(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best sauces

I do! I was born into a family that owned a Thai restaurant, which I took over from age 18 to 27, and I’ve also a total whore for Asian cuisine so I can definitely help with soy sauce suggestions!

So here’s a great tip: you should have at least two different kinds of soy sauce including a light soy sauce and a dark one, with perhaps two or three additional kinds of specialty soy-based seasoning sauces. While that sounds like a lot, generally soy sauce is an inexpensive ingredient, even for more high-quality brands, and a bottle will last you for ages. I’ll give you a few recommendations for each category. As a side note these are Amazon links, but if you have access to an Asian grocery store then I absolutely suggest buying them there instead as you would save at least 50% off the prices.

Light Soy Sauce: this is your workaday soy sauce, the kind you would add savory saltiness to stir-fries or dip your sushi in.

Pearl River Bridge Golden Label Superior Light Soy Sauce - is a great standby favorite of Asian chefs the world over, especially in the seafood palaces of Hong Kong. It’s less jarringly salty than say a Kikkoman, with more complexity. Pearl River Bridge is a really well-respected brand of Asian condiments, generally all of their products will be either good to excellent. Note that they produce two different varieties of light soy sauce, the “Superior” and the “Golden Label” - always go for the Golden Label, it’s just better in every way than the “Superior”.

The second light soy sauce I’d recommend is San-J Tamari - which is made wholly of soybeans without any wheat. While this is good news for anyone with gluten sensitivity issues, the flavor has a more pronounced umami because of it.

Dark Soy Sauce: think of dark soy sauce as a soy balsamic vinegar - it’s a highly-concentrated, almost syrupy sauce that also has a bit of sugar for a hint of sweetness. It is ideal for marinades, salad dressings, glazes, I’ve even used it in desserts!

[Pearl River Bridge Mushroom Flavored Superior Dark Soy Sauce](16.9 oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6A03MU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ImLPDbGVGZ3K0) - is an umami bomb to your tastebuds, rich with portobello mushroom notes and a perfect accompaniment to red meat dishes like wok-seared ribeye with gai lan aka Chinese broccoli.

Healthy Boy Thai Sweet Soy Sauce White Label - as thick as molasses, this sweet soy is essential in traditional Thai noodle dishes like ผัดซีอิ้ว (pad see iew) and is also good when you want to add a little savoriness to sweet recipes. I once made sweet soy brownies with a healthy dollop of this and they were utterly fantastic.

Miscellaneous Soy Sauces: these are usually different varieties of flavored soy sauces from around Asia.

SHIMOUSA PONZU - ponzu is a mixture of soy sauce and yuzu, which is the juice of a Japanese citrus fruit. This bright sauce adds a lemony kick to salad dressings and jazzes up seafood. Try it as a marinade for salmon crudo or as a dipping sauce for your favorite sashimi.

Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce - oh my god do I love this stuff, it tastes like my childhood as my Dad would always cook my favorite meal (pineapple fried rice with shrimp, chicken, veggies and cashews) with this sauce. It’s a soy sauce with a very distinctive tangy kick, and I use it in everything from fried rices, eggs, soups, noodles, stir-frys, you name it. Everyone I have sample this wonderful sauce ends up being addicted!

I skipped over a lot of stuff, like the recent rise in artisanal soy sauces, many of which are even aged in barrels! But I think that this is a good start for someone who wants to explore beyond the disposable packets they get from the takeaway place. Let me know if you have any more questions! (Or if you want a recommendation for fish sauces, because I could literally write monographs on the subject!)

> favorite

> easy

>really cheap

Sure. Both pho and ramen do require you to have some pantry essentials on hand, so there's an up-front cost involving a trip to the best Asian market you can access, but like any kitchen essential, once you have it it's there & you'll quickly learn what you burn through quickly and what sits on the shelf for months at a time. We're talking maybe $50 to be able to make a pretty endless supply of soups that generally cost ~$15 at a restaurant, so it's a good deal.

I prefer chicken pho (pho ga) because it tastes better to me than beef pho (pho bo), it's much easier and it's much cheaper. So it fits your bill.

For pho ga there are only two pantry items you really need:

• fish sauce — something like this or this, NOT something like this or this. Those last two links are awful US supermarket brands
  
  
• yellow rock sugar
  
  The recipe is pretty idiot-proof. Other than charring the onion and ginger until they're blackened—this is an essential step—and using enough rock sugar to give the broth some sweetness, the most important step is to blanch the chicken parts so your broth isn't cloudy. The steps for that are in the recipe.
  
  [Pho ga from Andrea Ngyuen.] (https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2007/06/chicken_pho_noo.html) Andrea's The Pho Cookbook is very good, but a whole book on pho is a little redundant IMO (Mai Pham is another Vietnamese chef who wrote the outstanding Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table if you're interested in a more comprehensive book on Viet cuisine; her pho ga recipe is virtually identical to Andrea's).
  
  For ramen I don't prefer chicken over the traditional pork, and TBH there's a much wider, denser spectrum of ramen out there than there is of pho—but chicken will still be the easier and cheaper option, and it's still fucking good. I've actually had a pot of chicken ramen broth going on my stove since last night, so I'll share that recipe here.
  
  The pantry staples for ramen are more complicated, so I'll just list them and you can see what's available in your area and what you might want to order online. They are:
  
  
• konbu (a variety of seaweed; thick, rectangular strips of kelp)
  
  
• mirin (rice wine used for cooking)
  
  
• sake (also rice wine, but generally served as a beverage)
  
  
• white soy sauce
  
  
• usukuchi soy sauce (a light soy sauce)
  
  
• niboshi
  
  
• katsuobushi
  
  That list might look intimidating. Don't let it be. Konbu, niboshi and katsuobushi are just dehydrated seafood & fish that will store in your pantry forever. Mirin and sake are just booze and the other two are just soy sauce. Easy.
  
  Now, ramen is a LOT more time-intensive than pho but don't let that scare you off. It takes 8–10 hours, but really only 1–2 of those are active depending on how fast you prep the ramen's seasoning ("tare"). Like I said, I put my chicken ramen (chicken paitan) on the stove last night before going to bed, and I'm just finishing off the last hour of it this morning while I type this. And after you soak the initial tare ingredients in the fridge—you can do that overnight while your broth simmers, too—then completing it only takes about 15 minutes. Comparatively, pho ga takes about two hours start to finish. But other than clock-watching, both of these recipes are so easy that any novice can tackle them.
  
  Both /r/pho and /r/ramen are a little circlejerk-y when it comes to just posting photos of bowls of soup (TBF I guess there's only so much you can actually say about either), but /r/ramen has a very good contributor/mod in /u/Ramen_Lord whose sidebar tour of ramen recipes will make homemade ramen feel very accessible to the American cook.
  
  Here is that entry for chicken paitan ramen, the thing that's going in my kitchen at this moment:. The recipe itself is in this comment.
  
  Enjoy, and feel free to ask any further questions! I do recommend buying an inexpensive kitchen scale as the one piece of equipment other than a pot, spoon and knife that you really want to have for soupmaking. Something less than $20 will do. Otherwise an immersion blender is a very, very handy tool to have around the house but it's in no way necessary. Have fun!

Here is a recipe to the best thing I've personally created.

