Self-made Obazda! 😋

I am getting better at avoiding the pre-processed industrial foods and cooking the ingredients fresh instead. It's more effort (compared to convenience foods), but well planned it can be made up for. Asian cuisine is quite well organised (no, I don't mean the glucose-soaked stuff from the fast-food or money-laundering Chinese).

Japanese curry. What makes it different from other curries? Try it (and be sure to use curry roux, which the Japanese also use in the original). Simple, fast and delicious.

Tinkerisk:

 

Japanese curry. What makes it different from other curries? Try it (and be sure to use curry roux, which the Japanese also use in the original). Simple, fast and delicious.

 

Japanese curry is to Indian curry what Domino's is to real pizza. Dramatically different, but they're all good in the right circumstances.

From my Japanese curry is the Japanese imitation of Royal Navy curry, to which the Japanese were exposed long ago. It's generally (but not always) a sweeter stew sort of situation. A staple of Japanese home cooking. In Japan it has a real feeling of comfort food.

Gurezaemon:

 

Tinkerisk:

 

Japanese curry. What makes it different from other curries? Try it (and be sure to use curry roux, which the Japanese also use in the original). Simple, fast and delicious.

 

 

Japanese curry is to Indian curry what Domino's is to real pizza. Dramatically different, but they're all good in the right circumstances.

 

From my Japanese curry is the Japanese imitation of Royal Navy curry, to which the Japanese were exposed long ago. It's generally (but not always) a sweeter stew sort of situation. A staple of Japanese home cooking. In Japan it has a real feeling of comfort food.

 

You are completely right, the interesting thing is their adaption of western food and the use of their spices for the „imported navy curry“ (which itself came via India or Thailand to the UK and so on …).

Well, so after 40 years, today I did something that may surprise some people. I cooked Mac and Cheese from scratch for the first time. 

I used 4 kinds of cheese including a smoked one (will skip smoked next time). 

I had some pork belly strips left over from a roast I did last night, so I cut that up, bacon, onion, and Cauliflower (which I love in Mac and Cheese and highly recommend).

Was pretty good if I do say so myself. My kids were in raptures, I am pretty glad I no longer have to carry them to bed up the stairs!

For something different, and from my random experimentation experience: 

Best Ice cream hard shell topping I've ever had! (And several other people who tried it)

Take a 360g Block of WHITE Toblerone. (When & IF you can find it! - which makes it more "special".)

Break up (Except for saving 3 Segments - eat later) into a microwave safe bowl / large measuring cup.

Add 2 Tablespoons of  Kremelta (Coconut Oil - Vegetable Shortening)

Gently in 10 second Half Power Bursts in the Microwave stirring each time, until runny but not like water!

Makes about 250ml.

Use a large opening bottle to pour out, otherwise the Toblerone Nougat pieces will block it! (I speak from experience!)

To re soften at a later date, sit the bottle in hot water for a bit before use.

Shake well.

On Ice cream it hardens well and makes a snap when cracked with a spoon.

Orange or Milk Toblerone were not one that anyone would have again.

(Yes, I made it using them first!)

Welcome to another edition of Tinkerisk's delicious engineering-and-occam recipes. This time we want to make a Mediterranean pasta salad, which is ALWAYS eaten up completely before I could even say what's in it.

We need:

250g pasta (net, before cooking, I usually use "penne rigate").
1 yellow, diced bell pepper
2 ripe, diced tomatoes without seeds and fruit water
125g diced buffalo mozzarella (or from cow's milk)
10 pickled small green olives
Fresh basil

The dressing consists of:
3 tbsp good olive oil (you know, the kind that makes your throat scratch!).
1 tbsp good aceto balsamico
1 tbsp water or as I always do, 2 tbsp red or white wine (so you get about the same amount of water ;-)
1 tsp tomato paste
Fresh Italian herbs (thyme, rosemary, marjoram and oregano, garlic if you like), use dried herbs if necessary.)
Freshly ground black or white pepper and salt

Preparation:

Add the dressing to the salad, mix and (important!) let it soak well (if it is not already discovered and eaten beforehand. Unfortunately, this was the case again before I could take a photo of it. I promise to make up for it soon).

Ready.

networkn: You lost me at olives (Satan's salty balls) I'd need to substitute or omit those.

Generally in salads I found that if I want some salinity, draining some capers well and then shallow frying them till they are crispy is an awesome addition along with toasted nuts like pine nuts.

Hi networkn, it doesn't matter at all. You can easily replace the green olives with pickled artichokes or (apple) capers - it's still a Mediterranean pasta salad. The secret of the recipe is good basic ingredients (pasta, olive oil and the balsamic vinegar), the taste comes across in any case!

networkn: You lost me at olives (Satan's salty balls) I'd need to substitute or omit those.

 

Olives (and anchovies) are delicious.

freitasm:

 

Olives (and anchovies) are delicious.

 

I've tried to like them, but I can't keep them in my mouth. I eat pretty much everything else. I can't really even cope if they have been touching something I'm eating. Not sure why. I want to like them. 

I have an impressive variety of olive oils in my cupboards and I love them, but the satans balls themselves, nope can't do it.

Tinkerisk:

 

networkn: You lost me at olives (Satan's salty balls) I'd need to substitute or omit those.

Generally in salads I found that if I want some salinity, draining some capers well and then shallow frying them till they are crispy is an awesome addition along with toasted nuts like pine nuts.

 

Hi networkn, it doesn't matter at all. You can easily replace the green olives with pickled artichokes or (apple) capers - it's still a Mediterranean pasta salad. The secret of the recipe is good basic ingredients (pasta, olive oil and the balsamic vinegar), the taste comes across in any case!

 

I figured as much. Good Olive oil and balsamic vinegar, such a good combination, if you pour them on anything, (except satans salty balls) it makes it taste good  :) 

networkn:

 

I figured as much. Good Olive oil and balsamic vinegar, such a good combination, if you pour them on anything, (except satans salty balls) it makes it taste good  :) 

 

I'm aware of that, but I'm aiming this at fellow readers who haven't yet discovered it for themselves and might want to try it out. In French cuisine, not everything should be prepared with olive oil, the recipes are often too "sophisticated" for that and the taste would be too dominant.