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Human: Aligot; the French cheese potatoes fit for the gods. Why can I not get this right? If you don't know, aligot (Ahl-ee-goh) is a French comfort food cheesy potato dish. I first had it in Toulouse during their winter festival. I can only describe it as "the way cartoon cheese on pizza looks, but in real life", and it was amazing. Below freezing temperature, and this stuff was still stretching and so comforting. Literally tastes like thick liquid cheese. I cannot stress how delicious this is. However, I have been trying for several years to recreate it at home in the US. I cannot. I have searched recipes online, gone to cheese mongers and gotten specific French cheeses, varied milks, added chemicals, and have failed. Every. Time. Does anyone have any success with making it at home? or have any idea on how to actually get the texture correct? Assistant: You need to mash the potatoes with a blender. Of course it should be starchy potatoes. Then for the cheese you need tomme fraîche, that is unripened cow cheese made from raw milk. But to be honest, I'm French, I'm from not so far from Aubrac, and still I wouldn't attempt it because unless you're there or look for the specific cheese you won't get close to the taste.	Human: Aligot; the French cheese potatoes fit for the gods. Why can I not get this right? If you don't know, aligot (Ahl-ee-goh) is a French comfort food cheesy potato dish. I first had it in Toulouse during their winter festival. I can only describe it as "the way cartoon cheese on pizza looks, but in real life", and it was amazing. Below freezing temperature, and this stuff was still stretching and so comforting. Literally tastes like thick liquid cheese. I cannot stress how delicious this is. However, I have been trying for several years to recreate it at home in the US. I cannot. I have searched recipes online, gone to cheese mongers and gotten specific French cheeses, varied milks, added chemicals, and have failed. Every. Time. Does anyone have any success with making it at home? or have any idea on how to actually get the texture correct? Assistant: You're overthinking it. The French kitchen relies on basics. In this case: Cream and cheese. The traditional french recipe also call for 'vieilles pommes', which is old potatoes. Try making it with: * 1 kg of old potatoes * 500g of fresh Aubrac tome (or another Tome fraîche) * 220g crème fraûiche epasse (..or heavy cream) * 3 cloves of garlic * Salt pepper
Human: Why is white pepper more commonly pre-ground in Asia compared to black pepper? I notice that in most households and restaurants in Asia (am Taiwanese myself), white pepper, a staple spice in Chinese cooking, comes pre-ground, comapred to black pepper, which is almost ground right before use. Is it a cultural thing, or does ground white pepper really loses less aroma? Assistant: It doesn‘t lose as much of its flavor when preground maybe because the flavor profile of white pepper is way less complex than that of black pepper which has a lot of volatile flavor that disappears quickly after cracking it, especially if you also toast it before crushing to intensify these flavours. White pepper is a cheaper product as well. And then there are also habits and tradition.	Human: Why is white pepper more commonly pre-ground in Asia compared to black pepper? I notice that in most households and restaurants in Asia (am Taiwanese myself), white pepper, a staple spice in Chinese cooking, comes pre-ground, comapred to black pepper, which is almost ground right before use. Is it a cultural thing, or does ground white pepper really loses less aroma? Assistant: not sure why, but it seems to be the same in the uk too
Human: I accidentally used Chinese “nutmeg” (草果) in my eggnog. I bought a pack labeled NUTMEG 草果 at a Chinese grocery store, which externally look like whole nutmeg seeds. However the inside is more crumbly than I expected, and when I looked up the characters it appears to actually be Lanxangia tsaoko. Wikipedia says this is used medicinally and also in cooking. Meanwhile I’ve got eggnog chilling in the fridge with a teaspoon of this grated in it. Should I still drink it? Assistant: Did you end up trying it? If so, how was it?	Human: I accidentally used Chinese “nutmeg” (草果) in my eggnog. I bought a pack labeled NUTMEG 草果 at a Chinese grocery store, which externally look like whole nutmeg seeds. However the inside is more crumbly than I expected, and when I looked up the characters it appears to actually be Lanxangia tsaoko. Wikipedia says this is used medicinally and also in cooking. Meanwhile I’ve got eggnog chilling in the fridge with a teaspoon of this grated in it. Should I still drink it? Assistant: From a food safety side it would be fine for you to taste the eggnog and see what it has done to the flavor. I think you already know it won't add the same flavor real nutmeg would. If you have some real nutmeg it may be with a bit of that the eggnog will be palatable but it still won't taste as expected.
Human: What are some often-forgotten kitchen rules to teach to children who are learning to cook? I was baking cookies with my 11 year old niece, and she went to take them out. Then she started screaming because she had burned her hand because she used a wet rag to pull the baking sheet out. I of course know never to do that, but I'm not sure how/why I know, and I certainly would never think to say that proactively. What other often-forgotten kitchen rules should we be communicating? Assistant: Clean as you go.	Human: What are some often-forgotten kitchen rules to teach to children who are learning to cook? I was baking cookies with my 11 year old niece, and she went to take them out. Then she started screaming because she had burned her hand because she used a wet rag to pull the baking sheet out. I of course know never to do that, but I'm not sure how/why I know, and I certainly would never think to say that proactively. What other often-forgotten kitchen rules should we be communicating? Assistant: “A falling knife has no handles” This isn’t just something to tell kids, you would be amazed how many people don’t know this, but if a knife falls, DONT GRAB IT
Human: Is mixing spices before putting them on the food better than just sprinkling them one by one? When cooking for eg. meat I put all of the spices I intend on using in a tiny jar and give them a good shake, then I pour it over the meat. I think that way the spices are evenly spread out, but my mom thinks it's redundant- she first uses salt, then pepper, then other spices one by one. Is there a difference or is one method better than the other? Assistant: As a bbq guy that does a lot of smoking I’d like to add my two cents: I’m noticing improvements in flavor, juiciness and overall texture since I started adding salt on the meat first before my dry rub. Perhaps I’m crazy and there’s no correlation, but I won’t be adding salt to dry rubs anymore. I now treat them as two different steps.	Human: Is mixing spices before putting them on the food better than just sprinkling them one by one? When cooking for eg. meat I put all of the spices I intend on using in a tiny jar and give them a good shake, then I pour it over the meat. I think that way the spices are evenly spread out, but my mom thinks it's redundant- she first uses salt, then pepper, then other spices one by one. Is there a difference or is one method better than the other? Assistant: It doesn't really matter. If I'm feeling super lazy I will put all the spices in a Ziploc bag and just put the meat in, close it and shake it.
