Food questions for those living in Japan

[Hiroyuki]

Have you decided where to get your rice?

I found two stores that sell Thai rice:

Murachin

This store also sells jasmine rice! It's been on my to-do list for years!

(But 750 yen per kg?! . Isn't that expensive?)

Nozawaya

Both stores are located in Center Biru (Building).

[prasantrin]

Have you decided where to get your rice?

I found two stores that sell Thai rice:

Murachin

This store also sells jasmine rice!  It's been on my to-do list for years!

(But 750 yen per kg?!     .  Isn't that expensive?)

Nozawaya

Both stores are located in Center Biru (Building).

←

Thanks! I usually just walk around and check out the different stores. There are usually one or two stores with slightly (very slightly) cheaper prices. I am a bit picky, though, and I prefer Golden Phoenix in the purple bag (or was it red?). I bought a bag of Golden Phoenix that looked similar to the rice sold at Murachin, and it wasn't very good at all!

For me, Y2800 for 5 kg is well worth the price. For the kind of food I eat, jasmine rice is a much better complement than Japanese rice. Plus I just like it better! (I'm half Thai, so that's what I grew up eating.)

[helenjp]

I've seen naturally pink rock salt for sale here. The Morton pink salt I was thinking of is dyed pink to alert customers to the fact that it contains saltpeter, for making hams, bacons etc. I probably shouldn't have called it pink salt, which is a confusing name...

[Hiroyuki]

Recent posts on the Japan Forum, coupled with the recent Fujiya scandal, have got me thinking about the difference between shouhi kigen and shoumi kigen.

In Japan's food labeling system, we have two very confusing terms:

Shoumi kigen 賞味期限 (best before date):

Indicated on conservable foods.

The shoumi kigen does not mean that the food expires on that date because the quality degrades slowly over time.

Shouhi kigen 消費期限 (use-by date):

Indicated on perishable foods.

The shoumi kigen means that the food must be consumed by that date.

Is their difference clear to you?

[prasantrin]

I found sausage casings at Ikari Supermarket! They were expensive--more than Y600 for 5 metres. But it's good to know that if I ever start making my own sausage, I can casings locally.

[Hiroyuki]

I've seen naturally pink rock salt for sale here. The Morton pink salt I was thinking of is dyed pink to alert  customers to the fact that it contains saltpeter, for making hams, bacons etc. I probably shouldn't have called it pink salt, which is a confusing name...

←

Today I saw small bottles of pink rock salt at the local Daiso 100-yen shop, 37 g per bottle if I remember correctly. I almost bought one, but I wasn't sure what I could do with it, so I didn't.

[helenjp]

I don't think there's any major benefit! It's just pretty. It has tiny amounts of other minerals in it...pink may be some form of potassium???

[smallworld]

I'm looking for two things: five-spice powder and preserved radish (used in Thai and Chinese cooking, also called hua chai po, preserved turnip, pickled radish, pickled turnip, salted radish, etc).

I suspect that they are not that hard to find here, if only I knew what they are called. I don't mind substituting-- I suppose I could make the five-spice powder myself, but what about the preserved radish?

So does anyone know what those two ingredients are in Japanese, where I can find them, or what I can use as a substitute for preserved radish?

[_john]

I'm looking for two things: five-spice powder and preserved radish (used in Thai and Chinese cooking, also called hua chai po, preserved turnip, pickled radish, pickled turnip, salted radish, etc).

I suspect that they are not that hard to find here, if only I knew what they are called. I don't mind substituting-- I suppose I could make the five-spice powder myself, but what about the preserved radish?

So does anyone know what those two ingredients are in Japanese, where I can find them, or what I can use as a substitute for preserved radish?

←

five spice is called 五香粉　gokoufun. most large supermarkets, especially departments stores, have a small chinese section. Mine came in a small beige resealable plastic package. There were other chinese ingredients in the same packaging black beans, star anise, etc.

preserved turnip is called ザーサイ zaasai I think. I can buy it at a Chinese supermarket here.

[smallworld]

Thanks! I'll keep my eyes open for gokofun. Wonder why I've never seen it before?

I'm pretty sure zasai is different from preserved radish though. But it might be a suitable substitute, given its high salt content. Thanks for the suggestion.

[_john]

has anyone used the flying pig before? I am thinking of ordering a few things but wanted to get the community's opinion first. I am not a costco member so it would be convenient for me I think. Peanut butter and oatmeal are very tempting.

[smallworld]

I use them and am very happy with the service. Very fast, and perhaps cheaper than Costco, if you consider the cost of membership, trainfare, and shipping fees involved in shopping there.

Watch out though, the amount of oatmeal you get is huge! Lasts me almost a year.

[prasantrin]

I think it depends on what you want to buy and how often you want to buy things.

If you don't care about selection, and would only buy things once or twice a year, then Flying Pig is probably a better option than a Costco membership.

But, for example, I buy almost all my meats and cheeses at Costco for a substantial savings, even when factoring in the membership and transportation costs (but I live fairly close to Costco). The cheese alone is about Y30/100g more expensive on Flying Pig than Costco. (I paid Y79/100, on Flying Pig it's something like Y120/100g). That Le Creuset pot is about Y2000 cheaper at Costco than on Flying Pig. I restock on meats, cheeses, and eggs every month, so it adds up to quite a bit of savings.

