Konyaku Dreams

I am wearing both plaid pajama shorts and plaid socks right now. Overwhelming? Maybe. But I feel like a rebel, and so in this way I will remain.

Have you ever had konyaku? In English it's called "devil's tongue". Unfortunately its not so naughty-naughty as that makes it sound, it's basically this clear-grey-spotted jelly like substance that is packaged usually in the form of noodles or a thick cake. It's made from a sort of potato-like plant indigenous to Indonesia, or something? All I know is, it's good stuff. Weird as fluff, but good. It doesn't really have a taste, its just kind of refreshing and has this peculiar yet pleasant gelatinous-rubber bite. It also is supposed to have magical wonder super health food powers, which I guess can do no wrong, amirite!? Making its welcome appearance in many hot Japanese simmered dishes, konyaku is a common and cruelty-free ingredient.

Anyvazzz, the other day I went with some classmates to an izakaya, or traditional Japanese bar (they're great because they tend to offer a variety of unique veggie dishes), and a friend ordered dengaku konyaku on sticks. Dengaku is a sultry sweet miso sauce. And this combination was delightful. They were really yummy. Shy not away from its undeniable weirdness! For some reason, its color and rubbery earthyness combined with the sweet-salty miso made me feel like I was some sort of Japanese seaweed-haired swamp nymph munching eagerly on my findings. I wouldn't mind feeling like that again.
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Konyaku kontakt.

Come to think of it, it has the perfect texture to cut out fun jiggly shapes with cookie cutters for absolutely no reason. I made BBQ tofu "hearts" this summer, and let me tell you, it was quite a strange and satisfying thrill. Darnit! If only I could now justify acquiring a big slab of konyaku and a cookie cutter in the shape of a cat or gingerbread man, or something. I'm SO doing this when I have a kitchen again. While I make note of this, please feast your eyes on some tangy but visually blurry eggplant pickles and some strange bedfellows/friendly classmates:

Eggplant, Hana, Hide, more konyaku, funny guy whose name I don't remember, and myself with shiso leaf.


Moving along!
I'd like to once more congratulate America and Barack Obama on our wonderful, wonderful decision. I believe it's a very positive moment for Americans, and we should all be reveling in a happy fuzzy unity. And of course this means everybody, all parties. It's sad, to say the least, when people express their bitterness or discontent or even anger with Obama. I don't mean to pick bones, but please, let's just love. As Palin said herself, there is no time or need for negativity. Let's love, we're in this together.


Sheriff Obama says: "There's more than enough room for the two of us in this here county."