Human: Is it possible to cook cranberries down in a way that results in a glaze-like syrup I could drizzle on a salad? No matter what I Google, all my results come back as holiday cranberry sauce. I realize I might need to add something sweet during the process. Sorry, I hope this isn’t going against the “no recipe request” rule. It’s just that no matter what I search (glaze, reduction, sauce, etc) Google keeps showing me results for chunky holiday cranberry sauce. Probably because I have been searching Christmas recipes all day. The end destination of the sauce would be drizzled over a golden beet salad. I’m just wondering if this is possible and am I using the correct terminology in my search terms? Assistant: What about a gastrique? https://recipes.oregonlive.com/recipes/cranberry-gastrique	Human: Is it possible to cook cranberries down in a way that results in a glaze-like syrup I could drizzle on a salad? No matter what I Google, all my results come back as holiday cranberry sauce. I realize I might need to add something sweet during the process. Sorry, I hope this isn’t going against the “no recipe request” rule. It’s just that no matter what I search (glaze, reduction, sauce, etc) Google keeps showing me results for chunky holiday cranberry sauce. Probably because I have been searching Christmas recipes all day. The end destination of the sauce would be drizzled over a golden beet salad. I’m just wondering if this is possible and am I using the correct terminology in my search terms? Assistant: You have to strain them through a chinois to get rid of the seeds. Once it’s perfectly smooth, you can adjust the thickness down with water or another flavorful liquid (balsamic maybe?) to get the desired consistency. As another commenter mentioned, the high pectin in cranberries means it’s naturally going to be on the thicker side without added liquid.
Human: How to become a better cook after the advanced hobbyist stage Cooking is my main hobby. I read recipe books, often cover to cover, and try to cook the recipes that seem most challenging or novel to me, I bake my own sourdough bread, I watch tutorials on cooking techniques and, eg, how to break down whole fish (and practice all of these techniques), invested into nice knives, cast iron and carbon steel pans, am now practicing my own fermentation stuff (thanks Noma Guide!), make sauces and stock and what not from scratch, and overall I think I am a solid cook. What do I do next? I'd love to get even better. Going to culinary school is out of the question (I already have a career, and a family to support with it), but diffusely reading cookbooks and random youtube channels don't deliver much in terms of the exciting feeling of learning something new, becoming better, and pushing myself further. I realize that with all skills the learning curve becomes ever flatter -- after the exhilaration of turning from complete novice to passable, you need to invest ever more work to get ever more infinitesimal improvements. But at the moment, I feel like I don't improve much at all because I don't know where / how to direct effort. Thank you so much for your suggestions! Assistant: My tutor at culinary school told us today that when he stopped cooking in restaurants he made a point to spend his free time on hosting dinner parties. He gets to be inventive, spend time with the people he cares about and does something he loves!	Human: How to become a better cook after the advanced hobbyist stage Cooking is my main hobby. I read recipe books, often cover to cover, and try to cook the recipes that seem most challenging or novel to me, I bake my own sourdough bread, I watch tutorials on cooking techniques and, eg, how to break down whole fish (and practice all of these techniques), invested into nice knives, cast iron and carbon steel pans, am now practicing my own fermentation stuff (thanks Noma Guide!), make sauces and stock and what not from scratch, and overall I think I am a solid cook. What do I do next? I'd love to get even better. Going to culinary school is out of the question (I already have a career, and a family to support with it), but diffusely reading cookbooks and random youtube channels don't deliver much in terms of the exciting feeling of learning something new, becoming better, and pushing myself further. I realize that with all skills the learning curve becomes ever flatter -- after the exhilaration of turning from complete novice to passable, you need to invest ever more work to get ever more infinitesimal improvements. But at the moment, I feel like I don't improve much at all because I don't know where / how to direct effort. Thank you so much for your suggestions! Assistant: when i started working in this one fine dining kitchen (award winning etc) i asked if the chef had a recipe for what he asked me to make he looked at me like i was a fucking idiot.... he said "dude... it's just cooking. there are no recipes. just make it and make it taste good" the rest of it is just... technique. on a side note, you could just always ask to stage in a kitchen and see how they work. COVID permitting. this is probably the BEST way to be exposed to new cuisine and techniques
Human: Upgrading Soy Sauce I love soy sauce. I cook with it often, and I splash it on almost anything with impunity. I’m fond of Kikkomon, but I’m guessing there are far more authentic and traditional brands that have different notes or more subtle flavors. Are there any brands that can be recommended to up my soy sauce game? I live in the upper Midwest of the US, and would love things I can order online, but post-pandemic I should have access to some decent Asian markets to scour. Assistant: Kikkoman is a great company. They just make cheap stuff for the mass market. They do have authentic variety. You should be able to find it at a local Asian store. I used to get yamasa. It’s not top of the line, but it’s cheap and quite authentic. It’s widely available enough in the states that I never had any issue with finding it. https://www.satsuki.fr/yamasa-soy-sauce-1l-koikuchi.htm	Human: Upgrading Soy Sauce I love soy sauce. I cook with it often, and I splash it on almost anything with impunity. I’m fond of Kikkomon, but I’m guessing there are far more authentic and traditional brands that have different notes or more subtle flavors. Are there any brands that can be recommended to up my soy sauce game? I live in the upper Midwest of the US, and would love things I can order online, but post-pandemic I should have access to some decent Asian markets to scour. Assistant: All soy sauce is different, there isn't one better than the other. You have some expensive ones like white soy and heavily aged soy but beyond that they're all different. Japanese soy tends to be sweeter, chinese saltier and southeast asian and filipino soy tends to be more acidic. It's personal preference. I tend to go with japanese (shoyu) and filipino soy but that's my preference. Lee kum kee isn't a bad soy at all.
Human: My prime rib “expires” on December 21st. Will it still be ok on Christmas? Should I follow a dry aging or dry brine process? I bought this yesterday at Costco and I want to treat it as respectfully as possible. Based on this Kenji article, it seems like wrapping in cheese cloth and dry aging won’t really do much in such a short period of time. I’ve seen people discuss dry salt brining but I’m not sure what process is best. Will it go bad if I leave it in this generic packaging? Any help would be appreciated. Assistant: No one has mentioned that this cut has been mechanically tenderized. I would not serve that rare. I specifically bought my standing rib roast from a butcher so I could serve it rare-medium rare. When it's been punctured like this, it's recommended to treat it like ground beef, which defeats the purpose of a tender roast.	Human: My prime rib “expires” on December 21st. Will it still be ok on Christmas? Should I follow a dry aging or dry brine process? I bought this yesterday at Costco and I want to treat it as respectfully as possible. Based on this Kenji article, it seems like wrapping in cheese cloth and dry aging won’t really do much in such a short period of time. I’ve seen people discuss dry salt brining but I’m not sure what process is best. Will it go bad if I leave it in this generic packaging? Any help would be appreciated. Assistant: Excuse me, am I the only one being driven mad by the sideways packaging? This should go directly to mildlyinfuriating
Human: Why is yeast an ingredient in flat foods (ex: Saltine Crackers, waffer cookies, BBQ potato chips)? I thought yeast was just used to make food fluffy. Assistant: Crackers and wafers aren’t solid, tgey have flakes, thats why they are light, without yest theyd be hard and dense like matza	Human: Why is yeast an ingredient in flat foods (ex: Saltine Crackers, waffer cookies, BBQ potato chips)? I thought yeast was just used to make food fluffy. Assistant: There are many different kinds of yeasts, and you can extract msg-like flavor enhancers from some of them.
