torakris

the Japanese actually have a word for this no appetite in hot weather syndrome, it is called　夏バテ natsu-bate doesn't seem to affect me however....

I think most cultures that are rice based have some way of using up leftover over rice. Fried rice seems to be one of the most popular ones. What are some of your favorite fried rice combinations?

word for 6/26: 味噌　　みそ miso (mee-soe) fermented bean paste There are probably as many different misos in Japan as there are cities, towns and villages. There are generally three categories with many subdivisions and local varieties/ 白味噌 shiro miso, this is the white miso and is the sweetest 信州味噌 shinshuu miso, this is the yellow/golden/light brown miso that is probably the most popular, it is named for the shinshuu region (which covers Nagano and surrounding areas). 赤味噌　akamiso, this is the red or dark brown miso, it usually has the strongest flavor. Two of the most famous types are Sendai (a city in the northern part of Japan) miso and Hatchou miso, which is the reddest of the reds. misos can be smooth or chunky with the addition of additional ingredients, such as barley. Some miso talk: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...t=11690&hl=miso http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...t=18840&hl=miso http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...T&f=19&t=17794&

I was told that they make the stock bitter, but I wonder if that is one of those things passed down generation to generation with out any one questioning it. Since I have never made niboshi dashi, I probably shouldn't be commenting....

from the nihongo thread: QUOTE (smallworld @ Jun 25 2003, 11:01 AM) When you make niboshi dashi do you bother to snap off all their little heads? It seems like such a pain in the butt so I've never made it. It's supposed to be the proper dashi for soba, yet I've always found that, at least at home, katsuo dashi is just fine. But I'd make it if I didn't have to do all the head-snapping. Another question- I have a cookbook with a dashi recipe that calls for 'frigate mackerel flakes'. It's one of those annoying textbooks that has doesn't always give Japanese names, but I checked elsewhere and found out frigate mackerel is 'hirasouda'. Never seen it, never heard of it. Any idea what it is and where to find it? Is it necessary? the heads are normally snapped off so not to make the stock bitter. here are some dashi making guides: http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/dailyjc/hints...ashi/dashi.html I have never heard or hirasouda or frigate mackeral flakes..... huh.gif

The cabbage thread has gotten me thinking about these. I had never heard of them before I made the recipe for the mango achar this weekend. Are their certain types that are more common then others? any "traditional ones? What are they normally eaten with?

Where did you get the recipe, Kris? It does sound good, but it sounds Thai to me. I don't remember much use of ripe mangos in cooked food in Malaysia. I know! Steven Raichlen's Barbeque Bible. yep that is where it is from! I am not very familiar with SEAsian foods. He calls it mango achar and describes achars as Indian and SEAsian relich like dish often made with fruit. He has recipes for a pineapple achar from Singapore,@a mixed vegetable achar from Bali and the mango one from Malaysia. Though he uses nampla he mentions in a note that it is traditional to use a shrimp paste, but it could be more difficult ingredient to obtain. I have two good friends who are Malaysian, I was just at the one woman's house last week, next time I see her I will ask her about it.

wow, kids in the US are already on summer holiday? I have forgotten how long the summer is there! Summer break in Japan starts July 20, I have already sterted preparing by purchasing 3 new cookbooks for cooking with children, lots of pictures and very easy for the kids to read by themselves.

Tuesday dinner: tomato and mozarella cheese risotto topped with arugula and baby spinach (dressed lightly with EVOO and lemon juice) chicken breast in sauce piquant (a Pepin recipe) of chicken breast with tomato-red wine vinegar-garlic-oregano sauce

I have never had smoked foie gras, but I do smoke ankimo, monkfish liver. It is incredible!

