What is/was for dinner?

[stylinexpat]

Found a new Chinese restaurant yesterday and I decided to come back again today for it. Their noodles are made fresh in house. Had their cumin lamb fried noodles with spinach. I asked for less spicy as I have acid reflux at times. Most Chinese restaurants use the cheap spaghetti like noodles but this restaurant makes them from scratch. Will try their flat ones next time

 

[Mellofello808]

Home made lump meat crab cakes.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Found a new Chinese restaurant yesterday and I decided to come back again today for it. Their noodles are made fresh in house. Had their cumin lamb fried noodles with spinach. I asked for less spicy as I have acid reflux at times. Most Chinese restaurants use the cheap spaghetti like noodles but this restaurant makes them from scratch. Will try their flat ones next time
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They look absolutely mouth-watering.

Do enjoy.

Noodles from Asian restaurants - in common with many pizzas from Italian restaurants - can often be a dreadful, and deeply depressing, disappointment, - but, when prepared from proper (good quality) ingredients and treated with respect and care, the results can be delicious.

 

[stylinexpat]

They look absolutely mouth-watering.

Do enjoy.

Noodles from Asian restaurants - in common with many pizzas from Italian restaurants - can often be a dreadful, and deeply depressing, disappointment, - but, when prepared from proper (good quality) ingredients and treated with respect and care, the results can be delicious.

I know in the US it is difficult due to cost reasons to make noodles from scratch. If they have to pay a chef to make them from scratch which is time consuming and raises costs then it may be difficult for a restaurant to sell them at a higher price as I know most Chinese clients won’t pay $19-20 for fried noodles but will pay $30-100 for sushi,$5-7 for boba tea,$50-150 for fish/seafood,etc..🤔 In China where a lot of their labor costs are cheap hand made noodle shops are plenty and cheap. Panda Express for example sells similar noodles which taste horrible in my opinion. Those are the very cheap ones that come pre made in a bag but they target different clients who want cheap food that can be made in large quantities like Mc Donald’s

 

[Mellofello808]

As good as fresh made lomein noodles are, wait until you try fresh chow fun noodles.

Living in a predominantly Asian community I am lucky enough to be able to pop down to any market for a relatively fresh pack, or go right to the factory to get them hot off the presses.

Probably my favorite noodle fresh is udon. It Totally transforms the dish when the noodles are fresh.

 

[Mellofello808]

Par cooked these beef/pork/lamb meatballs, and had them in the freezer for a while. Defrosted last night.

Ran them through the air fryer, and I think this is my technique from here out. Nice crispy skin developed on the outside, and inside stayed juicy.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Par cooked these beef/pork/lamb meatballs, and had them in the freezer for a while. Defrosted last night.

Ran them through the air fryer, and I think this is my technique from here out. Nice crispy skin developed on the outside, and inside stayed juicy.

Agree, @Mellofello808, re fresh noodles.

Your homemade meatballs look delicious, but I am casting an admiring glance at that lovely Bialetti moka pot - battered, loved, and used, just like mine.

 

[firedept]

Tonight: Curried chicken with white rice and asparagus.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Tonight: Curried chicken with white rice and asparagus.

Indian curry? Thai curry? Indonesian curry? Japanese curry?

 

[Applefan2015]

Par cooked these beef/pork/lamb meatballs, and had them in the freezer for a while. Defrosted last night.

Ran them through the air fryer, and I think this is my technique from here out. Nice crispy skin developed on the outside, and inside stayed juicy.

This picture is making me hungry @ 11.32pm uk time

 

[firedept]

Indian curry? Thai curry? Indonesian curry? Japanese curry?

Indian yellow curry. About a 7 spice. We like it hot. I am a huge fan of Thai curry as well.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Indian yellow curry. About a 7 spice. We like it hot. I am a huge fan of Thai curry as well.

Sounds delicious; and yes, I am an ardent fan of both Indian and Thai curries, also.

 

[Mellofello808]

Tofu summer rolls with vermicelli, and peanut dipping sauce.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Yesterday, dinner took the form of a variation of the classic hot and sour (Tom Yum) broth - with vegetables - and noodles. (Fish sauce, lime leaves, chilli, ginger, lemongrass, with onion, carrot, tomato and chopped chard).

Today, I decided to try a curry inspired by Japanese cuisine, some kind of vegetable katsu curry, a mild, sweet, curry, but one without the panko breadcrumbs (which I lack); it has been well over 18 months since I last ate in Wagamamma's, and I wished to attempt to replicate some of that flavour.

I spent some time yesterday (and today) reading recipes, and did some tweaking.

Anyway, it started with two very finely chopped onions (organic, last Saturday's haul in the farmers' market has left me reasonably well stocked, for now), which were sautéed slowly in butter (and a little olive oil) - for the best part of 50 minutes, until caramalised.

Grated ginger (a thumb), and seven or eight fat cloves of garlic (minced) were added after around 30 minutes. After 50 minutes, I added a grated apple (peeled) - several of the Japanese recipes had suggested this.

Then, stock, and mirin, plus, a little soy sauce, were added, - and brought to the boil - as - eventually - were two cubes (which I grated) of S&B curry roux.

While the recipes I consulted had called for boiled vegetables, (boiled in the stock), I preferred to roast them, to caramalise and concentrate the flavour; so, a fat sweet potato (chopped into large chunks, drizzled with olive oil), a fat carrot or two (likewise, roughly chopped but left in large pieces), a parsnip (that had been hiding, but root vegetables respond very well to roasting), and several large tomatoes, quartered. All of these were drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and black pepper, and placed in a preheated oven (200C) for around 50 minutes, (and were turned and basted after half an hour).