Human: Americans / Mexican Americans of Reddit, any recommendations for a good / authentic Mexican cookbook and / or youtube channel? (FYI english speaking) Assistant: I strongly recommend "Truly Mexican", by Roberto Santibáñez. It covers not only recipes but also general cooking techniques in Mexican cuisine. Mr. Santibáñez owns a few Mexican restaurants in NY and the book is in English.	Human: Americans / Mexican Americans of Reddit, any recommendations for a good / authentic Mexican cookbook and / or youtube channel? (FYI english speaking) Assistant: Ricks are some of the best. He tries to be authentic as possible but also includes many cheats in his recipes, since it can be hard to get authentic ingredients here.
Human: Every Japanese steakhouse's dressing You know the stuff. Orangey milky ginger dressing. So so good. Poured over iceberg lettuce, one cucumber, maybe a radish slice and sometimes a carrot slice. It's like the Japanese version of every pizza place salad ever. But the dressing. I have looked everywhere. Tried a hundred different bottled versions. Nothing close. It has to be available for sale. Every place is the same exact. There is no way it's a recipe. Anyone know where or what? Assistant: 1/2 white onion 1/2 c peanut or sesame oil or a combo of both 1/3c rice vinegar 2T water 2T ginger 4 tsp soy sauce 2T ketchup 1tsp sugar 2T lemon juice 1/2 tsp garlic s & p Blend in blender on medium	Human: Every Japanese steakhouse's dressing You know the stuff. Orangey milky ginger dressing. So so good. Poured over iceberg lettuce, one cucumber, maybe a radish slice and sometimes a carrot slice. It's like the Japanese version of every pizza place salad ever. But the dressing. I have looked everywhere. Tried a hundred different bottled versions. Nothing close. It has to be available for sale. Every place is the same exact. There is no way it's a recipe. Anyone know where or what? Assistant: Never actually had or seen this sauce, but I have encountered a recipe that sounds like what you may be looking for in lucky peach's 101 Asian recipes cookbook. Don't have it on hand, but it was carrot based with ginger and it was described as you describe it.
Human: What is the term for a small, complimentary pastry/treat given at the end of a meal for diners to take home? Looked it up and came up with 'entremet' but I'm certain this is not the term I am looking for. Thanks for the help! Assistant: Fortune cookie 🥠 duh	Human: What is the term for a small, complimentary pastry/treat given at the end of a meal for diners to take home? Looked it up and came up with 'entremet' but I'm certain this is not the term I am looking for. Thanks for the help! Assistant: Does anyone know if there's a name for a similar concept where they give you a small bottle of amaro at the end to take home? I've seen this at fancy places in London and also some Japanese restaurants that serve sake.
Human: Has anyone noticed that crushing garlic into a paste in a mortar and pestle, vs mincing/grating it, it becomes incredibly mild and sweet to the point of being usable as a spread? Is this a known thing or just in my head? Are there uses of an M&P like this for other ingredients? I was making baba ganoush last night and the first step was to crush the garlic into a paste in the mortar and pestle. Once it reached a paste with a singular consistency, it started to give off a wonderful aroma. Giving it a taste, it was very sweet and almost tasted like garlic that had been slowly roasted for an hour. I usually mince or use a microplane for garlic. Assistant: I’ve been experimenting with fresh horseradish root lately. Apparently the moment you cut into it, there is an enzymatic reaction that causes it to loose its bite. Maybe garlic has the same type of thing happening!	Human: Has anyone noticed that crushing garlic into a paste in a mortar and pestle, vs mincing/grating it, it becomes incredibly mild and sweet to the point of being usable as a spread? Is this a known thing or just in my head? Are there uses of an M&P like this for other ingredients? I was making baba ganoush last night and the first step was to crush the garlic into a paste in the mortar and pestle. Once it reached a paste with a singular consistency, it started to give off a wonderful aroma. Giving it a taste, it was very sweet and almost tasted like garlic that had been slowly roasted for an hour. I usually mince or use a microplane for garlic. Assistant: The best guacamole starts with crushing garlic in a mortar & pestle with a big pinch of kosher salt.
Human: Do you reuse oil after deep frying ? If yes, please share how. Assistant: You've got all the answers you need but I'll add this link which explains what happens to oil as it is re-used. At first, used oil will actually improve your frying. After awhile though, it can break down too much: https://www.seriouseats.com/2013/09/ask-the-food-lab-how-many-times-can-i-reuse-fry-oil.html	Human: Do you reuse oil after deep frying ? If yes, please share how. Assistant: I filter and store, and only really use a my rotary fryer. If I’m doing roast potatoes, I’ll chick a glug in as I’ve only ever cooked polenta fries which a little herby. So by the time I want to DFF again, the oil is almost gone so I have to use fresh
Human: Need help with this Soy Sauce Hey guys, I was in Japan last year and it totally blew my mind how good the food is. While tasting all different kinds of dishes I also did a bit of shopping and for me it was fascinating how many kinds of soy sauce there are. So I found this little soy sauce shop in Kyoto and while the owner didn't speak any English he just had my try all the soy sauces. In the end I bought a few of them and one is absolutely incredible it has kind of a fishy flavor and is just really rich and umami. Unfortunately I am running low now and I have no idea how to get my hand on a similar one as the label on the sauce is Japanese. That's why try my luck here, maybe someone can tell me what kind of soy sauce I bought. Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/mJ5YTPO Thanks! Assistant: Try r/TipOfMyFork if you still need an exact answer. They are amazing!	Human: Need help with this Soy Sauce Hey guys, I was in Japan last year and it totally blew my mind how good the food is. While tasting all different kinds of dishes I also did a bit of shopping and for me it was fascinating how many kinds of soy sauce there are. So I found this little soy sauce shop in Kyoto and while the owner didn't speak any English he just had my try all the soy sauces. In the end I bought a few of them and one is absolutely incredible it has kind of a fishy flavor and is just really rich and umami. Unfortunately I am running low now and I have no idea how to get my hand on a similar one as the label on the sauce is Japanese. That's why try my luck here, maybe someone can tell me what kind of soy sauce I bought. Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/mJ5YTPO Thanks! Assistant: /r/tipofmyfork
Human: would it go well if you replaced the water in a bread recipe with chicken stock? or like, added powdered bouillon to the dough? do we think that would taste good? like those nabisco chicken in a biskit snacks? or would it just be terrible? Assistant: Bread is so cheap and easy to make this is the kind of thing I think you should just do it and find out! I might do this tomorrow. Thanks for the idea! I hope it's good.	Human: would it go well if you replaced the water in a bread recipe with chicken stock? or like, added powdered bouillon to the dough? do we think that would taste good? like those nabisco chicken in a biskit snacks? or would it just be terrible? Assistant: yes! it delicious but goes bad quickly Paul Prudhome had a golden rosemary bread recipe. Used a lot of turmeric for the gold color but it used chicken stock. Great bread to have a simple roast chicken or make them into rolls for chicken sandwiches.
