SC - Suggestions & Review Requested.

[Jim Revells]

Elaine Koogler wrote:

>     Apricot kernel paste

Sweetened or not? If sweetened, you can use commercial almond paste
(bitter almond flavoring is made, in part, from apricot kernels, IIRC).
If not sweetened, ground blanched almonds alone or mixed with lotus
seeds (the latter also available commercially as a paste, but sweetened,
or as whole seeds unsweetened) whizzed up in the food processor with
just enough water added to make a paste and not a powder, would make a
reasonably good substitute.

>     Tsaoko Cardamom (large black cardamom pods)

Try looking for the large pods sold as "Cochin Chinese Cardamom"

>     Mei (described as salted, pickled white Chinese plum)

Kinda like a very dry yellow prune coated with salt, and five spice,
often. Available in several forms, I gather the name simply means plum.
There are also really sweet ones that are like a black pitted prune
coated with powdered licorice, and these are sticky so are usually sold
individually wrapped, with or without pits. I believe I've seen plain
little yellow plums, brined and then dried, they look almost like green
olives. This is probably what you're slooking for. 

>     Chestnuts

Good Asian groceries sell these (as well as the others) shelled and
peeled. They are dried, hard as a rock and take forever to cook, but are
available year round and are cheaper than any European-style chestnut
product except for fresh chestnuts in season.  
 
> If any of you know and can get back to me by tomorrow, I'd be really
> grateful.  I've now reconstructed two of the recipes and they came out
> pretty well, though the proper kind of cardamom would make a tremendous
> difference in the lamb/mutton stew I'm making!

If you'll let me know what you're using this stuff for (for example,
does the kernel paste get sweetened?) and the quantities needed, I maybe
able to locate some of this stuff and send it down to Maryland.
Alternately, I gather there are at least a couple of decent Asian
groceries in the Baltimore area.

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com