Japanese foods-- yasai

[Hiroyuki]

I sometimes put them into my gyoza stuffing 

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Nira reba

[torakris]

Kristin, maybe you could append the thread title to include "Nira." That would avoid confusion when somebody does a search in the future.

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Done! Not sure why I didn't think of that....

I was trying to figure out out nira could be mistaken for shikora and I realized it was because I kept seeing the words in English. When you look at them in Japanese it is really obvious...

しこら shikora

にら nira

[sanrensho]

I was trying to figure out out nira could be mistaken for shikora and I realized it was because I kept seeing the words in English. When you look at them in Japanese it is really obvious...

しこら  shikora

にら  nira

Brilliant deductive powers, Kirstin! I would never have thought of that. Using that font, my four-year old would probably read that as (ichi)kora.

[Salli Vates]

That's exactly why I saw it as shikora

I guess I need more practice reading kana.

Done! Not sure why I didn't think of that....

I was trying to figure out out nira could be mistaken for shikora and I realized it was because I kept seeing the words in English. When you look at them in Japanese it is really obvious...

しこら  shikora

にら  nira

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[Hiroyuki]

Detective Kris

Salli Vates:

What did you make with your nira after all??

[Salli Vates]

I'm so sorry, but after all of that, I must shamefully admit that I did not get to use it in time and had to discard it! But at least the next time I buy the nira I will know what it is.

Detective Kris    

Salli Vates:

What did you make with your nira after all??

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[GlorifiedRice]

What are some of your favorite Japanese vegetables or Japanese style of preparation?

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I LOVE mixed veggies with Shira-ae or Goma-ae....

I just tasted raw okra today, dipped in Goma-ae...

YUMMY!

Are there any more Japanese dressings for veggies I can make?

[Hiroyuki]

What are some of your favorite Japanese vegetables or Japanese style of preparation?

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I LOVE mixed veggies with Shira-ae or Goma-ae....

I just tasted raw okra today, dipped in Goma-ae...

YUMMY!

Are there any more Japanese dressings for veggies I can make?

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You can also make bainiku-ae, if you like umeboshi.

1 tbsp umeboshi flesh

1 tbsp mirin

1/2 tbsp soy sauce

I found one recipe for bainiku-ae in English.

If you want Japanese dressings, try these once in a while, which I have already posted somewhere else:

1. Mix vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil at a ratio of 1:1:0.5.

2. Mix:

4 tbsp ground white sesame seeds

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp sugar

3. Simply mix yuzu juice, soy sauce, and dashi to make an instant, fresh ponzu-like sauce. Add vinegar and sugar to taste.

[Lynn Shipp]

I didn't want to create another thread so I thought I would take my question on to this thread. Is there something you can substitute for Daikon if you can find it?

[torakris]

I think it would depend on what you want to use it for. If you want to use it raw (like julienned ) in a salad, jicama would be a good substitute. If you are simmering it, try another root vegetable. The taste would be different obviously but it would still make a good dish, try turnips, carrots, potatoes, even rutabagas or lotus root.

If you need it grated I think you are out of luck.

[Lynn Shipp]

The idea I want to try is from a blogger.

Her recipe calls for

1. Mixing of ground beef/pork with green onion and chopped mushrooms, and then adds some spice such as Ajinomoto and Yuzu chilli, salt and pepper, and Mirin/sake.

2. Slicing of Daikon really thin and wraps them in a wet paper towel and microwaves for about 1 min.

3. Wrapping of the meat in Daikon and Shizo leaf.

4. Finally, Grilling them in sesame oil.

Since you mention another Root vegetable, I suppose I could try potato. They would probably hold up better in this instance.

[Hiroyuki]

If you decide to use potatoes, I would suggest sandwiching the ground meat between two thin slices of potato rather than rolling, much in the same way as you would make renkon no hasami age (ground meat sandwiched between two slices of lotus root and then deep-fried).

From Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji:

Happily, there are some Western radish varieties that will substitute adequately for daikon, and these may be pruchased in supermarkets... (omitted) Sometimes they are simply marked as "oriental types."

Do you think you can find such varieties in your area?

[Lynn Shipp]

If you decide to use potatoes, I would suggest sandwiching the ground meat between two thin slices of potato rather than rolling, much in the same way as you would make renkon no hasami age (ground meat sandwiched between two slices of lotus root and then deep-fried).

From Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji:

Happily, there are some Western radish varieties that will substitute adequately for daikon, and these may be pruchased in supermarkets... (omitted) Sometimes they are simply marked as "oriental types."

Do you think you can find such varieties in your area?

There is a possibility. I will have to check.

Thank you Hiroyuki-san for your recommendations.

[Blether]

As Prawncrackers pointed out recently, you may get daikon in Indian / Pakistani / Caribbean stores, by the name 'mooli'. Maybe Indo-Pak superstore, "8101 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23294. Cross Street: Between Old Parham Rd and Carousel Ln".

Edited September 29, 2009 by Blether (log)

[Lori D]

Richmond Oriental, at 431 East Belt Boulevard, is a Korean grocery store. They probably have daikon.

[Lynn Shipp]

I actually believe I have found a small Japanese market near the city's shopping district. I am going to check it out.