Sauce

• Chili garlic sauce (careful, this is spicy. If you over do it, add more sugar/soy, can easily happen if you reduce too much)
  
• Tamari (fancy soy sauce with less salt and more flavor)
  
• rice wine vinger (couple splashes)
  
• Seaseme seed soil, about 1tbsp, huge flavor
  
• fresh minced up garlic and ginger.
  
• 1-2 tbsp of brown sugar to taste, can get too sweet quickly so make sure to be tasting after adding.
  
  Mix that all up in a bowl with a whisk and simmer on low heat in a pan.
  
  Meat
  
  I've done this with chicken and beef, but beef came out my favorite
  
  
• 1 package of stir fry beef, or fajita beef. any small cut beef would work, and cheap beef would work well too from how its being prepared.
  
  To cook, refrigerate the meat so its cold, then take it out and put it in a gallon ziplock bag. In the bag with the meat add corn starch (enough so everything is throughly coated) and black pepper. Toss the beef up so its nice and coated.
  
  Then, pour the beef and powder into a spagetti strainer to knock off all the excess corn startch. You are not making a crush or batter, just coat it.
  
  Next, heat up a pan of vegetable oil. Once its hot where when you drip a drop of water and it starts bubbling, toss the meat in. Let it fry for about 2-3min, when you are stiring it around with your spoon or whatever, you will feel it start to harder. As soon as it "feels" crispy, take it out. (dont worry, it will soften)
  
  Let this dry on a cooling rack or paper towels.
  
  Starch
  
  I love the Asian noodles, you can get them in a package. To cook, use a very large pan/wok or electric skillet thats going to be where you combine everything in. Heat up the pan, put some sesame seed oil in the pan, then the noodles. Toss them around until they heat up and remove. Set aside the noodles. (cook maybe 2-3min)
  
  Rice would also work here, although cooking instructions for rice should be followed.
  
  Veggies
  
  Easiest option is to buy a bag of stir fry mix. I usually combine some stir fry veggies with fresh garlic and a fresh quartered onion. (i like big chunks of onion for this, but cut to the size you prefer).
  
  The stir fry veggies are generally broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, red bell peppers and peas.
  
  To cook: heat up a pan, use a big one. If you dont have a large pan an electric skillet WITH SIDES will work. This has to be big enough to fit all of the veggies and meat.
  
  After the pan is heated up, add a splash of vegetable oil and some sesame seed soil to the pan. Toss in all of the veggies and keep them moving while they heat up. After they look heated up, add some of the sauce you made earlier. Toss them around so they are coated but not dripping or soggy.
  
  The veggie part you dont want to take longer then 5-8min so you have crunchy veggies at the end.
  
  The Finish
  
  Finally, the fun part. First, add your noodles back to the pan, then add some of your sauce, and toss them around so they are coated. Then add your veggies and beef to the pan. Toss this around until everything looks distributed. Now, add more of your sauce to taste, toss and enjoy!
  
  IDK what you'd call it, but we call it spicy stir fry beef with noodles lol
  
  A few tips... dont add too many veggies where you "dilute" the amount of noodles you have. Dont over cook the veggies or they get too soft. Chili-garlic sauce is SPICY. Sesame seed oil is VERY STRONG. Use those two in moderation but for huge flavor!
  
  Also, please let me know if you try this i'd love to know what other people thought of it.

I make this with these ingredients and approximate ratios based on how much I feel like makings r how spicy or numbing I want it to be. I even like the subtle variations, sometimes I make it more numbing, sometimes it's more spicy, sometimes different flavors come through more and it makes the dish really interesting. It's relatively easy to make even though you kind of have to have all these parts ready to go. If you've never had Sichuan peppercorn, it's sometimes labeled as prickly ash spice but make sure you buy it whole. It's really fragrant and has what Chinese people call "Ma" making it give your tongue a slightly tingly sensation even a little bit numbing, but I promise you will still be able to feel your face.

To make you need:
A wok would be nice, Dutch oven would work fine.
Sichuan Peppercorn (Sansho peppercorns will work also but lend a very different flavor)
Dried red chiles
Whole Anise seed
Whole coriander
Paprika
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Cumin
Black Peppercorn
Ginger
Scallion
Splash of shaoxin cooking wine, or broth for deglazing the pan.

Lao Gan Ma Chili Oil check your Asian grocer (you can probably get it for like 2 bucks)
http://www.amazon.com/Lao-Gan-Chili-7-41-210g/dp/B0051D86MA

You can literally put whatever you want in it as far as vegetables and meat or whatever goes. In this picture, I have
wood ear mushroom
Blue claw crab
Fried tofu
Fish cubes (like fish ball but a different shape)

Some possible combinations:
Sliced beef, Napa cabbage, fish ball, mushroom, bamboo shoots
Chicken wings, cauliflower, mushrooms, shredded Brussels sprout
Calamari, bok Choy, sliced swai/basa filets, baby corn, eggplant
Tofu, cabbage, eggplant, mushrooms, bamboo shoots
Or any combination of the above, or even all of the aboveboard a great one pot dish and it scales really well.

To put it together it's easy, stir fry your meat and vegetables separately to about 75% you don't want to cook it all the way yet. I.e. Cabbage, put aside, chicken, put aside etc. Start with the meats because you can, deglaze the wok/Dutch oven for some extra flavor. Very lightly season your meats and veggies with salt and pepper, don't go overboard because you have an opportunity at the end to season to taste. This is a good time to deglaze the pan if there's a lot of fond left behind, you can just pour it right into your veg/protein mixture.

Once all your proteins and vegetables are off to the side, lower the heat to low, and use a neutral high heat oil, i like to use grape seed oil, canola or avocado. Warm up a few tablespoons of oil and immediately put your dry and whole spices in as well as a few slices of ginger and a few cloves of smashed garlic (just use the side of your knife to crush the glove a bit) Removing seeds from the chiles if you don't want it too crazy hot (I usually do this). You want about an even ratio for all the spices except for the cinnamon, which you only need maybe a third of your normal quantity of to balance out the flavors and nutmeg, which will never need more than about a quarter teaspoon or so.

Once the spices are fragrant about a minute or so, add in a few tablespoons of Lao Gan Ma the heat to high and just fry it up a little bit to heat it through, a few turns or so is usually enough in a wok, maybe a little bit longer in a dutch oven. Go ahead and add your vegetables and proteins and stir fry it all together until fully cooked, adjust salt, pepper, chili flakes to taste.

Edited for completeness.

TLDR mix spices above with whatever you want by stirfrying to 75% then stir fry with fried spices.

Wow, really disappointing that there's no where to get it here, but on the other hand, it's really not that hard to make. It's basically a pancake with tons of stuff in it. The most important part is having the proper sauce, which you can find at any decent asian market. It's helpfully called Okonomi sauce. Otafuku is the most common brand (sometimes it comes in a bag ). For bonus points, you can use Kewpie mayo from Japan, although honestly plain mayo works just fine. It's been a while since I made it, so I don't have a go-to recipe, but you can put just about anything in it, so long as you have a good base and plenty of cabbage. Here's one you could try from one of my favorite food sites. Good luck! And don't skimp on the sauce!

