Best asian sauces according to redditors
We found 860 Reddit comments discussing the best asian sauces. We ranked the 346 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 860 Reddit comments discussing the best asian sauces. We ranked the 346 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
My time to shine This isn't slowcooking, but those packets make really good butter chicken in less than 30 min. The wife and I have that at least once every two weeks.
They come as a roux. So it's actually a lot easier to make than traditional curry, lol. Like a stew.
Seconding Maesri, it's absolutely amazing and VERY easy to prepare. I buy on Amazon
Sure! I usually just throw this together with whatever veg I have on hand, so measurements may not be precise. But it always turns out great.
-2-3T coconut or olive oil
-4 large or 6 small bone-in chicken thighs, skins reserved
-1 large onion, cut into petals
-1 red bell pepper, large dice
-1 garlic clove, minced
-3 red potatoes, large dice (sometimes I use squash instead, if I have it around)
-1 large head of broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
-2-3T Mae Ploy curry paste I usually use the red, which is medium heat. Yellow is milder, green is spicier.
-1 Kaffir lime leaf, if you have access to them. If not, nbd.
-1 can coconut milk
-1 c chicken stock
Garnishes:
-Minced basil
-Toasted coconut (it’s a good idea to make extra for next time)
-lime wedges
-fried chicken skin, minced
Method:
-Heat up a large, deep skillet to medium heat, add oil.
-Heat a second smaller pan for skins. Lay them in flat, turn to medium heat, and keep a close eye on them while you’re putting the curry together, turning often. Your goal is a very crisp skin. This usually takes 10-15 minutes. Once they’re done, pull them out and set on a plate lined with a paper towel.
-Brown chicken thighs on both sides, in large skillet. Once browned, pull them out and set aside.
-Add onions and pepper, along with a teaspoon or so of Kosher salt. Scrape bottom of pan while cooking. Once onions are translucent, add garlic, cook for 30 seconds or so.
-Add chicken stock and stir, then add coconut milk. Add in curry paste, breaking it up to incorporate well. Add potatoes and/or squash and lime leaf, if using.
-Return chicken thighs to pan. There should be enough liquid to just cover the thighs. If not, add more stock, or even water is fine.
-Boil, then turn to simmer and cover. Set a timer for 20 minutes, check for seasoning and curry strength about halfway in.
While that’s cooking
Prep your garnishes, and make yourself some rice.
-mince basil
-toast coconut
-cut limes
-mince chicken skins
When your timer goes off, pull off the lid of the curry, add no more than 1T of your cornstarch slurry and stir. Take it easy with the slurry. Too much and you’ll have a disgusting, gloppy mess. The consistency you’re looking for is nappe, or just thick enough to cover the back of a spoon.
-Add in the broccoli, cover and cook for 3 more minutes. Take off the lid, and give it a stir.
Put that shit over rice.
-Garnish with a heavy hand.
-Enjoy!
Mae Ploy is a highly regarded curry paste and can be found in some groceries in the asian section.
It has much better flavor than the "Thai Kitchen" crap you'll find in most US grocery stores. Also, it holds in the fridge for numerous months and you only use a few tablespoons (I like it hot!) per dish.
I buy mine on amazon.
The basic gist of it is:
Empty a can of curry paste (e.g. http://amzn.com/B000ETLVXC This stuff should be $1-$1.50 at an Asian grocery. There are all sorts of varieties.) into a saute pan over medium heat. Stir it around until it becomes fragrant, about 30s - 1min. Add a sliced onion. Stir for a few seconds. Add a can of coconut milk (13.5oz / 400mL) and stir well to incorporate all of the curry paste into the base.
At this point, lower the heat to a simmer and add your raw protein if it's chicken, pork, or beef. If you're using shrimp or mussels or something that cooks more quickly, hold off for a few mins.
Add whatever veggies you're going to add. Get creative... Literally anything will work. I like adding small cubes of acorn squash, for example.
Splash in some fish sauce for saltiness and umami, lower heat, and simmer until your protein and veggies are done, stirring occasionally. Adjust spiciness as you see fit. Once done, juice a lime into the curry (or do it per-serving when eating)
This is super basic... You can kick it up a notch by adding lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, thai basil, etc. But this will get you 90% of the way there for about $4 + cost of protein + cost of veggies, with enough to feed 3-4. Chock full of good coconut fat and only limited by your creativity. The asian market I go to has probably 10 different varieties of curry paste (they even come with preparation suggestions too)
edit: It'll be pretty saucy, so it's best to serve it over a substrate of some sort. Starch would be good here. Or, you could add broth to the curry to make it into a soup.
You use curry cubes as a pre-made roux that forms the base of the curry. S&B is pretty popular in the states, so I guess this
Essentials:
Optional, but stuff I really like to have around:
Try S&B Golden Curry. I found it quite similar to Goldfish.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007FMLMFS/ref=mp_s_a_1_4_a_it?qid=1459409817&sr=8-4&keywords=S+and+B+Golden+Curry
SRIRACHA, FTW.
I love Sambal Oelek https://www.amazon.com/Sambal-Oelek-Chilli-Paste-18oz/dp/B000JMDHCC
Where do you get those? I don't think I've ever seen them at a local grocery store. Are the prices on Amazon reasonable? I'm seeing like this :. 6 Can (4oz. Each) of Thai Green Red Yellow Curry Pastes Set (Original Version) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QU3JM0
Get out your globe (at least figuratively) and look at cuisines on the same latitude (plus or minus from the equator) as his native place. Those cuisines will generally have similar available herbs, spices and cooking methods. but be totally different from his home cuisine, so you are not making a "bad copy". I have a Guatemalan future son-in-law and made the discovery quite accidentally when I caused him to fall in love with northern Thai food, which we love around here. Cajun and Gullah cooking also fit the pattern.
Your comment about curry surprised me - a lot - because Thai is built on herb pastes, but if you grew up with Mediterranean, your understanding of curry may be shaped by the India trade. Try a Mae ploy paste for a dead easy meal that I cannot imagine he would reject. You need only coconut milk, protein and veg to get dinner on the table in a half hour.
If you grew up in old time Southern, you grew up with a relish tray on the table: chow chow, tabasco, quick pickle type stuff. He did too, but more likely chili oil, chopped peanuts, sesame oil and fresh herbs. A lot of meals that may not appeal to him they way you intuitively spice them may seem quite good to him, if he has condiments to tailor them to his taste.
I would also commend sitting down together and watching some Hot Thai Kitchen together so you can get him to explain more about how to please him in the kitchen ... feeding 'em and laying 'em are about communication, at the risk of being inappropriate.
Why does everyone on Reddit push Sriracha and no one ever mentions Chili Garlic Sauce.
It's spicier and has more flavor.
What you’re looking for is Golden Curry. You can find it or an equivalent at roughly every Asian market on the planet, or online. Use half a box if cooking for 1-2, whole box for 4. I always caramelize onions before and add them in as well, and you can always add potatoes / carrot etc. It’s ridiculously thick after cooked down for 15 minutes or so even without potato (which add more starchy thickness).
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0011UGYLM/
Make sure you stir frequently / watch it while cooking to avoid developing thick curry film (though it stirs right back in). Preboil potatoes (and probably carrots as well to an extent) if you want them in the mix
Pepper jelly is amazing on crackers with cream cheese. It sounds crazy, I know, but everyone I’ve introduced to it has been surprised at how good it is. It’s usually not made with particularly spicy peppers, btw. It’s about as hot as mae ploy sweet chili sauce.
https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Kum-Kee-Hoisin-Sauce/dp/B0001DMTPU
this is what most chinese places use
https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Kum-Kee-Hoisin-Sauce/dp/B0001DMTPU
it's possible the place you went to use their own sauce, but if it's just a normal chinese place, then that's what they use. if it taste different then it's probably other ingredients in the mushu pork itself.
To keep on this, replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos. It's a little sweeter, but it's pretty close while still maintaining the savory addition of soy sauce and an added plus: no tyramine.
https://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Sweet-25-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B00016UX0K
They sell it at most supermarkets in the Asian/ethnic aisle
Thai red curry:
On low heat with a little oild, mix the curry with enough water to dissolve it. Slowly add coconut milk and water to bring it to fat content, taste, and consistency. Set the chicken on top, but don't mix (I don't know why, but this is what my mother-in-law does). Let it cook slowly and add water or coconut milk to preference after the chicken is cooked. Turn it off, put a lid on, and let it sit for a few hours.
Before serving, bring to a slow boil. Drop the fruits and vegetables in and kill the heat. Serve it with rice.
EDIT: Add sliced jalapenos for more spice, but add them a little earlier than the vegetables/fruit.
BIG OH F**K EDIT: You need fish sauce if the curry isn't already salty. Get some and and salt to taste. If the curry is already salty, then add just a little to bind the flavors shortly after adding the meat.
There is nothing wrong with using a good pre made curry paste. Maesri is a good brand with authentic Thai ingredients. You can buy it on Amazon if you can't find it locally. Beware, it is pretty hot.
https://www.amazon.com/4oz-Green-Yellow-Curry-Pastes/dp/B000QU3JM0/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1495500050&sr=1-6&keywords=curry+paste
Best butter chicken recipe I have, that gets me closest to restaurant is the Taste of India Butter Chicken Paste... I usually add a can of coconut cream and a 1/3 cup of water to it.
I've been lurking on this sub for a while. I bet you guys would love Japanese curry. Japanese curry is dead easy, and delicious. Just boil some meat and veg (carrots, celery, potatoes, apples for me) and add a block of S&B curry roux. I'd go for the hot, which isn't hot at all. (BTW that price is steep) Bulk it out with rice. It's great.
the bloating is likely from all of the sodium. not sure what's in the veggie broth, but most broths are very high sodium, and miso has a ton of sodium. Most asian style sauces (like soy sauce) do. If you want a similar sauce for veggies that's lower sodium, check out coconut aminos. Their garlic sauce is even lower sodium and better IMO. it's garlicky and a little spicy.
Delicious curry.
2 cans of coconut milk.
1 can of curry paste. I use either Thai Kitchen curry paste or Maesri Thai curry paste
3 frozen chicken breasts (or mushrooms if you're vegan)
3 potatoes cut into cubes
1 onion
Frozen peas
White rice or brown rice if you're not a shitlord or doing the low carb thing.
cut up onion, potatoes and chicken.
Onion first in large pot with a little bit of oil.
Then cook chicken in with the onion once it's almost done.
Once the chicken is cooked all the way add your potatoes, 1 can of coconut milk and the can/jar of curry paste. Use your empty coconut milk can and add about half a can of water to the mix. Mix it all up nice and tidy and bring to a boil. Put it down to a simmer and cook for about a half hour. Then add the coconut milk and continue to simmer for another 20 min or until the potatoes are nice and soft. Add a cup or 2 of frozen peas about 10 min before it's done.
Make your rice when you add the second can of coconut milk.
Either get a rice cooker or you can do it my favorite way.
Put as much rice as you'd like in a pot with a cover. I do like a cup or 2. Add enough water so that it is over the rice a half inch. Mix the rice and water up and then set to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, put a cover on it and turn it down to super low heat. Let it sit and cook for 20 min. Don't open the cover, don't stir it, don't even look at it to be sure. It' works every time.