Human: Can I substitute garlic powder for a garlic clove? If so, how much powder would I use as a substitute for one clove? Assistant: It would be wrong to consider the two to be absolutely interchangeable, but I can't think of a single dish that would be ruined by the substitution.	Human: Can I substitute garlic powder for a garlic clove? If so, how much powder would I use as a substitute for one clove? Assistant: They aren't equivalent. When I think of substituting, I think of substituting one kind of citrus for another. Lime juice is a substitute for lemon juice, because they are mostly the same thing. Dried powder and fresh garlic can't really be used that way. I would just treat the garlic powder as it's own thing, and add a little to the dish then taste to see how it goes.
Human: Did I just ruin this cast iron skillet before ever using it? I bought a pre-seasoned Lodge cast iron skillet. I briefly searched online for any tips or need-to-knows before first use of a cast iron skillet. One article I found suggested added a layer of seasoning anyways before first use just for good measure. Seemed easy and reasonable enough. It stated to heat the skillet on high until it starts to smoke, then rub oil into the pan and let cool. So I started heating the cast iron and started to wait for any smoking. No smoke happened at all, but a gray spot developed right in the center. Concerned, I removed the skillet from the heat and decided to rub oil in which caused the oil to smoke like hell, leaving that burned dark spot in the middle with the gray ring around it. https://imgur.com/a/BYtWjT4 Is it still good to use or am I going to have to re-season the whole thing now? Thanks. Assistant: A lot of good advice but I just want to add that there are cast irons from 100 years ago still going strong and our great grand parents weren’t exactly delicate with them. Don’t worry too much about anything short of somehow breaking it in half.	Human: Did I just ruin this cast iron skillet before ever using it? I bought a pre-seasoned Lodge cast iron skillet. I briefly searched online for any tips or need-to-knows before first use of a cast iron skillet. One article I found suggested added a layer of seasoning anyways before first use just for good measure. Seemed easy and reasonable enough. It stated to heat the skillet on high until it starts to smoke, then rub oil into the pan and let cool. So I started heating the cast iron and started to wait for any smoking. No smoke happened at all, but a gray spot developed right in the center. Concerned, I removed the skillet from the heat and decided to rub oil in which caused the oil to smoke like hell, leaving that burned dark spot in the middle with the gray ring around it. https://imgur.com/a/BYtWjT4 Is it still good to use or am I going to have to re-season the whole thing now? Thanks. Assistant: If that handle is oven proof forget all this other BS Rub it all over with cooking oil/ lard and place it upside down in a Hot 450 500 degree F oven for a few hrs turn off the oven and let it cool . If you have the time and patience do it again . It should be ready to cook . Cooking corn pone in one is a good way to break 'em in also and deep frying .
Human: Searching for a video explaining why blemished fruits and vegetables are safe to eat. I teach science-driven cooking to teens and tweens. I've noticed in my in-person classes that the students have an extreme aversion to blemished produce. Almost phobia level. I've explained what bruising is, demonstrated how to cut away imperfections, and eaten flawed specimens right in front of them, but they're still not convinced. I'm looking for a brief video that explains why blemished produce is okay to eat and cook with, preferably from a science perspective. Most of what I've found is about global food waste, the plight of the farmer, or ending world hunger. It's all good stuff, but not what I need right now. These are kind, thoughtful kids, and I'm sure if I can just convince them that they won't get sick, they'll quit throwing away entire strawberries and bell peppers because of small imperfections. Assistant: Hey, from Australia here. There was an incredibly educational and informative series done called War on Waste. It showed how much farmers have to throw out each year because it doesn't effectively meet the insane standards we have placed... well worth a watch. Abc.net.au	Human: Searching for a video explaining why blemished fruits and vegetables are safe to eat. I teach science-driven cooking to teens and tweens. I've noticed in my in-person classes that the students have an extreme aversion to blemished produce. Almost phobia level. I've explained what bruising is, demonstrated how to cut away imperfections, and eaten flawed specimens right in front of them, but they're still not convinced. I'm looking for a brief video that explains why blemished produce is okay to eat and cook with, preferably from a science perspective. Most of what I've found is about global food waste, the plight of the farmer, or ending world hunger. It's all good stuff, but not what I need right now. These are kind, thoughtful kids, and I'm sure if I can just convince them that they won't get sick, they'll quit throwing away entire strawberries and bell peppers because of small imperfections. Assistant: https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/discover/our-brands/the-odd-bunch Google also comes up with some cute videos from their campaign.
Human: Restaurant Rice? When I go to Japanese restaurants, their rice is somehow yummier than what I can cook! I got a simple rice cooker which does a decent job (better than stove top) but not quite the same. I asked for rice cooking tips once and they said to wash the rice before cooking. I do wash the rice, which improves slightly. Just not as sticky or flavorful. So what can I do to make rice taste as good as how they prepare it in Japanese restaurants? Assistant: Get good quality rice. I was astonished the first time I bought good quality sushi rice. Even without any seasonings added it had so much more flavor than cheaper rice I had been using	Human: Restaurant Rice? When I go to Japanese restaurants, their rice is somehow yummier than what I can cook! I got a simple rice cooker which does a decent job (better than stove top) but not quite the same. I asked for rice cooking tips once and they said to wash the rice before cooking. I do wash the rice, which improves slightly. Just not as sticky or flavorful. So what can I do to make rice taste as good as how they prepare it in Japanese restaurants? Assistant: The fancy rice cookers with microcontrollers do a much better job than the simple temperature switch ones.
Human: How do you get quicker with knife skills? I’ve decided that I’m trying to come out of quarantine with as much cooking skills as I can learn. I have all different types of knives and a knife sharpener but I just cannot get myself to dice/slice quickly. Is it practice makes perfect or just losing the fear that you’ll cut yourself and it’s okay? TIA! Assistant: I see a lot of responses saying practice. Which, of course. However, correct technique will make you safer, allowing you to feel safer, allowing you the confidence to get faster with time. The basics are how you hold the knife, how you hold the food, and how you move the knife. Here, this uppity dude does a pretty good job of explaining the three: https://youtu.be/aoqVGdmVlKk Be sure to use the rocking method of blade movement until you become comfortable	Human: How do you get quicker with knife skills? I’ve decided that I’m trying to come out of quarantine with as much cooking skills as I can learn. I have all different types of knives and a knife sharpener but I just cannot get myself to dice/slice quickly. Is it practice makes perfect or just losing the fear that you’ll cut yourself and it’s okay? TIA! Assistant: Murder.
