StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Or, here, we write about yummy things that not everyone knows about, but everyone should try.

I'll start it off with Ataulfo mangoes which are currently in peak season. If you've never had one of these before, your first reaction will be along the lines of "OMG, so this is what a real mango tastes like?! What were those yucky mango-like things I've been eating before?" When they're ripe, Ataulfos have a very rich & sweet flavour, I think it's best described as a mix of pineapple, peach, and banana, it's like melt in your mouth goodness. And they're healthy & nutritious. Store them in a room until they're a rich golden yellow, then refrigerate, they'll keep for about a week in the fridge depending on how ripe they are.

We buy them by the case from the Asian grocery stores, but many of the larger supermarkets have them as well and I've even seen them in the produce section at Walmart.

In no particular order:

1. Plantains - can range from a potato to a more banana flavor depending on how ripe they are

2. Fried Yucca - better texture and taste than fried potatos

3. Rinder Rouladen - tender, tasty, delicious

4. Paella or Etouffee - good all-round tasty rice dishes

5. Toro sushi/sashimi - Luxuriously fatty tuna that just melts in your mouth - try to avoid bluefin for sustainability reasons

6. 干炒牛河 Beef flat noodle (oily, wok-fried egg noodles that are ~3cm wide. They're chewy and delicious)

7. Saag (paneer, gosht, etc) - It's a great spinach sauce that goes great on any meat or tofu.

I'm a big fan of Quinoa. The best way I can describe the texture is imagine somebody took rice and blended it with grits.

And for something less healthy caramel flan is absolutely sinful.

Yellowtail collar. Grilling it is simply beyond this world.

I don't like quinoa very much. Just tastes like a bastardized version of brown rice. Which I don't much like, either.

Now, couscous, that shit is awesome.

Also, pho.

Katsudon. Tenderized pork chop breaded in panko and fried. Chopped into bits and put in a bowl with rice and a scrambled egg. A traditional Japanese comfort food. My wife grew up with the stuff and I fell in love with it after my first bite.

Good tonkotsu ramen.

A properly marinated and cooked American Bison Steak. It's a very hearty lean red meat but without the nasty risk of BSE or Scrapie.

The Jester wrote:Good tonkotsu ramen.

I can second this. Are you thinking of a specific place in Sydney?

Brussels sprouts. Not boiled. Boiling them should be considered a violation of the Geneva Convention, according to this one dude on the internet. (Me)

^I will second them.

Oh and everybody should learn to appreciate good souced herring.

Asian Pears: delicious, juicy and crisp in all the right ways.

Zor

Gandalf wrote:

The Jester wrote:Good tonkotsu ramen.

I can second this. Are you thinking of a specific place in Sydney?

Having tried every noteworthy ramen place in Sydney, there are three places that I'd consider good ramen.

1) Ryo's in Crows Nest. They have the richest broth but it's a tad on the salty side which I attribute to Sydney-siders having a preference to more salty food. They always have a long queue for dinner.

2) Manpuku in Kingsford. Not quite as rich as Ryo's but also less salty. They've also opened a restaurant in Chatswood. It's not quite as good as Kingsford, but it's pretty good (and reachable by train).

3) Yasaka Ramen in the CBD. Not quite as good as the other two but they're notable in that they're the only place that serves good tsukemen (dipping noodles).

Halloumi. Cut into flat half-centimetre slices, grill until golden brown, crush roasted walnuts on top and trickle acacia honey over it. Goes well with rucola-quinoa salad. Even better, do this on a toasted sandwich with the Halloumi in the middle.

General Zod wrote:I'm a big fan of Quinoa. The best way I can describe the texture is imagine somebody took rice and blended it with grits.

It's also insanely good for you, with a shitload of protein and complex carbs, with almost no fat or simple carbs. That is, of course, until you add a fuckload of butter (I also recommend salt, which is also not great for your health but for different reasons), and onions and garlic, which makes it actually taste good.

Fresh mangosteens. Shame they're impossible to find in the DC area.

Ramen is great, but you can't walk more than a few blocks without hitting a ramen joint in NYC. All the best ones are in Chinatown though.

Ranier Cherries are also another great fruit in season now.