Hi rdrama!!! A few days ago I made this comment about my mom's shrimp scampi recipe and so I asked her if I could make it over this Christmas season to show you strags unfortunately she got me an extra pound of shrimp to feed the whole family so the proportions are a little skewed, but nevertheless I'll show my process here!!

Starting with the shrimp, I have three pounds of 31/40 count/pound raw shrimp. Cut open the bags, pour them into a pot and let cold water run over them while you do other stuff. The shrimp need to thaw, but if you leave them out in the open air they get pink and grow bacteria and shit

In the above picture is everything for the sauce itself—a half stick of butter, one and a half onions, two garlic cloves, two lemons, parsley, salt and pepper. I ended up needing to add an extra lemon and quarter stick of butter later on because the sauce reduced too much, but these proportions should be fine if you're not r-slurred like me

Start by turning the fire down low and chopping up the butter into slices so it melts easier. Put a few of the slices in just to grease the pot, and while those melt dice the onions. Put the onions in once done and stir periodically.

Now it's time to focus on the garlic. Garlic is really finicky because it's such an intense flavor, so dice it really finely. Additionally, we want the onions to be translucent before we add the garlic—I also tend to add the rest of the butter at this point just to ease its entry. This is all because if garlic burns it will frick your entire dish, so don't let it happen

Now that the garlic is added, time for the lemons! I like to zest into the sauce before squeezing, since it adds extra lemon taste and makes squeezing it easier. After that, chop them in half and squeeze them for every last drop. Don't let the seeds get in of course, they're very bitter.

This is about the time I realized I needed more juice and butter. The sauce should look pretty liquidy at this point and I just didn't have it right. Anyway, all that's left to do is add the parsley, salt, and pepper!

It's beautiful turn it off now so it doesn't burn while you do other things.

Anyway, now for the rice. I like to use a cup of rice for every pound of shrimp, meaning three cups of rice and six cups of water. Rinse the rice beforehand (local chinx pls bestow your wisdom, I seem to half butt this part every time and idk what I'm doing wrong). Then, put it into a pot with the six cups of water, bring it to a boil with the top on and then move it to a simmer burner for 22 minutes. We're not going to just be waiting that whole time though—did you forget about the shrimp??

The shrimp need to be peeled as such, and then cooked in the sauce until they turn pink.

By this time, the rice should certainly be done! Simply add it, stir and mix really well until it's all mixed and the rice has soaked all the sauce up. With that, you have shrimp scampi!

That's all for now

@Gruench @X !effortposters

/r/carnivore is a very interesting subreddit. It's like /r/antidiet in that they both recommend a pastoral "eat as much as you feel" approach to food. The main difference is that /r/carnivore also recommends eating only animal products.

The guy who tarnished the tendie Halls actually makes some good butt looking food, and https://old.reddit.com/u/Doggo-Lovato/submitted

shout out /u/Doggo-Lovato this turned from REEEE to REEspect

3 for $6 at safeway right now, I forgot how good this shit was.

Every Chinese Takeout place thoughout the country has the signature Spice Bag on their special menu. It's an ungodly blend of Chink and Irish cuisine from Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken served with thrice cooked fries and stir fried veg of your choice (usually peppers, onions, garlic/ginger or thin sliced cabbage or carrots.) Everything is then piled onto a wok and tossed with seseme oil and Chinese 5 spice, chilli flakes, salt/pepper.

SHOW MORE

When it comes to comfort food, congee (or rice porridge) is one of my favourites. It used to be poorcel food when people didn't have enough rice, since cooking rice in a lot of water would make the end product appear a lot more filling to the poorcels Because of this it's considered a taboo to have it during the Lunar New Year because it's unlucky or something like that, however in modern times you'll find that the humble dish is often elevated with expensive ingredients like abalone, dried scallops and whatnot

Having said that it's still more common to find it paired with more common ingredients like shredded chicken, minced pork, sliced fish and century eggs because we're a bunch who might just want an affordable and yummy meal For the Chinese there are generally 2 types of congee or porridge, one would be the Teochew version that's basically just water in rice, and the other would be the Cantonese version that's silky and thick, and we will be focusing on the latter version because that's the one I like

While I'm aware of the fact that there are no winters in Singapore and it's hot as heck, it's still a popular dish here especially for breakfast. You'd see long queues and long waiting times at the popular outlets here everyday still, so I can only imagine and be envious of how nice a warm bowl of congee during a real winter

The recipe I'm using is for the plain version of it without meat or anything so it's up to your imagination what you want to pair it with. The usual salt and pepper seasoning would probably work with most types of meat that you'll just dunk in the pot when it's 10ish or so minutes before the congee is done cooking.

