SABOTEN PAWAA~: Hello from Arizona!

[miwasatoshi]

Hello, everyone!

My name is Carlos, but folks on the Internet tend to call me Miwa, as I use this name fairly frequently, so that's fine too. I'm currently a senior at Arizona State University majoring in Japanese, and I will be looking to teach English somewhere in Japan within the next year or two. I've been to Japan before, thanks to a summer program in 2005 at Hiroshima Shudo University -- I can't wait to come back.

I've been interested in Japanese culture since childhood, though a lot of my more recent studies were admittedly spurred on some interest in manga and anime. These days, I'm more interested in wildlife, and finding some way to obtain Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki (alas, but a pipe dream here in Arizona).

I was referred by doinkies -- she's been a regular at my forums for years now -- and I recognize a couple of others in here.

Cheers!

(I'll probably post again later in the 自己紹介 forum when I'm at a computer that actually has the proper IME!)

 

[made of stone]

Hi there, miwasatoshi :joyful:

Nice to meet you here, I hope you'll enjoy your stay and post lots.

A very nice, informative intro from yourself!

I feel for you - i'm going to cook either negiyaki or Hiroshima-yaki (or is it modanyaki?) tonight.

In my case I buy the okonomiyaki 'powder' (flour) from a Japanese supermarket in London, and yakisoba-type noodles from my local supermarket (small town one). Can't you get those kind of noodles in Arizona anywhere? An Asian or even Chinese supermarket? If you get those you don't need the 'powder' that I buy - you can just mix up your own batter mix. There are (a few) good recipes on the web for that

Good luck in your culinary quest!

 

[Absolute Zero]

Hello and welcome, new person. Welcome to the site and enjoy your stay at Jref.

 

[miwasatoshi]

I'm pretty sure acquiring the ingredients would actually be rather simple - in addition to Lee Lee's (the massive Asian supermarket in Chandler), there's also the local minimart, Fujiya, in Tempe, less than a mile from Arizona State University. It's like someone took a full-service konbini out of Japan and plopped it in a suburban Arizona strip mall; the effect is somewhat bizarre but nonetheless welcome.

Problem is, I am thoroughly inept in a kitchen!

 

[leonmarino]

Welcome to the forum Miwasatoshi!! Enjoy your stay.

If you get those you don't need the 'powder' that I buy - you can just mix up your own batter mix. There are (a few) good recipes on the web for that

I just used some Dutch mix for making pancakes (or rather crepes) when making okonomiyaki the last time and it tasted GREAT. It's wondrous how good mix, cabbage, pork and bull-dog sauce taste together.

 

[made of stone]

What? You can't mix an egg with some flour, heat a little of that mixture in some medium-hot oil, put cooked noodles on top, pour over more batter, and flip to finish cooking when it's ready???? (Including a few simple ingredients as you wish, such as prawns, chopped cabbage and spring onions, and pouring over a few simple toppings at the end of course).

Even Neolithic man was more adventurous with his cooking!!

Next you'll be telling us how much you miss having your shoelaces tied-up since you left kindergaten!! :bikkuri:

Lol, just joking fella ;-) I appreciate you may not be too much into cooking yet, but if you miss that food so much you must try it! And it sounds like you have the ready ingredients at hand. Cookery is a marvellous thing - start slowly bit by bit, and you'll soon learn more and enjoy preparing everything fresh.

All the best to you, o-hungry one!

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Welcome to JREF! Often people refer to me as "Mikawa" online, so I feel we share a bond of nomenclature! It's close, after all!

Enjoy, and I'm glad to see that you are already actively participating!

 

[Sarapva]

Welcome to the forum, Miwasatoshi! All the cooking talk is making me hungry!!