Add the curry on top of rice and enjoy. :D
Make butter chicken at home! I have this coming to me every few months through Amazon subscription! http://www.amazon.com/Kitchens-India-Butter-Chicken-3-5-Ounce/dp/B000V17MLS
Trust me. Buy this: https://www.amazon.com/Kitchens-India-Butter-Chicken-3-5-Ounce/dp/B000V17MLS/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1487172075&sr=8-1&keywords=kitchens+of+india+butter+chicken
Trust me... I've been trying to make curries at home for the last 10 years. I've tried many recipes, from scratch fresh ground spices, to boxed spices, and even other pastes. This brand has become a staple for me now. I can whip up a dish in 30 minutes and it's better than a lot of restaurants around me. My favorite paste they sell is the chicken curry, tastes like an authentic dhaba style curry you can get in India.
ps) I have fond memories of helping my dad make "chicken" (usually this meant desi style curry) growing up and it wasn't until I became older that I appriciated how much I enjoyed that.
>Make a good gravy
I'm sure y'all will hate me for this. I use S&B Golden Curry sauce bricks & chicken/beef better-than-bouillon for my loco moco gravy.
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mix-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011UGYLM
I caramelize onions in my instant pot with a little baking powder as well to add to the gravy mix.
https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/01/the-food-lab-pressure-cooker-caramelized-onions-onion-soup.html
Curry would be a good bet. Pick your asian style (Chinese curry, japanese curry, indian curry, thai curry, etc). Curry lasts a while and you don't have the problem of the food getting soggy with sauce since it's saucy to begin with. Get fried tofu instead of meat for protein to keep cost low. For a simple, easy, quick batch of curry, look for this at your local grocer: http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mix-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011UGYLM/
Amazon's price seems to be very high.
http://www.amazon.com/Huy-Fong-Sambal-Oelek-Sauce/dp/tech-data/B001MGEU0W
Victory, not super hot but great flavor and adds up
You can always use coconut liquid aminos as a soy sub.
http://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Aminos-Soy-Free-Seasoning/dp/B003XB5LMU
An alternative to soy sauce
https://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Organic-Raw-Aminos/dp/B003XB5LMU
Coconut Aminos: http://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Organic-Soy-Free-Seasoning/dp/B003XB5LMU
Sure! I shop at Han Yang most of the time, and they should have this.
Chung Jung One Sunchang Hot Pepper Paste Gold (Gochujang) 500g https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013HB0CC4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9rKyDb7ZM2QKX
Gochujang is a Korean fermented chilli paste. TBH its pretty essential to the dish I would say, as it has an unique flavour. You can get it in most Asian/Oriental makets. This is the one that I buy https://www.amazon.com/Chung-Jung-One-Gochujang-500g/dp/B013HB0CC4
it seems to last for eternity!
thai curry
I cannot recommend this enough. It is extremely cheap, easy, and delicious. All you have to do is mix this curry paste with coconut milk and bring it to a boil. Then add a cup and a half of stock (chicken, vegetable, whatever).
Then you add whatever you want to it: beef, chicken, fried tofu, peppers, onions, bamboo shoots... you get the idea. Bring it to a light boil for a while, until everything seems to be cooked. Serve over rice
On amazon they occasionally have 40-50% off "Kitchen of India" seasoning. They are AWESOME!! I recommend the butter chicken curry and chicken curry seasoning. keep checking slickdeals.net for the next sale. (usually just cook boneless chicken breast cubed up and after browning the chicken add in the seasoning and water and let it simmer. DAMN good over rice) http://www.amazon.com/Kitchens-India-Butter-Chicken-3-5-Ounce/dp/B000V17MLS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1268424032&sr=8-1
i'm a hot sauce fan, and got a gift from one of my friends with various hot sauces. i made a bowl of rice once and usually douse it with chili garlic sauce or sriracha.
most spicy food to me when eating at restaurants tastes fairly mild. i usually say 'make it as spicy as you can', and was known by a thai restaurant by the owner for this.
bad decision
One of the bottles of hot sauce I had was Dave's Insanity Sauce. I shook it out and covered the bowl of rice with red. Apparently it's much hotter than most sauces. In minutes I went to the bathroom and puked it all up, crying and in a sorry state.
That being said, I'd still do the challenges on Man vs. Food for spicy, definitely not for mass quantity, I'd lose in a heartbeat. Fascinating, but disgusting.
Needs some sauce! I get those packages of curry blocks that you store in the pantry, break one off in some water on the stove, simmer for 5 minutes and it's delicious!
It's wicked expensive but coconut aminos is the same thing but single sourced. It tastes almost identical to soy sauce.
Sauce recipe was adapted from here.
Recipe:
Sauce:
Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes over a reduced heat.
Cook the sauce first. I used a ginger grater and a garlic press so if you do it differently, your mileage may vary.
Cook half the wings in a Fry Daddy or other vessel with 375F hot oil for 6 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Wait 3 minutes for the oil to heat back up and cook the remaining half dozen. Repeat. Each batch of wings should have spent 12 minutes in hot oil. Once finished, toss with sauce.
You can make your own kimchi. I know that typically requires quite a bit of advance planning, but there are, for example, quick kimchi recipes, and while they feature one major exotic ingredient -- Korean chile pepper flakes, better known as gochugaru -- you can order the stuff off Amazon. And if you don't want to make your own kimchi, substitute the kimchi juice for gochujang, which can also be purchased from Amazon, or, just as likely, you can find gochujang in a lot of grocery stores now (at least where I live, I haven't canvassed the country).
I cook everything from French food to American to African stuff. You'd be amazed what you can substitute, and how you rarely have to go to specialty stores for what you need. I have the benefit of an East Asian supermarket near me, but to be honest, nearly everything I've found there, I have later found in other grocery stores. The only exceptions have been the truly, truly obscure stuff (ever had a recipe call for a jar of tiny, pickled shrimp?), and I typically don't make those recipes again.
I do understand the frustration -- despite how much I love to cook, I hate shopping -- but there are always options, and usually they aren't very difficult ones.
You might consider this cheating, but for curry I usually just use Mae Ploy curry paste (I like the Massaman and Panang, but their all good.) These are Thai curry pastes, so a little bit different than Indian curries, but the same basic principle. You can find these at most decent Asian grocery stores and even at some larger regular grocery stores, and failing that, Amazon. There's probably some good Indian curry pastes out there, too; I just haven't tried them yet.
Even if you plan on making your own curry at some point, trying it first with a premade paste is likely going to help you succeed right from the start, and I think it's cheaper than finding some of the spices you'll want (some of the ingredients can be hard to find). It will help you understand what it's supposed to taste like, how the cooking process will work, and you can always add certain spices or extra heat to customize it (I sometimes throw a few cinnamon sticks in while it simmers.) Most recipes I've seen start by making a paste anyway. I always add extra chili pepper to kick up the heat, but some people will find these pastes a little too spicy for their liking.
[Just to clarify, this is not the same as those simmer sauces that come in glass jars. Those are usually about $4 bucks or so, and only make enough for about 3 or 4 servings. This paste comes in a plastic tub for about $6, and usually makes about 7 or 8 meals for me, with about 3 or 4 servings each. If you plan on making your own from scratch one day, this will be pretty much the same as the second half of that process. For the Mae Ploy, you usually need a can of coconut milk, but other than that, just the meat and veggies you want, plus any spices you want to add to change up the flavor a bit. I often drizzle with fresh lime juice and top with fresh cilantro. Chopped peanuts or cashews can also add a bit of flavor and texture.]
Maesri's green and red curry pastes are a staple of my diet!
Green curry
Red curry
The one mentioned in the recipe is vegan. Thai Kitchen red curry paste is what I see most often in stores near me and is also vegan. You can also make your own.
It has 1g carbohydrate per tsp. Just account for it in macros.
Try sambal oelek if you have not. its low enough to be rounded to zero carbs (admittedly that could be a very tiny difference) and is incredibly delicious.
https://www.amazon.com/Sambal-Oelek-Chilli-Paste-18oz/dp/B000JMDHCC
Add the chicken and vegetables to the pot, use the water to loosely dissolve the curry paste, and then pour the soupy paste-and-water mixture into the pot.
It comes out like a very, very chunky sauce which is best served over rice or pasta.
https://smile.amazon.com/Kitchens-India-Butter-Chicken-3-5-Ounces/dp/B000V17MLS/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1540237328&sr=8-3&keywords=butter%2Bchicken&th=1
I like keeping this on hand for a super easy weeknight dinner plus lunches. I'll add chicken thighs, chick peas, onions, and spinach and season to taste.
Another one I like is this chicken and biscuits by tasty https://tasty.co/recipe/chicken-biscuits-bake. Delicious during the winter but not the healthiest meal. I just bake the biscuits while making it instead of they're way.
I'll keep a bag of frozen stir fry veggies and chicken thighs for chicken stir fry and rice or this stewed chicken https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/83421/trinidad-stewed-chicken/. Drumsticks are great in this recipe too and are cheaper too. Adding a carribean hot sauce/spices to this one helps a ton too over just red pepper flakes.
I like to use the curry box mixes with some chicken thighs, carrots, potatoes, and tons of onions.
I'm also a pretty big fan of chicken and broccoli casseroles. Both are pretty easy to make.
I agree that this seems like a bad idea, and depending on your guest it could be taken as disrespectful. If you are set on doing it, definitely try to practice your meal before she arrives so you don't have a disaster on your hands!
I recommend making boxed curry. It's a good, filling winter meal and you can customize it with the protein and veggies of your choice. I usually go for Golden Curry, you can order it online or find it in the "ethnic" aisle of a regular supermarket, since you said there are no Asian markets near you. In addition to being tasty and easy to put together, it's a casual meal so it will be lower-pressure.
I also have a lot of food allergies.
Keeping meals simple has helped me a lot (not just from an allergy perspective, but diet adherence, time management, etc.) Most of our meals we build around one main protein and 1-2 vegetable side dishes.
I've found searching paleo and whole30 type recipe sites and books helpful for inspiration. While some recipes will be too high carb (or need to be modified) it gives you a lot of basics to start with.
For my carb eating husband I might withhold some of the fat from my meal and add it only to my portion, or make cauliflower rice for me and regular rice for him, or serve my sauce over vegetables instead of noodles. If you keep the carb mostly separate (rice, pasta, potatoes, starchy veg) it is easy to make it work for everyone.
Our primary vegetable side dish rotation is broccoli, green beans, leafy greens (spinach especially), asparagus, cauliflower, snap peas, squash, mushrooms, bell peppers, and brussels sprouts. I often buy 2 or 3 large bags of vegetables per week and mix and match into our meals, then do something different the next week.
For the meats I do a lot of chicken (roasted, fried, stir fried, curried, grilled,) pork (pulled with home made BBQ sauce, roasted, grilled, fried), burgers (beef, turkey, or beyond beef soy/gluten free pea protein), steaks, beef stew (with lots of mushroom and smaller amounts of lower carb starchy veg such as rutabaga), sausages (pork, beef, turkey, or chicken), ground beef (taco salad, stuffed peppers), and sometimes fish (usually just tuna or white fish tacos.)
Some substitutions you might make (but I'm not a doctor so check with yours):
(http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2014/01/homemade-dairy-free-sour-cream-nut-free.html) instead of sour cream
(https://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Organic-Soy-Free-Seasoning/dp/B003XB5LMU?th=1) instead of soy sauce.