Ingredients are simple:

• Rice (any type is fine but Thai Jasmine rice probably works best IMO)

• Water (I use a 8:1 water to rice ratio because I like it thiccc but you can use more water if you prefer)

• Ginger

• Spring Onions

• Cilantro/Coriander Leaves

• Chicken Stock/Bouillon

I've not listed the amount you'd need because in cuisine we would usually just eyeball an amount that's required according to our preferences lol, but if you really need a visual guide here's the amount of aromatics/garnishes that I've prepared for a serving of 2-3 bowls of congee. Ignore the dried scallops because I don't know how accessible they are to get for westoids and they're expensive, but if you're able to source for it then go for it I guess (crush the dried scallops into smaller pieces, soak it for 10 minutes, use your hands to shred them even more before finally dunking them into the pot 10 minutes before the congee is done)

Steps:

1. The trick to getting your congee silky and thick is that the rice grains need to burst or something like that while cooked, so we will be soaking the rice in water first to get that effect. Rinse the rice 2-3 times first before soaking it in water for 3-4 hours (it probably doesn't need to be this long idk). Some of the recipes I've seen say that it's not necessary to soak the rice grains if you use the right type of rice, while others would instruct you to freeze the rice the night before. They might be right so you could try it if you're short on time but I'll be doing the trad way of soaking the rice so don't @ me if it turns out bad using the other methods

2. Once you're done soaking the rice, boil water that's 8 times the amount of rice you're gonna cook, but it's really up to you if you want to add more water later if you don't like it to be too thiccc Once it boils I'd toss a couple of chicken bouillon cubes and stir until it's dissolved. Canned chicken stock or powder would probably work too but bouillon cubes are just more convenient IMO. They look like this if you're confused:

3. Throw the rice in and stir for it for a bit like 10-20 seconds and then leave it to cook for approx. 25 or so minutes without touching what's in the pot because apparently that helps the rice not to stick to the pot or something like that

4. Once 25 or so minutes are up, whisk the rice in the pot for 2-3 minutes until you can see it getting thicker

5. The dish is technically done after you're done whisking but I like it really thick so I'd leave it to cook for another hour or so, but I would add in the ginger and any meat/fish/seafood accompaniments 10 minutes before the hour is up and stir it around for a bit, it's really a preference and time thing. This is the thickness of my congee at the end of it all:

6. Garnish it with spring onions and cilantro/coriander leaves and you're done! The yellow/golden things are dough fritters (Chinese churros I guess) which go perfect with congee and I personally love to spice it up by dousing a lot of pepper in it

It might look plain and boring but because the rice grains have burst they absorb the flavours of the other ingredients cooked along with it, which in this case would be the chicken bouillon and dried scallops, so it's a real burst of flavours happening when you take a mouthful of congee. Furthermore it's easier to digest than normal cooked rice so it's the dish you usually see asians serve to people recuperating from illnesses or something like that

!jannies please pin effortpost

I think the title is too niche a reference but regardless, it's that time of year again at last so recommend teas that I can pretend have health benefits but are really just dirt water.

I have a cup of ginger turmeric in the morning and two cups of chamomile before sleep and I think the morning could be moved to early evening and so I specifically want something herbal for first thing in the morning but I'm open to others

The pumpkin spice finally ran out and it would be weird to reup on that in December.

NOTHING CAFFEINATED

I do a few variations but here's what I did tonight and really it works for pretty much any kind of instant noodle. For this one I used the king of instant noodles, Indomie Mi Goreng.

2 packs of noodles, one spicy and one regular

dump all the add-ins into a bowl

add a splash of rice wine vinegar, a splash of soy sauce, and chili crisp, and mix it all together

when the noodles are done boiling add a splash of the cooking water, drain the noodles, and mix them in the bowl with everything else

top with an egg fried to your preference (if I'm doing instant noodles that you add water and microwave I add an egg or two in the last 1:40 to poach)

Instant noodles are already good but a little bit of extra effort goes a long way. Just a few extra ingredients make them a lot better.

