> > course flamboyantly gay, had lived in that
> > earlier time, they might have been a good 
> > influence on each other.
> Or a bad one; I can just see the two of them egging each other on. 

Sort of like the Monty Python Prince of Wales sketch.

> > or cheap, and the hotel less than half what
> > a similar one in New York would ring up at,
> There used to be some nice places down there, but obviously I'd sleep in my
> own bed. That's even cheaper.  

Especially if you don't go.

> > > > do with mung beans.
> > > I'd take a crack at it. 
> > If you fail, you can just say you munged it up.
> Bean known to happen.

Not if you use your noodle.

> > There are two schools of Ants climbing trees: the
> > soft version, which I posted, and the hard version,
> > which looks more like ants climbing trees. I've
> > made both and used to prefer the crunchy type, but
> > now the ordinary one has acquired its appeal as well,
> > not least foolproofness and ease.
> No deep-frying of bean threads.  That's probably best down in a restaurant
> kitchen. Or outdoors. 

It's fairly easy, as I recall. Just don't
overload the pan. The large amount of oil can
be excused by that it mostly doesn't get
absorbed, plus the bean threads don't add much
if any contamination.

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.01

      Title: Bean Thread Salad (Yum Woon Sen)
 Categories: Thai, Salads
      Yield: 4 servings

           Stephen Ceideburg                        -mushrooms, thinly
sliced
    1/4 c  Large dried shrimp                  1    Celery stalk, thinly
sliced
      2 oz Mung bean thread noodles                 -at an angle
      4    Or 5 medium raw prawns,             1    Green onion, sliced
into 1
           -shelled, deveined                       -1/2-inch lengths
      3 tb Fresh lime juice                    1 tb Coarsely chopped
coriander
  2 1/2 tb Fish sauce                               -leaves
    3/4 ts Sugar                                    Red lettuce, washed and
      1    Or 2 medium button                       -drained

  This salad is very easy to make, and combines the sour, sweet and salty
  flavors typical of Thai cuisine. From "Thai Cooking From the Siam Cuisine
  Restaurant" (North Atlantic Books, 1989).

  Pound dried shrimp in a mortar to flatten them into soft, crumbly pieces.
  (They should still be in relatively whole pieces.) Set aside.

  Soak the mung bean thread noodle in water for 1 hour, until soft. Using a
  strainer to hold the noodles, dip them into boiling for 1 second. Remove
  and immediately dip into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well and
set
  aside.

  Using a strainer to hold the prawns, boil for 6 seconds until they turn
  pink. Drain well.

  Combine prawns and lime juice in a medium bowl; let stand 1 minute. Add
the
  dried shrimp, noodles, fish sauce, sugar, mush- rooms rooms, celery,
green
  onions and coriander leaves.

  Arrange the salad on a bed of lettuce and serve immediately. PER SERVING:
  105 calories, 5 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 32 mg cholesterol,
  912 carbohydrate, 1 g fiber.

  From an article by Joyce Jue in the San Francisco Chronicle, 5/29/91.

-----