(http://daiyafoods.com/) products are soy and gluten free. Some (like the cheese) are reasonably keto friendly, some (like the yogurt) are not.
(http://followyourheart.com/products/soy-free-3/) can be used in place of mayo. There are a lot of options for [making your own]
(http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/01/how-to-make-vegan-mayonnaise-mayo.html) as well. I love making chicken and tuna salads with this.
(http://www.questnutrition.com/protein-powders/mct-oil-powder/) but it contains a little sodium caseinate so may be unsuitable for you. There's commercial coconut milk based creamers, or you can just add coconut milk and doctor it up how you like.
(https://www.charliefoundation.org/resources-and-tools/find-recipes-home/breakfasts/item/1108-porridge) (substitute refined coconut oil or butter flavored coconut oil or spread.) Or you can make a low carb protein shake or smoothie if you're into that. (Or just eat food that's not "breakfast food.")
(https://epicbar.com/bars-overview) which are soy and gluten free.
(https://www.amazon.com/All-Natural-Coconut-MCT-Oil/dp/B00XB5IWJC/) and coconut oil the best choices for this as they may be more easily absorbed. Start with a small amount and work up though, as they can trigger diarrhea in some people.
Just wanted to chime in and say that coconut aminos are a paleo-friendly (and delicious!) substitute for soy sauce. This recipe looks yummy!
145 for 2 hours, generally lazy and just throw some chupicabra seasoning in the bag.
If we're eating it right there, then simple pan fry. Otherwise we use them for salad and so I don't even bother with the frying as it'll just be chopped up.
Also, I started toying around with throwing in mae ploy curry paste in the bag, with no other ingredients. Tried it once so far, and is super easy mock-thai curry. Not quite there yet, still working on experiments but it's been great.
Just don't add a lot of juice/sauce to it when it cooks. Sauces added in SV just leach flavor out of the meat, it doesn't imbibe them into it. You make meat flavor sauce, not sauce flavored meat.
SO EASY:
Curry paste
Coconut Cream
Instructions
All you have to do is put a little oil in a saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Put 1-2 tablespoon of the curry paste in the oil and let it simmer for a bit, making sure that you play around with it and ensure that it's getting heated thoroughly. After 5 or so minutes of this (the curry paste begins to get ever so slightly golden brown), lower the heat to a simmer and dump the jar of coconut cream into the saucepan. As the cream melts, stir the mixture well. Let simmer for 5 - 10 more minutes.
Done
You now have curry that tastes exactly like it does in a restaurant (most restaurants actually use curry pastes.)
Combine with your protein of choice, some veggies, pour over rice, whatever you want.
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Boat-Fish-Sauce-500/dp/B00B617XK2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395259705&sr=8-1&keywords=red+boat+fish+sauce+40%C2%B0n
That post from 2 greek girls isnt it? Didn't post but I did the same haha :D bimbimbap + pickled cucumbers + eggplant banchan + soya eggs. So good! Im glad I bought Gochujang a while back.
Bimbimbap
Spicy Cucumbers
Eggplant Banchan
Braised Soya Eggs
Is this what you are looking for? This is what they normally have at Thai places here in the U.S.
http://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Sweet-25-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B00016UX0K
The name of the sauce is literally sweet chili sauce. It's like ketchup. It's a type of sauce a lot of different companies make. My favorite is Mae Ploy (there's smaller and cheaper bottles on Amazon then the one in the link).
https://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Sweet-25-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B00016UX0K
The sauces are pretty easy to find, any Asian grocery will have them or any grocery store with a decent Asian section.
Alternatively:
Hoisin sauce
Sweet chili sauce
Sriracha sauce
Thai peanut sauce For some reason Amazon only has this in a 12 pack. I'm actually OK with that. ;^)
The Asian market nearby carriers Mae Ploy curry paste for like $2 and it's changed my weeknight curry life.
Plop about 50 grams of paste in your skillet, add some coconut milk, meat and veg, and, blam, minimal prep 20-minute curry.
Fun fact. A sriracha type sauce with seeds in it is actually called a Sambal. EG
The closest thing you can get to an authentic Sriracha in the western world is Kosol-Ampa. Most sriracha sauces are very smooth indeed.
Yes. I see most people really like the popular Rooster Brand. However, I always try to get people to try pho with the original Thai sriracha which I call the Shark Brand.
The Shark brand is not as spicy, in fact, hardly spicy at all. But it's way less overpowering than the Rooster brand (especially when you add too much). It's a tangier and sweeter sauce which I think complements the broth better. But for anything other than pho, my goto is the Rooster brand.
http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/images/sriracha.jpg
http://www.amazon.com/Shark-Thai-Sriracha-Sauce-bottle/dp/B000EISJXS
Note: Shark brand is actually thai, and made in the sriracha region of thailand, where rooster brand is american, it is thinner and less spicy than rooster brand, but it's better balanced and it's only ingredients are water, chilis, sugar, garlic, vinegar, and salt.
What I'll do with regular coconut milk is let the can sit the same way for a few hours so that I know all the cream rises to the top.
I spoon just the cream off the top into my wok and heat that till it starts to thicken. Then I add my paste, cook that till it starts to smell, then add my veg and finally the rest of the coconut milk can.
The paste you use makes a difference too. I've tried a few, and always come back to Maesri
If you don't want to hassle with making your own, Sambal Oelek is pretty similar but 0g of carbs. I've heard of people just putting it through a food processor to make it more smooth like sriracha.
aotd: This, I believe /u/mehimehi can confirm its spiciness, and also this. Btw, I don't think these can be categorized as 'sauce', they are too thick.
wsiwt: Rain. So naturally, Crockett & Jones Coniston.
Going home in a bit to make my first attempt at thai green curry. note that i'll be using a paste.
My current plan is dice and cook chicken, remove, dice and cook eggplant, onion, carrot, bell pepper, wait for them to soften, then add coconut milk (14oz?) and a half a jar of paste and then simmer for 10 mins or so then add the chicken back along with soft veggies like maybe snow peas? Then simmer 10 more mins and top with basil and bean sprouts.
I've never made a thai dish before so let me know if you got a killer veggie combo, I'm just sort of making it up
Butter chicken!
I don't make it from scratch but I use this packet of seasoning:
https://www.amazon.com/Kitchens-India-Butter-Chicken-3-5-Ounce/dp/B000V17MLS
I also add about a cup of red lentils and add extra water for additional protein and fiber. You can skip the butter and cream if you want... or maybe just add a splash of half and half... I leave out the butter and don't even notice. Sometimes when cauliflower is in season i'll use that instead of chicken. I love this stuff!
Sandwiches... thinly sliced or pounded down with a mallet and cooked in a skillet. Add a favorite bread, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, etc. I hit up the salad bar at the store for toppings sometimes too.
Hello! Do you mind me asking, is it [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Taste-India-Butter-Chicken-Sauce/dp/B00E1FSKOS) or this ?? If neither, can you direct me to the amazon link? Thanks in advance!
Just a heads up, the "Butter Chicken Curry" that is linked in the article contains some added sugar. I'm not super familiar with different types of curry and I don't know what the taste would be like, but the "Chicken Curry" does not have any added sugar.
Otherwise, this looks awesome and I can't wait to try it!
Spices and condiments should always get a priority. Try to add something to your inventory each month, so you can have variety even when it's the end of the month and you are down to half a case of ramen and some rice.
So, for that naked pasta - 2 or 3 tbs of margarine or extra-virgin olive oil, a small clove of garlic, pressed, a drizzle of balsamic reduction ~an eighth of a teaspoon, be scant with it - microwave in a container with a cover until just hot, blend by shaking. Drizzle over your veggies and pasta. No need to use it all at once - it will keep nicely.
Ok, now I'm hungry. Which reminds me - broke college students should probably get into lacto-fermentation. Saurkraut, kimchee, etc all add tremendous nutrition and flavor at very low cost. /r/fermentation has you covered. The big win here is that you can scoop up all the marked-down produce and ferment it. It's also a thing that complements /r/freeganism. Saurkraut is particularly easy and I promise you - if you think it's kinda sour and yet bland, it doesn't have to be. And it's cheap like borcht.
There probably are versions of it in the "Asian" food section of your regular grocery store. By the soy sauce/teriyaki sauce/baby corn etc section. My version of Kroger has this which is kind of the Hamburger Helper brand of curry blocks but it's still pretty tasty.
We break the blocks and mix them with hamburger when we do tinfoil dinners when we're camping and stuff.
If you've got an Asian grocery store near you they will most likely carry hondashi, http://www.amazon.com/Ajinomoto-Dashi-Soup-Stock-5-28/dp/B0002YB40O and may have what you need to make dashi, kombu, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombu, and katsuobushi, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsuobushi (it will come pre-shredded in a bag). Dashi is one of the easiest stocks to make, only takes about 30 minutes or so, http://japanesefood.about.com/od/soup/r/konbukatsudashi.htm
The Japanese do have teir own version of curry and it is delicious. I think they got it from the British so it's a re-interpretation of a re-interpretation. It's one of the most popular foods in Japan. It's usually made with pork, but if you're going to make it with katsu, make it vegetarian. You can buy a box of curry roux at most Asian grocery stores, http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-8-4oz-pack/dp/B0011UGYLM to use. Basically, take a pot, add a bit of oil (for Asian food I like peanut), cook some white onions in the oil, I also add some sliced garlic which is not traditional, add some potato and carrots (you may want to cook them half way first), add water, simmer for about 20 minutes, add the curry roux, stir it in the simmering water and it will break down, and then continue for 5 minutes or so. The curry roux will have instructions on the back of the box, it's super easy. This is the basic version but there are all sorts of variation, some put in grated apple or even coffee in it! It's my favorite thing to eat with katsu.
Most Japanese people use curry cubes S&B and Vermont curry are the two main brands. I prefer S&B, but both are good. "Hot" is not hot or spicy at all, Japanese food is generally not spicy and their idea of spicy is a lot less than ours.
The easiest way is to buy the roux blocks like this: https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mix-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011UGYLM
Boil desired veg and meat and mix in blocks.
​
The other way is to make the roux yourself and use curry powder.
​
Nobody makes it 100% from scratch, at minimum they use the powder and thicken with roux or cornstarch.
If you want to try a premix of spice- Golden Curry Sauce mix works great in a slow cooker.
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mix-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011UGYLM?th=1
Link just for reference, you can find it at the supermarket probably cheaper.
Also don't forget to check out /r/slowcooking for great crockpot recipes.
Curry?
Don't need to watch a rice cooker.
Cooking takes as long as it takes to cook some choice meat and veggies in a large pan, plus five or so minutes of simmering in a break off of this plus some milk to make a sauce. Pepper and hot sauce to taste.
For meats I've done fish balls, pork, chicken, or sausage.
Veggies I've done combinations of spinach, baby bok choy, cabbage, bell pepper, onion, carrot. Traditionally I think potato works too but I have a thing of rice and potato in the same meal, though I could make an exception for sweet potato.
I'm sure someone can chime in for a healthier way to do curry sauce.
