Lunch 2024

[KennethT]

22 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

Pad See Ew from Night + Market

This was very tasty, though in my efforts to get a nice char, which I achieved, I had issues with the noodles sticking to the wok. Still had chewy and flavorful noodles but I need to work on both my wok seasoning and technique. 

 

Wow! Everything looks great!  What kind of noodles are you using?  Are they dried or fresh?  Usually sticking is because the noodles are too wet, regardless of wok seasoning....

[rotuts]

Lunch in the Tj's thread :

 

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/155097-trader-joes-products-2017–/page/54/sa

 

sardines w mayo and a pinch of S&B curry powder

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

5 minutes ago, KennethT said:

Wow! Everything looks great!  What kind of noodles are you using?  Are they dried or fresh?  Usually sticking is because the noodles are too wet, regardless of wok seasoning....

 

Thanks, that's helpful!  The noodles were fresh-ish.  I got these at the Thai grocery store.  

They weren't in the fridge in the store but I put them in the fridge when I got home. I did see a tip to separate them out before refrigerating but I was too lazy!  

I microwaved the ones I used briefly, covered with a damp paper towel, so I could get them apart. That may have added some moisture. Maybe I can skip the paper towel and set them out to dry off for a while before cooking?  Any other suggestions?

[KennethT]

37 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

Thanks, that's helpful!  The noodles were fresh-ish.  I got these at the Thai grocery store.  

They weren't in the fridge in the store but I put them in the fridge when I got home. I did see a tip to separate them out before refrigerating but I was too lazy!  

I microwaved the ones I used briefly, covered with a damp paper towel, so I could get them apart. That may have added some moisture. Maybe I can skip the paper towel and set them out to dry off for a while before cooking?  Any other suggestions?

This is the link to how I learned - https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/pad-see-ew-new/

I've found that most of her instructions are well thought out and lead to good results.

 

ETA:  She has this broader topic: https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/rice-noodles-101/

which covers how to cook most rice noodle types.

Edited June 26 by KennethT (log)

[rotuts]

@KennethT

 

Excellent references    Thank you .

\

[C. sapidus]

Zucchini, mushrooms, and roasted chile Poblano, sauteed with tomato, onion, garlic, chile Habanero, cumin, white pepper, and then finished with Mexican oregano and feta. The trick was adding the main ingredients sequentially so they were cooked down but still firm. Also salted and then drained zucchini cubes beforehand.

 

[blue_dolphin]

Pad Grapow (aka Ka Prao/Krapao/Krapow/Gaprao etc) Chicken from Night + Market  topped with a crispy fried egg. I didn't have any holy basil or regular basil so I used Thai basil. 

This recipe differs from others I've read in relying on Prik Tum, a hot, garlicky paste made by smashing and cooking down chiles and garlic in oil in a larger batch rather than just what's needed for this single recipe. .

You blitz 3 large jalapeños, 3/4 cup Thai bird's eye chilies, 3/4 cup garlic cloves and 1/2 Tbsp salt in a blender or processor then simmer that in a cup of oil for 45 min or so before seasoning with white pepper.  It seems like a Thai version of Hamburger Helper 🙃 as it transformed some ground chicken and green beans into a delicious meal. 
 

 

Edited June 28 by blue_dolphin (log)

[liuzhou]

Salmon sashimi with fresh real wasabi and soy sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

I got white sea bass in my fish share this week and used some to make these crispy fish tacos from Night + Market.  

In the book, he uses a tempura-like batter and deep fries the fish.  I made a breading from the toasted rice powder in the book and a bit of cornmeal.  Marinated the fish first in buttermilk with lime zest and garlic. In place of a salsa verde, he uses Nam Prik Khee Ga, which he translates in the header notes as "crow shit nam prik," named apparently for its appearance with charred bits of chile, etc. I could have done without that description but the stuff is indeed very good here. The pico de gallo is fairly standard, though he adds sugar, which I skipped.  I made the crema from a recipe in Nopalito (just Greek yogurt, lime juice and salt) and made the tortillas with Masienda yellow masa harina. All in all, it was more work than my usual fish tacos but always fun to try something a little bit different. 