Alcohol taxes aren't high enough, the World Health Organisation has said per Reuters.

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) December 12, 2023

It's gonna taste great

pretty good lmk if you want the recipe

I'm waiting for my takeout order and their phone keeps ringing non-stop for orders and reservations and they have the most staff I've seen for an eatery that operates under a public housing building (cheap rents)

Even for takeouts there's a nonstop stream of people

And it's only 440pm

i like making sushi when i don't feel lazy

will update with how it tastes, i need to wait for the desire phase of hunger to kick in

!stoners postem (MUST BE MADE BY YOU)

Nikujaga is an unpretentious Japanese-western fusion dish- literally just standard meat and potato stew with japanese seasoning plus some meme noodles thrown in.

I had this made for me and it was so good that I tried making it a couple weeks later. The base recipe is pretty okay and it's easy for anyone to make, but here are some modifications and notes if you do try making it:

• Non-negotiable: imo the base recipe without bonito stock/katsuo dashi is a overly-sweet stew; the reason I liked it initially is because of the subtle smokiness imparted by katsuobushi (dried tuna flakes). If you do make it, add a packet of katsuo dashi and/or use a liquid stock like so in replacement of the soy sauce (if you do use liquid stock then add soy sauce to taste if the stew isn't strong enough and cut back on the sugar- I learned my lesson with the sugar). The liquid stock is actually really good for making things taste like authentic sugoi nipponesu food. I added both the liquid stock and a packet of dashi to mine (I think the person who made it for me did the same), but if you use the liquid stock, you can decide whether or not to add a dashi packet far into the cooking process based on whether you want the stew to taste more bonito-y.

• Next time I'll add smaller amounts of sugar gradually instead of stirring a tbsp+ into the sake/mirin/soy sauce mixture, or omit the sugar entirely. The base recipe is very sweet for western tastes and doubly so if you're using a liquid stock.

• Try to get shirataki noodles/konnyaku noodles in little knots/bundles like so. The western italianx pasta-replacement ones will probably ruin the texture and you may as well omit them entirely.

• This recipe was made with thin-sliced pork belly in mind; if you're using thick (i.e. superior) slices then you should cut them into chunks and braise them in the stipulated amount of water (with a dashi packet if using) for about an hour to make it tender, then add everything else (sauté the vegetables as instructed in the recipe on a separate pan and throw them in with the rest of the ingredients) and simmer until the potatoes are cooked to your liking. If you do it this way, you may need to top off the water at some point since more cook time = more evaporation.

• Letting the potato overcook a bit and thicken the broth really furthers the comfort food sensation imo. I used some less floury spare potatoes in my attempt and it's not as good.

• A small pot apparently works fine for the proportions in the base recipe. I only used a large pot because I doubled the servings.

• I haven't tried it yet, but apparently it's standard to add a curry brick to the leftovers.

edit: The original recipe is:

Ingredients

1. 12 oz (2 packages) shirataki noodles or fresh ramen noobles

2. 1/3 cup soy sauce

3. 1/3 cup mirin

4. 1/3 cup sake

5. 1 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar

6. 2 tsp vegetable oil

7. 8 oz thinly sliced pork belly

8. 1 medium onion, sliced thin

9. 2 large yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

10. 2 medium carrots, sliced into 1/2 in pieces

Steps

1. if using shirataki noodles rinse them in a colander, bring some water to a boil, then pour over the noobles to get rid of the weird smell

2. combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a bowl along with 2.5 cups water; whisk to dissolve the sugar

3. heat a large pot over medium-high heat, then add vegetable oil. add pork belly and cook until the fat has rendered (don't wait for the fat to render if you're using thick-cut i.e. superior slices, just brown them), about 4 mins

4. add onion and cook until they soften, about 4 mins, then add carrot and potato and cook for another 3 mins.

5. pour the mixture in the bowl into the pot, add the shirataki noodles if using, turn the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 20 mins or until the potatoes are cooked through

6. if using fresh ramen instead, add them to the pot about 3 mins before serving

7. serve

This is somewhat similar to how my mom would make it when I was a kid. It isn't trying to be "authentic" to any style of chili it's just a bunch of good tasting things thrown into a pot. All of the ingredients are things you would be able to find in a midwestern grocery store. It can be made in one pot and has about 20 minutes of active cooking time and makes a shitload of servings, like 8-10.

