torakris

bunkyoc, welcome to egullet and the dinner thread! and what a delicious post that was.....

Monday dinner: green beans and minced pork stirfried with a soy-sake-tonbanjian sauce simmered satoimo (Japanese taro) with all of the burned parts cut off squid sashimi and avocado with a wasabi-soy dressing komatsuna kimchi cucumber kimchi Japanese rice

words for 11/11: Today we are going to discuss the bell pepper, this sweet thick fleshed pepper has become very popular in Japan recently and can be found in many stores. It seems to have entered Japan at various times and from various places and thus has a lot of names! I will list the ones that I have heard/seen below in the order they seem to be most popular in my area (Yokohama/Tokyo): ƒJƒ‰[ƒs[ƒ}ƒ“ karaapiiman (colored pepper) ƒWƒƒƒ“ƒ{ƒs[ƒ}ƒ“ jyambopiiman (jumbo pepper) ƒpƒvƒŠƒJ papurika (paprika) Ôƒs[ƒ}ƒ“ akapiiman (red pepper-- this is referring just to the red variety which is most popular) ƒs[ƒƒ“ƒg piimento (pimento) ƒIƒ‰ƒ“ƒ_ƒpƒvƒŠƒJ orandapapurika (Dutch pepper) ƒxƒ‹ƒs[ƒ}ƒ“ berupiiman (bell pepper) and there are probably more .......

and for those that may be unfamiliar with mirin, here are the various types (pulled out of the daily nihongo thread): word for 6/24: みりん mirin (mee-reen) this is often called sweet rice wine in English, it is essentially made from rice, distilled alcohol and very heavy on the sugar, it is an essential ingredient to Japanese cooking. It is used for both the sweetness it lends and the glaze or sheen that it gives to foods. The problem with mirin is that there are many types out there, but only one that you want to be using. 本みりん hon-mirin, this is the real stuff! this is what you want to look for, this can often be located in the alcohol section because of it high (13% to 17%) alcohol content. It will cost you more then the fake stuff, but it is more then worth it. The ingredients should read rice, distilled alcohol, and sugar (and if you are really lucky there will be no sugar added). The fakes 味みりんaji-mirin, this is probably the most commonly seen, sold near the soy and vinegar 新みりんshin-mirin, haven't seen this one too much recently みりん風 mirin -fu, this seems to be the new one these are normally made with corn syrup and other additives, some can have as little as 1% alcohol

Let us know how it tastes! There was a fascinating article in my newspaper (Asahi Shimbun) a couple weeks ago about mirin that is drunk like wine, I didn't think too many people would be interested but you might: http://be.asahi.com/20031018/W23/0006.html (Japanese only) Now I want some of that stuff!

kym, welcome to egullet! Here is a short discussion we had a little while back: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...T&f=21&t=28041& Like it was said by 2 of us here, namul are really just seasoned to taste and everyones taste is a little different. Fop example I season my spinach and bean sprout namuls in the same way, boil then rinse with cold water, squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then sprinkle with a little sesame oil, quite a few sesame seeds and salt to taste. Others may add soy sauce, garlic and/or scallions here is a list of websites that list Korean recipes: http://www.korea.net/directory/List.asp?Ca...ategory_id=a005 as to the black beans, the Japanese eat a black bean dish called kuromame that is very common at the new year, it is very sweet and the beans are black to start with (they are simmered in soy and sugar). The Koreans have a similar dish though I don't know its name or cooking method.....

ribs in a toaster oven..... .....who would have thought

Sunday dinner: poached whole chicken, chopped up and served with "sauce" of Japanese leeks, ginger, salt and canola oil ( a wonderful dish taught to me by a friend from Hong Kong) negi-toro (minced up traw tuna mixed with Japanese leeks and soy sauce) komatsu-na kimchi simmered kabocha Japanese rice

foodpsycho got there before me! My favorite pound cake is a lemon poppy seed pound cake that needs to be wrapped 24 hours before eating to allow the syrup to be evenly distributed. It also keeps for 3 days at room temp and 1 week in the refrigerator. I would say the syrup style would be the best way to go, it will add extra flavor as well as moisture. Helen if you would like to see the recipe I use I would be happy to fax it to you.

