liuzhou

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.

Nope!

It might, but they'd be small portions. The business end of the tool is only 41 mm at it's widest.

I mean the kitchen tool isn't Chinese. The site you link to is Chinese.

It isn't Chinese.

First time I've cooked for a week. I enjoy my travels (usually) but it is good to be back home. Squid, clams and shrimp cooked in a fish stock (made from a fish head I bought) with wine, shallots, garlic, chilli pepper, coriander leaf and Chinese chives. Served with rice.

Nope

1) What is your favourite restaurant (apart from your own) I've been lucky enough to eat in starred restaurants, but if I'm being honest, my favourite, the place I was happiest in my mind and mouth, is a tiny hole-in-the-wall Sichuan place operated by lovely couple near my home in the Chinese countryside. He cooks; she does front-of-hole. When they get busy, which happens more than you might expect for a place in the middle of nowhere, they employ students from the local colleges to help out, and they are lovely too. 2) What is your most important ingredient in the kitchen, and why? My mood. Because you can't cook well, even for yourself, without love. 3) What tool is most important in your kitchen, and why? My wok(s). Because there is almost nothing you can't cook in a wok and lots you can only cook in a wok. 4) Which restaurant, anywhere, is your dream destination to dine? A tiny father and son restaurant on a lonely Thai island where I spent a honeymoon. The island was empty apart from me and the Mrs and the restaurant staff of two. We ordered crab and the son disappeared and came back dripping wet with a beautiful specimen he had just dived for. Father cooked it to perfection. Sadly, wife is no longer with us, but I dream to go back. 5) What trend do you see becoming popular in restaurants in the next year? Where? In the west, more regional Asian food. There is a plethora of unknown dishes, still. Here in China, unfortunately, more ersatz western dishes cooked by people who have only ever seen pictures of the real thing and then imagined the recipe. 6) What trend would you most like to see go away? The increasing misuse of words and phrase on menus which only demonstrate the writer's ignorance of their native tongue. "Iteration" does not mean "variation" or even "version". 'Flavor profile' nearly almost just means 'flavor'. Grrrrr! Just tell me what I'm going to eat. I'm not a moron.