Human: Help me identify this delicious mystery Thai spice blend! So I recently went to Fish Cheeks in NYC, a Thai restaurant where they make an incredible chicken wing tossed in a sweet, salty and sour spice blend powder. The server told us that the chef was inspired by a similar seasoning blend that you might find at fast food or 7/11 type restaurants on their fried chicken in Thailand. They happen to sell this powder so I bought a jar, they call it “Zabbs” seasoning. The ingredients listed are makrut lime leaves, lemongrass and Thai chili powder. It’s one of those takeaway restaurant items so I’m not sure they’re actually required to list all ingredients. There’s definitely sugar and some other additions in there that aren’t listed. The ONLY thing I could find on it is a recipe on FOOD52 that calls it “zab-zab”, with semi similar ingredients. https://www.google.com/amp/s/food52.com/recipes/82446-zab-zab-dust-recipe/amp (link). I’m really curious to know more about this seasoning blend, and it’s place in Thai cuisine. Does anyone know the formal name or where I can find alternate recipes for it??? Assistant: KFC makes a yummy wing zabb in Thailand. It's spicy, sour, and salty. I think I found the place you are talking about. I believe I found their etsy page. Expensive though. https://www.etsy.com/listing/922951083/zabb-seasoning I found this recipe. It sounded about right. Usually in Thailand, they use palm sugar but this one used coconut sugar. https://food52.com/recipes/82446-zab-zab-dust-recipe	Human: Help me identify this delicious mystery Thai spice blend! So I recently went to Fish Cheeks in NYC, a Thai restaurant where they make an incredible chicken wing tossed in a sweet, salty and sour spice blend powder. The server told us that the chef was inspired by a similar seasoning blend that you might find at fast food or 7/11 type restaurants on their fried chicken in Thailand. They happen to sell this powder so I bought a jar, they call it “Zabbs” seasoning. The ingredients listed are makrut lime leaves, lemongrass and Thai chili powder. It’s one of those takeaway restaurant items so I’m not sure they’re actually required to list all ingredients. There’s definitely sugar and some other additions in there that aren’t listed. The ONLY thing I could find on it is a recipe on FOOD52 that calls it “zab-zab”, with semi similar ingredients. https://www.google.com/amp/s/food52.com/recipes/82446-zab-zab-dust-recipe/amp (link). I’m really curious to know more about this seasoning blend, and it’s place in Thai cuisine. Does anyone know the formal name or where I can find alternate recipes for it??? Assistant: imo if you send a kind email (or maybe a call during off hours, like 2-3pm on a tuesday) they would probably give you a good answer
Human: Cooking food for people with loss of smell? Sorry, a bit of an open ended question. My wife and I both lost\* our sense of smell from covid. I don’t want to be to dramatic about it as it’s not like we’re dying or on a ventilator or anything but it’s surprisingly detrimental to our mental health to have nothing smell delicious and everything taste like… what I imagine the color beige tastes like. Like probably a lot of people we get significant joy from good food. Was wondering if anybody had any ideas for food that I could cook that would taste "right" without relying on aroma. (Normally I like balanced or even delicate flavors over something that just hits you over the head with the flavor knob turned to 11 like, say, Indian food, but I’m just so desperate for taste right now I’d be happy with a flavor sledgehammer.) Meat without the smell of seared crust is meh. Pan sauce is all aromatics so it’s just kind of a slightly acidic butter thing... without the smell of butter. Bacon without the smell is just salty fat (with an admittedly fun texture). Salmon might as well be any tasteless flaky white fish. Indian food at least tasted like something but a lot of it is the smell and we weren’t getting any of it. Pasta is alright but we can’t smell the tomatoes, the spices, or cheese if there’s cheese. I baked a fresh loaf of bread in the over the other day and when I got it out I got that blast of warm air from the oven, and... no wonderful smell, no nothing - it was actually kind of upsetting. Probably the 'best' food right now (as in reminds us the most of pre-covid taste) has been grapes, where what I'm mostly getting is sweet, a fruit flavor (I'm sure I'm missing some fruit smell but... I can't remember what that was like anymore :/), and a crisp cold liquid sensation, so I'm getting the majority of that. But, if anybody has any ideas of cooked, prepared food that is mostly flavor and not so much about the aroma, that would be great. I'm pretty pessimistic, to be honest - most of taste seems to be smell. \*By “lost” sense of smell it seems to be <100% loss. If I fry up a pan of bacon I don’t smell anything. If I put my nose in the pan I get a hint of bacon. So it’s not gone, just like 99% gone. Assistant: My wife lost more of her scent/taste than I did. I did a literal blind test for her. One thing she likes, one thing she absolutely hates with similar texture. Raw onion and raw apple, feta and gorgonzola, peach nectar and carrot juice, etc. I recorded it and she almost gagged watching herself eat an olive thinking it was a cherry. The only thing she could differentiate between was the sweet pepper v the jalapeño based on burning alone. Keep it spicy, I guess.	Human: Cooking food for people with loss of smell? Sorry, a bit of an open ended question. My wife and I both lost\* our sense of smell from covid. I don’t want to be to dramatic about it as it’s not like we’re dying or on a ventilator or anything but it’s surprisingly detrimental to our mental health to have nothing smell delicious and everything taste like… what I imagine the color beige tastes like. Like probably a lot of people we get significant joy from good food. Was wondering if anybody had any ideas for food that I could cook that would taste "right" without relying on aroma. (Normally I like balanced or even delicate flavors over something that just hits you over the head with the flavor knob turned to 11 like, say, Indian food, but I’m just so desperate for taste right now I’d be happy with a flavor sledgehammer.) Meat without the smell of seared crust is meh. Pan sauce is all aromatics so it’s just kind of a slightly acidic butter thing... without the smell of butter. Bacon without the smell is just salty fat (with an admittedly fun texture). Salmon might as well be any tasteless flaky white fish. Indian food at least tasted like something but a lot of it is the smell and we weren’t getting any of it. Pasta is alright but we can’t smell the tomatoes, the spices, or cheese if there’s cheese. I baked a fresh loaf of bread in the over the other day and when I got it out I got that blast of warm air from the oven, and... no wonderful smell, no nothing - it was actually kind of upsetting. Probably the 'best' food right now (as in reminds us the most of pre-covid taste) has been grapes, where what I'm mostly getting is sweet, a fruit flavor (I'm sure I'm missing some fruit smell but... I can't remember what that was like anymore :/), and a crisp cold liquid sensation, so I'm getting the majority of that. But, if anybody has any ideas of cooked, prepared food that is mostly flavor and not so much about the aroma, that would be great. I'm pretty pessimistic, to be honest - most of taste seems to be smell. \*By “lost” sense of smell it seems to be <100% loss. If I fry up a pan of bacon I don’t smell anything. If I put my nose in the pan I get a hint of bacon. So it’s not gone, just like 99% gone. Assistant: Might be worth searching this sub for past discussions of cooking for cancer patients. There have been a bunch, and these are also diners with anosmia. Generally the advice is to lean into the other senses. Textural interest and bright colors.