I know this isn't too much different, but making a curry with Chicken (use boneless skinless thighs, breasts are relatively flavorless), cauliflower, and carrots. I usually use 2lbs meat and 1lb of each vegetable. Then either 2 of the 3.5oz packages or one of the 8.4oz packages of Golden Curry sauce mix. This made 8 meals split evenly across 28oz meal prep containers, so easy to store and refrigerate/freeze.
I just make some rice and pour the curry over, microwave for about a minute. It's tasty, good mix of flavor and vegetables, and probably about 500-600 calories total.
For reference
Not the exact same thing, but an approxamation (or a generic Japanese-style curry) is fairly easy to do.
Just get yourself one of these.
Make a sofrito with garlic, onions, celery, carrots. Make sure you caramelize the veg. Add meat of choice, brown. Add water (or better yet some stock), and the curry roux. Stir to dissolve, and cook for 30 minutes. Add a couple teaspoons of soy sauce at the end, and you're golden.
The topping is easy too. Get a pork chop (or any other flat piece of meat). Season, coat with flour, dip in egg, coat with panko or breadcrumbs. Deep fry, and serve with the curry.
Edit : Looking around on some Japanese websites, it seems Cocoichi has this trick of adding a bit of peanut butter (like a couple of teaspoons per serving) to give the roux an added depth.
http://www.amazon.com/Huy-Fong-Sriracha-17-Ounce-Bottles/dp/B001EO5ZHO
>but if I have an issue with soy, I'm definitely in trouble
I started getting severe gluten-esque symptoms with soy after going gluten free. I found coconut aminos recently and they taste the same to me with no ill-effects
http://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Organic-Vegan-Aminos/dp/B003XB5LMU
This is your best bet, you can find it at whole foods/local health food stores or order it online for the cheapest at iherb or for the most convenient on amazon.
They’re talking about this. It’s a soy/gluten free replacement for soy sauce, essentially.
I do it in stages for a stir-fry. First the ginger-garlic paste, plus lemongrass if it's Thai or Vietnamese, plus the vegetables. I may prepare them differently depending on whether I'm doing a "ding" dish, but in any case, veggies first. then I remove them from the wok. Then the meat, cooking fast and hot. If I'm doing a curry, I throw in a tablespoon or two of the curry paste with the meat, and cook for a minute or two.
Then combine the meat and veg, add the sauce (or coconut milk, if you're doing a curry), toss a few times, and done, unless I have to bubble it for a few minutes to reduce/thicken or to concentrate the flavors of a curry (adding cashews/unsalted peanuts plus chiffonade of coriander/cilantro at the end, if it's a curry).
I don't ever add water. Teriyaki is only for marinade for me
Sounds disgusting (I don't even eat fish), tastes amazing, low calorie and gives huge flavor to rice, (add after cooking)
https://www.amazon.com/Red-Boat-Premium-Fish-Sauce/dp/B00B617XK2/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1484779605&sr=8-1&keywords=vietnamese+fish+sauce
This is typically what they use in Vietnamese restaurants.
gochujang really does differ a LOT by brand. it is practically a different ingredient depending on what you use. i like Mother-In-Law's a lot.
Was this the brand you had? I ask b/c I was just in the asian grocery store the other day and almost picked it up. Decided to take a pass on it as I still have a fair amount left already.
Teriyaki sauce is just water, soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, ginger, and corn starch (for thickness, that's optional)! It may not be the most intricate of Asian dishes, but throw it on some veggies, meat, and rice and it's a tasty stir fry. I throw in some cayenne for some kick. I got 1-to-1 with the water and soy sauce, then add the other ingredients to taste. Then do like a tablespoon of corn starch, mix it with another cup of water beforehand, dump it in, mix mix mix until it has the desired texture, and you're all set.
Also, fried rice is really simple. Cook your meat in a wok or large pan, throw in your veggies and whatever spices you want (I use Mae Ploy which is available at my local Wal Mart), then add your already cooked rice and a little soy sauce and some scrambled eggs.
Might not be the healthiest of recipes, but it's a start and it's crazy cheap.
EDIT: the price zombie below is for quite a large bottle. I get the smaller ones that'll last me three or four uses (cooking for two) for about $2 or so.
this stuff is pretty good: http://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Sweet-25-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B00016UX0K
Friday night and need to use up some leftover stuff, so I fried it! Since there were just 4 of us, we didn't need too much (especially fried food), and only made two dishes.
First, tofu fries. Couldn't be simpler: cut up some firm tofu into sticks (or cubes, if you prefer), and dredge in plain corn starch. Fry for 5-6 minutes at 375F. I have a fry-daddy, but you could easily do this in a pan too. They come out hot, crispy, and light. Great on their own or with just about any dip you like. (My wife enjoyed them "buffalo style" with blue cheese and Frank's Red Hot.
Second, pork wontons. Buy some wonton wrappers- a pack of 50 is like $2. For the stuffing I used 12oz ground pork, mixed with about 3 chopped scallions and 1 inch nub of ginger, ground. That's it! Stuff each wonton with about 1 to 1 1/2 tsp filling, seal with beaten egg, and wrap as shown. Fry for 1-2 min at 375. Again, any sauce you like (i prefer Mae Ploy! ).
Happy Frying!
I usually add half a can of salmon to a prepared packet of rice noodle soup and a little sriracha and hoisin sauce to kick it up a little. It's so much better than in sounds at frist.
I'm always surprised when I see people on here eating bland dry rubbed baked chicken breast when there are so many great marinades. I'd like to share just two or three. For each of these, I just crank the grill up real hot, take my brined chicken and throw it on after a quick ten minute marinade. 3 minutes on each side and I've got an rich, complex, and spicy chicken dinner. All of these sauces are straight from the bottle with no prep. Easy. I get them from Wegmans but I'm sure you can get this sort of stuff elsewhere.
I should mention that if you are predisposed to high blood pressure or heart failure these might not be good options since they are very salty. For the rest of you, enjoy!
Maybe Hoisin Sauce is what you're looking for? It's dark brown and gluey.
It's almost impossible to search from labelling and flip top, as Amoy and LKK have various different packaging for their products.
THIS.
Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce, 20 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001DMTPU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_yqqQzb8AA5HQY
This is a good brand. If you want to use it as a condiment, it can be used straight from the bottle, or you can add a table spoon of water to thin it out.
This stuff is great! http://smile.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Panang-Curry-Paste/dp/B000EICJWA
Uni-Eagle and Shark brands are my favourites!
I buy Shark brand because that's what most shops carry. Amazon has it.
http://www.amazon.com/Thai-Sriracha-Sauce-Shark-Brand/dp/B000EISJXS
Though, if you buy it from importfood.com (they sell lots of Thai ingredients, cooking supplies, and have hundreds of recipes) you can select between normal spiciness and medium spiciness. They also carry some other brands.
http://importfood.com/sriracha_sauce.html
I use maesri red curry paste. It's definitely thai in origin but produces wonderful, flavorful coconut curry every time. They have a lot of other varieties too. I admit I don't know much about the differences in ingredients between thai and indian curries, though.
Edit: Ok I just read a bit and thai is pretty different as one might assume, so this is probably not useful info. But I'll leave the comment up in case you're interested in foraying into thai curry I guess!
This is in my crockpot right now and I'm eating it over either broccoli or green beans with a half cup of rice. The sauce combines well with everything.
Here's a good spicy rub:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/14537/spicy-chicken-breasts/
This is delicious and I only account for about a tablespoon of the marinade in my cals since there's always tons leftover:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/30522/unbelievable-chicken/
For green beans, try sautéing with garlic and some Sambal chili paste. So good.
I've also seen some recipes where you use a 35 cal laughing cow wedge to make a cheese sauce for broccoli.
Sambal. Same company, basically the same sauce, but no sugar. Sambal + sugar + puree = Sriracha
http://www.amazon.com/Sambal-Oelek-Chilli-Paste-18oz/dp/B000JMDHCC
Sure. I tend not to use American style hot sauces (like Tabasco) in stir fry, but that's mainly because I don't like the vinegary notes. I tend to go for either a basic chili garlic sauce or more frequently sambal olek which is similar but hotter. But you should use whichever you prefer.
If you're looking for something lazy and cheap you can just mix pretty much any BBQ sauce with Sambal Oelek
Do you have a bbq?
Throw just plain wings on the grill.
No butter or oil.
Crank it to around 425°f and turn wings often so they don’t burn.
Take off when they get browned and crispy.
Toss in a bowl with bit of salt.
-1/4 cup ranch
-1/4 cup Sambal
-1 tbsp melted butter.
Toss with wings.
Best ever.
If you buy gochujang (middle one), you shouldn't have to buy cho-gochujang as well. Gochujang is the main ingredient in cho-gochujang and can be made easily.
I, personally, don't find gochujang to be very spicy at all. If you just want spicy, try adding pepper powders, fresh peppers, hot oils, and hot sauces.
Jalapeños, (I buy diced and just add to dishes that way)
Sambal Oelek, chili paste
https://www.amazon.com/Sambal-Oelek-Chilli-Paste-18oz/dp/B000JMDHCC/
Go Chu Jang sauce (Asian savory/sweet hot sauce/condiment)
https://www.amazon.com/bibigo-Gochujang-Korean-Style-Squeezable-Bottle/dp/B01EWVOSXW/
Hot chili oil like this one. I don't buy at amazon just want to show you the jar
https://www.amazon.com/Dynasty-Hot-Chili-Oil-5-25/dp/B004VEA96G/
Indonesian Chili Paste
Really depends on the food. Ramen gets Dave's Insanity Sauce (but just a drop! AND peanut butter, btw - so good), other Asian stuff gets Sambal Oelek, barbecue gets Dinosaur BBQ Devil's Duel, Tex-Mex gets Mountain Man, and so on.
I don't really have one "be all end all" sauce. It's all about letting the food pick the sauce.
Here you go...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QU3JM0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Very pleased and no shrimp like many curry pastes I was running across.
Have you tried getting pastes for the sauces? I really enjoy this one. I normally get it at Wegman's, but it looks like this is a good price from also. It tastes similar to the butter chicken I get at my favorite Indian restaurant if I add a little extra butter or cream.
I know it's not exactly Indian cooking when you use a paste, but it's a way to start an fill your cravings for a littler cheaper. You could try this on a day when you're working on your naan skills.
I get this spice mix from Amazon: Kitchens of India Paste for Butter Chicken Curry, 3.5-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000V17MLS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_EujDAbMZCPKT0
I like it a lot, I also add potatoes and cauliflower sometimes for variety and it turned out well.
If I'm having a bad craving for biryani I'll get the Saffron Road biryani from the frozen food aisle. I have seen it at Target, at some organic food stores etc. They nailed the smell, the spice is on the lighter side but it will satiate my craving.
Just a warning: The Kitchens of India stuff recently changed their recipe (and the packaging is now blue). It's now a good bit higher in carbs -- from 3g/serving to 7g/serving.
Amazon link for the new stuff
I made a Thai red curry sausage once with ground pork and rice, it tasted great and had a really nice spice to it. Might want to try Kitchens of India butter chicken, it's more of a paste than a pre-made sauce, lets you control the liquid in the recipe. I intend to make another curry sausage soon, going to do some protein with yellow curry with coconut cream and rice.
Huy Fong(main distributor of US sriracha) also has a couple versions of sambal. Obviously the tastes can vary greatly based on brand/locale.
