apart from anything else, you're getting awfully good at food photography

Thanks for the ideas about good ways to use zuchinni. In a month, I will probably be begging people for more zuchinni recipes.

How amazing, because I was just looking for a) zucchini recipes (I've never cooked with it before), and b) vegetarian pasta recipes. Could you link to the recipe please? :3

And while you're at it, could you recommend any recipes that worked for you when you were in Japan? Or any other veggie recipes that you think someone in Japan could make with the ingredients available? THANK YOU <33

I didn't use recipes, because I made these up! Here's How I do pasta:

-Boil whatever pasta, with plenty of salt and a little olive oil.
-Saute a bunch of things in olive oil. I always start with cherry tomatoes, garlic, and a small chili. Then I add a pinch of whatever I feel like. In this case, thinly sliced zucchini! I used the blackcurrants (just five or six) because I'm trying to use them up, and because I like the contrast of sweet and spicy. I'll use capers, olives, peas, whatever. Usually I'll add some protein, either beans or fake meat. Black beans and kidney beans go better than you'd think.
-Throw the cooked pasta into the pan with the sauteed things ,and toss for a couple of minues. You can add something crunchy, like fresh cilantro or parsley, at this time.
-Finish with black pepper and parmesan.

The "zucchini parmesan" was inspired by something antivert and I used to do with fish or chicken. I coated the zucchini slices with egg, covered them in breadcrumbs (made from a hamburger bun that wouldn't have survived the holiday I'm on now ~ I'm in Muscat!), then poured over it some butter I melted with garlic and oregano. Juiced a lemon, poured that over it as well, baked (I think 350 degrees for 20 minutes) and then squeezed more lemon juice over it while I ate it.

It was pretty good, because anything with that much garlic and lemon will be. It wasn't a meal, as there was hardly any protein. I wanted to use up the other half of this massive zucchini, and I ate it real quick before leaving for the airport...

Neha wants me to mention that veggies are good along the entire spectrum of raw -> cooked. Zucchini being a great example; it's so good raw and slightly cooked. The only way you can mess it up might be by boiling it. (Hi, Dad!)

One thing I made in Japan was cold, Korean noodle salad. Prepare soumen noodles. Mix with red pepper paste, a little honey ,sesame oil, maybe sesame seeds. And whatever vegetables ~ kimchee? Cucumber? Lettuce, piman, negi? And eat with a cold boiled egg, cut in half.

I used to make veggie gyoza, too, though that seems so involved I can't imagine doing it now.

Tom yum soup with carrots, mushrooms, hokusai (sp?), and tofu. No seafood required.

What else? It's weird how long ago that was. Fried rice. Pasta casseroles (can do white sauce with mushrooms and corn, I'd eat it with tabasco) but tricky to add protein...

To be continued. Pool time. :D