Human: How do restaurants cut vegetables? Hi all, Have the task to cook for a lot of people this weekend. I love that challenge because I absolutely love to cook, but this makes me wonder. How do restaurants go by cutting large batches of vegetables? I'd think they use something like a food processor, but I can imagine this doesn't yield perfect result (in terms of size and everything being equal in size) that higher end restaurants strive for. How do restaurants cut all the different vegetables for let's say a huge batch of ragu sauce? Do they do all this work by hand, every single day? Do they use specialized tools? Are they buying vegetables pre-chopped? Assistant: Mis-En-Place is a French term that effectively means 'Prepare everything ahead of time'. Corporate dining places often buy all their veggies precut by machine. Smaller restaurants have prep cooks. Culinary schools teach about a dozen different cuts that are often used in professional kitchens: 1/4 inch dice, 1/8 inch dice, batonette, chiffonade, etc. Many restaurants though really aren't that precise, although if you have been prepping for long, most of your cuts are the same size.	Human: How do restaurants cut vegetables? Hi all, Have the task to cook for a lot of people this weekend. I love that challenge because I absolutely love to cook, but this makes me wonder. How do restaurants go by cutting large batches of vegetables? I'd think they use something like a food processor, but I can imagine this doesn't yield perfect result (in terms of size and everything being equal in size) that higher end restaurants strive for. How do restaurants cut all the different vegetables for let's say a huge batch of ragu sauce? Do they do all this work by hand, every single day? Do they use specialized tools? Are they buying vegetables pre-chopped? Assistant: They either use a food processor with appropriate blades, or one of the comis chefs will be tasked with veg prep and they'll spend a few hours chopping, slicing and dicing according to what's required.
Human: How do salt and alcohol get rid of gamey flavors? So I’ve got a rough idea on the alcohol, but I’m confused on why salt helps get rid of gamey flavors. Take, for example, pork from male pigs. Sometimes it’s great! Sometimes it’s got that ~off smell-taste that lets you know your cut came from a male pig. I know that if I salt it, the smell-taste doesn’t happen, and if I simmer boil it in alcohol (I particularly like using Shaoxing wine to do my version of dongpou rou), the smell-taste also doesn’t happen. So how and why does this work? Assistant: Salt can denature (unfold) proteins! It may be that the "gamey" flavor comes partly from the taste of the animal's muscles, which are mostly protein. Salt could disrupt these proteins and unfold them a bit, which could lessen the gamey taste. Science articles about brining meat have more to say about salt: https://www.scienceofcooking.com/science-of-brining.html	Human: How do salt and alcohol get rid of gamey flavors? So I’ve got a rough idea on the alcohol, but I’m confused on why salt helps get rid of gamey flavors. Take, for example, pork from male pigs. Sometimes it’s great! Sometimes it’s got that ~off smell-taste that lets you know your cut came from a male pig. I know that if I salt it, the smell-taste doesn’t happen, and if I simmer boil it in alcohol (I particularly like using Shaoxing wine to do my version of dongpou rou), the smell-taste also doesn’t happen. So how and why does this work? Assistant: Ethanol is volatile and can dissolve non-polar chemicals that wouldn't be water soluble, so it is able to help isolate and remove some "offensive" odorants and flavor agents that make meat gamier. Without knowing too much about what's at play here, it's also possible that the ethanol is breaking down some of those agents into simpler and more palatable chemical constituents... But that's just conjecture on my part.
Human: How can restaurants use excessive amounts of salt and not have their food taste overly salty? Just curious because every time I’ve over-salted a dish it’s quite noticeable and not very appetizing. Is it just a balancing act with excessive fat and sugar as well? Assistant: Restaurants balance flavors much better AND salt progressively. Plus a lot of foods are made in batches so salt is more evenly dispersed but all of these things can be donr at home.	Human: How can restaurants use excessive amounts of salt and not have their food taste overly salty? Just curious because every time I’ve over-salted a dish it’s quite noticeable and not very appetizing. Is it just a balancing act with excessive fat and sugar as well? Assistant: Because it’s not excessive.
Human: Is gelato in Italy just regular ice cream? In America, when we get gelato it’s usually a denser version of ice cream. On a trip to Italy I went to a famous gelato store and noticed the density was the same as regular ice cream in America. I don’t know if there’s different types there like Americans with their soft serve, gelato, or whipped. Assistant: No, it's not the same. Gelato is made with less fat and contains fewer ice crystals. Interestingly, Rome recently started cracking down on subpar gelato. If too many ice crystals are found, the shop can face a fine up to $15,000 Source	Human: Is gelato in Italy just regular ice cream? In America, when we get gelato it’s usually a denser version of ice cream. On a trip to Italy I went to a famous gelato store and noticed the density was the same as regular ice cream in America. I don’t know if there’s different types there like Americans with their soft serve, gelato, or whipped. Assistant: while gelato is literally just italian for 'ice cream', there is a difference between the two. lower fat and air content results in gelato having a denser consistency and a deeper, richer flavor.
Human: The cooking order of onions, garlic and vegetables. Can someone please clear this up? Im confused?! Im trying to learn how to cook for maximum caramelization and flavour without simultaneously burning my veggies. I usually saute onions for 4-5 minutes on medium high heat, add garlic, cook for 30 seconds, and add my other vegetables (usually its a mirepoix so Im adding celery and carrot) for about 5 minutes or more and then I might add sauce or mince or w.e. else. Im just wondering if this is the recommended order for flavour? Some people say you should only cook garlic for 30 seconds on top of other vegetables before adding sauce, but I dont think my garlic is burning. \- Culinary Clutz Assistant: You’re mirepoix should be in the pan first. A classic mirepoix is a ratio of 2:1:1 of Onion, Celery and Carrot. Depending on what you’re cooking, I add other ingredients at this time such as bell pepper, fennel or aromatics such as ginger. Cook it over a medium low heat until soft and beginning to caramelise. After this is when I add aromatics, spices and herbs (depending on what I’m cooking). I add garlic a minute or two before adding main ingredients or stocks etc.	Human: The cooking order of onions, garlic and vegetables. Can someone please clear this up? Im confused?! Im trying to learn how to cook for maximum caramelization and flavour without simultaneously burning my veggies. I usually saute onions for 4-5 minutes on medium high heat, add garlic, cook for 30 seconds, and add my other vegetables (usually its a mirepoix so Im adding celery and carrot) for about 5 minutes or more and then I might add sauce or mince or w.e. else. Im just wondering if this is the recommended order for flavour? Some people say you should only cook garlic for 30 seconds on top of other vegetables before adding sauce, but I dont think my garlic is burning. \- Culinary Clutz Assistant: Flip the order, it takes more time for the celery and and carrot to break down than garlic, which does it right quick. So, high heat, add oil and your celery/carrot, then after they go soft and sweated, add your garlic. You can easily burn garlic, but if your method works, then good.
