Hi, anonymous. I doubt it matters much, but udon are supposed to be very chewy, so I’d recommend the bread flour.

Why roasted? Because they taste better. Freshly roasting your own is the tastiest, but commercially roasted seeds can be quite good. Also, you can lightly toast them again to bring out the flavor.

Anonymous, a good source for sesame seeds is an east or south Asian market with finicky customers and lots of turnover. Sesame seeds have the hull removed for appearance, mildness of flavor, and better storage properties, but I prefer seeds with the hull on. A little bitterness is fine with me.

If it tastes lousy, it’s rancid. You can sometimes smell if it’s off, but you can’t beat a taste test.

White sesame seeds with hulls aren’t particularly brown, more beige.

Hi, Gabrielle. I find it’s really easy to burn the aromatics, and if you add them at the end, you minimize their contact with the hot pan. Yes, traditionally it’s done the other way. I don’t know what the trick is. (If any readers know, please divulge!)

Best,
Matthew

Brian, you’re not going to believe this, but I have exchanged email with the hand-hammered wok guy. Major (wok-)brush with greatness.

anonymous, a stainless steel wok is problematic at best. It won’t season up into a natural nonstick coating, so some foods will always stick, especially to the sides. I’d consider a cheap carbon steel wok or a cast iron skillet.

Adam, it’s great to see you writing for Culinate. I still make your milkshakes all the time. Even in winter. Possibly this afternoon.

One other thing I mentioned during the chat is that my favorite Japanese tea supplier, o-cha.com, is in Fukushima prefecture. The owner is fine and his office wasn’t badly damaged, and he’s working hard to get his business back online. I have no relationship with this company other than as a satisfied customer, but I’d like to see their business survive, because the product is phenomenal. If you like green tea, I hope you’ll join me in ordering from them once they’re back (follow @bestgreentea on Twitter).

If you’re not sure what to buy, I recommend the Kagoshima Sencha Sae Midori.

Best,
Matthew

Hooray for lard!

One note: boxed lard is partially hydrogenated and contains trans fats, but it’s still mostly monounsaturated fat. Also, it doesn’t have much flavor. Still, though, it makes a pretty good pie crust.

It’s this one:

http://canada.lkk.com/commonCA/Consumer/ConsumerProductDetail.aspx?Catalog=LKK&OID=2&MaterialCode=7

Enjoy!

Matthew

If you like brown rice, you’re going to like fried brown rice. It’s actually easier because the grains are naturally more separate; you can use any kind of brown rice.

Katie, if you make your entertainment decisions based on how they will fare when the electrical grid fails, I’m not sure how to respond to that.

As for whether ebooks should be DRM-free so that customers control the books they bought, yes, they absolutely should, and it’s frustrating that the publishing industry seems determined to repeat the mistakes of the music industry in this regard.

Katie, I’d love to discuss this topic with you...but it would be nice if you read the column first.

anonymous, the garlic is used separately as an aromatic in the recipe, not as part of the sauce. I would bet the term “fish-fragrant” isn’t supposed to signify that the sauce smells like fish, since fishiniess is generally considered a sin in Chinese cookery. Right?

Yes, Kelly, I think that’s more than possible. I’d love the opportunity to try a professional induction surface.

Of all of the food-related threats to our health, I think salt is the most absolutely overblown.

As Sandy Szwarc writes:

“The best science for nearly half a century — including the government’s own findings on examinations reflecting 99 million Americans; more than 17,000 studies published since 1966; and even a recent Cochrane systematic review of the clinical trial evidence — fails to support the hypotheses that salt reductions offer health benefits for the general public. Cochrane’s reviewers specifically concluded that such interventions are inappropriate for population prevention programs.”

link

Salt is wonderful. It’s the most versatile ingredient in the kitchen; it’s inexpensive and makes everything delicious. Reducing salt intake is one of the most difficult dietary interventions to stick with, and it has never shown a benefit for anyone other than a subgroup of hypertensives.

As food writers, we should strongly oppose this unscientific crusade against one of our favorite things, even if that means we’re standing with makers of yucky frozen foods or whatever.

Marissa, I don’t mean to level this diatribe at you. I appreciate your big-picture focus!

I love the herb or spice crust, too, Carrie. As for oil, any high-heat-compatible oil will work well...but let me put a vote in for lard. Fish and lard have an amazing and surprising affinity.

I thought about whether to refer to her as “the late Laurie Colwin,” but she’s one of the all-time greatest food writers and died 18 years ago. I imagine her joining me for a picnic in the same way I’d invite Julia Child or Roy Andries de Groot. It’s a tribute.

I agree that it does read a little weird, and I’m sorry that it bothered you.

Not soon enough, I’m afraid! I’m just getting started.