We should have a "What are you cooking?" thread. Now we do.

[EBK]

If New Zealand produce is anything like American produce, then "medium" means pick the smallest one in the store.

[alanp]

A pot of stir-fried potato, carrot, onion, and cubed gravy beef.



Same pot, plus the curry roux, and five minutes of simmering



Well, with a good curry, you have to have a beer, right? And it was a very nice curry!

[midwayfair]

I made ma po tofu today, with homemade seasoned chili oil.

It was amazing. I almost never make two plates of a dinner, but I seriously considered making a third of this.

Here's what I did:

Drain and cube a package of tofu. Let soak in a bowl with some cold water. Usually I press tofu and fry it, but this recipe really is better if you leave it soft.

Chili oil:

Roast four star anise pods and a cinnamon stick in a small sauce pan. De-seed (mostly) about 15 dried red chilis. After the spices have roasted about 2-3 minutes, pour in about 1/2 cup of oil into the pan, reduce to really low heat, and add the chilis and a teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorns. Cook for about 20 minutes then dilute it with another 1/4 cup of oil. (You don't want to burn the spices, but you do want to keep it hot enough long enough to actually infuse.)

It's useful for other recipes and it'll keep a long time, and this'll make extra.

Sauce and stuff:

Put enough mushrooms in a food processor to get 1 cup of minced mushrooms. I used oyster and regular white mushrooms, but I suspect that oyster and shitake and possibly a little portabello are the better way to go. You want something with deep flavor, because the chili oil will dominate the flavor.

Mince some garlic, ginger, and white onion.

Put 1/4 cup of the chili oil and a tablespoon of sesame oil in a hot pan. Add the minced stuff.

While that's frying, thaw or otherwise obtain a 1/2 cup of stock. I make mushroom stock, so that's what I used.

When the mushrooms have given up most of their liquid, add the stock and then a couple tablespoons of dried bean paste. There's a specific dried bean paste you're supposed to use for this, but I didn't have it or the correct fermented beans to make it. I just used roasted black bean paste (which is almost like dehydrated soy sauce). Mix well.

Drain the tofu and add it. Add some scallion greens (save the white end for a garnish at the end) and Sichuan peppercorns. Cook for a bit so the sauce can reduce a little, imprint on the tofu, and emulsify.

It's fine on its own, but I put it on rice.

By the way, some recipes have corn starch and crap in it. Don't do that. It really won't need it. This recipe is almost entirely about the chili oil, and there won't be much regular liquid left at the end to turn into goop. The stock is mostly just another layer of flavor.

Also, there is no substitute for Sichuan peppercorns. They used to be illegal in the states, so you'll still find restaurants that don't use them despite otherwise serving legit Sichuan food. They produce a cold, numbing sensation rather than being hot like normal peppercorns. Sort of like a cross between anise and a trip to the dentist, but actually good.

[alanp]

Sounds interesting! I don't know what tofu is, other than that the kid in the '86 in the show _Initial D_ delivers it for his Dad, and vegans like it as a meat subsitute. But I like spicy stuff, so might have to look it up.

I was watching some more Life Of Boris videos before, and I think I might have to cook some stroganoff in the weekend. (He said to use vodka, I'll probably just use red wine. It's cheaper.)

[davent]

Sounds interesting Jon, i'm on very good terms with tofu and it's a regular part of our diet.

... but tonight it was meat. Maybe one more grilling of burgers for this year and then must wait for next year's tomato season.

The build, 100g sliders, grilled egg buns, sauteed/caramelized onion/garlic/shiitakes, Benedictin Bleu cheese, 100g beef pattie, wasabi/horseradish sauce, slice of "Rose" tomato, backyard arugula, sweet relish, ball park mustard & Hellmans.

My wife's first apple pie of the season, Ginger Crisp apples, topped with full fat Greek yogurt.







dave

[alanp]

.... wow, those burgers... how do you fit them in your mouth?!  If you have trouble with them, I'd be happy to take them off your hands

The stroganoff went okay... the beef wound up being too damn cooked, though. Still very tasty, though. Too high a heat, and too long frying the beef strips.