[C. sapidus]

Continuing the theme - rajas con crema tacos with diced zucchini. Roasted Poblanos, seared zucchini and onions, and sauteed garlic and habaneros, finished with half-and-half, feta, cilantro, thyme, white pepper, Mexican oregano, and a squeeze of lime.

 

[Neely]

Beef San Choy Bow for lunch

 

[BonVivant]

It's painful to be back in hell!

 

The first meal was just sourdough bread with various cheeses and home-made peanut butter and chocolate spread. The meals after that were just some random things we have missed.

 

Don't remember seeing mushrooms and kimchi in Borneo. They love spicy and some fermented foods there but no kimchi at all. (Trout roe and bonito flakes bottom half)

 

We missed oily fish, dairy and pumpernickel.

 

 

And even if I could buy oysters in Borneo I wouldn't (but would look at them longingly). Too much of a risk.

 

[Raamo]

 

My very german lunch, sausage (cooked sousvide at 150f for an hour) and a home made pretzel (modernist bread)

My

[OlyveOyl]

Mortadella, ricotta, pistachios and a little provolone.  All squeezed into a mini baguette made with black olives and barley flour. The sprouts sprinkled around are arugula, spicy cracked Sicilian olives on the side.

[johnnyd]

From the What the hell? Let's try it! Dept:

 

Local scallops seared in coconut oil, local strawberries, blueberries from CA, shaved radish and scallions on mixed greens, splashed with my house-made ponzu.

 

 

[rotuts]

@OlyveOyl

 

What a perfect sandwich.

 

Id love to have one right now.

 

for me , Mortadella ( God's Bologna )

 

bypasses '  ultra-processed-meat ' 

 

Ill have to consider having some soon

 

w that sort of baguette.

 

congratulations on Fine Work.

[OlyveOyl]

@rotuts Why thank you rotus, how kind of you to comment on our close to favorite sandwich…maybe favorite 😁 !  Imported mortadella is just so tasty, and additional pistachios are a definite plus!

[rotuts]

@OlyveOyl

 

I pretend your PistachXXX's are Pecans.

 

Ive never developed a taste for pistachio's  

 

I get the Morta w/o Pistach.  no idea which version God prefers.

[OlyveOyl]

Having recently emailed Him/Her, it’s definitely pistachios.  You might want to consider walnuts, tho’!

[rotuts]

Walnuts are fine.  I use a lot od TJ's walnuts.

 

Pecan's >>>>  walnuts..in the final analysis.

 

My sister used to snd me , in the fall 5 +++ pound , still in the shell from a Pecan orchard in TX a few mils from where she lived.

 

delicious they were   2 - 4 different trees it seems.

[OlyveOyl]

Fresh pecans are in their own category, so much better tasting than “just store bought”!

[blue_dolphin]

Grilled white sea bass from the weekly fish share with a pat of Gabrielle Hamilton's preserved lemon compound butter, along with my riff on a za'atar zucchini pasta dish from Tenderheart.

The recipe called for instant ramen noodles but they refused to come forth from the pantry when I summoned them so I went with these little lemon guys from Trader Joe's which only take 5 or 6 min to cook.  Also, I added sugar snap peas and little cherry tomatoes 

[rotuts]

@OlyveOyl

 

correct  my sister lived in a part of TX in a smaller town N.of Austin

 

towns in  that era had pecan trees in the public areas , some quite old.  come Pecan season

 

'you picked up a few , freshly grounded and enjoyed them it seems 

 

there are several varieties.  

 

TJ's for the longest time , had pecans much fryer then any supermarket 

 

at some point , the Chinese , in China , developed a taste for them

 

prices went way yp , and the local orchard sold most of their crop in that direction

 

about 3 to 4 x the local going rate,

 

prices went up everywhere , inv TJ's.  about 10 years ago or so

 

and the bags got smaller , still a certain most // lbs.

 

excellent for the growers my sister knew well.

[OlyveOyl]

Besides the Georgia pecans, I have had some from Green Valley, Az. which are delicious.  I usually settle for a Costco bag which are “ okay”.

[rotuts]

te ones from TX came in the shells ,in burlap sacks.

 

my sister had to send me a 'pecan nut cracker '

 

I still have it  interesting contraption,

 

adjustable for eacj pecan

 

alas m no fresh pecans.

 

this one :

 

 

came w no tools

Edited July 1 by rotuts (log)