It varies a lot even (and maybe especially) among authentic places. Whether they regularly use seafood product in all the curry pastes or not, what they can do to accommodate is different everywhere. They might make large batches all the same way and not be able to give you anything else, or have a fish free version of one available on request, or be willing to make you some special right then. I find myself being able to get thai curries at restaurants most of the time, so it's definitely not a long shot these days. Just ask what you need to! Nobody will look at you funny :)


Also, if you're a lover of thai curry you should check out your local asian/ethnic/specialty grocers! Popular thai brands do sell pastes that don't contain fish–mae ploy yellow curry paste for example. Mixing up a curry at home is super easy and delicious with a good store bought paste.

Vegan store bought pastes I like:

Yellow

Red

Green

All from very popular brands and much better than the stuff at regular grocery stores (I'm looking at you, Thai Kitchen, with your bland overpriced paste!).

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.

• Sriracha - "I put that *** on everything.
  
• Sweet Chili-garlic sauce - what god intended for chicken. You can make your own - but you can find good ones at any decent supermarket or Asian corner store.
  
• Chili-garlic paste. Deliciously intense.
  
• Curry (Sweet Madras Curry is fairly safe, other curry blends can rip your lips off. In a good way, but be warned.)
  
• Balsamic vinegar. Great for saute', salads, etc. Adds a lot of flavor at a fairly low price per serving.
  
• Balsamic reduction. Seemingly expensive, but it's not. It's concentrated, rich, deep and sweet; goes on everything from meat to ice cream.
  
• Garlic powder - Along with salt and pepper, it's a basic.
  
  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.

Yellow Thai curry over rice. Go to your local Asian market, or get these off of amazon:

Mae Ploy brand Yellow Curry Paste

and

Squid brand fish sauce

You only use a few Tablespoons of each at a time, and they both last a long time in the fridge (many months)

Here's how I make it:

• Put a (14ish OZ size) can of coconut milk in a large-ish pot (I use around 5 qt size for almost everything)
  
• Chop up some boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs into 1 inch chunks and add to coconut milk.
  
• Chop veggies that your kids are not violently opposed to into 1 inch size chunks (carrots/potatoes/sweet potatoes/onions) and add to coconut milk.
  
• Mix 2 Tbsp of Curry Paste with 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl to break up any lumps and add to the coconut milk
  
• Bring pot to a boil then reduce and simmer until chicken and veggies are cooked through. You could also do this in a crock pot.
  
• If you are using veggies like frozen peas, or bell pepper, don't add until the chicken is almost cooked as they cook really fast and will get mushy if you cook them for a long time.
  
• When chicken is cooked, add 2 Tablespoons of the fish sauce. I know this stuff smells awful coming out of the bottle, but you only use a little bit, and it really adds tastiness and depth to the curry.
  
• Serve over rice (or noodles)
  
  
  I really like this because it is really versatile. You do have to buy coconut milk, the Paste, and the Fish sauce, but after that you can just make it with whatever meat/veggies you have on hand. I mostly do Potatoes, Onions, and Chicken, but I used the red paste with shrimp and bok choy once when I was feeling adventurous, and it was great.
  
  The coconut milk gives it a great flavor, and if you use familiar ingredients like potatoes and chicken you can probably get your kids to try it if they are a bit picky. It's really just a throw-stuff-in-a-pot kind of a dish, but I really like it.
  
  Check out some recipes/posts on it here, here, and here
  
  (edit:formatting)

I have a really good curry recipe I love :)

http://www.oneingredientchef.com/sweet-potato-stew/

You may want to increase the spices used depending. I use fresh spices I get from the heath food store, so the cumin can get overpowering. Just play with it.

Maesri brands also make really REALLY good curry paste. Adding a little to your veg before adding tomatoes or coconut milk imparts a LOT of flavor. Just check the labels. Some stuff is vegan, other stuff may not be. I can't speak for all their products. You probably won't find them in a normal grocery, but most ethnic grocers in my area have them and you could buy it online.

Maesri Red Curry Paste 14oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007MOTZN0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_mVIGybE8QAD92

They seem pricy but the container is HUGE and a much better value and taste than what you'll buy in the mainstream stores.

As for the hunger as the other posters said, I agree.

1. Make sure you're eating enough
   
2. Make sure you're getting enough fats and salt.
   
   And I want to add
   
   
3. Make sure you're getting enough fluids.

My favorite is Stubb's. It's not sugar-free, but it works great in the right amount. You can't exactly slather meat in it, but you can eat a decent amount for 5-6 carbs. I've had the original and the spicy, both awesome:

http://www.stubbsbbq.com/product/original/

http://www.stubbsbbq.com/product/spicy/

There's a couple sugar-free ones, too, but I haven't had them. People seem to like Guy's a lot: http://www.netrition.com/guys_bbq_sauce.html

As well as G Hughes: http://smile.amazon.com/Hughes-Smokehouse-Bottle-Select-Hickory/dp/B00PF5M0VC

I haven't seen either of the sugar-free ones where I live, but people claim they find them at Wal-Mart, so you might check.

Looks like you could go nuts with the sugar-free ones if you wanted to. If you've got a slow cooker, do a Boston butt roast in there and you'll have pulled pork for days. So tasty.

If you're missing spaghetti sauce, too, by chance, check out this brand; they have it here at Kroger and it tastes great: http://www.delallo.com/catalog/sauces

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.

1. Get a big pot and put enough cooking oil in it to coat the bottom. In a cold pot, the oil will move around slowly, heat up the pot until the oil moves around easily. Then add the meat and chopped up onions.
   
   
2. Using a spoon or spatula or something move the meat around so that it doesn't burn at the bottom of the pot until it looks cooked on all sides.
   
   
3. Add as much water as the curry instructions say to add and all the curry cubes. If you are unsure, it's better to add less water because you can always add more later. Cover the pot, turn the heat down to low-medium (3-4 if your stove dial goes from 1-10). and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
   
   
4. Open the pot and stir it around to make sure all the curry cubes are dissolved. Keep stirring it for another 5 minutes or so. Stew meat is very tough so even though it looked cooked in step 2, you are cooking it longer to make it tender. If you put a lot of extra meat in, you can pull a piece out and taste it to see if the meat is tender enough yet. If not, let it simmer another 5 minutes or so. You can't really overcook it unless you cook it for hours.
   
   
5. While all that simmering was going on, chop up your other vegetables. Make sure you rinse all the dirt and stuff off first and peel the carrots with a carrot/potato peeler. Throw the vegetables in and cook them for about 5 minutes or so. Again, you can taste a piece to see if they are cooked to the level you like. I don't like my vegetables too mushy.
   
   
6. Make some rice and serve the curry on the rice. I won't tell you how to make rice because there are enough youtube videos for that. Rice is cheap, maybe make a small batch first for practice if you've never done it before. The key is finding the right water/rice ratio.
   
   
7. If you want your curry to be thicker, get some cornstarch and mix it in a small bowl with a little bit of cold water until all the clumps are gone and it's just liquid. Then pour the mixture into the hot curry and mix it some more. This is the proper way to add corn starch to thicken something without getting clumpy corn starch nuggets.

4oz should last you a fairly long time if you're careful to be efficient with it.

Liquid smoke is "real smoke" in the sense that it is made with real smoke. It's basically made by producing smoke in a humid environment, and having it condense on a cold metal plate. The condensate is collected and bottled.