1 onion (yellow or white it doesn't matter)

pepper(s) of choice - This is an open ended recipe, there's a lot of room for changes based on your tastes. I personally do 1 green pepper and 1 jalapeno but you can use whatever you want at whatever spice level

1 lb ground beef - replace with 1-2 additional cans of beans to make it vegetarian (85/15 or 90/10, 80/20 is too fatty imo)

2 28 oz cans of diced fire roasted tomatoes (get something of decent quality, Muir Glen is widely available and decent, stay away from like Hunts or store brand they're noticeably lower quality)

2 cans of beans, undrained (whatever you like, I do kidney and black, you can also leave the beans out entirely if you want to and replace them with another pound of beef)

1 can beer, porter or stout - optional (Guinness is my default choice)

chicken stock - replace with vegetable stock or even just water to make it vegetarian (if I use beer I find the liquid level is adequate, if I don't I add a bit of chicken stock to thin it out a bit)

4 cloves chopped garlic (adjust to your tastes)

tomato paste

a few squares of dark chocolate - optional

spices - imo the only "essential" spices are chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. I also add cayenne, oregano, and garlic powder. Use whatever you want. I add an absolute shitload of chili powder, I make this a lot and I have never thought at the end "I used too much chili powder."

toppings - I like fritos, cheese, sour cream, and pickled onions. Sometimes I eat it over cornbread

Brown the beef with some olive oil. I add some chili powder and cumin near the end. I have no idea if this does anything but it makes me feel better.

Set the beef aside, add more oil if necessary, and fry the onions and peppers for 5-7ish minutes. Add some salt to get them to release their moisture faster.

Near the end of frying the vegetables add the garlic and tomato paste and fry another minute or so.

Add the beef back in with all of the other ingredients and bring it up to a boil. This is where you can take a first pass at seasoning. Once it's boiling reduce the heat and let it simmer for at least half an hour (more is better).

When you're about ready to eat it give it a taste and add salt or other seasonings as needed (I always add more chili powder).

https://thechinaboss.com/cow-dung-hot-pot

!fellas

Since @FrozenXorg posted a cocktail recipe lately I'm stealing his shtick and doing it better. I'll be posting weekly cocktail recipes that yall should be going out to try every friday and/or saturday night . You should unironically screenshot the recipe and give it to a bartender to make (and if they ask you what to sub with, theyre dogshit and you need a new bar to visit). I'm going to begin with a cocktail I lifted straight from the best cigar lounge I've ever been to (and I really want to go back so bad) and its the lounges take on a Vieux Carre... The Count of Montecristo .

Get a mixing glass and throw in:

.75oz of Remy Martin 1738 Cognac (sub the Remy Martin VSOP if they don't have 1738)

.75oz of Woodford Reserve Rye

.5oz of Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica formula or Punt e Mes recommended)

1 barspoon of Grand Marnier

1 dash of Peyschauds bitters

1 dash of Angostura bitters that have been infused with black tea leaves (or just use regular ango bitters).

Once thats all in the glass, add a ton of ice and stir until chilled. Strain it out into a rocks glass with a rock in the center and garnish with a dehydrated orange wheel and a proper maraschino cherry. If neither then use an orange twist.

Since @FrozenXorg started off with a basic Old Fashioned I figured a higher end Vieux Carre would be a good start for something similar but classier. Lain is excused from trying this out as he has to report back on a specific bar Ive sent his butt to, he will learn the way of bitterschads.

Home bar chads will get the cheaper version at:

.75oz Courvoisier VS or VSOP

.75oz Rittenhouse Rye

.5oz Carpano Antica or Punt e Mes (cant go cheap here tbh)

1 barspoon of dry curacao

1 dash of Jerry Thomas' Own Bitters

1 dash Peyschauds bitters

Since it came up in that gook girl complaining about cultural miscegenation post, I present to you the conceptually and visually cursed but secretly delicious Filipino favorite: sweet potato and cheese ice cream with cashews. Enjoy, @X.

We enjoyed this one in the hotel after a day spent swimming/paddling through a cave river and having barbecue at an outdoor karaoke venue. The singers were mostly doing