Human: Controversial question: Pineapple/Hawaiian Pizza without “actual” pineapple? My 5 year old is on a food experimentation kick. He has been requesting unusual food combinations, and I’ve been encouraging his creativity and culinary exploration as much as I can. I don’t know where he heard about pineapple pizza, but it’s all he can talk about. I want him to try it, but my family is very allergic to pineapple. What is it about pineapple on pizza that people enjoy that I can replicate? Could I add peeled apple instead? Canned fruit? Thanks in advance! Assistant: I love figs on pizza, but I've never had it on typical red pizza, usually it's with fig jam, brie, prosciutto, arugal etc.	Human: Controversial question: Pineapple/Hawaiian Pizza without “actual” pineapple? My 5 year old is on a food experimentation kick. He has been requesting unusual food combinations, and I’ve been encouraging his creativity and culinary exploration as much as I can. I don’t know where he heard about pineapple pizza, but it’s all he can talk about. I want him to try it, but my family is very allergic to pineapple. What is it about pineapple on pizza that people enjoy that I can replicate? Could I add peeled apple instead? Canned fruit? Thanks in advance! Assistant: Ham, green peppers and mandarin oranges might do the trick. Maybe brush some teriyaki over the top before baking for extra Hawaiian flavor.
Human: What’s the best way to ruin prime rib? I’m cooking a prime rib roast for the family this week and unfortunately, about half of the group prefers their meat well-done. I’d normally just make them something else but in this case I cannot. Can anyone explain to me how a restaurant does this? Do you slice a few pieces and put them back in the oven? Cook in a skillet with some of the jus? Any tips would be appreciated so I can ruin this meat as best as I can. Assistant: The actual answers here of using the oven to bring it gently to JUST well are correct. However, if I had the option, I'd just buy a smaller roast, and then cook a sirloin steak for the well done people. I'm happy to cook to people's preference, but I'm not happy paying for an expensive cut unnecessarily. Why buy truffles if you're going to smother them in ketchup.	Human: What’s the best way to ruin prime rib? I’m cooking a prime rib roast for the family this week and unfortunately, about half of the group prefers their meat well-done. I’d normally just make them something else but in this case I cannot. Can anyone explain to me how a restaurant does this? Do you slice a few pieces and put them back in the oven? Cook in a skillet with some of the jus? Any tips would be appreciated so I can ruin this meat as best as I can. Assistant: Christ this reminds me why I hate steak people. It's just an incredible amount of toxicity regarding personal preference - leave people be.
Human: Why do Chefs geek out over spoons? A friend of mine is nuts for his Gray Kunz spoon, and I'm happy for him and all, but I seriously don't get it. Assistant: Because they’re our most used tool outside of a knife. Different shapes do different things better. Saucing, plating, rochers, quenelles, tasting. Different sizes work better for different tasks as well. It’s in our best interest to keep a variety of them, so then hunting for them becomes a big deal. As does gloating to our coworkers when we find cool ones.	Human: Why do Chefs geek out over spoons? A friend of mine is nuts for his Gray Kunz spoon, and I'm happy for him and all, but I seriously don't get it. Assistant: The only spoon I care about is my commically over sized tasting spoon and I only use that when something is really nice ..."oh I better get out the big spoon!"
Human: How to keep a supply of Avocado that is always ready to eat How do restaurants do it? I'm hoping to have fresh avocado ever day, not when 1 of my 5 avocados are ready to eat next Tuesday. Assistant: i have an avocado tree. the tough part is: avocados wont ripen on the tree and mine are holiday avocados weighing in at 1.5 pounds each. to ripen i put an apple in a box for every 3 avocados to ripen for at least 2 weeks.	Human: How to keep a supply of Avocado that is always ready to eat How do restaurants do it? I'm hoping to have fresh avocado ever day, not when 1 of my 5 avocados are ready to eat next Tuesday. Assistant: If you put them in the fridge before they’re ripe they’ll last weeks!
Human: Ways to instill depth of flavour with plant based ingredients? Hello! This is my first post here. I hope everyone is safe and well. I live in New Zealand so we’re all in lockdown so I’m trying a lot of new recipes and trying to improve my technique. I rely heavily on stock cubes (Massels) in most of my cooking. I use stock in soups and curries, and reduce it into components of other meals (like jackfruit for tacos for instance). I made this recipe tonight https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/bean-and-grain-stew-with-garlic-and-chiles And it blew my mind because it didn’t use stock but it was DELICIOUS and tasted very pro and complex. It had lots of different techniques which I have never done before, like cooking dried beans and then leaving them to cool in their cooking liquid before using them, simmering garlic in oil until it’s brown, pickling chilli in vinegar, and blackening onions in the pan and then cooking them into the liquid but discarding the onions themselves. As a result (and also as a result of a lot of oil and salt, to be fair) this stew was amazing. I was hoping there might be other awesome techniques like those I’ve listed above that I can use to add depth to dishes without resorting to stock. I kind of feel like I’ve been ‘fake cooking’, if you know what I mean. I would be very grateful for any suggestions. Also my meals are all vegan so I’m looking for techniques that use plant based ingredients. Thank you in advance. Assistant: Soy sauce, yeast extract (maggi seasoning), shiitake mushrooms, miso, and tomato paste are all go-to depth of flavor ingredients that are vegan. A lot of people consider it cheating, but straight up MSG is fantastic for this. And no, it doesn’t cause headaches or health problems - that’s generally chalked up to holdover racism against the Chinese.	Human: Ways to instill depth of flavour with plant based ingredients? Hello! This is my first post here. I hope everyone is safe and well. I live in New Zealand so we’re all in lockdown so I’m trying a lot of new recipes and trying to improve my technique. I rely heavily on stock cubes (Massels) in most of my cooking. I use stock in soups and curries, and reduce it into components of other meals (like jackfruit for tacos for instance). I made this recipe tonight https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/bean-and-grain-stew-with-garlic-and-chiles And it blew my mind because it didn’t use stock but it was DELICIOUS and tasted very pro and complex. It had lots of different techniques which I have never done before, like cooking dried beans and then leaving them to cool in their cooking liquid before using them, simmering garlic in oil until it’s brown, pickling chilli in vinegar, and blackening onions in the pan and then cooking them into the liquid but discarding the onions themselves. As a result (and also as a result of a lot of oil and salt, to be fair) this stew was amazing. I was hoping there might be other awesome techniques like those I’ve listed above that I can use to add depth to dishes without resorting to stock. I kind of feel like I’ve been ‘fake cooking’, if you know what I mean. I would be very grateful for any suggestions. Also my meals are all vegan so I’m looking for techniques that use plant based ingredients. Thank you in advance. Assistant: I'd check out /r/chinesefood
Human: Can you make mayo with chilli oil?? I just made chilli oil and i wonder if you can make mayo but insted of the oil usually used to make the emulsion in mayo, use chilli oil so you get a very flavorful and spicy mayo. I dont have a lot of exprience with mayo making so I dont know if such thing can work. Assistant: No. Don't play childishly with such forces. The result will surely be too delicious for this reality to handle. Once you taste it, you will likely be transported transported the realm of pure flavor that Guy Fieri descended from.	Human: Can you make mayo with chilli oil?? I just made chilli oil and i wonder if you can make mayo but insted of the oil usually used to make the emulsion in mayo, use chilli oil so you get a very flavorful and spicy mayo. I dont have a lot of exprience with mayo making so I dont know if such thing can work. Assistant: Yep, you certainly can. You need these elements. Mustard, acid (vinegar or lemon juice or both), corn oil, or vegetable oil, or olive oil, or chili oil, egg yolk (fat). That's it. If you have those things you can go wild from there. Salt, pepper, garlic, pepper, lemon juice, whorstershire, soy, cayenne, paprika, chilis, , sugar, wine etc., you get the idea. Yahoo! Knowledge is power. You are now free to move around the cabin.
