Over the weekend, I swung over to Shuang Hur to buy some agar powder, colored soy paper and taro buns. But because it is physically impossible to leave Shuang Hur without spending at least $30, I also acquired a jar of black bean paste, a box of green tea popsicles, a large sack of sea salt, two packets of chewy ginger candy and a very sharp peeling knife — in addition to various fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.

On my way to the checkout stand, I noticed a plastic container of green papaya salad, beckoning me coquettishly with its fiery red pepper flakes. I bought it, took it home and gussied it up with all the fixings: lettuce leaves, a wedge of lime, extra Sriracha sauce and sesame seeds.

And then, inspiration struck — as (quite frankly) it so frequently does.

The outcome of my flash of inspiration? Star-shaped rice balls. Need I say more? Methinks not.

Sometimes I truly impress myself.

(Photo by Alexandra Franzen)