torakris

I only microwave it when I am going to mash it up. I cut it into 4 pieces wrap each one individually and normally zap two at a time for about 5 minutes (500W), it is then scoopable and purees easily. I don't microwave it when I want whole pieces, though a Japanese friend said she pops the whole kabocha in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute (again 500W) for ease in cutting.

Sounds great to me! OK EVERYBODY, GET YOUR NABES READY! NOVEMBER 7TH IS NABE NO HI (NABE DAY)! There now it is official.

I had a wonderful kabocha dessert just a little while back, it was at a SEAsian restaurant here. It was a kabocha shiruko made with coconut milk and little dango and a large spoonful of chunky anko and it was ganished with toasted kabocha seeds

what about namerou? fish like aji (horse mackeral) or iwashi (sardines) are chopped up rather finely and mixed with miso, scallions, ginger, etc. I think I have eaten this on almost every trip I have had to Chiba, and for some reason we seem to go to Chiba a lot.... namerou: http://www.agri.pref.chiba.jp/nourinsui/12...pic/namerou.jpg

word for 10/4: あじのたたき aji no tataki we have discussed various tataki before, this is raw fish (or sometimes seared meat) that is chopped (large chunks or finely) and mixed with complimenting garnishes. Aji tataki is a bit more unusual in that it is often served in the hollowed out belly of the fish it came from: http://www.kitami.jrc.or.jp/eiyou/menu/spring/aji/tataki.jpg the common flavoring are ginger and scallions. なめろう namerou This is similar to tataki but it includes miso as well and it is a popular food in Chiba prefecture: http://www.agri.pref.chiba.jp/nourinsui/12...pic/namerou.jpg

Helen are you talking about kemushi ("hairy" caterpillar)? Aren't the ones that we scream at the children not to touch because they cause in intense itching? You can eat those?

Is the Korean natto also eaten just plain with rice as the Japanese eat it? or is it normally cooked? A little while ago I was at a Korean market in Tokyo with a Korean friend and she wanted to buy some of this but decided not too because we were going to be taking the train and she didn't want to offend others with the smell......

inago no tsukudani: http://www.nana.or.jp/~naoto/tamago/zatu/inago.jpg and hachinoko: http://www.kikimimi.net/tatsu/dream/img/hachinoko.jpg

from today's Japan Times on Starbucks: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/geted....d20041003a1.htm

I can help with this one, those are probably dried mochi cakes and best way to serve them is either grilled or deep fried, there are many variations but teh most common being soy sauce and nori for savory and either anko (red bean paste) or kinako (ground roasted soy bean powder). here are some pictures and recipes: http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/dailyjc/ref/mochi/mochi.html

Looking at Renoirs homepage, I think this is the same place I was talking about when I mentioned a coffee shop being filled with men smoking and reading gambling/horse racing newspapers. The two I have been in were very shabby and rundown, but the sofas were comfortable and the places were quite large and I do remember getting some green tea that hadn't been ordered.... It must have been the locations (I know for sure one was near Gotanda station) as it didn't look as nice as the pictures.

I usually do the meat and rice stuffing too, this time I have been tossing about ideas like stuffed with a saffron risotto, or a couscous mixture, or maybe something with feta cheese as i have a block in the fridge. That ricotta stuffing sounds great, if only it wasn't so expensive here....

some of the most popular miso (shinshu miso) and soba (shinshu soba) come from this area.

NAGANO PREFECTURE (region = Chubu) some people call this region Koshinetsu or Shinetsu as well and you may hear of things from Nagano with the name Shinshu, this is the name of the old province that covered parts of Nagano, Niigata and Yamanashi. http://www.outdoorjapan.com/features/ojfeature-nagano1.html scroll down to food http://www.city.ueda.nagano.jp/kankoka/uec...urist/local.htm http://www.avis.ne.jp/~hisa/oyaki/localfood.htm http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/nagano/atlas/j-7-2.html http://www.city.nagano.nagano.jp/english/s...ee/miyage-e.htm go here to discuss the foods of Nagano: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=52734

Nagano is often regarded as the roof of Japan as it houses most of the highest peaks, so when you are done with your day of skiing, what are some of the local foods you go for? more information on local foods: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...51entry729351

YAMANASHI PREFECTURE (region= Chubu) http://www.pref.yamanashi.jp/shouko/shogyo/TASTE/ talk about the foods over here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=52364

I have a bag full of gorgeous peppers and want to stuff them for dinner. I just can't decide what to stuff them with..... what are some of your favorite stuffings for pepper?

word for 10/3: アジの塩焼き　　あじの塩焼き aji no shioyaki This is probably one of the most common ways of preparing aji in a Japanese home and also probably the easiest. Shio yaki means salt grilled and this is simply fish that has been sprinkled with salt before grilling. step by step pictures of preparing aji no shioyaki: http://www.e-recipe.org/regulars/228/030307_1.html

How about the Fuji-Hakone area? I took my parents there this past spring and if the weather is nice there are some really gorgeous views. You can ride various kinds of trains including the romance car, cable cars, ropeways,etc. There is a great deal called the Hakone free pass that for one price you have free admission to all transportation (including the above mentioned trains as well as some boats and buses) and reduced discounts admissions to various places. There is a wonderful outsoor sculpture museum in Gora, right at the intersection of the Tozan train line and the cable car that leads to the ropeway. The passes are good for either two or three consectutive days and there are cheaper prices on weekdays I believe. There are also a number of hotels/ryokans in the area as well as plenty of onsen where you could spend the night. take a look here for a lot more information: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_014.html there are lots of links to links, keep following them thereis really a lot to see in the area in cincluding parts of the old Tokkaido road, Owakudani (sulphur springs) and of course gorgeous views of Mt. Fuji.

this is probably one of the only shows I watch and in my opinion is even better than Iron Chef. I especially love the part where they showcase the ingredients. There is some more on the show in the cooking shows in Japan thread: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=40071

that tompei yaki is interesting, I have never seen anything like it. kimchi and cheese is one combination I just haven't been able to try yet......

My MIL brought us over some kuri-gohan (rice with chestnuts) the other day, I thanked her for it and started to carry the bowl into the kitchen, then she said, "wait! aren't you going to take a picture of it?" so I obliged

I picked up a pack of tama-konnyaku (tama means ball or things round in shape) with a special tare (sauce) that is very popular in Yamagata. the finished product this was really good! and I think the flavor would be simple to do at home, I wanted to see what it is generally supposed to taste like since I had never had it before. My 3 year old son gobbled almost all of them down himself!

word for 10/2: 小アジ koaji these are small aji, usually less than 15cm http://www.pref.mie.jp/OROSHI/HP/osusume/P1010062.JPG 豆アジ mameaji these are tiny aji, in the 3 to 5cm range http://www.geocities.jp/tsurichannel/image...oto/mameaji.JPG

I normally like pork on my okonomiyaki, but pork was expensive yesterday and these shrimp just looked too good. So I addded shrimp, lots of negi (Japanese scallion), nagaimo (mountain yam), cabbage, along with flour, eggs, water and some salt, normally I add some powdered dashi for more flavor but was out. the finished product (1 of 3) topped with mayo (Kewpie 1/4 = quarter the fat/calories ), okonomiyaki sauce and katsuo-bushi