I think Foreign Buyers Club might be an even better option than Flying Pig. Membership is only Y1000/year, shipping is cheaper than Flying Pig, and the Costco/Kirkland items are just a touch more in price than Flying Pig. Plus you can buy a lot of other things, too. I used to get cases of stuff and share with friends. Some things aren't much cheaper than if you buy them at Meidiya or other foreign food stores, but many things are quite a bit cheaper (like root beer!).

For me, I would choose a Costco membership over an FBC membership, but an FBC membership over buying from Flying Pig. But living farther away (more than Y300 or Y400 one way), then my order of preference would be FBC, Flying Pig, then Costco (or maybe Costco then Flying Pig, depending on what I really want to buy).

Edited March 9, 2007 by prasantrin (log)

[_john]

I've been thinking of seeking out a few items I am looking for but though I would ask here first. I'm looking for kalamata olives and natural sausage casings (I saw a cheap sausage stuffer at Tokyu hands but I don't like the collagen casings.). also, what kind of olive oil do you buy/use?

[prasantrin]

I've been thinking of seeking out a few items I am looking for but though I would ask here first. I'm looking for kalamata olives and natural sausage casings (I saw a cheap sausage stuffer at Tokyu hands but I don't like the collagen casings.). also, what kind of olive oil do you buy/use?

←

I'm not sure if they have kalamata, specifically, but the Seijoishi in Hankyu Umeda Station has a decent selection of olives. The Burdigala Bakery on B2 at Herbis (not Herbis Ent) also has very small packets of olives in brine. They were quite nice, but I can't remember if they were kalamata.

[_john]

I've been thinking of seeking out a few items I am looking for but though I would ask here first. I'm looking for kalamata olives and natural sausage casings (I saw a cheap sausage stuffer at Tokyu hands but I don't like the collagen casings.). also, what kind of olive oil do you buy/use?

←

I'm not sure if they have kalamata, specifically, but the Seijoishi in Hankyu Umeda Station has a decent selection of olives. The Burdigala Bakery on B2 at Herbis (not Herbis Ent) also has very small packets of olives in brine. They were quite nice, but I can't remember if they were kalamata.

←

Kalamata-ish olives would be good enough. I have feverish dreams about the olive bar at Berkeley Bowl in the Bay area. I'll check it out thanks.

[torakris]

They didn't have fresh casings at the Tokyu Hands? The, not even very big, Tokyu Hands by me had a couple kinds of casings just last month. I wonder if they sell them online.

When I couldn't find them a couple years ago I asked at a nearby sausage shop where I could buy them and they ended up selling me some of theirs...

Kalamata olives can usually be found at any international type supermarket/import shop. There is one Japanese brand (I believe it is Japanese) the label is all in Japanese that I like but I can't remember what it is now. It is quite a bit cheaper than the imported brands and tastes decent. I buy them at Nissin in Tokyo and I will post a picture next time I get them.

[Pouncy]

They didn't have fresh casings at the Tokyu Hands? The, not even very big, Tokyu Hands by me had a couple kinds of casings just last month. I wonder if they sell them online.

When I couldn't find them a couple years ago I asked at a nearby sausage shop where I could buy them and they ended up selling me some of theirs...

←

I believe The Meat Guy sells casings. I'm picking up curing salt when I'm on holdiay in Seattle.

[_john]

What do you request from home (wherever that might be) when people come to visit Japan? I've been left scratching my head when people ask me what I want. I know there is something I should be asking them for but I can never remember it when they ask. Out of sight out of mind I guess. I'm hoping some of your desires might remind me of something I'm missing. Necessities? Luxuries?

[helenjp]

I do use the Flying Pig - especially handy when I don't want an entire case of something from FBC, but I want more than 1. An added bonus is that I can adjust my order as I go along to fit in a certain number of boxes.

Costco is about an hour away for me, and if I pay to have my shopping sent home, Flying Pig is often a better option.

Stuff to have brought to Japan....Cream of tartar? Pectin for jam-making? Certain dried fruits for Christmas cake-baking?

[prasantrin]

Stuff from home: Old Dutch BBQ chips, almond joy, nuts that are far cheaper back home than in Japan (pecans, for example), corn tortillas

I often bring back things I use with great frequency that are much much cheaper back home, but I only do that if I have room in my suitcases. Those aren't usually things I would ask people to bring over, though.

[buffy]

I don't know if you have found your sausage casings or not yet, but I recently saw them for sale by The meat guy. They have both natural lamb and pork casings. They are towards the bottom of the page I have linked to.

sausage casings

[helenjp]

Oh yes! Honey!

[prasantrin]

FYI, if you're in the Kansai area and wanting Kosher salt, Kobe Grocers has exactly 2 large boxes of Kosher salt--the one in the dark blue box with a picture of a girl on the front. I can't remember the brand. I didn't see a price, though.

[_john]

I'm set for kosher salt for the moment. if it had a girl on it I'm guessing it was Morton. Do you know the Thai grocery store on a side street of Kuromon Ichiba (クンテープ)? They had Thai rice last time I went, around 2000¥ for 5kg. if I remember correctly. I also stumbled on a fantastic parma ham, european cheese, cured meat, and more varieties of alcohol than you can shake a stick at shop off shinsaibashi shopping street in minamisemba. the name is Bon repas ボン レパ.