Ingredient Questions
#2172 - 03/08/03 09:14 AM
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Ever since I got Eating for IBS, I've been cooking with some new ingredients and I just had a couple of questions about some of them:
Does anyone know the difference in miso paste colors? I finally found some today. (I've been looking for awhile now.) They had red, white, & I think the other was brown. They also had flavored miso pastes. I ended up buying the red. I couldn't tell a difference in flavor or anything by the package, so I was wondering if there was a difference.
I also haven't been able to find Mushroom Soy Sauce. (I did find shoyu, so I can finally try the five-spice chicken--yeah!) I've been dying to try the Thai-Fried rice. Can I use something else, or does anyone maybe know where I could get this online?
The only other thing I can think of right now is what's the best way to store lemongrass once you bring it home.
Thanks!
Mags 
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Ahhh...exotic ingredients! My favorite!
Well, for the miso, in general the lighter the color, the sweeter and milder the flavor. White is the lightest, red tends to be the richest, though some of the deeper browns are very intense too. I keep white on hand as my default choice, but for miso soups I like red. Play around with the red paste you bouught - maybe use a little less than the recipe calls for at first, and then adjust to taste. There's a great cookbook called The Joy of Soy by Dana Jacobi, and she's got really in-depth info about miso and different recipes for the different varieties. But it's not like you can't mix and match to your own taste here, so have no fear.
Mushroom soy sauce is a Thai ingredient, and I usually see it in Southeast Asian Markets, though I've found it in one or two grocery stores in the Asian section. Healthy Boy is by far the best brand I've tasted. If you can't find it at all, see if you can find something called Thai Thin Soy Sauce, or Thai Light Soy Sauce. If you can't find that, check a health food market for Golden Mountain Sauce or Maggi Sauce. These are both very intense, so use a lot less of them than the mushroom soy sauce. They've got the same kind of flavor note, though, so the fried rice should be delicious. Maggi sauce is addictive!
I store lemongrass in the fridge - it seems to stay fresh longer and not dry out as quickly. This may not be the official best answer though - anyone else know?
My grandmother would be just tickled that you're making the 5-spice chicken. She learned that recipe at a Chinese cooking class when I was a little girl, and made it all the time when I was growing up. Hope you love it!
Best,
Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Mags - I don't know anything about lemon grass because I haven't used it but I am a gardener. Why not buy some at the nursery and plant it so you can have it fresh whenever you want it?
Sharon
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Sharon
"Anything Chocolate"...that is all!
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Sharon - That sounds like fun! I love trying to grow things. I'm not very good, but I like to try! Last summer I did herbs on the side of my house, but they fried in the horrendous heat from last summer, and any flower attempted, my dog dug up! I bought her a bone to try to distract her from my garden. You know what she did a half hour after I gave it to her--she buried it in the garden! Go figure!  I have had success with growing things in pots on my deck. Maybe I'll see if I can do that. Thanks for the idea!
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Mags - that's one of the many reasons I moved from NJ to CA--the heat in the summer.
I used to live in Somerdale which was about 50 miles north of Atlantic City (kinda near Philly and Cherry Hill). Lived there all my life and didn't know there were better climates anywhere until I came to CA on vacation to visit my sis. Wow, what a difference. I've only been back two times in 25 years--once so my Dad could meet my new husband and once when my Dad died. What part do you live in??
Sharon
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Sharon
"Anything Chocolate"...that is all!
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I love having all these new exotic things to try. I come across something every once in awhile that I've seen in the specialty ingredients, and I buy it. Kind of building a stock I guess you could say. It took me forever to find Mango Chutney. Then, after I finally found it (it was on the shelf over top of the red meat section at the grocery store). So, now of course, I ran across it again at another store, when I wasn't even looking for it. It's kind of like when you lose something and you tear the house apart looking for it and you never find it, but you do find something else you were trying to find two weeks ago. Sorry, started to kind of ramble there.... 
Anyway, I'm planning on using the miso tomorrow. I'm going to make the roasted miso salmon with rice, so I'll really be having it Monday night since it has to marinate. I know you said any kind was okay at the bottom of this recipe, that's why I figured it'd be safe, but I'll try a little taste when I open it, and maybe adjust the 1/3 cup.
I was at Whole Foods today looking for the Mushroom Soy Sauce. I did see a bunch of Thai sauces, so I'll check them out the next time I'm there.
When I buy the lemongrass at the store, they have them in an open refrigerated case in bunches standing up in a bucket with the ends in a little water. Maybe I'll try doing that with any leftover. I had some left from chicken satays I made last weekend. I did have it in the fridge. I'll have to check to see if it's still okay, I guess.
I can't wait to try the 5-spice chicken. I was so happy today when I found the shoyu. Now, I just don't know when to make it. Between all the yummy sounding recipes on this board, finding the ingredients to make new stuff from your book, plus stuff I've made from your book that have become favorites at our house, I think I've gone from "I don't know what to eat" to "I don't know what to eat next." And that is a good thing!
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Sharon - I'm from the Philly/Cherry Hill area. As a matter of fact, the Whole Foods I went to today was the Marlton one.
Last year was one of the worst summers I can remember. Then again, I may have felt it more since it was the worst one I've had since I've had IBS, so maybe I felt it more. But, in a way I think it was a blessing, because it's what finally got my butt to the doctor which led to my getting "officially diagnosed". I had started to feel like I was going to stop breathing and weight on my chest. I'm not positive, but I think I had a panic attack. I literally thought I was going to die. I'm not looking forward to the summer again. At least not the darn heat/humidity! Today may have been the first I've seen some grass in my yard for about a month, but at least I can breathe!
My boyfriend went to CA last year on business. He really liked it. I have a friend in Anaheim, but I've never been to CA myself.
Mags
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This is nothing about lemongrass, but I live in Mount Ephraim NJ. In fact, I was at the Whole Foods store in Marlton yesterday, stocking up on soy yogurt. Small worldm eh?
Karla
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It is a small world!
Mags
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Karla - I can't believe you live in Mt. Ephraim, NJ!! I used to live in Bellmawr and Somerdale before I moved to CA 25 years ago. Small world, isn't it??   I went to Triton Regional H.S. in Runnemede and graduated in 1963. Yeh, it was a long time ago, but I still can remember it like it was yesterday. My, oh my!
Sharon
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Sharon
"Anything Chocolate"...that is all!
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Karla/Mags - if you ever come to CA, be sure to tell me and maybe we can meet somewhere. That'd be great. We wouldn't criticize any of us for being picky at a restaurant, but we'd probably tick off the waitress and cook!!!!
Sharon
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Sharon
"Anything Chocolate"...that is all!
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Heather - I tried the salmon with the miso paste tonight. Very good. Will definitely be making again. But I don't think anything can top the maple glazed salmon with the wheat berries! That has to be the best version of salmon (and salmon is my FAVORITE!) I've ever had. I don't know how you ever came up with that recipe, but thanks!! It is definitely one of our regulars & favorites!
Mags
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