Garlic Chili Sauce
Sambal(basically Garlic Chili Sauce without the garlic)
It's really good! I tend to use garlic chili sauce in place of sriracha. Make extra sauce just in case, because it's definitely all about the sauce! You can use any greens and veggies for this. I've used it with broccoli, asparagus, kale, spinach, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00113ZZ5U/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_vm0aub1WMDZKP
Yes.
https://store.nutiva.com/coconut-manna/
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Do-Organic-Creamed-Coconut/dp/B00113ZZ5U?th=1
Assuming you don't live in a very hot climate, it will be rock hard at room temp. You can break off pieces and eat it like candy.
If you want to try Japanese curry, there's lots of premade curry cubes you can buy and thin out with water that are actually really good!
This one (https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mix-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011UGYLM) is supposed to be good. I have different ones here in Taiwan. Just check the heat and match it to your preference.
Always good. If you like this type of meal, I recommend trying Japanese’s curry. It’s fucking delicious and you can make it at home easy. S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix, Hot, 8.4-Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0011UGYLM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2MG7BbWNPWSRK
Don't see a lot of Asian representation yet, so here are some of my go-to lazy dinners. Basically the "Hamburger Helper" type recipes for our Asian household.
Char Siu Chicken Wings:
1 packet Char Siu Seasoning Mix
1-2 lb chicken wings
Dump the mix on the wings and mix and make sure to NOT add water. Mix and cover the wings thoroughly. Leave it in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Bake at 400 for 45min on a rack. Broil for extra crispiness at the end if you like.
Bonus photo of the finished product, I like mine broiled a bit extra for that char flavor. Side of roasted brussel sprouts + rice.
---
Lazy Korean BBQ Chicken
1-2 lb boneless chicken thigh meat cut to 2-3 inch strips
Jar of Korean Chicken & Pork Marinade
Essentially the same instructions as the wings. Dump the marinade on the thigh meat and leave in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours. Bake at 400 for 45min on a rack, finish with a broil if you like. Great with a side of kim chi & rice.
---
Slow Cooker Japanese Curry
1 box Japanese Curry Sauce Mix
2-3 lb meat of choice (chunked for stew)
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 potatoes, large chunks
~6 cups water (however much you need to just cover the ingredients in the slow cooker)
Sear the meat first if you like. Dump all the ingredients into the slow cooker. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Serve over rice. Note that you could also prepare the curry sauce mix on the stovetop as per the instructions on the back of the box. I just normally go for the slow cooker method when I want to set it and forget it.
Japanese curry is INCREDIBLY easy to make. You really can’t mess it up. You can buy brands like Golden Curry at most major retailers. Just a fair warning the spice levels are very mild across the board on most Japanese curry so if you like spicy food be prepared to add your own spices. All you are doing though is chopping some veggies and meat if you like and throwing it in a pot, done and done. Delicious meal that you can pack into the fridge and have for a couple nights :)
If you can get your hands on Japanese curry cubes (Amazon sells it too but at a high markup https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mix-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011UGYLM ,) this particular type of curry goes really nicely with apples!
Saute onions with butter in a pot, add potato and carrot chunks (optional) along with cubed apples, then add water and let it simmer for half an hour before adding the curry. Let it cool for another 10 minutes, then eat with rice and broccoli!
I don't like any curry made with coconut milk or whatnot... but I absolutely ADORE Japanese curry. It's more like a spicy ginger/garlic stew. We buy these at our local Asian mart. Cook up some meat, add your choice of veggies (I like onions, carrots, and peppers, sometimes some mushrooms or broccoli depending on the day), cook that until it's all tender, then drop in the curry roux and let it melt through. It's warm and delicious. We serve it over some steamed rice and call it good. My absolute favourite meal in the world!
These are the blocks: http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Medium-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011ULFVG
I get them in the asian foods section at my local VONS.
I like the America's Test Kitchen gumbo recipe. You can also add a bag of frozen cut okra near the end of cooking. This freezes quite well too.
Lidia's Italian Wedding Soup. Don't actually use 7 quarts of cold water, you'll overflow the pot. Just fill with water until your pot is 3/4 full. You can always add more later if you need. You also don't need to poach the meatballs separately, works fine just dropping them straight into the soup (probably adds more flavor to the soup itself). I actually use italian chicken sausage instead of pork, and I also add about 4 oz of tiny pasta (pastina or stelline) at the end. I grew up eating Progresso Chickarina soup, so chicken meatballs and pasta in the soup.
If you want a braised meat sort of thing, I like braised short ribs served over polenta with some broccoli rabe slowly sauteed with garlic and olive oil. Or either of the Taiwanese national dishes, beef noodle soup and braised pork belly (lu rou fan).
Or if you're feeling lazy, some standard Japanese curry from a box. I make it with onions, carrots, potatoes, and chicken and serve with rice. This is one that gets better the longer it sits. Some people just let it on the stove for a few days and reheat as needed (the food safety police do not endorse this practice).
My two favorites are, chicken thighs/breasts + cream of mushroom soup + packet of onion dip mix. Eat it over rice ( it makes a fantastic gravy ) with veggies as a side.
Chicken breasts/de boned chicken thighs + 1 can coconut milk + good drizzle of honey, + 3-4 big spoonfuls of peanut butter + 1-2 cubes of curry powder ( i like this brand, green or gold work nicely ) + a few tbsp of thai red or green curry paste ( i usually use green ). Usually had 1-2 yellow/orange peppers as well. Such a good an easy curry to make.
I'd just order this http://amzn.com/B0011ULFVG <<--S&B medium hot golden curry and whip up a batch to test. Want to make it easy? Grab a pound of ground beef, and a poundish of frozen veggies (or just add carrot potato and onion) and cook it up per the directions on the box.
Generally, if I order "curry" at a "Japanese" or "asian" food place and it just tastes like it was made with the yellow powder from a red topped spice jar then it SUCKS. That sounds like what you have encountered. That in no way is representative of Japanese curry. I really enjoy indian and thai curries as well, but japanese curry will always be my favorite.
No worry, BEEF CURRY!
Semi-important variables here are where you're going and what you'll have access to. For now, I'll assume nothing but water.
I camped around Iceland for 10 days in August with my gf, including a 4-day thru-hike out of the interior, with access to nothing but water.
Cooking gear:
What we had for the (10-day) trip/hike:
Pretty self-explanatory, but during hiking days we would generally eat oats for breakfast, split a couple of sandwiches + Clif bars throughout the day and have a dinner of rice, beans and soy curls.
I've done 1.5-2 week camping trips 3x over the last year and minute rice has been the staple. This recent loadout worked really well. You could probably also carry some fresh fruit for the first couple of days or just go the dehydrated route.
I believe that is Sambal Oelek and I'm pretty sure it's just crushed chilis with a little vinegar and salt. I dont have an exact recipe but you can buy it on amazon for pretty cheap.
Sambal Oelek!!!
(you can get some from the same company that makes Sriracha in the US)
OK, here ya go. (note this might suck, I just made this up in my head)
Acorn squash with African style nut soup and ground venison
Buy enough medium sized acorn squash so each person has one. Carefully cut off the top (save!) and scoop out the seeds. Cut a tiny bit of the base so the squash stands up but be careful not to slice into the open part!! put the top back on, arrange on a sheet pan and roast for about 45 min.
In a stock pot warm some good chicken stock. Add some natural peanut butter and equal amounts tahini paste. Stir until blended. Add a spoonful of sambal oelek to taste.
In a pan, fry ground venison up then drain off any extra fat. Add some chopped pistachios and a little fresh flat leaf parsley.
To serve put each squash in a shallow bowl, fill with soup then top with a spoonful of the meat. Put the top of the squash back on and serve. Tell people to scoop some of the squash off the insides of the bowl with each bite being careful not to punch through the bottom.
Not a recipe but my personal favorite is sambal oelek.
No he means chili paste like http://www.amazon.com/Huy-Fong-Foods-Sambal-Ground/dp/B001MGEU0W/ref=pd_sim_gro_3?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=0RZA891K2MHDJ7YHBBYN
Siracha is sugar sauce really not what Tim is referencing.
Edit: inserted link of chili sauce I like and use
In addition to Soy/Teriyaki I like to add Chili/hot pepper flavors to my dishes. Walmart should carry this stuff, which has a bit of a bite to it but the chili flavor is great.
You won't be able to find this stuff at walmart, but it's good too and is available at Amazon.
I don't have a favorite brand, but don't forget Hoisin sauce!
https://www.amazon.com/Chung-Jung-One-500g-Gochujang/dp/B002WTE0MQ/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1468632129&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=gochujang
Hey! I think this is the cheapest on my list, I had other things that were cheaper but they increased in price :( I'm not even sure what I'd do with rosemary, I don't usually use it in my cooking lol.
I'm not going to lie, I think what I want the MOST on my list is this! I'm a sucker for board games, and Risk has always been a favorite of mine. I love boardgames because you actually get to interact face to face with your friends and it reminds me of a time long long ago where people spent time talking and hanging out with friends instead of playing games, watching tv, or updating facebook statuses on their phone while talking to you. I have a group of friends that gets together once a week and we either go do trivia, board games, or just hang out and I think we'd love to play this sometime.
This one is interesting because it has different rules, and the board changes between games. It's unique in the sense that decisions from previous games influence the next game and some things are permanent. From what I understand, to play it you need the same group of people each game and the board is only good for one play through as you need to either cut out or rearrange the board. Also there are some ominous envelopes that have to remain sealed until the instructions tell you to open them. I just don't know why board games are so expensive :(
OK rambling over!
Don't think I forgot that you are the spicy lover! Might I suggest adding this to your wishlist? It's super tasty and used in almost any Korean spicy recipe. Or add this one as it's only $7 more and has 6x the quantity :)
Anyway, thanks for the contest Aveline!
I've not had this personally, but looks like coconut aminos are a great paleo-friendly seasoning for jerky. Here's a recipe.
I used to use Bragg's liquid aminos when I made jerky, and it tasted great, but Bragg's is soy based.
http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mild-8-4-Ounce/dp/B007FMLMFS
easier way to make curry
It's mostly in the curry paste.
I am lazy so I break down rotisserie chicken from costco - it's already cook, so I just have to make a sauce and lightly toss, reduces cooking time.
I used about 1200g of chicken, 2 bell peppers, 142g of onions, 1 pack of cherubs tomatoes, 50g of the paste, 40% can of coconut milk (~ 2 servings)
~289 calories with ~40g of protein per serving if split 6 ways.
https://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Red-Curry-Paste/dp/B0091UW4QS/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1498371833&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=mae+ploy
Here try this! They have it on Amazon :)
Traditional Thai food minus the rice is very keto friendly. Lots of exotic green stuff and meat salads.
Real thai cury is not all sugary. It's just paste plus coconut milk. What's with the coconut oil craze when coconut milk is sweet keto nectar?
https://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Thai-Curry-Paste/dp/B0091UW4QS
https://www.amazon.com/Thai-Kitchen-Organic-Coconut-13-66/dp/B00M8VSKW4
My wife and I are Thai curry fiends. I will give what tips I can, and a simple recipe.
BONUS STAGE
We made this for years, but there was still a Thai restaurant that added another flavor we just couldn't nail down. As it turns out, it was strips of kaffir lime leaves. If you are a Thai curry fanatic, this is the piece that really brings it all together. The bad news is, they are usually pretty difficult to come by, so we decided to just pick up a tree and plant it for year-around access. (we live in Texas, so we don't have to keep it indoors).
