ask Mikey, he'll eat anything...
August 6, 2008 8:00 PM Subscribe
Can anyone identify the mystery ingredient?
I decided on Korean food tonight, ordering the seafood stir fry somethingorother. This is a shot of the leftovers. The item in question is the brown strips. On examination in the restaurant, my dining companion and I were both of the opinion that it was animal tissue of some sort. I was hoping it was a gourd strip. It was not. It appeared to have a body cavity of some sort. Marine worm? Random body part? Does anyone know? Thanks in advance!
I decided on Korean food tonight, ordering the seafood stir fry somethingorother. This is a shot of the leftovers. The item in question is the brown strips. On examination in the restaurant, my dining companion and I were both of the opinion that it was animal tissue of some sort. I was hoping it was a gourd strip. It was not. It appeared to have a body cavity of some sort. Marine worm? Random body part? Does anyone know? Thanks in advance!
I dunno, kind of looks like strips of portobello mushroom to me.
posted by als129 at 8:12 PM on August 6, 2008
posted by als129 at 8:12 PM on August 6, 2008
Response by poster: It definitely was not portobello, and if it is gosari, would it have leaves or something that would identify it as a plant? It is a squishy, brown tube. No appendages or anything.
posted by bolognius maximus at 8:21 PM on August 6, 2008
posted by bolognius maximus at 8:21 PM on August 6, 2008
Best answer: In Korean cooking gosari is typically used in dried form. When rehydrated it looks like squishy brown tubes. Here's is what cooked gosari looks like.
posted by needled at 8:30 PM on August 6, 2008
posted by needled at 8:30 PM on August 6, 2008
Response by poster: I am still suspicious and think that they put marine worms in there (it WAS the seafood option), but I will take your word for it. Thanks, needled.
posted by bolognius maximus at 8:34 PM on August 6, 2008
posted by bolognius maximus at 8:34 PM on August 6, 2008
Needled is right. That's called zenmai or warabi (can't tell which from your pic) in Japanese. Very common.
posted by misozaki at 9:06 PM on August 6, 2008
posted by misozaki at 9:06 PM on August 6, 2008
Lilly buds?
posted by Good Brain at 9:57 PM on August 6, 2008
posted by Good Brain at 9:57 PM on August 6, 2008
I've had lots of that. That is rehydrated fern. Common in bulgoki, sulgoki fries, and cold soups.
posted by sourwookie at 11:51 PM on August 6, 2008
posted by sourwookie at 11:51 PM on August 6, 2008
Rest assured, of all the somewhat questionable things both my Korean grandmother and mother have thrown in a pot, I have NEVER been fed worms. Marine or land-dwelling.
Fish-head soup, yes. Gosari, sure (it smells SO bad when being cooked...SO BAD). Dried squid for snacking (the suckers on the tentacles are so deliciously crispy!) - grand.
Be safe in the knowledge you were not fed worms. :)
posted by InfinateJane at 4:35 AM on August 7, 2008
Fish-head soup, yes. Gosari, sure (it smells SO bad when being cooked...SO BAD). Dried squid for snacking (the suckers on the tentacles are so deliciously crispy!) - grand.
Be safe in the knowledge you were not fed worms. :)
posted by InfinateJane at 4:35 AM on August 7, 2008
Mod note: Late-breaking snark-and-response removed. Save the dripping sarcasm for elsewhere, please.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:26 AM on August 7, 2008
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:26 AM on August 7, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by needled at 8:09 PM on August 6, 2008 [1 favorite]