Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: Ingredient Questions

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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