Human: What's a 'less is more' in cooking that most home chefs like me probably does wrong? Assistant: I would say when home cooks choose to try a "fancier" recipe and over do the expensive ingredient. Like truffle oil for example. Which I'm not even a huge fan of but because you almost never work with it it's so easy to over do.	Human: What's a 'less is more' in cooking that most home chefs like me probably does wrong? Assistant: Sesame oil.
Human: What is the "korean spicy sauce" that my local sushi place puts on their tuna sashimi? I can't get enough of it. It's spicy, tangy and a little bit sweet. It's a deep red colour and pretty smooth. Here's the order I get with it: https://imgur.com/hH0cqKo https://imgur.com/Dv0QMop Assistant: Cho gochujang: 4 tbl spoons of gochujang paste, 2 tbl spoons of rice vinegar, 1 tbs sugar, 1 tea spoon grilled sesame oil	Human: What is the "korean spicy sauce" that my local sushi place puts on their tuna sashimi? I can't get enough of it. It's spicy, tangy and a little bit sweet. It's a deep red colour and pretty smooth. Here's the order I get with it: https://imgur.com/hH0cqKo https://imgur.com/Dv0QMop Assistant: Honest question, why not ask them? Just trying to be helpful. It's the only way you can be certain.
Human: Why do Asian cuisines tend not to use short noodles? I almost exclusively see long noodles used in Asian cuisine, but no short noodle shapes like penne, fusilli, etc. Is there a reason for this? And if there are any Asian cuisines that make use of short noodles, please do share! Assistant: It's always interesting to see pasta referred to as a noodle, in the UK we just call pasta pasta and noodles noodles	Human: Why do Asian cuisines tend not to use short noodles? I almost exclusively see long noodles used in Asian cuisine, but no short noodle shapes like penne, fusilli, etc. Is there a reason for this? And if there are any Asian cuisines that make use of short noodles, please do share! Assistant: Macaroni soup is a staple of HK style cafes.
Human: Need help replicating a recipe, relative with autism is very upset over discontinued soup. A close family member of mine has been obsessed with a Lemon Chicken and Rice soup from Luna Grill for the past couple of years. I have googled and googled and tried various recipes, but most just use a canned broth or stock, and the soup comes out too brownish and clear. The broth is a fairly opaque yellow, I know for certain it contains some diced onion that are cooked in the broth long enough to be transparent and they dissolve on your tongue. I am pretty sure the rice in the soup is basmati. The broth is on the salty side, but consistently so over multiple bowls, so I'm suspecting that given this is a ”fast casual” style restaurant it's not scratch made, but I could be wrong on that. The chicken pieces themselves are white meat, and they have most of the lemon flavor. The outside of each piece is yellow, but when bit in half the yellow only coats the chicken. It's a similar yellow to scrambled eggs. When chilled, a few little fat bubbles collect on the surface and they are more orange. I suspect there's egg yolk to give a richness, but I'm having a hell of a time finding a recipe close enough that my autistic relative can't tell it's different. I have written the company, since the Texas stores are no longer serving the soup, but they were unwilling to share it since it's still served in their California stores. The closest broth product I've found is Better than Bullion in chicken flavor, but there's a bit too much of the celery flavor. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and for the person who gets the closest/correct recipe, I'll do a $100 Amazon gift card OR donate to the charity of your choice. (I hope that doesn't break any rules.) Assistant: I just wanted to thank you for trying to get this for your close family member with autism. You're awesome. I'll have to try one of these recipes--it sounds like something we'd enjoy. My son is HF autistic too. He can be pretty picky.	Human: Need help replicating a recipe, relative with autism is very upset over discontinued soup. A close family member of mine has been obsessed with a Lemon Chicken and Rice soup from Luna Grill for the past couple of years. I have googled and googled and tried various recipes, but most just use a canned broth or stock, and the soup comes out too brownish and clear. The broth is a fairly opaque yellow, I know for certain it contains some diced onion that are cooked in the broth long enough to be transparent and they dissolve on your tongue. I am pretty sure the rice in the soup is basmati. The broth is on the salty side, but consistently so over multiple bowls, so I'm suspecting that given this is a ”fast casual” style restaurant it's not scratch made, but I could be wrong on that. The chicken pieces themselves are white meat, and they have most of the lemon flavor. The outside of each piece is yellow, but when bit in half the yellow only coats the chicken. It's a similar yellow to scrambled eggs. When chilled, a few little fat bubbles collect on the surface and they are more orange. I suspect there's egg yolk to give a richness, but I'm having a hell of a time finding a recipe close enough that my autistic relative can't tell it's different. I have written the company, since the Texas stores are no longer serving the soup, but they were unwilling to share it since it's still served in their California stores. The closest broth product I've found is Better than Bullion in chicken flavor, but there's a bit too much of the celery flavor. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and for the person who gets the closest/correct recipe, I'll do a $100 Amazon gift card OR donate to the charity of your choice. (I hope that doesn't break any rules.) Assistant: You might try Knorr chicken bouillon powder, which is salty and contains turmeric and paprika oleoresin for color. It also contains chicken fat and msg, which might be a missing touch.
Human: Do I really ever have to peel carrots? Any benefit I’d be missing? Besides appearance I guess Assistant: A point not mentioned yet: carrot skins oxidize (turn brown) very quickly, more so than the inner parts. I have no idea why yet. As a professional, if I’m making a light colored sauce or carrot purée I will always peel them for a brighter color.	Human: Do I really ever have to peel carrots? Any benefit I’d be missing? Besides appearance I guess Assistant: I've tried not peeling them but I don't like the mouth feel