liuzhou

Yes, that is the most common design. Like this.

In what way does it strike you as wasteful? It seems to me to be the opposite, allowing one to measure an appropriate amount rather than too much, and then stir it into the water without needing another tool.Two for the price of one.

Yes, all these pictures were faked by the same people who did the moon landings. And a simple Google search for "miso muddler" brings up many English language links referencing its use. Obviously fake.

Time to put you out of your misery! What we have here is a Miso Muddler. You stick the business end into the miso paste and twist it. Extracting it carries out the correct quantity for a standard serving of miso soup. Put this into boiling water and stir, so that the paste dissolves. Here is the packaging And a close up of the thing in use. Some alternative designs can be seen here.

I'd treat it like any other meat and freeze it if I were keeping it any longer than two or three days.

No.

Not a lot of taste, I'll agree. But I liked the texture when cooked.

Yes, having now Googled 'watermelon radish', I'd say they are the same thing. Never saw them in Europe, although I've seen them in SE Asia. I don't usually cook them, but thought I'd give it a go.

This isn't what I wanted to cook tonight. I had a fancy for chicken with chestnuts, but the two supermarkets I tried had no chestnuts. Unusual. Instead I picked up this It's called 香萝卜 xiāng luó bó in Chinese. That means "something like "appetizing radish". It is a large colour reversed radish, red on the inside and whitish-green on the outside. They don't have the peppery nature of the small ones. The one I bought is 8cm (just over 3"") in diameter. If these are as common as bananas where you are, please forgive any sense of my being patronizing - it's just I had never encountered them until I came here in China. Anyway, I made slow-cooker chicken legs with onions, garlic, bay leaf, mustard and the radish. Served with boiled spuds and a side of spinach to alleviate the redness. Forgot to photograph the spinach, but you know what it looks like. Not red.

Sorry to hear you have been in the hands of medical fraternity. I wondered where you had got to. Hope things improve for you soon. The menus you list seem awful to me. The hospital food I recounted during my sojourn with the quacks this summer, poor as it was, was at least made from fresh ingredients. Yours sound like an industrial nightmare. Glad you got over the salt situation, though. I never managed that.

Indirectly.

Another great idea, but not what the manufacturer intended. Alas.

No, nothing to do with swine, either! "My tomorrow will probably be your today". Old Chinese saying.

As no one has come close, I'll give a little clue. Think Japanese cuisine. But not sushi. I would never have guessed either, if I hadn't been able to read the packaging and see its illustrations. If no one has guessed by tomorrow I'll reveal all and put you out of your misery!

Sorry, I've no idea about the Sriracha. I've never been to the USA or sampled the version you mention. The ginger sauce is manufactured by Food Specialize Company Ltd, 790 Moo 2, Bang Pu Mai, Samut Prakan, Thailand. They have an English website at http://www.foodspecialize.com. "As Delicate As Thai Performing Arts" is merely a marketing slogan. The brand is "Thai Dancer"

Here, for what it's worth, are some of my favourite condiments. These are all from Thailand. Great with Chicken, but also cheese! Great as a dressing for seafood salads as pictured. Also perks up a bowl of seafood stew. A raree example of Sriracha sauce that is actually from Sriracha. I have no idea how widely available these are outside SE Asia. One day when I have weeks to spare I will detail all the thousands of chili condiments in my local supermarket here in China.

No.

As I've said, it has no moving parts and stirring is not its primary purpose.

I hadn't thought of that, but I suppose it could be used that way. Not what the manufacturer intended, though.

No.

No. But interesting thought.

I would say stirring is the secondary function.

As I said in my opening post, it is not primarily a whisk, although it could be used as such. It has a very specific function.

No.

Sorry, no fruit involved.