torakris

I am so jealous!! I still have yet to taste a fresh water chestnut! Maybe if you could slip some into the care package of cilantro that I should be recieving soon.....

It works with basil also; in fact, I first learned of this method as it applied to basil, although my source suggested storing at room temperature. An alternative method for cilantro is that recommended by Rick Bayless. Loosely wrap a barely-damp paper towel around the bunched cilantro, then store in a plastic bag in the fridge. I've had great success with this . . . I like the send all of the leftovers to torakris idea the best!

Jaymes, these are what I refer to as instant lunches and recently I have been making them quite often, the kids love them too. I have been doing them in a fry pan! I am going to try the microwave next time, no pan to clean-up!

I am aflour tortilla gal, but I have to admit I have never eaten good corn or masa ones, so who knows... I like it with beans, tomatoes and jalapenos! and guacamole on top!

Thursday dinner: bakmi goreng--Indonesian style stirfried noodles with pork, cabbage, carrots, and onions Indonesian style red curry with hard boiled eggs, fava beans and chickpeas Tomato salad Jasmine rice

I never had success growing it, it bolts so fast! I am going to try just planting it in the garden this year in many successions and see what happens. It is sooooo expensive here and only a couple stores sell it, so having in the garden would be wonderful!

When i was in the US and going a on a major cookbook spree I used this to find the best prices: http://www.bestwebbuys.com/books/compare/i...c/b-home-search I don't know if the still have a campaign going on or not, but at half.com (which is usually the cheapest) first time users can get $15 off a $50.00 or more purchase. So with the prices they have have you could get both for the price of one!!

I too have both, and if I could only get one I would go with HSSS first, it is more easily approachable for people not familiar with the cuisines and I don't see that many recipes where I will never be able to find the ingredients.

This is probably the biggest category, so what are your favorite yakimono?

The big bean (yellow in color) ones are soy bean sprouts and the smaller ones (sort a green color) are mung bean sprouts. I also almost always use the big soy bean ones, I find the flavor much better. When i am looking to use them raw in nama harumaki (pring rolls) I look for what is called (at least in my area) Narita moyashi, they have no 'me' or 'hige' and are a very crisp white, great for using raw.

Is this similar to the tofu/egg they sell at the supermarket? you mean the tamago-dofu? like this: http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/dailyjc/ref/t...ofu/tgtofu.html this is normally served cold and though I ahve never made it at the home the supermarket versions tend to be more jello like then the smooth chawan mushi. Other then the chawan mushi containing other ingredients, there are very similar.

Not if you are coming from Tokyo!

Vermont Curry is one of the big brands in Japan. I find there amakuchi (mild) a little too sweet, but the others are ok. In Japan has almost as many types of curry as Americans have cereal, it is an incredible choice. I have never paid much attention before I usually just buy what is on sale, but the curry I had the other night I really enjoyed even though it was amakuchi-mild. It was this one from Glico: http://www.ezaki-glico.net/jukucurry/index2.html it had a nice kick that I though would have put it closer to chu-kara (medium), even though I normally make kara-kuchi (spicy) for my husband and I, I would definitely eat this one again. S&B Golden curry seems to be the most popular abroad, but i don't care for it and don't think I have used it since coming to Japan.

chawanmushi: http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/dailyjc/basic...hwan/chwan.html Has anyone every eaten this cold? I just had it for the first time last summer and it was great!

The restaurants near my place don't have udon like this. I have to prepare it myself at home. sesame dressings are my favorite for zaru udon, I just made this last week for the kids and I.! Soba, Mrs. Dash?!

We should go have ramen together! Some of the best udon I have ever had is from this little shop that just opened in front of my house. They specialize in goma (sesame seed) udon, I culd be wrong but I don't think it actually has sesame seeds in it, it just looks like it does. It is quite thin for udon, similar more to soba and is white with brown flecks, it really has a great bite to it and an incredible flavor.

my husband and kids like "non-typical" breakfast foods, curry rice, beef stew, chili, etc. I just can't handle anything heavy in the morning. Give me a slice of toast or a bowl of natto and I am happy!

I do a bite test on all the beans I buy and if they are stringy I pull them off, sometimes both sides. The green beans here are usually okay, but snow peas and sugar snap peas almost always need to be pulled.

chawanmushi for me too! also sake and butter steamed clams mushi pan (steamed sweet bread) tamago-dofu

beat you to it!

karen, I almost never bother to trim them. it is a presentation thing, they look better if they are trimmed, but I don't think there is any difference in taste. By the way I have only every trimmed the hige (tail) never the me (eye, head what ever it is called). I had a moyashi stirfry a couple nighta ago using 2 bags, there is no way I was about to clean them like that It would ahve taken 30 minutes at least!

larb: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...t=12302&hl=larb

everything about cilantro is wonderful! It goes form SE Asian foods to Indian foods, over the middle east and all the way to Mexico. Snowangel I am so jealous of the price you get it for!!

Indian style (with potatoes and tomatoes), I added eggs to a Japanese style curry for the first time last night and found that quite good as well.

I dont need Martha or her magazine anymore Shielke. I got you! sigh Hey you two! go find your own thread! This is about Easter eggs for goodness sakes!