Good grief, I'm all over the place right now.
First column:
Chicken Piccata http://damndelicious.net/2016/02/26/easy-lemon-chicken-piccata/print/ - Trader Joe's brown rice and quinoa pasta, and Trader Joe's All Purpose gluten free flour
Cheese Plate - Glutino Crackers
Pad Thai - Gluten Free fish sauce https://www.amazon.com/Red-Boat-Premium-Fish-Sauce/dp/B00B617XK2 Recipe: http://rasamalaysia.com/pad-thai/print (sub tamarind for the vinegar and chicken for the shrimp)
Cobb Salad with Homemade Ranch (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/homemade-ranch-dressing/)
Second Column:
Shrimp Fried Rice with Kikkoman Gluten Free Soy Sauce
Tom Kha Soup (super easy week night soup!) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EONW4I/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Cha Gio) http://rasamalaysia.com/vietnamese-spring-rolls-cha-gio-recipe/2/
Turkey Meatloaf - sub gluten free panko https://www.amazon.com/Aleias-Gluten-Panko-Crumbs-Original/dp/B008PA9TUE
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/turkey-meatloaf-recipe.html
You do you, but I'd drop the Worcestershire Sauce. Full of molasses. (It's annoying, there's sugar in everything. 😡
Red Boat Fish Sauce has a pretty similar flavor and is carnivore friendly.
It is. I use this brand. It's just salt and sardines, as it should be. Other brands have sugar.
Red Boat Premium Fish Sauce, 500 ml (17 oz.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B617XK2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zu2nDb7JRCGR6
Carry around a small bottle of fish sauce...
A little concentrated anchovy extract across the air intake and they'll have a nice surprise when they turn go to rev ol' coal to blow smoke...
Gochujang
I go to a small general Asian market in West Texas and they typically have 3 or 4 different brands of gochujang. Most of the tubs look similar to the one in the amazon listing though.
EDIT:
Noticed you are in Japan. Have any feelings about onigiri? I like them better than just rice in a bowl.
https://www.amazon.com/Chung-Jung-One-Gochujang-500g/dp/B013HB0CC4/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=gochujang&amp;qid=1556762298&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-3
Amazon's got you! It's like spicy/sweet miso paste. Good for glazes and stuff too. I just got my first tub so I am tackling dishes/ideas as they come up but honestly it seems like it might turn into the next sriracha craze
Hi mate.
I really like the normal or brown top sriracha.
I did recently but this and it has a decent kick to it. Lovely flavour too and it is versatile https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B013HB0CC4?psc=1&amp;ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
You get a good size tub.
Sorry I just saw this, but this is all it is. We didn't make it in house. https://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Sweet-25-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B00016UX0K
Instead of using BBQ sauce, try getting a big bottle of sweet chili sauce and making sweet chili ribs! The sauce you'll need is orange like duck sauce, but with flakes of chili in it. Mae Ploy is my favorite brand. Use it just like American BBQ sauce and let it develop a nice glaze.
I'm a white dude and that's how I grew up eating rice. I don't anymore because I don't have as much taste for salt as I did as a kid but that's how my dad makes it still.
If you like Chicken and rice this is a really good thai sauce that goes well with chicken
planning on making these this week, and I'll probably use some Mae Ploy which you can usually find at the grocery store.
I practically collect hot sauces these days, currently however I have three hot sauces of choice, Cholula (Chipotle flavor if I can find it outside of my house) is a middle ground, I hate Tabasco sauce as I can taste the vinegar taste way too much in comparison, then my go to for heat currently is Ghost Tonic has ghost pepper, and is a fairly thick sauce so it doesn't run everywhere. And then finally for something sweet that packs plenty of flavor my choice as of late is Mae Ploy, though you can technically make it yourself in your kitchen with a little know how.
Buy some hoisin, u won't regret it.
https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Kum-Kee-Hoisin-Sauce/dp/B0001DMTPU
I think that Hoi Sin Sauce is completely nomtastic!! I have a few food things on my wish list; any of these would be awesome! Thanks for the nomalicious contest!
It might be more, to be honest I eyeball it.
I use this stuff that I buy at the local asian grocery store: https://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Panang-Curry-Paste/dp/B000EICJWA
Its actually in a vacuum sealed bag inside that jar and I use half the amount. So 7oz.
That sounds like Mae Ploy Panang Curry Paste. Mae Ploy is almost impossible to go wring with. I've seen a couple Thai Redditors declare it better than their mom's fresh made paste, so... :)
I can post an easy but not from scratch recipe, but probably more authentic than most, also easy for what is a very elaborate dish
Buy this, https://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Panang-Curry-Paste/dp/B000EICJWA
This is the closest to Rendang flavor of all mae ploy spices
It's basically a puree of all the spices you need and lasts forever. (30-40 servings)
Fry 50-100 g of the paste in oil and then add beef short ribs and brown.
After browning add 2 tins coconut milk and simmer for 3 hrs. Remove the bones which should have fallen off by now and reduce to a very thick mixture. With 10-20 mins more add a little, fish sauce, chili paste, and sugar, and lime juice. (very important with se Asian food to get fishy, spicy, sweet and sour balanced properly, experiment)
Serve with rice
Thai:Panang Curry Paste, Coconut Milk (can), peanut butter (couple three spoonfuls, to taste). Makes the creamiest, tastiest curry.
I think you're right. I've always passed over anything that said "sriracha" on it, but it looks like it's probably a different flavor from the normal sriracha sauce.
I'm going to try ordering some from Amazon to see if this is actually what I was looking for.
Here it is on amazon, but I wouldn't recommend paying anywhere near that for a little bottle. I pay $2-3 at the local asian market in the southeastern US. It also comes in a bigger size bottle, 25oz.
This was a staple hot sauce when I was a kid along with Huy Fong's. It's a thinner and a little more vinegar based (but nothing like Tabasco). It's just a different kind of flavor.
http://www.amazon.com/Thai-Sriracha-Sauce-Shark-Brand/dp/B000EISJXS
I believe it's actually made in Thailand (where the name "Sriracha" originally came from)
Or you could always get shark brand sriracha if you want to be authentic about your Thai food.
Rooster is decent, but it can't compare to the original, aka Shark brand.
http://www.amazon.com/Shark-Thai-Sriracha-Sauce-bottle/dp/B000EISJXS
Nice my personal secret ingredient from the asian grocer is the "shark brand" hot sauce.
http://www.amazon.com/Thai-Sriracha-Sauce-Shark-Brand/dp/B000EISJXS
Some varieties of canned curry paste use nothing but spices and water. You're looking for the little cans, like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Maesri-Thai-red-curry-cans/dp/B000ETLVXC
The ingredients on this one say "sugar", but the nutrition facts indicate there's a total of 12 ± 3 grams of sugar per can, which isn't so bad really. Keep in mind the can will flavor 4-8 servings of food (and is meant to go with coconut milk). See also:
http://www.rachelcooksthai.com/thai-test-kitchen-brand-curry-paste-best/
Is it this?
obviously
I do, I like the whole range of normal hot sauces. When you start getting into the really painful stuff I'm not really into it, but a drop or two of Dave's Insanity Sauce can really improve a dish of mediocre mild salsa. At that rate the jar I bought on a whim will last a few decades. Eating Thai food I'll ask for a heat level of 2-3/4 out of 3, if that makes sense. 70% of my heat additions as an ingredient or condiment come from Sambal Oelek, I'll put it in everything from eggs to salad dressing. I'll use dried Thai chili flakes for other recipes like tacos or Lentil Dal. I keep Sriracha around, but it basically only goes on leftover pizza and a bottle will last me forever. My fiancee hates it, so I never include it as an ingredient. I will use a good amount in Pho though. Unfortunately for me, Tabasco is the most commonly available hot sauce, and I have a moderate dislike of the stuff. I'll eat it when the food is so boring it needs some heat added, but I'll pick pretty much any hot sauce in existence over it.
However, unlike my father, I can some times be perfectly content to eat foods with subtle flavors. He basically writes them off as bland, and then dumps a huge pile of any available hot sauce onto it.
Red Rooster if you want some delicious Cajun vinegary hot sauce which goes amazing on pizza too
Sambal Oelek if you feelin for some Asian inspired hot sauce
Kung Pao Chicken http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/kung-pao-chicken-50400000108350/
The recipe is written a little confusingly. but you can sub other vegetables, like green pepper and peas. I also sub This for the crushed red pepper and chicken breast for thigh. Also good soy sauce really makes a difference.
Edit the recipe really is hard to read so i will write it out since I am bored.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
Sauce ingredients
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Fresh minced ginger
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2.Add garlic saute 30 seconds add chicken (after you salt and pepper it) and cook till almost done.
Picture
I see you mentioned curries in another post but they. are. SO. EASY. Seriously, I dunno what access you have to ethnic stores but this red curry paste I can find in almost any store but if I'm near an asian store I pick up this Maesi brand. My recipe is 1) Saute any vegetables and/or meat you have. Onions, carrots, zucchini, red pepper, whatever. 2) Throw in some of the curry paste and cook it for 1-2 minutes. 3) Dump in coconut milk. Seriously that's it. Maybe a pinch of sugar/fish sauce/cayenne/ginger if I feel like it. It's my go to when I need something quick and to use up any left over produce.
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Also what about turkey? Burgers or stuffed bell peppers with turkey meat are great, or just do a half-and-half turkey meat with something like lentils for a bolognese pasta sauce.
If you'd like a simple starting point for thai curries, this right here is a fantastic starting point. There are also variety packs to try different ones.
Massaman Curry is one of my favorite things in the world. I typically make it with chicken, potato (sometimes sweet potato), sometimes with carrots, green peppers, or onion, always over rice. Don't forget to cook the peanuts either! :)
Next up is to grab some fish sauce, lemongrass, and ginger. I personally like Squid fish sauce. It is foul beyond belief if you give it a smell or pour it in a hot wok but it works magic. (I also add it to chili and meatloaf for umami). For the ginger and lemongrass, I won't lie, I often by those tubes of crushed stuff instead of actual lemon grass and ginger.
The Maesri pastes are a good starting point but working a little variation of the fish sauce, lemon grass, and ginger can get you a much better flavor.
For heat some sambal oelek is a pretty (this is a nice 3 pack of thai seasonings that has fish sauce and the chili paste) and maybe some ground thai chili.
Here is a recipe you can use as a starting point, I'd recommend frying the paste a minute or two then add coconut milk and letting that simmer a bit before getting into the rest of it. I personally wouldn't add peanut butter, though I make sure to cook with actual peanuts. If you have problems finding the tamarind paste, you'll be fine, though it is a good one to have.
Surely Amazon.com has vegan curry paste.
6 Can (4oz. Each) of Thai Green Red Yellow Curry Pastes Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QU3JM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cMRhyb81FM7CH
My friend that grew up in SE Asia uses this brand
https://www.amazon.com/4oz-Green-Yellow-Curry-Pastes/dp/B000QU3JM0/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506627094&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=thai+curry+paste
She likes the pink can and the green can (and would kill me if she found out I call them like that) for those days you can't be bothered.
I just bought them and haven't used them, but I trust her taste in this sort of thing.