word for 6/25: だし dashi (dah-shee) This is the Japanese stock and there are a couple types 一番だし　ichiban dashi (primary dashi)-- made from water, konbu, and bonito flakes, this is very clear with a subtle taste and is best used in clear soups 二番だし　nibandashi (secondary dashi)--made from the leftover konbu and bonito flakes from making ichiban dashi with the addition of fresh water and some some bonito flakes, this is used more often for thicker type soups and broths for noodles. 昆布だし konbu dashi (kelp dashi)-- made from soaking konbu in water usually over night 煮干だし　niboshi dashi (sardine dashi)-- made from small sun dried sardines either with water or some of the kombu dashi some dashi discussion was here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...T&f=19&t=21765&

Must be the season for the new chips to come out, ran across a lot of new ones in the store yesterday. Here is my favorite: http://219.114.105.174/cgi-bin/news/data/1.../1050304608.jpg American hamburger flavor, described as having a double whammy of beef and pickles! others were spicy mayo meat sauce flavor (referring to a meat flavored pasta sauce)

just ran across a new potato chip flavor yesterday: spicy mayo this of course was on the shelf next to the beef mayo flavor!

This is called somen nagashi and though it is popular in restaurants, especially in Southern Japan, it is also quite popular to have DIY (do-it-yourself): http://www.try-net.or.jp/~deco/garden/soumen.htm

I have only eaten them witht the dolsots warmed on the stove (gas flame), they don't sound like they were hot enough, no suggestions however...

‚h@‚‚@‚ˆ‚‚–‚‰‚Ž‚‡@‚@‚’‚…‚‚Œ‚Œ‚™@‚ˆ‚…‚‚’‚„@‚”‚‰‚‚…@‚†‚‰‚Ž‚„‚‰‚Ž‚‡@‚‰‚Ž‚†‚‚’‚‚‚”‚‰‚‚Ž@‚‚Ž Masamoto knives, according to the one site I did find they are the #1 Japanese style knives in Japan..............? I did find this: http://www.kodawariyasan.com/masamoto_html...moto_yanagi.htm these are prices for gyokukakuko yanagi, which are about $300 or so in the US, in Japan they seem to be about half of that.

As the the nenox: http://www.nenohi.co.jp/you/you.htm the 9.4 inch gyutou is the 10th one down the list (240mm), there are two types, the one you have the picture of is over $300 in Japan while the other is about $160. So depending on which one you are referring to, you either ahve a great deal or it is over priced.

I have found some of the Glestain ones: http://www.z-enomoto.jp/knife.glestain.htm the prices seem to be a little less then double the price.

On Sunday I made a Malaysian style "coleslaw" with 1/2 a head of cabbage and mangos, in a coconut milk-nampla-hot chile sauce, it was absolutely incredible! no one ate it except me and my husband, and he didn't eat much because he doesn't like fruit mixed with his food!

Monday night: chicken fajitas chicken breasts marinated in EVOO and some of the spice rub leftover from the ribs the day before, sauteed with lots of onions cheddar cheese lettuce pico de gallo guacamole black olives jalapenos all wrapped up in flour tortillas dessert: tiramisu

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 sugar, it is an essential ingredient to Japanese cooking. It is used for both the sweetness 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 vinegars 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 name used on the fake ones These fakes are normally made with corn syrup and other additives, some can have as little as 1% alcohol, so check your labels carefully before buying. In Japan there are also aged mirins that are definitely worth buying if you can find them. hon-mirin (left) and 3 year aged mirin (right) the mirin thread: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=30998

In her book Sichuan cookery, Fuchsia Dunlop says that she studied Chinese (okay, Sichuan ) cooking at the Sichuan Institute of Higher Cuisine in Chengdu.

another great addition to tsuyu is a raw quail egg.

oohh this just reminded me of a mayo dish that I love, this little izakaya by our house serves this kind of chicken kara-age drenched in ponzu sauce and then covered with a type of mayo sauce (similar to a tartar sauce). I ashamed to admit it, but it is really good!

I forgot to mention the Pacific Cafe on Maui (are these two related?) I went twice, once was very good and the second was just so so.