AmyDaniel

What a great thread! I first had ochazuke a few years ago - I'm so glad that I know now what to look for in order to make it! I thought one would have to buy the spices and other stuff that's in it separately. I'm making a trip to Sunrise Mart next week!! Amy

(am I a bad Indian?) What is alu bokhara? Bukharan-style potatoes? Or am I being completely ignorant? Amy

I think I've seen ajwain described in recipes as "thyme seed" - but I've never seen thyme seed anyway in non-Indian stores... We (my family) use ajwain in matis - I don't think we use it otherwise. Matis are small, circular, crispy-fried, um, crackers (?) that just contain flour, water, oil, salt, and ajwain. Yummy. Are there other names for this treat? (The Punjabi side of the family makes them.) Amy

omg, Ms. Cleo...that's hilarious!!! Amy

Excuse the question...but are "kaiten" places just the opposite of "jika" places? Would the 100-yen sushi shops be considered "kaiten"? In other words...what does "kaiten" mean? Amy

The lump form of kurozato looks pretty similar to Indian jaggery...perhaps the regulars on the Indian cooking forum can give you some ideas on how to use it? (e.g. cakes/sweets made with jaggery that my mom doesn't make at home... ) Good luck! Amy

What a fabulous, fabulous thread! Cheese. At least a week before the little friend arrives. Cheese, cheese, cheese. Cheddar, please. My sister (PumpkinLover) mentioned chicken katsu curry long ago - kinda funny, b/c I'll also crave curry rice, this thing that Columbia came up with: sticky rice, bulgogi, and shrimp tempura, all covered with Japanese curry. Too bad we graduated and now would have to actually pay real money for that...omg, mmmmm... Amy

From the Candy thread in the Japan forum: check the bottom few replies and this link: Has anyone found these treats in the city? If so, where? A friend brought them into work one day - I must have... Amy

Um, whoops - that's what I should have done Hee-hee, thanks for the link - that's exactly it Amy

No one knows where I can find these freeze-dried strawberries? Amy

Ooooh, Mehhhltykiss!!! I recently tried a new treat (new for me): freeze-dried strawberries covered in chocolate. What is the name of this treat, which company makes it, and can it be found in NYC? Amy

Pinkpau and spaghetttti, you two are lucky lucky lucky...I'd eat pau and nasi lemak every morning if I could! But only if the pau were savory, not sweet Lucky lucky lucky lucky!!! Amy P.S. I usually only have toast for breakfast before I run to work But on weekends when I go home, either Mom or Dad will make fried eggs and buttery toast at least once. Siiigh...

My mom used olive oil back in the day for her hair - apparently, it makes hair soft and shiny. She and her family didn't use it in cooking (wasn't popular in Malaysia when she was growing up - hmmmm, don't know if it's popular there now... ). I'd consider it - but I find the scent too strong sometimes - I don't think I'd like my hair smelling of olive oil! Amy

Say that you were famished right when you woke and just had to eat a large breakfast. A few glasses of Gewürtztraminer should go well with that (for example, if you're eating a spicy breakfast ). Amy

Kraft mac and cheese. Even the Easy Mac - I'll sometimes eat two bowls in a sitting. Diana - That burned cheese from pizza is not awful food! That's a delicacy! Amy *my 3rd post!*

My family has a special press for puri - we've had it for a long time; I think an old family friend gave it to us. The surface is allegedly nonstick; we oil it often while we're cooking, though. Truth be told, we haven't made puri in a long, long time Mmmmmm, now I'm hungry for rotis! Using a pan that spans two burners is a fantastic idea! Amy

Tamarind rice definitely is hot and spicy, and yogurt rice cools you off afterward. My mom (Punjabi) knows how to make tamarind rice but rarely does, even though my father (from Bangalore) loves it; one of my college friends will always have some of her mom's on hand, and is always willing to share. Last time my family hosted a dinner party for Indian friends, she made yogurt rice to serve at the end of the meal. Nothing was a bigger hit that night than the yogurt rice. Right before she served it, she added some chopped coriander to the pot - something she usually doesn't do, but it turned out to be great. Amy