticky. Then, put it in a mold or make it into balls with your hands. 3. Boil konnyaku in water of about 75 to 80 C (167 to 176 F) for 1 hour. 4. Cool in cold water for 30 min. to make it firm and tight.

Sorry to hear that. But don't despair. Did you take note of how much of it you added? It's likely that you need some more experiments.

You mean shirataki (not shiritaki) right? I have never made shirataki or konnyaku. To make shirataki, you need a special gadget for extruding paste-like konnyaku from tiny holes into noodles, which are then directly put into a hot-water bath. http://www.natto-men.com/pages/shiratakiseizo.html Japanese only. See the 3rd photo. Or, you can make konnyaku first and then cut it into noodles, which may be more like what is referred to as ito konnyaku in the Kanto region of Japan. I can't find a single method for making konnyaku using bicarb-of-soda or calcium carbonate. All methods I found call for calcium hydroxide, but I think that you can use calcium carbonate instead because eggshell powder, the main ingredient of which is calcium carbonate, can be used instead of calcium hydroxide. I think you need to make some more experiments to determine the right amount to use. Did you follow the method from this? http://www.konjacfoods.com/#1 I will explain one method I found. http://www.tohoku.maff.go.jp/sesan/engeito...utukurikata.htm (Japanese only) Almost all others are quite similar to this. Ingredients (for six cakes of konnyaku) 40 g konnyaku powder 2.5 g calcium hydroxide 1. Put 1,400-cc water to a pan, heat it to 60 to 70 C (140 to 158 F). 2. Add powder little by little, mix well with a wooden spatula or something similar until paste-like. Cool to human temperature. 3. Dissolve calcium hydroxide in 100-cc lukewarm water. 4. While stirring the paste-like mixture with a wooden spatula, add the solution and mix well quickly until paste-like. You may use your hand to mix well. (Translator's note: I guess you should wear a rubber glove if you are susceptible to substances like this.) 5. Transfer to a moistened container quickly. Press on the surface gently and let it sit. 6. Remove from the container (pour a small amount of hot water for easy removal), cut into appropriate sizes, and boil 20 to 30 minutes to harden and remove harshness. 7. Cool in water.

That's true. Check out this thread: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=42203&hl=Daiso

Dojo jiru (soup) is something I feel obliged to have when I stay at my wife's parental house in the Obon period in mid-August. It seems to be a specialty here in Niigata. Well, I'm not much of an adventurous eater. I wish I could avoid it.

Great photo. A cake of tofu weighs 300 g to 400 g in Japan. The one in the photo must weight almost 1 kg. I used to pour soy sauce like you do before marriage, but now I usually pour ponzu because my wife prefers this. *** Please don't forget about homemade yosedofu. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=41506&st=30 See post #45.

What a detailed account! You really are into this TV show. My wife and I use salad oil only. Some are like us, others add some sesame oil, and I think that those who use sesame oil only at home are rather exceptional. According to several sources, you are recommended to mix salad and sesame seed oils at the ratio of 7:3 or 8:2 to make flavorful tempura.

As I confirmed by googling, it is mainly a Kansai and Nagoya thing.

You mean the wheat germ? According to this webpage http://www.mos.co.jp/menu/calory/h_09.html This cheeseburger consists of an upper bun, a slice of tomato, meat sauce, diced onions, mayo, a slice of cheese, hamburger patty, mustard, and a lower bun. Sorry, no detailed information on the meat sauce.

This thread http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=59012 may shed some light on your question.

Although I am a native Japanese, I have never seen or heard of warabi mochi peddlers. I'm curious to know where you lived in your childhood.

I'm afraid your question will never be answered. Mine has a wattage of 830, as I mentioned in my first post on this thread. I made the cornbread by following this recipe http://www.h2.dion.ne.jp/~manahiro/corn00.htm (Japanese only) except that I halved each ingredient except the egg and used a toaster oven, not an oven. This original recipe calls for 30- to 40-minute baking, which seems an eternity to me! Here is another, simpler recipe http://cookpad.com/guriguriweb/index.cfm?P...76456&Mode=full (Japanese only) which also calls for 30-minute baking.

I posted a photo of hegi soba here: http://hiroyuki-shiozawa.at.webry.info/200...article_21.html Click on the photo to view an enlarged version. Note that the container is a regular one, but a wooden container called a hegi. We all like hegi soba very much. The nodo goshi (throat passing) is sooo good.

This morning, I made cornbread-like bread, using a can of creamed corn. (I cannot get cornmeal yet.) I put the dough in the toaster oven and it was successfully baked in about 8 minutes. The texture was just like that of pancake. I know this is not real cornbread, but all my family liked it.

For an izakaya, this is such an easy way of getting regulars...

This is called 'bottle keep' (botoru keepu). You two mean that this practice is peculiar to Japanese bars?

How interesting! How did the soba turn out? How much wheat flour did you add? How did you eat the soba? The Japanese way?