Liquid smoke gives you an alternative to using a real smoker. Ham (unless it's parma/serrano, etc) is smoked. Building a smoker is expensive and complicated in itself, so trying for a first time using liquid smoke is very convenient.

These are expensive examples. In Canada (and in the United States, I assume) you can buy it in most grocery stores, and it's less than $10.

https://www.amazon.ca/Stubbs-Hickory-Liquid-Smoke-148ml/dp/B0011BPCVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501766154&sr=8-1&keywords=liquid+smoke

https://www.amazon.ca/TRY-ME-LIQUID-SMOKE-OZ/dp/B00CO1ZFVC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1501766154&sr=8-3&keywords=liquid+smoke

I will be honest in that I have never used liquid smoke to simulate real smoking, but I know that some commercial producers do it, and it should work. Just be careful not to use too much - it is quite strong.

If it were me, I would acquire that prague powder, and some liquid smoke and I would give it a try :) Do some experimentation. It probably won't be exactly like a commercially produced ham - especially if you're used to American "country ham" which is much dryer.

You could try curing pork chops (kassler) or pork loin.

Personally, I like to make cured/smoked pork ribs, pastrami (beef brisket, blade, or cheek with lots of spices), cottage roll (unsmoked cured pork shoulder with cloves and extra sugar), etc.

I find it easiest to do smaller pieces of meat, and do it in a ziplock bag. That way you don't need as much water, which means you don't need to use as much prague powder or spices. You just need to turn it over every day to make sure it's getting well mixed/exposed.

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:

• First Press
  
• Made in Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam
  
• Ingredients should contain anchovy and salt, nothing else. Many of the cheaper ones, like Squid brand, include some added sugar, but absolutely nothing else should be added.
  
• 40°N or 60°N indicates the natural sweetness of the sauce, and the higher the more expensive.
  

Also, using smoked paprika or ground chipotle powder (for more heat) brings fantastic smokeyness to just about anything. Opening a jar of chipotle powder from The Spice House and smelling gets you 85% of a great, smokey barbecue sauce's flavor! (Also, once you've got chipotle powder around, it finds its way into all sorts of other stuff - like mayo as a smokey dip for sweet potato fries... which would be a perfect side for that pulled pork sandwich!)

But if you're making a good amount of sauce, using a few canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (hopefully available in your local grocery store) gets you a little heat and a lot of perfect smoke!

I don't know why anyone hasn't mentioned this, but that is WAY too much oyster sauce for a pound of meat.

you'd be better off with 2-3 tbsp of Oyster Sauce. INstead of straight soy, use Dark Soy. It gives it a much richer flavor. My favorite brand is Pearl River, you can get it at most asian markets, or off amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Pearl-River-Bridge-Superior-Sauce/dp/B0001EJ4C0/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1332891610&sr=1-1

However it's really overpriced on Amazon. You should be able to find it at a well stocked asian market for 3-5 bucks a bottle.

Thanks for your videos and this giveaway! You have a lot of great recipes that I've enjoyed, I love the sriracha deviled eggs!


This is another spicy recipe that I enjoy; Gochujang Baked Chicken


1lb Chicken pieces ( I use bone in thighs)
2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili pepper paste )
1 tbsp white miso
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp grated ginger
*1 medium tomato


Preheat oven to 375°F


Put the chicken in an oven safe dish, large enough to keep the chicken in one layer. Put everything else in a blender, blend until smooth. Pour the sauce over the chicken. If you're using chicken pieces with the skin on, use your fingers to partially separate the skin from the meat and add some of the sauce under the skin.


Bake the chicken for around 30 minutes (or until the internal temp is 165°F).


I serve it in lettuce wraps with julienned carrots, yellow peppers, cucumber and fresh basil.

We haven't been to Guru, but I will check it out! We live all the way out near Stoney Plain and Winterburn, out past the Anthony Henday, but I think I could coax my hosts into going into town for some quality Indian. I am also a Whitey McWhiterson with a fondness for Indian, so I get it. I used to find these up there, but everywhere has been out of them for a long time. Hoping they'll be back in stock when I get back up there, it's pretty good for homemade.

Thanks for that.

​

So I'm thinking something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Unpasteurized-Non-GMO-Doenjang-Sempio/dp/B00F0NPF5C/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=doenjang&qid=1551196094&s=gateway&sr=8-4

​

Combine with spicy curry paste, spoon into a bowl of italian bread crumbs, and pan fried. Sound about right? I think it would make a great staple for travel. It's fermented, so it keeps well. Relatively cheap compared to nutrient content. High in protein. Would be good with gyozu sauce.

​

There's also this stuff: https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Gochujang-Korean-Ingredients-Chung-Jung-One/dp/B00ESK1IU4/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=gochujang&qid=1551197025&s=gateway&sr=8-11

​

There's far less bean in it though. I actually have some of this at the house too. Didn't realize it actually had bean in it. Thought it was just peppers. Still, that's two good candidates. I think I can pull this off.

2 pretty easy dishes to make are:

• mock goose or this recipe
  
• seitan stew - it's common to make a stew like this with fermented beancurd as extra seasoning and call it mock lamb stew
  
  For things like vegan fish or seafood, what I usually do is to buy vegan fish/shrimp off the shelf and then adapts sauces from "regular" fish/seafood for my purpose.
  
  For example, I've bought vegan lobster from here, then I used this recipe to stir fry the vagen lobster with fermented black bean sauce. If you like spicy foods you can add chili pepper during cooking and it tastes amazing.
  
  For fish, get a vegan fish and then stir fry it with ginger, scallion and rice wine like this
  
  You can make noodles in chinese vegan broth with vegan shrimp ball and vegan fish ball
  
  There are also vegan prawns, vegan mutton, vegan squid, etc.
  
  You can get ready made sauces off the shelf: Chili Bean Sauce, Black Bean Chilli Sauce, Sichuan Spicy Noodle Sauce, etc
  
  Unfortunately the company I linked to doesn't ship to germany and I don't speak german. So maybe you could search for a german based company or look at a chinatown near you.

This is a favorite weeknight dinner for us, especially when ground beef goes on sale! It’s just a stir fry but my husband loves it. This makes 6 portions, so you can save leftovers for meal prep.

Total Active Time: 10min-15min

Passive Time: Cook rice if there’s no leftover rice

Portions: 6 meals

Macros: With 90% lean beef, it's ~375cals, 25 carb/16 fat/23 protein

​

Ingredients:

• Cooked rice
  
• 1lb ground beef
  
• 1 large bunch hearty veggie, like broccoli rabe or chard or collard
  
• 2-3 tbsp your favorite hot sauce, I use Lao Gan Ma, which is like 3$ at your local asian grocery store (sriracha/tapatio also works)
  
• Egg (optional)
  
  ​
  
  Instructions:
  
  
• Dump ground beef in a large pan and let it start cooking. Give it a stir every so often.
  
• Meanwhile, rinse veggie and chop to 1-2 inch pieces.
  
• Add hot sauce to cooking ground beef, stir it all so that ground beef is broken up.
  
• Add veggie and let it wilt, around 2min
  
• OPTIONAL: While veggie is wilting, make a sunny side up egg on the side
  
• Serve with rice. I’m a heathen so I also eat it with shredded cheddar, but my husband judges me :(

Best instant ramen I've ever had is Nissin Raoh Tonkotsu ramen. You can get it from Amazon here.



