Plain Yogurt: Discovery of the Week

The discovery of the week is . . . *drumroll please* . . . PLAIN YOGURT (138 yen for about 2 cups)! I never thought something so plain and frankly unedible on its own could be so good as a condiment for savory foods. Just about everything I've eaten as a meal this week has benefitted from a dollop of plain yogurt. I've always wondered why it comes in giant (for Japan) containers at ALL the grocery stores!

This morning, I mixed some of it into my omlette. It made the eggs much fluffier than usual. The omlette also contained tomatoes and carmelized onion. I added some basil and garnished with another dollop of plain yogurt. The creamy tang of the yogurt really compliments most foods.

From Oki Eats - 大きい　イーツ！

Yesterday, I spread the yogurt on buttered French bread toast and topped it all with honey. Delectable! Sweet things really benefit from a little sour.

It also went well with lasagna, as well as my Vietnamese chicken vegetable rice.

From Oki Eats - 大きい　イーツ！

And this doesn't really count, but I will admit to a longstanding love affair with "sour" frozen yogurt such as Fiore, Pinkberry, and Red Mango. It's funny that there is a complete dearth of anything remotely resembling this supposedly "Asian" phenomenon in Okinawa. Walking through Westwood last May, I couldn't help but notice that there was a "healthy/sour/plain" frozen yogurt shop on at least every block!

By the way, Fiore and Red Mango are far superior in taste to any of the other sour froyo places I've tried. Believe you me, I've tried plenty. There was a kiwiberri a few blocks away from my dorm in college, and I went there an average of twice a week for two years. Despite such loyal patronship, I will say that the somewhat icy flavor of kiwiberri is inferior to most others. On the heirarchy of sour frozen yogurts, as far as creaminess and depth of flavor, this is the heirarchy:

Fiore >Red Mango > Pinkberry > Kiwiberri > Yogurtland

Someone should really open a franchise in Okinawa.