Sunday, April 30, 2017

Asian Market Haul, Plus More!

So I was going to go to Trader Joe's yesterday, but it was a little later than usual and I just didn't feel up to dealing with the crowds. I decided that since I was already on the bus that takes me to the Asian market I would just go there. I don't know what I was thinking because the Asian market was a zoo just like Trader Joe's on a Saturday. The last time I went to that market it was a weekday and it was nice and relaxing and calm. Oh well, you live and learn right? I did okay with the crowds at first, but when I got honked at by some little kids in those huge car carts I knew it was time to wrap it up and exit with the quickness. I forgot to get jackfruit which is what I most wanted, but that's okay.

I had to get this shot of the beautiful snow capped mountains from outside the store. It's probably the last time they'll be covered in snow for awhile. There is a strip club, I'm sorry "Gentleman's Club" right next to the market, and I could hear the thumping bass. Those clubs are depressing enough at night, but it reaches new levels of sadness to me when they're open during the day on a beautiful sunny day.
They have so many different Miso pastes! I'm so used to seeing only a few at regular stores this was pretty amazing!
Fried tofu,Persian cucumbers,Chinese Eggplant,coconut milk,soy sauce,sriracha,split mung beans,rice noodles,Jasmine rice,more tofu,genmaicha tea,wasabi paste,mochi,red and yellow onion, green onion and nori wraps
I am so excited that I found split mung beans! Now I can make proper kitchari! I've been using split red lentils which are fine, but traditional kitchari is made with yellow split mung beans and I couldn't find them anywhere!! They also had Persian cucumbers on sale for $.50 a pound!! I got two pounds for one dollar! Deal of the century! All in all it was worth dealing with crowds and getting honked at. But when I go back it will definitely be during the week!
I had picked this up to sip on while I waited for my bus not knowing what to expect. Well, it is maybe the most delicious thing I've ever drank in my life. It's the sap from a coconut tree, and it tastes like liquid cupcakes or birthday cake. Now, I know that might sound sickly sweet, but it wasn't. There is no sugar in this, and it's sweet in the way that dates or raisins are. Sweet but naturally so. I sucked this down so fast and wished I had bought more. If you ever see palm juice anywhere you should try it, it is AHMAZING!
For dinner I made miso glazed eggplant with the Chinese eggplant that I bought. I have seen this dish several times on Susan's blog and it always looks so good. But I can never find Chinese eggplant, and I have a track record of failure when it comes to cooking regular eggplant. This was a success and it was delicious! I threw in a few cubes of fried tofu because why not. I kind of used this recipe, except I changed everything! I sliced the eggplant in circles, and I have no miren or sake, so I just used some rice wine vinegar. I also added some chili garlic sauce cause we all know I love my spice! This was a delicious meal. I've never used miso for anything other than soup!
My neighbor across the street have this in their yard for sale. How awesome is it? I so wish I had a yard, or room for it in my apartment. I've never seen anything like it and it makes me smile!
Speaking of things that make me smile, I love this picture of Etta and Afro. It looks like Etta is holding Afro down. She isn't, but it cracked me up!






10 comments:

  1. Liquid cupcakes? Sign me up! Don't you just love it when you take a chance on a product and it exceeds your hopes? (Sometimes you can't really have expectations). At Big Lots here they sell something in the chip aisle called cassava chips made from taro root and they have a barbecue flavor I adore - light and airy and baked, not fried. There's a Persian market by me that sells some drink that's tamarind (?) flavored and with some other weird-to-me sounding drinks but maybe I should be more adventurous and try them :)

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    1. Oops- meant to say cassava chips are from yuca not taro root. Eating some right now... :)

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    2. I think I saw those chips at Big Lots too. I'm going back sometime this week to stock up on condiments, and I'll have to pick some up. I love BBQ chips, and I don't think I've ever had yucca root!
      It is scary trying new beverages. I looked at so many at the Asian Market, and sometimes when you don't know what the ingredients are it's even scarier! But I do love it so much when a risk pays off.
      The palm juice was definitely a huge win!

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  2. I think asian eggplant is easier to cook with- just my person experience as well.

    I'll have to pick up that palm juice next time I go to my local Asian market!

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    1. I agree about the eggplant. It was so much easier and much tastier. No weird bitterness.
      The palm juice is so so good. I wish I would have bought more than one bottle!

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  3. The nearest Asian market to us is about a twenty minute drive (on the highway) so I don't get there often - maybe two or three times a year. But man, I cannot believe how inexpensive their produce is compared to a store like Whole Foods. The Asian place carries certain items I can't get at a normal supermarket (like burdock root and baby bok choy) and it if I try to get it a Whole Foods it's like ten times the price!

    I'll have to give Asian eggplant a try. I find that if I make anything other than eggplant parm, the eggplant gets soggy and unpleasant.

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    1. I know, the prices are shocking. They're also so much cheaper for things like sauces, and nori wraps and just really everything. It makes it worth the treacherous commute on my least favorite bus.
      I had such success with the Chinese eggplant. Like night and day compared to the big eggplant. I even fail with eggplant Parm!

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  4. I've never seen palm juice, but it sounds delicious! I will keep an eye out for it.

    I am glad you enjoyed the miso eggplant!

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    1. The palm juice is so, so delicious! Like a sweet liquid treat!
      I loved the miso eggplant! I had never used miso for anything other than soup, so it was fun finding a different use for it! Thanks for the idea, I had never heard of that dish before!

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  5. LOVED seeing/hearing/reading about your Asian Market trips and other trips! YEARS ago there were a few Erie Asian Markets but I wasn't able to get to them during open hours. Wish there was one nearby that I could frequent.

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