Then get this pair of bowls.

Then, go to the store and get some eggs, green onion, a few thick cuts of pancetta (like 1/4 inch), wood ear mushrooms, nori, soy sauce, and mirin. If you can't find mirin at the store, you can also order it from Amazon!

Do up the eggs like this.

Slice the green onion really fine, like 2mm slices. Slice at a 45 degree angle.

Throw the pancetta in a skillet with a bit of vegetable oil. After it starts to sizzle, drop 2 tbsp of soy sauce and mirin (each) into the pan. Once the pancetta is carmelized (you still want it to be a little floppy), remove from heat/set aside.

Get some water to a boil and then add the wood ear mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes (they cook fast). Drain/rinse the mushrooms in cold water, then slice them thin, about 1/4 inch. Set aside.

Cook ramen according to package instructions. Immediately after plating (while it's still too hot to eat), add your toppings: 1 egg (sliced in half), 2-3 pieces of pancetta, nori, green onion, and mushrooms to taste. Let the bowl cool with the toppings in it for a minute or so, then dig in.

That's how I do my "too lazy to get to a ramen shop" ramen. Total prep/cook time is less than 20 minutes.

Also, remember that the best bowls of ramen are the ones you eat next to each other. Happy noodling!

Red curry: probably didn't use enough curry paste and/or didn't cook it off in the pan with a little oil first so the flavors can "bloom." You may have also just used a bland paste or sauce. May I suggest Maesri brand? This container is huge for the price, I've had mine over a year. They have a lot of different kinds of vegan curry pastes, just be sure to read the labels to make sure to read the labels because some do have fish sauce and stuff. Try cilantro and like added at the end of a curry to lighten it up.

Maesri Red Curry Paste 14oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007MOTZN0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3DsOAb6PF2Q2X

Rice and bean bowls: cook rice and beans in a vegetable stock if possible. I keep my veggie scraps in the freezer and then once I have enough to fill my stock pot make a bunch of stock and freeze it just for stuff like this. Also cilantro goes a long way in many bowls like this, and you can freeze it between bowls so it doesn't go off. A squeeze of lemon or lime at the end once done can brighten them up. Use sauces/salsas/etc if you fancy. Lastly, try a different brand or strain of rice if you didn't like your rice. Not all rice is equal.

Lentil Loaf: only tried once and wasn't a fan. Can't help there. I prefer just lentils in non loaf form 🤷‍♀️


EDIT:

Have no stock but want flavor? THESE ARE SO GOOD.


Edward & Sons Not-Beef Bouillon Cubes, 3.1-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00113SKZW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FLsOAbTYCJDJ5


Again, price seems steep but you get a TON (96 cubes) and they don't go off for ages. I cook my collards in them, use the stock in vegan green bean casserole, cook beans in the stock, and more.

This is really delicious and satisfying. My wife finished a big batch of kimchi the other day, which made this recipe economical. That coincided with a tub of gochujang arriving from Amazon. It was meant to be.

I deviated from the recipe a bit, using mixed dried mushrooms, and skipping the Korean chili flakes since the kimchi was already so hot. Plus I doubled the ingredients to have it two nights in a row.

https://www.cilantroandcitronella.com/vegan-kimchi-stew/

...

I never cooked with gochujang before. It's terrific, and very different from the hot pastes of other countries.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ESK1IU4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

...

Here's the linked recipe before my minor alterations:

Ingredients
6 dried shiitake mushrooms

2 ½ cups (590 ml) water, divided

1 tablespoon oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 tightly packed cup (about 200 grams) vegan kimchi

¼ cup (60 ml) kimchi juice (from the bottom of the jar or squeeze it out of the kimchi)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoons Korean chili paste (gochujang)

2 teaspoons Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), adjust to taste

1 – 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)

Half a package of firm or extra-firm tofu, sliced into 6 slices

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 -2 green onions, sliced

2 radishes, cut into matchsticks (optional)

A sprinkling of sesame seeds (optional)

...

Instructions
Bring 2 cups of the water to the boil, remove from the heat and add the dried shiitake mushrooms. Let sit for 15 minutes to rehydrate. Once hydrated, give the mushrooms a bit of a squeeze, cut off and discard the hard stems and slice the mushrooms. Reserve the mushroom stock for the soup.

Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat and add the oil and onion. Sautee until soft then add the kimchi. Sautee for about 5 minutes or until the kimchi is softened. Add the mushroom stock, being careful not to add any grit that came out of the mushrooms, remaining ½ cup (60) of water, kimchi juice, soy sauce, chili paste and flakes. Taste and if it’s too sour for your liking add 1 – 2 teaspoons of sugar.

Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and nestle the tofu slices down into the stew so that they’re covered by the stock. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to medium and gently simmer for 5 minutes or until the tofu is heated through.
Remove from the heat and add the sesame oil. Divide the stew between two bowls each with 3 slices of tofu and garnish with green onion, radishes and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Serve with rice.

1. In a big pot, lightly brown in oil some cut up chicken (or tofu, or whatever), a little green onion, plenty of garlic or shallots and perhaps ginger or galangal (or you can add it later), and then add a heaping spoonful of green curry paste (I like Maesri), and smoosh it about until it gets fragrant.
   
   
2. Add one can of coconut milk and then twice the amount of broth or water, and throw in cubed red potatoes or sweet potatoes (microwave a bit first for faster cooking), green beans, thai eggplant (or other kind), a little bell pepper, and whatever other veg you have laying around (but steer clear of leafy vegetables unless they're sturdy like bok choi), and perhaps a little more ginger.
   
   
3. Meantime, have your jasmine rice ready to go, because when the potatoes are cooked through, you stir in chopped basil (purple/thai if you can find it, otherwise sweet basil will do), and salt/pepper to taste and it's done!!1!
   
   Edit: here's the curry paste I mentioned, you can probably find it in your grocery store (even western ones often carry it)

I don't count bacon and eggs as a recipe, lol.

http://laylita.com/recipes/2010/01/24/menestra-de-porotos-or-bean-stew/

Cheap, delicious.

If you can find some of this, just stir fry some chicken, green peppers, and broccoli, add in the paste, add some coconut milk, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Delicious, easy, and pretty quick.

http://laylita.com/recipes/2008/05/06/fish-with-almond-sauce/

Can feed you for a week, protein is good. Not exactly cheap, because fish is expensive, but it's good to get some fish one week every month or two.

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&qid=1449251979&sr=8-3&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.

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.

I don't remember doing it, but I ended up subscribing to monthly deliveries of this Indian curry paste. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000V1D19A/ref=oss_product

I woke up after a night of drinking and was surprised by an email from amazon confirming my subscription.

I decided to go through with it and it's actually delicious, I would recommend it.

You can get it off Amazon here: (http://www.amazon.com/House-Tsang-Mongolian-Fire-Oil/dp/B005K538YK)

I got it from a local supermarket where my parents live in California. It's hot if you use a lot of it. When I mentioned it in the recipe- I was talking 2-3 drops. So it lasts a really long time for being 9$.

What I like best about it is that it doesn't have any flavor really, it just adds a nice heat to the dish.

ok,

right.

