ok... just jumping in. i didnt really know where else to post this. this is probably as good as any place. my question is about 味覇 -- "ウェイパァー" -- "weipar" http://www.koukishoko.co.jp/taste/img/ta_img01.jpg this is a soup base sold in sturdy red metal cans. ive never bought it. in the u.s., they go for (small size) us$8 a pop. i forgot how large the small can is. but it has something like 30 servings' worth of soup base. it is vegetables and some salt and msg... what else, i am not sure. the larger one is monster sized. quite intimidating. thats a lot of soup base, even in the smaller size. im probably going to break down and buy a can one of these days, but i was just wondering if anybody here uses it to cook. should i not bother? is it pretty much like hondashi powder? or knorr bouillon? or does weipar have that something really special that might make something more chinese for dishes (to a japanese i guess. maybe chinese people use weipar too?)? a quick look on google (and a few variations) gives me anywhere from 100-300 hits, mostly of pages i cannot read (since i cannot read japanese), but ill point out a few hits: shio yakisoba. a blog entry somewhere mentions adding it when cooking some beef dish (beef with bell peppers?? i really am guessing there... also it is apparently a bit pricey in japan too). someone else has found that it is good in a very basic kimchi fried rice.