Try curry pastes! http://www.amazon.com/4oz-Green-Yellow-Curry-Pastes/dp/B000QU3JM0/ref=zg_bs_16321141_5
I usually make at least 2 curries at a time, one vegetarian and one meat-based. My vegetarian yellow curry usually has potatoes, cauliflower (fresh or frozen), onions, garlic, garbanzo beans (dried - soaked and pre-cooked or canned), frozen peas, some golden raisins and maybe some fresh spinach simmered in coconut milk and curry paste. When you prepare a vegetarian one that is just as delicious as the meat-based one, the meat consumption goes down. (I use the green for chicken and the red for beef.) You can buy the cans of curry paste at an Asian market for about $2 USD each. Tofu also works very well in any of these curry pastes.
Its kind of cheating but the best butter chicken I've been able to make comes from a packet. Using [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Kitchens-India-Butter-Chicken-3-5-Ounce/dp/B000V17MLS?th=1) with some boneless thighs is fantastic and super easy.
As for rice I just throw jasmine rice in my rice cooker. While neither the curry or rice are authentic they taste good.
I realize that this is not made in a slowcooker, but if you don't have the ingredients to make this (I don't), this is a very good alternative:
Butter Chicken Curry
In my experience, these are the cheapest good foods I can get:
Protein: eggs, chicken
Fats: eggs, nuts, peanut butter
Carbs: rice, beans, potatoes, oatmeal, bananas
Sprinkle in some vegetables here and there where appropriate and you're on point. Also, make sure you check grocer specials and stock up on things you KNOW you're going to go through when they're on sale. I go through a lot of curry paste. I leave the butter out because I don't like cancer.
My husband and I have the same problem, and our go-to lazy meal is Butter Chicken. Our local Kroger sells a pre-made curry paste that we love (Kitchens of India, Butter Chicken Curry), and we eat that like most families eat spaghetti. Dice up some chicken, add whatever veggies you like, and make some rice and/or naan on the side. We also add a bit of ghost pepper because we like it really spicy, but our weak friends think it's very flavorful without no additional spices (except salt/pepper while the chicken is browning).
I also really enjoy fish as an easy, relatively healthy meal. Tilapia filets take no time to thaw in tepid water, so I just keep some in the freezer for easy, spur-of-the-moment dinners if I can't think of anything else. I season the fish with salt & pepper and either blackening spice or harissa seasoning (our local spice market sells a pre-made blend of dried spices that is my favorite thing ever). I usually nuke some frozen vegetables and make either rice or couscous on the side and add the same spices to the sides that I put on the fish. I usually make an extra meal to re-heat (in my HOME microwave) for lunch the next day.
I used THIS paste (it's crazy good), and added potatoes, carrots, onions, peas, and bamboo shoots. I use coconut cream instead of the water the recipe calls for.
Cube up and cook in sauces. I love honey garlic soy chicken over rice, and you can find recipes that do it without the breading which is a giant pita for that many little pieces of chicken, but so much better with it.
I'll probably catch shit for not making my own sauce but this is so so so much easier and is just what I'm wanting for easy butter chicken https://www.amazon.com/Kitchens-India-Butter-Chicken-3-5-Ounces/dp/B000V17MLS I'd make it more often if the smell didn't linger in my apartment for a couple days after making it.
I don't make it from scratch. Another user in this sub posted about the Kitchens of India brand pastes and I decided to try them out. http://www.amazon.com/Kitchens-India-Butter-Chicken-3-5-Ounce/dp/B000V17MLS
It does have a tiny bit of sugar, but not enough to where I feel any cravings after eating it. Also, one of the paste packets is said to be for 1 pound of chicken, but I've used more than 1 pound with one packet, which definitely helps reduce the grams of sugar per serving.
I know you asked for a recipe, but I swear this stuff is really good. And it's less than $3 USD per package w/ about 3-4 servings each.
http://www.amazon.com/Kitchens-India-Butter-Chicken-3-5-Ounce/dp/B000V17MLS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1422721518&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=butter+chicken
In case you'd like a slightly simpler preparation, I've found that I can make a very good butter chicken with this paste, a can of tomato sauce, some half and half and a little bit of sugar. It's cheap and it turns out great!
Not the healthiest, but I really like to make "butter chicken" with this spice packet. It calls for a lot of butter, but doensn't really need that much. I add cream to it at the end, but that's all depending on your tastes (I'm a wimp for spicy foods, and the cream cuts it). It's good with rice and cauliflower, all mixed together, and super easy to make.
Oh boy, I use my Instant Pot all the time. Just Saturday I threw in about five pounds of pork short ribs, some lime juice, chili garlic sauce, a little vinegar, dehydrated garlic and onion, salt, and a bit of cayenne pepper for extra spice. Added some water to not-quite-cover it all. Slow cook setting for 12 hours overnight. I separated it out into eight or so containers and paired it with some broccoli for pre-made lunches.
Here's my chicken noodle soup recipe.
You can throw pretty much any slab of fatty meat in the IP, put enough liquid in it to cover, and slow cook it into deliciousness. The best part is that you can buy the cheaper cuts of meat (more connective tissue) because slow cooking breaks those down and turns them into pure flavor. We can talk shop on beef stew if that would interest you. Also, you can reasonably eat for ~$2-3 per meal if you meal prep well.
Yes, from the UK.
I always check Amazon first: https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Do-Organic-Creamed-Coconut/dp/B00113ZZ5U/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1498677909&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=coconut%2Bconcentrate&amp;th=1
Oh, also, this is a really great product for wayyy cheaper than, say, Artisana if you just feel like buying it instead.
Let's Do Organic Creamed Coconut, 7-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00113ZZ5U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_voTRAbXVQKM1A
If that doesn't work, Amazon will be happy to help you out.
(That's not a brand endorsement, btw-- it was just the first search result.)
Try this stuff, super concentrated: http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Do-Organic-Creamed-Coconut/dp/B00113ZZ5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1346562852&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=coconut+cream
Nutiva also sells a jar, but these boxes are more economical.
S&B Golden Curry
It is a Japanese Curry Roux. They are very convenient if you want to make a Japanese curry.
Boil eggs until done. Chop into bits. Cook beef with salt & cumin. In a bowl, add the cooked eggs and beef, add more spice as needed. Chop parsley & add it to the bowl. Let the mix cool. Put the mixture into egg roll wraps and then fry in oil. You can keep these frozen and cook on other days.
Cut the eggplant into slices, fry in oil until done. Set on paper towels to absorb oil. In a pot, and put sliced tomatoes (I usually use four) in and cook with cumin & salt to taste. Add a can (small or regular sized, depends on your preference) of tomato sauce. Add sliced potatoes (I usually use four large red potatoes). Cover with lid and cook on low. In a pan, cook ground beef with cumin & salt. Add the beef to the potato mix, and then add the eggplant. Add more cumin/salt as needed. Cook on low for half an hour.
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mix-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011UGYLM
Its Japanese curry that comes in the form of solid bricks. Dump them in boiling water, throw in your ingredients, serve over rice: Boom, meals for days.
Heheheh. I've been making golden curry chili for over a decade. With thick cut-ups of browned hardwood smoked bacon and chunks of scrambled eggs mixed into the chili near the end (so the eggs don't get over-cooked). Makes for a great breakfast bowl.
If you want a formal recipe you can check out these guys.
Otherwise I'd recommend buying some thai curry paste, or Japanese curry blocks. You basically just add milk + tomato (or broth or water) and boom, you've got a sauce to simmer your veg in. This japanse stuff is at my grocer, and the thai stuff I get from amazon.
Also, you can save money if you use dried beans rather than the canned ones. You just gotta remember to throw them into water in the morning. Same thing with split peas, they cook super fast if you soak them in the morning.
I'm surprised on the lack of comments on this post. Your meal prep is pretty unique and is something I wish I was brave enough to attempt. I always use the same [golden curry] (https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Medium-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011ULFVG) brand, I cook extra extra servings and eat it for the entire week.
But to see you're brave enough to package the wet and dry ingredients in the same container, something I've been afraid to do, makes me believe the feat is actually possible. Did you have any obstacles or struggles during the meal prep process? Thanks OP.
Yup, I do it often now. It's hard to combine this stuff with usual American food in a meaningful way. Here's an easy beginner's route:
Get one of these. This is a really good brand. Follow the instructions and put the ingredients you want into a pot. Then add the mix in at the end. Poor it over rice you had cooking in a rice cooker and wa-la.
It's filling, nutritious and quick. But most importantly, it solves my cravings. You can add salt, sugar, sauces and oils to modify the taste a bit. Or you can try other flavors and brands.
You can make it at home with these curry roux blocks.
http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Medium-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011ULFVG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449394479&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=golden+curry
Directions are on the box. Easy peasy.
Relevant
If you like spicy things; me and a buddy this over the weekend, was amazing 10/10. equal parts Kewpie Mayo and Sambal
0 carbs.
You can make a good emulsion with tahini, but you do need more than a couple Tbsp. Per 28 oz chickpeas (1 lg can, 2 sm cans) I start with blending 1/2 C tahini, 1/4 C lemon juice and add water till its almost frothy and has the consistency of thin pancake batter. Then 2 cloves, a generous pinch salt, and drained chickpeas. Then just water to achieve consistency. Its a hassle to clean the blender, so consider a higher power immersion blender.
That's it: a good solid plain hummus bi tahini. Then for variety, you can add garnishes like sambal oolek (red pepper paste), better quality zaatar (wild thyme/sumac/sesame mix), smoked paprika, chopped pitted kalamata olives....
I found Tabasco to be too watery and expensive. I've switched over mainly to Sambal Oelek and Sriracha.
http://www.amazon.com/Huy-Fong-Sambal-Oelek-Sauce/dp/B001MGEU0W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1314243268&amp;sr=8-1
It's usually right by the Sriracha in most markets. It looks like this http://smile.amazon.com/Huy-Fong-Foods-Sambal-Ground/dp/B001MGEU0W/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=grocery&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1464729655&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=sambal+olek (not an affiliate link and don't buy it from Amazon, it's crazy overpriced!) You can see the ingredients on the link - no sugar. If you can't find it at your regular grocery store in the Asian foods section, you should be able to find it in any Asian grocery store. All of our regular markets carry it, but then I live in the hot sauce capital of the US (Louisiana!).
I'm trying to figure out the floating booger looking things. We normally don't put book Choy in the noodles. That's just getting fancy and a personal preference of the chef. There's also slices of pork meat near the greens. The chilis are also according to preference. We would put sirracha or sambal oelek or other chili paste sauce with hoisin sauce, squeeze some lime and bean sprouts.
Edit: there's also chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, and fried chopped garlic (very tiny piece I can see near the greens).
Here are the items i found that i cant get local. Any good/bad items or alternate options you would suggest?