BBQ Saucethis stuff is bloody lovely and dead easy to make only takes an hour or so.

pulled pork now i sub cider for the 1/4 cup (effin americans and thier cups) of water and add 2 tablespoons of liqued smoke for a nice off the grill hint. cut the skin off your shoulder ofc b4 you slap it in there and make crackling out of it to go in the buns too for bonus points ;)

ill not insult you by linking you a coleslaw recipe...

p.s. you may find the 'liqued smoke' hard to find, amazon has it and so do alot of tesco.. its worth the effort hunting it down though.

p.p.s. dont worry about it looking like 'there's hardly any sodding liqued in this slow cooker!' the pork will make its own.

I'll give you the recipe that I use, and it's a goddamn touchdown every single time. Everyone loves it!

​

First you make the spicy miso paste (throw everything in a blender and mix it)

• 1/2 cup (130 grams) of white miso paste
  
• 1/2 cup (130 grams) of red miso paste
  
• 1/3 cup (80 grams) of sichuan douban chili paste
  
• 1 small (or 3/4 medium) onion, cut into chunks
  
• 6 cloves of garlic, smashed
  
• 2″ (33 grams) of ginger, cut into chunks
  
• 3 tbsp (60 grams) of mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
  
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
  
• 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil
  
• 1 tbsp of soy sauce
  
• 2 tsp (17 grams) of sesame paste (if Asian brands are unavailable, use tahini)
  
  Mix all this in the blender and your miso paste is DONE. The above amount is for about 8 servings.
  
  ​
  
  Spicy miso ramen: (for 2 servings)
  
  
• You can add pretty much any toppings you like, it's ramen, anything goes!
  
• 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil
  
• 1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 tbsp of dried shitake mushrooms
  
• 2 cups (475 grams) of unsalted chicken or pork stock
  
• 1 cup (227 grams) of unsweetened, unflavoured soy milk (Asian brands preferred but if unavailable, this will do, too)
  
• 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup of spicy miso paste
  
• 2 servings of fresh ramen noodles
  
• 4 tbsp of finely diced scallions
  
• 1 sheet of nori/Japanese sushi seaweed, cut into rectangular sheets
  
• Whatever veggies or extra toppings you want to add
  
  In a large soup pot, heat up 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil on high heat and add some chopped shitake, unsalted stock and unsweetened soy milk and bring to a simmer.
  
  Place 1/2 cup spicy miso paste on top of a very fine sieve.  Lower the sieve half-way into the simmering soup and use a spoon to slowly dissolve the paste into the soup (it may seem very thick and troublesome in the beginning but be patient, it’ll dissolve eventually).  You’d be surprised at how much “solids” within the paste will remain on top of the sieve, which if dumped directly into the soup, will make the soup very thick and “sauce-like”.
  
  ​
  
  Discard the “solids” in the sieve and let the soup simmer for another 5 min.  If the soup tastes quite salty at this point, that is correct.  It’s Japanese ramen…  It is salty.
  
  
  Now you can start adding your other toppings while keeping in mind their cooking times. I add bean sprouts, green beans, spinach, mushrooms, ... (sometimes I'll just throw in whatever leftover veggies I can find)
  
  Cook the Ramen noodles seperately & assemble everything into one big bowl of deliciousness.
  
  Original recipe from http://ladyandpups.com/2014/01/04/spicy-miso-ramen-express-eng/ but veganized. Enjoy.

here you go just scroll to the next few pics. You’ll see the nutrition facts. The taste is really good. It doesn’t taste like some cheap sweet marinara. It’s worth the buy.

Its hard to know which direction to point you in, because curry is a very board term. One thing i will say though, is that the curry powder you buy in the average supermarket is far from any ingredient used in a real curry. That is made more for western palates to use as a seasoning in western style cooking.

Most curries started with toasted spices, then are mashed up in a mortar and pestle with shallots, garlic, onions, etc.

If you want to use paste, get some of these http://www.amazon.com/Maesri-Thai-Green-Curry-Paste/dp/B00013YMVY . The directions are super simple, add the paste to a pan with some oil, pour in coconut milk, warm up, done.

If you wanted to try something fresh, you need a mortar and pestle or a food processor. The simplest curry i could think of, would be shallots, garlic, spicy peppers, then turmeric, salt, coriander, and a lemongrass stalk. Put everything but the lemongrass in a food processor, when it turns into a paste, you throw it into a pan with oil and cook it for a bit, then add coconut milk, and the lemongrass, and let simmer.

These are more Asian style curries, (my Indonesian girlfriend uses the method with the food processor and adds Galangal, but that's not as easy to find unless you have an Asian supermarket nearby.)

Indian curries tend to do a lot of toasting of spices, grinding them fresh etc. I tried a few times and it was too much work for me in my small kitchen. They do sell good Garam Masala blends in Indian supermarkets, but once again, not all communities have one.

Some exported Korean products
will wrongly translate rice syrup as corn syrup, apparently.

An interesting choice is to make your own following a recipe which has the ingredients you like. Maangchi is a goddess though, so her recipe is probably the best.

Basically, just make some spiced-up lentils and cook down to a thick sauce that stays on a hotdog. I'll try to write up what i did:

-1 cup lentils

-a few small chuncks of salt pork

-half an onion

-clove of garlic

-spices - paprika, cumin, turmeric, dried oregano, cayenne, black pepper

-spoonful of ketchup

-spoon of [okonomiyaki sauce] (http://www.amazon.com/Okonomi-Sauce-17-6oz-by-Otafuku/dp/B00886NJP6) (I realize how dumb this sounds, but I'll be damned if these lentils didn't taste a lot like what you get on a coney dog. I just happen to live near a Japanese grocery, so I use this kind of stuff.)

-spoon of brown sugar

-little worcestershire and hot sauce

Boil lentils and salt pork for 20-25 minutes, until mostly tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed/evaporated.

In a separate pan, saute onion in vegetable oil for 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, spices, ketchup and that japanese sauce if you have it. Cook for about a minute, stir in some water to clean up the pan, then add the mixture to lentils.

Cook to desired consistency, adding water if necessary. Finish with worcestershire and a vinegar-y hot sauce, and salt if it needs it.

I've been liking this better than regular chili lately. I probably just have a thing for lentils. I have no qualms about adding extra meat - the dog was bacon-wrapped. The lentils are damn good, and add some much-welcome fiber to the situation.

hope you like it

Not exactly hot sauces, but some suggestions if you are looking for something new.

I just ordered 2 jars of this: https://www.hotsauce.com/naga-jolokia-10-mustard/ - Mostly for sandwiches for breakfast/lunch, and dogs/burgers, It's good stuff.

Also, this oil is addictive af. https://www.amazon.com/House-Tsang-Oil-Mongolian-Fire/dp/B005K538YK - I buy em in bulk and can drain a bottle in a few days because I splash this shit on everything. It's not very hot though, and kind of overpowering, but omg is it good once you get a taste for it:

providing amazon links but go to an asian grocer cause it'll be half the price

"dark soy sauce" is slightly thicker than light and has a sweeter, saltier flavor. you can find it in most stores jsut look for something that says dark soy sauce https://www.amazon.com/Pearl-River-Bridge-Superior-Sauce/dp/B0001EJ4C0/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=dark+soy+sauce&qid=1558822716&s=gateway&sr=8-3

soy paste is even thicker. sometimes called "thick soy sauce" i think https://www.amazon.com/Kimlan-Soy-Paste-20-oz/dp/B003Q3GGGU/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=soy+paste&qid=1558822888&s=gateway&sr=8-4 or https://www.amazon.com/Koon-Chun-Thick-Soy-Sauce/dp/B00012OI14

not sure about the brand. i usually like koon chun or pearl river bridge. maybe try asking someone at the restaurant :)

They come as a roux. So it's actually a lot easier to make than traditional curry, lol. Like a stew.