The roasted vegetables were served with the curry sauce on the side.

Basmati rice to accompany.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Tonight, I dined on my own version (inspired, to a certain extent, by the Gordon Ramsay recipe) of Indonesian fried rice, the classic Nasi Goreng.

First, for this dish, it is important to use "old rice" (in this instance, yesterday's left over basmati - I deliberately made extra yesterday when preparing dinner).

Finely diced onions and carrots (organic) sautéed, to which a cup of peas (from the freezer, but defrosted earlier) are added, and sautéed until soft; .

Then, the spices are added: a grated thumb of galangal, and a finely diced chilli pepper plus a the best part of a full head of minced garlic, all sautéed, and a little brown sugar. And finely chopped French onions.

Eggs (free range, organic, three or four) have already been whisked; then, they are added to the pan and scrambled briskly.

This is when the old rice is added, and fried, and sautéed (even toasted); at this point, I made a well in the rice, and added some sambal oelek paste, and some rendang paste into the well, - I tend to have a generous hand in such things - and fried them off, and then stirred the rice through them. Once that has been done, a dessertspoon (or two) of kecap manis, sweet Indonesian soy sauce, is added and fried off, and stirred and mixed through the rice.

Accompanied by a tasty salad of chopped cherry tomatoes, and some thinly sliced cucumber (skin peeled, and centre removed), dressed with freshly squeezed lemon juice, and olive oil, seasoned with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, brown sugar, coriander leaves and parsley.

 

[gigatoaster]

Couscous tonight, Moroccan style.

 

[Mellofello808]

Various Pokes, and sashimis for lunch.

 

[TCS_Tommy]

Tonight, I dined on my own version (inspired, to a certain extent, by the Gordon Ramsay recipe) of Indonesian fried rice, the classic Nasi Goreng.

First, for this dish, it is important to use "old rice" (in this instance, yesterday's left over basmati - I deliberately made extra yesterday when preparing dinner).

Finely diced onions and carrots (organic) sautéed, to which a cup of peas (from the freezer, but defrosted earlier) are added, and sautéed until soft; .

Then, the spices are added: a grated thumb of galangal, and a finely diced chilli pepper plus a the best part of a full head of minced garlic, all sautéed, and a little brown sugar. And finely chopped French onions.

Eggs (free range, organic, three or four) have already been whisked; then, they are added to the pan and scrambled briskly.

This is when the old rice is added, and fried, and sautéed (even toasted); at this point, I made a well in the rice, and added some sambal oelek paste, and some rendang paste into the well, - I tend to have a generous hand in such things - and fried them off, and then stirred the rice through them. Once that has been done, a dessertspoon (or two) of kecap manis, sweet Indonesian soy sauce, is added and fried off, and stirred and mixed through the rice.

Accompanied by a tasty salad of chopped cherry tomatoes, and some thinly sliced cucumber (skin peeled, and centre removed), dressed with freshly squeezed lemon juice, and olive oil, seasoned with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, brown sugar, coriander leaves and parsley.

Photos!!!!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Photos!!!!

No photos.

 

[decafjava]

No photos.

The description is sufficient to create a vivid picture in my mind, and follow to create one's own version.

 

[TCS_Tommy]

The description is sufficient to create a vivid picture in my mind, and follow to create one's own version.

That’s great for you. I agree the descriptions are vivid - I just enjoy seeing the finished product as well.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The description is sufficient to create a vivid picture in my mind, and follow to create one's own version.

Thank you.

That’s great for you. I agree the descriptions are vivid - I just enjoy seeing the finished product as well.

I still shoot with film, - which means carefully craft shots - so, no photos. And these days, no photography; the places where I used to be able to develop film are all shut, due to Covid restructions.

And I wear glasses.

Actually, on this site, - not this thread - one of my personal pet peeves are photos that the person who has posted them has not described or labelled. Pictures don't always speak for themselves, and nor is what they purport to describe (visually) always clear, or self-evident to the viewer.

Besides, the fact that one is able to take pictures easily (as with digital cameras) doesn't always necessarily mean that the picture that has been taken is worth looking at.

 

[TCS_Tommy]

Thank you.



I still shoot with film, - which means carefully craft shots - so, no photos. And these days, no photography; the places where I used to be able to develop film are all shut, due to Covid restructions.

And I wear glasses.

Actually, on this site, - not this thread - one of my personal pet peeves are photos that the person who has posted them has not described or labelled. Pictures don't always speak for themselves, and nor is what they purport to describe (visually) always clear, or self-evident to the viewer.

Besides, the fact that one is able to take pictures easily (as with digital cameras) doesn't always necessarily mean that the picture that has been taken is worth looking at.

I get that, and it makes sense - but I love your descriptions so much, and your meals sound so wonderful, I’m always drooling to see photos

 

[Mellofello808]

Breaded some flounder in panko and meat church voodoo spices. Cooked in the air fryer.

With fresh local mango, cilantro, and avacodo

 

[Scepticalscribe]

A simple, but tasty tweak on a store cupboard classic: Pasta and (homemade) tomato sauce:

That is, a minced head of garlic and around eight to ten anchovies dissolved in olive oil, followed by the contents of a tin of splendid Italian San Marzano tomatoes (which have been chopped and seasoned - sea salt, black pepper, a little brown sugar - by me), and let simmer, and splutter, and bubble away for around 30 minutes on the stove; then, pasta added to stock which has been seasoned with olive oil.

And finally, the two meld and marry and smile at one another when mixed, just before being served together in the final dish.