Thank You. the number of egullet members who like burnt bread is currently at 2. i'm keeping score. make that 3!

you mean your not supposed to eat the stems?

no stove for a week? Can't wait for more! I don't think I could do it......

word for 11/10: ƒs[ƒ}ƒ“ piiman (pee-mahn) Japanese green pepper Although they have been in Japan since the Meiji era, they didn't become popular until around the 1950's. The name piiman was taken from the French pimento. The green peppers eaten in Japan are quite small weighing only about 30 grams (1 oz) each and are very thin skinned. The Japanese use them in stirfries, sautees, deep fried dishes, hitashi, simmered dishes, grilled dishes, stuffed, and raw in salads. the piiman: http://www.maruka-ishikawa.co.jp/images/ve...ure/green_2.jpg

word for 11/9: 万能ねぎ　　ばんのうねぎ bannounegi (bahn-noh-nay-ghee) You may remember that negi refers to the Japanese leek, well this is similar only much thinner and a much higher green to white ratio. Very thin the lower white part stretches for only about an inch before turing into dark green. They are usually minced and added to dishes , though they can also be sliced and added to simmered dishes and dressed dishes, they have a very mild onion flavor. bannounegi: http://www.maruka-ishikawa.co.jp/images/ve...ure/negi.h4.jpg

Sorry about that I really tried to get that cat talk out of there and send it back to the tommy bio where it belonged! Come on over anytime!

payday has come! Saturday night: a platter of ten kinds of sashimi a huge (2 lb) maguro kama (tuna collar) grilled with salt and pepper (this cost me $3.50!) tofu and mizuna salad with a wafu (Japanese style dressing) simmered kabocha Japanese rice

I bought a toaster today............

Hopefully this was our last of the cooking from fridge melas Friday night: too lazy to be creative dry curry, I think this might be a Japanese invention, though I have no idea -- ground pork, green peas, onions, carrots simmered in a tomato-curry powder--worchestire sauce, they are simmered until there is no sauce left thus the "dry" in the title served over Japanese rice coleslaw with cabbage and carrots and a mayo-vinegar dressing dessert: pecan bars

and in Japan a popular way to serve corn is to boil it and then toss it onto a grill and brush it with soy sauce until it starts to get black spots, this is a really wonderful treat! and for some reason it seems to be most popular at the rest areas on the freeways.........

now that winter in descending upon us, it is time for harihari-nabe! a nabe (one pot dish) made with thin slices of whale meat and mizuna with a soy sauce based broth.

If you are in a bind and can't decide whether to spread mayo or cheese on your meal, Kewpie has made it easy with their new cheese-mayo. Mayo blended with cheddar and gouda cheeses.............. http://www.kewpie.co.jp/corp/index_news_2003_37.html

word for 11/8: ƒpƒZƒŠ paseri (pah-say-ree) parsley In Japan this is almost always the curly leaf variety and it is used mostly as a garnish for western style dishes. Sometimes it is minced and sprinkled on top of pastas, soups, etc but most often it is seen as a small bunch on the side of piece of meat or fish.

I wonder if they ship to Japan............ of course then I will need someone to send me a toaster.......

and don't forget the horse sashimi too! I think I hear some yukwe, liver sashimi and horse sashimi calling me...........

Only one more meal until we have money again! Thursday dinner: chicken thighs baked with 20 garlic cloves, lots of lemon slices, gaeta olives, wine and chicken stock served over couscous with sauteed cabbage and red onion potato salad made with purple potatoes and regular ones with EVOO, white wine vinegar and basil from the garden