> Mirin
Kikkoman Aji-Mirin
>Dashi
Ajinomoto - Hon Dashi
>Miso Paste
Shiro Miso Paste
>Gochujang
Sunchang Gochujang
>Kombu/Wakame/Nori (sea weed)
Welpac Dashi Kombu
Wel-Pac - Fueru Wakame
Nagai Deluxe Sushi Nori
>Furikake
JFC - Seto Fumi Furikake
>Bonito Flakes
Japanese Bonito Flakes
Oh yes you have to get some gochugang
Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 Persian Cucumber diced in small squares
1 Mediun tomato (I used a yellow one) diced in small squares
1/2 Thinly Sliced Red Onion
Juice of 6 Limes
Juice of 1/2 Orange
1/2 Orange diced in small squares
1 Jalapeño sliced in thinly
1 Tuna Steak diced in small squares
1 inch squera Ginger for flavoring the marinade
1 avocado diced in small squares
Salt and Pepper added to marinade
Cilantro for marinate and some for decoration
Some scallions the green part for decoration
1 Table spoon of Gochujang (See link)
1 Table spoon of MIso paste (See link)
1 Tea spoon of fish sauce
Marinade:
Zeste or grate one lime and the orange
Add the juice of the Limes and Orange
Add the ginger
Add the onions
Add some cilantro
Salt and Pepper
1 Table spoon of Gochujang
1 Table spoon of MIso paste (See link)
1 Tea spoon of fish sauce
Taste, you can add more Gochujang if not spicy enought
Making the Ceviche
Add the Tuna to the marinade
Add additional salt to the Tuna before you mix
After 10 minutes have passed add the avocado and continue to marinade for an additional 20 minutes.
After 30 minutes, set the tuna, onions and avocado to a serving plate and mix in the tomatoes, cucumber, japapeños and additonal cilantro. Take out the ginger and discard.
Once all the ingridients are mixed add marinade to the dish.
Links to Pepper sauce and Miso.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0NPF5C/ref=sxr_pa_click_within_right_grocery_sr_pg1_3?psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002WTE0MQ/nerdwithkniv-20
Nan-pizza. Perfect for one person. You can either purchase precooked naan, or make it yourself via this recipe. Warning this step takes awhile, but it's no knead.
I used kochujang paste as a base, because its spicy and sweet and works well for me.
Then just top with mozzarella and anythings you like! I heat it up in a toaster oven since its just for one person. This is how I survived as a single person. There are so many variations! But, the kochujang is so flavorful, I often ate it just with the cheese!
I am going to have to try that, and add some of this for the kick too!
http://www.amazon.com/Sunchang-500g-Gochujang/dp/B002WTE0MQ/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1383229778&amp;sr=8-1-spell&amp;keywords=gotchujong
the red pep paste you need.
This recipe and this one here are my two current favorites. For the first one, Halloumi cheese can be pricey, so I usually sprinkle feta on top instead! And the Korean-style is insanely fast/easy/inexpensive. I mixed a little bit of gochujang with the vinaigrette while it was boiling, and it really took the flavor to the next level, but you can use sriracha if you want, or just leave chili paste out of it. It tastes fantastic either way!
I don't know much about Japanese cooking, but this is a soy free soy sauce, but does contain coconut which isn't technically a nut. https://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Organic-Soy-Free-Seasoning/dp/B003XB5LMU
Also, I really like this site for desserts and snacks. http://petiteallergytreats.com/
I don't know how this will work for skinless chicken, but I have done it with a cut-up whole fryer.
Minced garlic, fresh squeezed juice from the fruit, with some grated rind nixed into [Coconut Aminos]
(https://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Organic-Raw-Aminos/dp/B003XB5LMU)
I marinate with that for several hours......the coconut aminos is a great product.
http://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Organic-Vegan-Aminos/dp/B003XB5LMU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1406590730&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=coconut+aminos
I got it from Stop and Shop. I’m not sure where else they sell it.
Edit. They also sell it on amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XB5LMU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_3SBCCbVQT6N0Q
There is a soysauce alternative https://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Organic-Soy-Free-Seasoning/dp/B003XB5LMU?th=1
There are brands that make allergy free food, like Enjoy Life.
Or Coconut Aminos which tastes like Soy, but only has 1g Carb per Tsp.
http://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Organic-Vegan-Aminos/dp/B003XB5LMU
A Japanese Katsu Curry is just about the easiest thing you can ever make. I highly recommend buying S&B Golden (they have multiple heat options available, but as a wussy baby, I like mild). There are instructions right on the box to make the curry itself. The only thing I would add would be carrots, potatoes, and onions to pot and soften them up a little before adding in the curry.
As far as the katsu goes, I just used boneless pork cutlets (pound them out a little if they are on the thicker side). Do a traditional breading pattern of flour, eggwash, flour, panko. Drop that bad boy in a wok full of oil for a few minutes until nice and golden brown.
I live in Hawaii so food like this is pretty common, but when I was in college in Boston it was a winner with all my white friends.
Find an asian grocery store or even a regular one if you live in a large city with a sizable asian population and buy this:
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mild-8-4-Ounce/dp/B007FMLMFS
I suppose you could order it off Amazon too. The one I linked is mild, but you can get the spicy ones if your friends can handle it.
Other ingredients: Stew meat, carrots, celery, onion, whatever other vegetable you think you might want with curry.
I generally use a little under 2lbs of meat, 1lb of carrots, 1lb of celery, and 2 onions, but you can adjust based on what you like.
i like japanese curry, it works well with beef, pork or chicken. here is an example, they have variations (generally sweeter or hotter). peole can love it or hate, so maybe try a small batch first.
http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mild-8-4-Ounce/dp/B007FMLMFS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449251979&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=japanese+curry
for the cut of beef you will want a roast, pick the one that fits your macros. i dont actually do a lot of beef in crock pot so no suggestions.
for pork same deal. if im going for leaner ill use pork cushions/tri tips. if im going for tasty and fatty its shoulder/butt all the way. country style ribs are also a great fatty pork cut.
bbq sauce you can just go straight up in the crock pot, maybe add some broth or water so you dont have to use so much sauce. salsa i think you need to add something, taco mix ix popular. ive also enjoyed ranch mix and the lipton soup thing that is for onion dip or meatloafs and all sorts of things. another popular mix is franks (or a cayenne pepper sauce) with optional ranch mix.
I believe it is a packaged curry mix, but I didn't realize they were vegan!
US Amazon link for lazy
I learned to make thai red curry by watching this video.
Couple of things I do:
In case you're actually curious, I like this curry paste, and this fish sauce.
My favorite Thai dish to order is red Thai curry w/o rice BUT! You'll need to ask the restaurant to make it without sugar. Most restaurants are perfectly willing to do this for you, and my local restaurant has come to know that it's my regular order.
Alternatively, I'd highly recommend this super easy (once you own red Thai curry paste) recipe that I make every week. It feeds us for three days or more straight and gets to the heart of my Asian food cravings without fail.
I also have a pretty easy recipe for Indian butter chicken which, just, yum.
Thai Turkey Red Curry
Requires some unusual ingredients. Takes about ~15 minutes to cook and is hearty, spicy, & super YUMMY.
Ingredients
Frying pan and saucepan
Instructions:
Stir evenly. Add water if desired. Nom!
Pairings: Wash down with a tall glass of micellar casein.
The Count:
Serves 2
Online is extremely overpriced (especially the korean one because it is 10 seperate packages. Probably enough for 4 weeks though!), but here is what I found: I live in a bigger city so my asian store sells those buckets for under 5 bucks and a big bag of the korean curry for like 6.
Korean: http://www.amazon.com/Ottogi-Instant-Curry-Mild-6-7ozX10CT/dp/B004LSOD32
Thai Red: http://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Thai-Curry-Paste/dp/B0091UW4QS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1451584616&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=thai+red+curry
Massaman: http://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Matsaman-Massaman-Curry/dp/B000EIE7GQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1451584710&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=massaman+curry
Thai Green: http://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Green-Curry-Paste/dp/9742356831/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1451584657&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=thai+green+curry
Edit: The thai ones need coconut milk cans (about 70-99c) and the red and green curry one tastes so much better if you put egg plants in there.
I'm not familiar with that brand, but it looks like the right thing. The most basic one that my wife's family uses is Squid brand. I also like Red Boat, but it's more expensive. Megachef is very good also and less expensive. I've also recently discovered a brand called Hai Ngu which looks and tastes like an identical clone of Red Boat, but less expensive.
When buying fish sauce, the marks of quality are:
I think a lot of people are equating the crystal salt-like additive MSG (e.g. Ajinomoto) with naturally occurring glutamates. Maybe this person, for whatever reason, does not want to eat MSG additives but is fine with eating naturally occurring glutamates, such as those found in seaweed, tomatoes, anchovies, etc.
Also, to H20, there are fish sauces that have naturally occurring glutamates and no MSG additives.
Examples of fish sauces with no added MSG (emphasis on the "added"):
https://www.amazon.com/Red-Boat-Premium-Fish-Sauce/dp/B00B617XK2
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tiparos-Fish-Sauce-23-oz/16004704
To be clear, I agree that MSG tastes fucking AMAZING. But I also respect the decisions of people who don't eat MSG additives.
Season chicken cook separately. Usually after veg start cooking I use fresh garlic and also Korean fermented pepper paste or sricha and mix it in with some honey served over soba noodles cooked in a chicken broth with diced chicken. Use this as my paste about a tablespoon https://www.amazon.com/Chung-Jung-One-Gochujang-500g/dp/B013HB0CC4/ref=pd_sbs_325_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B013HB0CC4&amp;pd_rd_r=1df13dd4-cc71-11e8-ba98-5b089291c505&amp;pd_rd_w=bZixL&amp;pd_rd_wg=rQhRG&amp;pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_p=7d5d9c3c-5e01-44ac-97fd-261afd40b865&amp;pf_rd_r=H4VTMDC5RFFV0X2ZCQQW&amp;pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&amp;pf_rd_t=40701&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=H4VTMDC5RFFV0X2ZCQQW
That's the beauty of it. It retains the flavor of your food while adding heat. Oh and never get this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Roland-Sriracha-17-Ounce-Plastic-Bottles/dp/B001EO7HE8
This is the good one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LO40AG/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&amp;pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&amp;pf_rd_t=201&amp;pf_rd_i=B001EO7HE8&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_r=1FXP4BEY9VY1CVW1JBHH
But I hear that this one is even better (unconfirmed):
http://www.amazon.com/Thai-Sriracha-Sauce-Shark-bottle/dp/B000EISJXS/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1318926014&amp;sr=1-1
Is it chili garlic sauce? I know I'm taking your description literally but without tasting it, I could only offer my best guess of this very popular condiment. My husband and I prefer it over sriracha.
I used to when I was young and foolish, now I eat like a warrior king!
http://www.amazon.com/Huy-Fong-Sriracha-17-Ounce-Bottles/dp/B001EO5ZHO
This is the stuff. You can often find it in a regular grocery store (at least in the places I've lived in the US) wherever they keep their asian food, or in any chinese market.
http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Kum-Kee-Hoisin-Sauce/dp/B0001DMTPU
any cheap Hoisin sauce is great for teriyaki and as a sushi goop.
http://casaveneracion.com/bottled-vegetarian-mushroom-oyster-sauce/
this veggie oyster is surprising good as well for both purposes.
> It would require someone to have ketchup and sriracha sauce and I just don't ever see that happening.
Why not?
I don't use Sriracha I use Sembal Oelek, very close. Sriracha has experienced a surge in popularity lately though. Marketing.
Funny thing, I have this on my desk in front of me, and I'm sure it was less than five bucks. Amazon wants sixty bucks for it???
Edit: Just went to T&T, you can buy Sriracha ketchup there.