I wasn't suggesting you use tonkatsu sauce. I was actually suggesting you look for general-purpose chuunou sauce, like the type pictured in the OP.

It's all thick, brown, Worcestershire-based sauce. But if you really, really care about finding an okonomiyaki sauce specifically, Otafuku's okonomi sauce is vegan according the Amazon customer questions.

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

> Do you guys think the Mcdonalds that I'm eating is stalling me?

Are you kidding? You're kidding, right?

Just in case you're not kidding, you can find the nutrition info for the entire McDonald's menu online. Google is your friend.

However, why are you paying all that money and wasting the time to drive to a drive-thru line to eat that over-priced crappy beef? Go to Costco and you can buy much better ground beef and cook up a week's worth of "burger's" in half an hour on Sunday, that you can heat up in a minute in a microwave at work, school or home. It will taste way better, be faster and save you a ton of money.

Ketchup has carbs. Pick up some Heinz Low Sugar Ketchup at your supermarket. If you really want to throw your tastebuds a frat party with lap dances, just get some of this: https://www.amazon.com/Hughes-Sauce-Bbq-Sf-Hickory/dp/B00PF5M0VC (my local supermarket stocks it) and put it on your burgers. Your mouth will never want to sit in a drive-thru again.

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've never made it without black vinegar, but I can't imagine it working out with any of those substitutes. You can just use Amazon though. Same for the dark soy sauce.

Honestly it's probably not worth it to make without those, I imagine it would be pretty disappointing. My mom always did that when I was a kid. "This recipe just isn't very good, I don't get it." but also "Well I didn't have x,y, or z, so I just substituted the closest thing I had."

Any of these sauces on Google images will work as they are made specifically for yakisoba (焼そば).

Amazon also sells Otafuku brand yakisoba sauce for $9. It's pretty pricey considering these 500ml bottles go for $4 in Japan, but like anything that is actually Japanese on Amazon (not the stuff that is claimed to be Japanese but is actually Chinese) you're paying a premium because of import. Everything tends to cost double its value and yakisoba sauce is no different. Also, if the seller is located in Japan, expect it to be delivered in 3-4 weeks.

Edit: fixed link

Hey /u/dMage ! Thanks again on the BBQ sauce recommendation. For those of you who didn't see it on his IG, it was the G.Hughes BBQ Sauce (perfect for cutting): https://amzn.com/B00PF5M0VC

I found mine at Publix!

I'm following a lot of you, but here's mine again: https://www.instagram.com/p/BMjV3fxg_mN/

Just flexing pics, lifts, and Doge stories. :)

First thought is that it could be one of the Japanese "roux-sauces", though those usually come in little bricks, not powders. Most common are the Japanese curry sauces, but others include things like Hayashi rice or just plain beef stew. It might have also had something like tonkatsu sauce or yakisoba sauce in it.

As someone who tried for a while to recreate a Chinese dish from overseas, I researched the hell out of it. Turns out, most of the ingredients that I bought that were cheap and lasted forever and seemed like "specialty items" but actually were the most common things among any sort of asian cooking and could be crossed over to do asian fusion in traditional dishes. At the bare minimum I recommend Sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and dark soy sauce.

I don't see dark soy sauce used in many recipes in gif form, but it's basically a condensed and sweetened soy sauce. It's very thick and almost thin syrup, but it has so many applications and is used heavily in traditional chinese and surrounding regions recipes. I can't ever find mine locally but you can buy an 18oz bottle on amazon for like $8. (link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001EJ4C0/)

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.

yes pizza and a coke will definitely kick you out of ketosis and set back your fat adaption. If the pizza is something of a tradition you want to keep up I recommend making a lazy man pizza (low carb tortilla, low carb marinara sauce, pepperoni, and cheeese).

Or if you really want to have closer to real pizza you could make fathead pizza.

Not in the UK, but you might want to look around for an American specialty store or the like. Amusingly enough, when I lived in France I used to buy liquid smoke from the same store I bought my UK products from.

Edit: Just had a quick look, you can get liquid smoke from Amazon. What else are you looking for?

I found the G Hughes brand sugar free Hickory at Publix here, it's also carried at Wal-mart. It's as good as any barbecue sauce I've ever had.

https://www.amazon.com/Hughes-Smokehouse-Bottle-Select-Hickory/dp/B00PF5M0VC

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.)

Thai Turkey Red Curry

Requires some unusual ingredients. Takes about ~15 minutes to cook and is hearty, spicy, & super YUMMY.

Ingredients

• 8.5 oz White Turkey meat, shredded
  
  
• 1 tbsp butter
  
  
• 4 tbsp Mae Ploy Red Curry Paste http://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Thai-Curry-Paste/dp/B0091UW4QS/
  
  
• 2 tbsp Mongolian Fire Oil http://www.amazon.com/House-Tsang-Mongolian-Fire-Oil/dp/B005K538YK/
  
  
• 1 can Coconut Cream
  
  
• 1 tsp dried porcini mushroom powder
  
  
• 1/4 c. cilantro leaves
  
  Frying pan and saucepan
  
  Instructions:
  
  

1. Heat medium saucepan to low
   
   
2. Add coconut cream, mongolian fire oil, and 3 tbsp of red curry paste.
   
   
3. Stir and break up all curry. When simmering lightly, add porcini powder
   
   
   
4. At the same time, heat the frying pan to medium high
   
   
5. Place 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp red curry paste, stir.
   
   
6. When sizzling lightly, add turkey and cilantro, stir thoroughly
   
   
7. Fry for ~5-6 minutes, until golden brown
   
   
8. Dump turkey and butter into coconut milk
   
   
   Stir evenly. Add water if desired. Nom!
   
   
   
   
   Pairings: Wash down with a tall glass of micellar casein.
   
   
   The Count:
   
   Serves 2
   
   

• Calories: 920
  
  
• Fat: 70g
  
  
• Carbs: 8.6
  
  
• Protein: 61.8
  
  
  
  
  

Buy an instapot pressure cooker and get some dried beans of all varieties. Pair the beans with rice and you have a complete protein! I am in romantic love with my pressure cooker. I'd recommend making chili in it right off the bat. (You'll need diced tomatoes, beans, onion, chipotle peppers and chili or taco seasoning. Split pea soup is also stupid easy and very affordable.


You can also get a seed sprouter and the seeds for it for some produce in your diet. I also like sprouting mungbeans. And it's getting a little late in the season to plant I think but consider starting a tomato plant.

It’s this one and I’m pretty sure it’s because of the worstershire (sp) for the sardines and also the oysters. Anything that comes out of the water sets me off, the kelp extract probably adds a bit too.