[mjg]

I think we are having halloumi cheese and mushroom burgers tonight, but damn, I kinda want blue cheese now. 

Just planted tomato seeds last weekend for the upcoming tomato season here. 

[alanp]

https://savoringthepast.net/2016/04/13/mushroom-ketchup/

Start with a kilogram of mushrooms. Yes, a whole kilogram. Chop 'em up fine. Real fine. Add salt, and the bay leaves.

Leave overnight, or longer, till the mushies are all nice and liquid.

Add Cayenne pepper. Add horseradish. Add lemon. Add cider vinegar. Plus some cloves, and allspice.

Bloody tasty sauce, this. Complex as hell in taste, and very, very nice.

[somnif]

https://savoringthepast.net/2016/04/13/mushroom-ketchup/

Start with a kilogram of mushrooms. Yes, a whole kilogram. Chop 'em up fine. Real fine. Add salt, and the bay leaves.

Leave overnight, or longer, till the mushies are all nice and liquid.

Add Cayenne pepper. Add horseradish. Add lemon. Add cider vinegar. Plus some cloves, and allspice.

Bloody tasty sauce, this. Complex as hell in taste, and very, very nice.

Hmm, I want to try this. I worked in a fungal genetics lab for a few years, and have a fondness for various fungi. I would probably sub in a few more interesting varieties for some of the buttons though. Maybe some pink Oysters, Shiitakes would work well, maybe some Pioppinos too, if you can find them. Hell, maybe some morels if you don't mind breaking the bank (aka: can you find them wild).

Downside with fungi is the cost. If you don't grow your own, or are an expert in your local wild species, they're bloody pricey little buggers.

[alanp]

I got lucky. My local supermarket must have had a load they wanted to get rid of, before they went bad, or something. $3 NZD for a kilo.

That just means I need to get to saucemaking quick like

[davent]

.... wow, those burgers... how do you fit them in your mouth?!  If you have trouble with them, I'd be happy to take them off your hands

Hi Alan, i do have trouble but if i squish em way down I can do it.

Details, details, details... the nerve responsible for the right side of my face was severed so i can't open my mouth very wide before the lips on that side of my mouth will wrap over my teeth and end up being between the food you're going to take a bite from and your teeth, doesn't work very well, it hurts and bleeds. No ability to curl, hold the lips back at all on the right.

Nerve reassignment gave some gross motor control to the right side of my face but the nerve they hijacked  was the one that controlled the right side of my tongue,  far bigger deal, something you've never given a moments thought to your entire life. Tongue can't manipulate food very well while you chew and if you lose something to the right side of your mouth there's nothing the tongue can do to get it back across, it's lost, go fishing. Always small bites so never much food at any one time helps. You make it work.
dave

[midwayfair]

First successful sourdough. I could never keep a starter alive long enough to be able to make bread with it before. This is after a 1-week starter.

[diablochris6]

First successful sourdough. I could never keep a starter alive long enough to be able to make bread with it before. This is after a 1-week starter.

I was craving some sourdough for the past few weeks. When my child was born, members of my church gave my family food, including some sourdough bread from Cracker Barrel. It almost hit the spot, but it was a little too sweet for my taste. How did yours fare on the sour/sweet ratio?

[midwayfair]

First successful sourdough. I could never keep a starter alive long enough to be able to make bread with it before. This is after a 1-week starter.

I was craving some sourdough for the past few weeks. When my child was born, members of my church gave my family food, including some sourdough bread from Cracker Barrel. It almost hit the spot, but it was a little too sweet for my taste. How did yours fare on the sour/sweet ratio?

Well ... I don't add sugar, so it's really not sweet at all.

[alanp]

It's amazing how well random fry-ups go.

Tonight? Sausage meat, bacon (the cheap kind), carrot, onion, mushrooms, salt 'n' pepper, and rice.

Good stuff. No sauce needed with this lot