I think the last question on this forum about cooking did not deserve its own thread, but from the replies it seemed there are several home-chefs in our community, so perhaps we can dedicate a thread to cooking.
I’d love to get some more inspiration, especially since most of us currently have a lot more time to spend in the kitchen.
Aubergines with a kind of red sauce and cheese. It came out 10/10, which I don’t easily say about my cooking.
(I can’t follow or repeat a recipe to save my life.)
Like much Asian cuisine, it consists of several side-dishes. I got the recipes from this lovely website. We have (clockwise around the plate):
Steamed spicy eggplant
Sour soybean sprouts
Quickly pickled cucumber
Fried zucchini
Spinach
Potato pancakes
On the side: a vegetarian variant of Nikujaga, soy sauce dip, Dutch white beer and a bowl of rice.
Most recipes are very easy to prepare, but it took a loot of time to cut everything up. As for spices, I got away with using Japanese soy sauce, rice / sushi vinegar, cooking sake and gochujang (which has quickly become my favourite spice mix to cook with) and sesame oil / seeds.
Neither can I, the trick is to learn what things taste like and become good at improvising Also: keep tasting everything in the intermediate stages and never put in too much salt / sour / sweet / hotness without tasting.
Everyone says I’m a great cook.
I just usually grade me 9/10 or 8/10, 7/10 on my so-so, 10/10 is rare.
But when asked what I cooked, my answer is always “something like X, but not exactly”. People sometimes think I don’t want to share, but I really just do it on the spot.
I start with a general idea of what I feel like and then open the fridge and the cupboards and let it lead where it takes me.
My wife needs a gluten-free diet. So we cook a lot of faux Asian dishes. Last time I threw a butterflied chicken breast, thin asparagus, and a sliced red pepper in the broiler and served over rice with store-bought teriyaki sauce. Quick and surprisingly ok!
I won’t inquire as to why she needs a gluten-free diet, but if it has to do with reducing inflammation, autoimmune disease, or addressing “leaky gut”, then you should be aware that Rice and the Red Pepper are both foods to be avoided. For reference:
Thanks! As far as we know, her condition is a medical mystery. Details aren’t appropriate for a public forum, but we figured out that cutting gluten treats 100% of the symptoms. It’s like celiac. But I appreciate the resources all the same!
We had grilled cheese sandwich yesterday. With that, mango chutney, pickled peppadews, pickled mushrooms and pickled… Kapernäpfel. Today will be grilled veggies and pork steak.
It’s Easter today. I won’t cook any of the traditional stuff, but I have to cook meat, it only feels right.
I’ll head to the kitchen and see how it goes.
I don’t think I’ve ever eaten pancakes in my life, but I woke up and wanted to make pancakes. I managed to cook two batches according to recipe, then added coconut flakes and cocoa powder.