If you're running out of options or if you want to keep a backup, get a box of this: http://smile.amazon.com/Kitchens-Of-India-Chicken-3-5-Ounce/dp/B000V1D19A?sa-no-redirect=1

Its also available in most Krogers in the international section at least. Mix it with chicken / cauliflower / sauteed tofu or mushrooms and simmer for 30 minutes and you'll have the best curry to come out of a premix ever. I'm Indian and have been living on frozen and premade curries for a long time and this is more authentic and tastier than the curry in most Indian restaurants in the US.

I've actually looked around a lot and I found only one brand of gochujang at the hankook market nearest me that had no corn syrup or added sugar, it's from chung jung won: https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Gochujang-Korean-Ingredients-Chung-Jung-One/dp/B00ESK1IU4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

​

It's expensive if you buy it online, at the store it was a little less than half the price. I bought a jar on Saturday. I'll let you guys know how it tastes when I get the chance to try it!

Lao Gan Ma Black Bean Chilli Sauce - https://www.amazon.com/Black-Bean-Chilli-Sauce-280g/dp/B0051D84GI

Great with anything

I've only ever used chipotles that come in a can in a spicy adobo sauce. They come whole and you just chop them up and add them to your recipe with however much sauce you want from the can. The sauce stains things so chop them on a paper plate or something. The can looks like this but it shouldn't be nearly that expensive.

I've never used dried chipotles or chipotles stored in vinegar. I have used various dried peppers in chili though, especially ancho.

If using canned chipotles, and you only need a couple from the can, just take the rest out of the can and freeze them in ice cube trays, then store them in a zip lock bag. That works for various herbs as well.

In the US, there is a chain restaurant called Chipotle, and they serve burritos. I think people might be trying to tell you how to replicate their chicken since you're capitalizing chipotle.

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.

Skip that stuff and get Tamari, Kikkoman and San-J both make it, and it comes to 1g carb per Tbsp. It's also got a much deeper flavor than regular soy sauce.

Also, I only linked Amazon for reference, the price is much better at your local grocery store.

You can follow this recipe. :) normally I put whatever vege I have left over/feel like eating. I love it with capsicum but my husband hates it haha.
Sometimes I replace the pork with ham or sausages.

If you find it a hassle to make your own sauce, you can buy it here. 🍜

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&qid=1498677909&sr=8-2&keywords=coconut%2Bconcentrate&th=1

Ceau Also congrats pt corupt oameni la vinete. In UK n-au spor ;(

Yup, it's that.

Thanks a lot!

Oh so you must be talking about liquid smoke for giving meet a smokey taste. I have not been unable to get any in Galway, I get mine online on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stubbs-Hickory-Liquid-Smoke-148ml/dp/B0011BPCVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421160515&sr=8-1&keywords=liquid+smoke

Just buy this:

https://www.amazon.com/Goya-Chipotle-Peppers-Adobo-Sauce/dp/B00061DFEQ


And to clarify, "Chipotle" peppers are an actual variety of pepper, not just the name of the restaurant. You probably knew that, but just in case. :-)

Sofrito, plus a few diced chipotle peppers for good measure

G. Hughes tastes great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PF5M0VC/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1475265435&sr=8-2&keywords=G+Hughes+Smokehouse+Sugar+Free+Hickory+Flavored+BBQ+Sauce

Just don't expect it to caramelize due to no sugar.

If it's what I assume it is, it is good on anything, my roommate got me a jar and I put it on my ramen and any chinese food. I'm sure it'd be great on other stuff but my options for food are limited in a dorm. If this is what you're talking about.

http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mild-8-4-Ounce/dp/B007FMLMFS

easier way to make curry

This lady provides the recipes (Osaka / Hiroshima) and recommends ingredients (such as the sauce) that you can buy over at Amazon (sauce, mayo). Or how to prepare a "substitute" yourself.

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.

yes. this. http://www.amazon.com/Goya-Chipotle-Peppers-Adobo-Sauce/dp/B00061DFEQ
for marinade i use beer, chili powder (chipotle if you can find it) garlic powder, cumin, oregano.
i like to cut them in half and slow cook them with the meat with the sauce and the marinade, then remove the peppers when done. you could blend them up or slice them thin if you want but i usually just toss them. the adobo sauce that theyre in has a ton of chipotle flavor anyways.

Yeah I'm mirin

http://www.amazon.com/Goya-Chipotle-Peppers-Adobo-Sauce/dp/B00061DFEQ?ie=UTF8&keywords=chipotles%20in%20adobo%20sauce&qid=1465315726&ref_=sr_1_1_a_it&sr=8-1

you probably know this, but this is what they are and can be ordered from amazon.

Tofu with (spicy condiment) is my all too often goto snack. Sweet chili is good but you should check out [Lgm chili oil] (https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0051D86MA). I'm seriously addicted. I've never smoked crack cocaine but I assume it's very similar

Dashi’s a powder. Ajinomoto Soup Stock Hondashi https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000CNU0C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7YxACb2XE8JD2

Mirin’s the cooking wine equivalent of sake. You don’t need sake for most Asian dishes, Mirin is fine.
Kikkoman Manjo Aji Mirin, 17 fl oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002YB210/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vZxACbX79D8WW

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!

https://smile.amazon.com/Goya-Chipotle-Peppers-Adobo-Sauce/dp/B00061DFEQ

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stubbs-Hickory-Liquid-Smoke-148ml/dp/B0011BPCVO

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)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00113ZZ5U/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_vm0aub1WMDZKP

Actually, I bought this at a health store, but I recently spotted some non-organic stuff (don't remember the brand) at the normal grocery store.

https://www.amazon.com/Okonomi-Sauce-17-6oz-by-Otafuku/dp/B00886NJP6

I believe it is a packaged curry mix, but I didn't realize they were vegan!

Try this stuff, super concentrated: http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Do-Organic-Creamed-Coconut/dp/B00113ZZ5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346562852&sr=8-1&keywords=coconut+cream

Nutiva also sells a jar, but these boxes are more economical.

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

Mostly way more of the recommended amount of seasonings. I also added montana mex picante salt.

I also made a variation today where I just used a pack of low sodium taco seasoning, that Montana salt, lots of bell peppers, and a mashed up can of chipotle in adobo

Former 2.5 year chipotle employee here. I would have given you what I know even if i was still employed there, because who gives a shit really.

Anyway, I'm afraid I can't be super helpful because the main component is the dry grind adobo marinade, which comes premade in sealed bags. IIRC, the ingredients are chipotle peppers, rice bran oil, salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, and a few other spices. The chicken is prepped by mixing one 12(?)oz bag per 40 lbs of chicken. The adobo is mixed with a tablespoon of honey and a cup of rice bran or soy oil. mixed and coated thoroughly and marinated overnight before it's used. If you don't leave it to marinate for at least 6 hours it burns insanely quickly and tastes worse. Chicken is salted on the grill.

you're gonna have to play around with the exact measurments, but I would recommend running a can of Goya Chipotle Adobo through a food processor. Or perhaps another chipotle adobo that doesn't have tomato paste in it.

The steak marinade is basically the same thing, but more adobo, and salt is added to the marinade.

If you wanna be real serious you can buy tonkatsu sauce or okonomi sauce which is more frequently used in okonomiyaki (the two sauces are extremely similar but not quite the same). You can often find them at Asian grocers too.

Amazon has them here. Not sure of the cost to where you live though.

Why does everyone on Reddit push Sriracha and no one ever mentions Chili Garlic Sauce.

It's spicier and has more flavor.

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.