Trump's pissed at us.
What? You think he's gonna do all the work for us?
All of the people on this board want a conservative world and a humane society. Yet here most people are sitting around waiting for something to happen.
Run for elections. Speak up. Sue someone. It took 2.5% of woke-tards to change our society yet we are the 70+%. If everyone on this fucking board stood up for their principles this would be over within a week.
If you don't have the wherewithal to do something, just post a bunch of shit on SOCIAL MEDIA and FLOOD THE FUCK OUT OF THEM.
Do your part. Build this world. HELP THE FIGHT.
Never can it, never stop. You just made an otherwise stoic man dribble like a stuttering fool.
I am so impressed with the effort you've put in to giving your family superb nutritious food. That is a sign of a truly caring and love filled person.
I used to chef (care home, the most rewarding thing I've done. To see a friend (as we called all of them) light up when the food arrived was worth every single bit of sweat and battle with management.
I fed my people well and never scrimped. Even did the legwork to get each resident steak on their Birthdays (if able and desired) the way they wanted it (otherwise 72 degrees internal temp by regulation, leather by then..). Nightmares in battling the obstinate managers but victory is worth much much more when you get to see elders experiencing flavours they never thought they'd see again. True delight.
Always told by seniors: ''Why do you do it, they don't know what they're eating''. Swallowing down my disgust I shrugged the tossers off and did 3 people's work instead. Chef rules biatches. Sure enough, within a week they were with me and against the management. It just takes one obstinate sod.
Your Asian cuisine progressions are, I reiterate, stunning. It is the most difficult cuisine to master. For me it is about balance, you can have 40 ingredients (inc pastes etc) in Asian food on occasion, but they all have a purpose and it's all about the jiggery-pokery of weighing the contrasting flavours. Your local guy sounds clued up.
Oddly, mentioning jiggery, I think the sugars you are referring to may be jaggery or similar (hard, dark, molassy type stuff, yugely important in the cuisine).
I don't give a monkey's uncle's brother's nephew that we hijacked this thread, food is wicked important.
It really isn't how it sounds fren, it was just duty at the time- when I arrived nobody cared, the place was under warning from the authorities. By the time I left they cared (little choice really- I wasn't taking prisoners- told the manager on my second day she was the 52nd most important person in the home- behind every resident!). It is as much about the mentality as the food- as I'm certain you know food cooked with love always wins.
I was lucky to be brought up with a great variety of food- I couldn't imagine a life without flavour if I tried. It is literally life blood when you think of the nutrients at play.
We were in palliative care and some of the differences in health achieved were astounding.
''But Mum doesn't like foreign food''
''Well, I didn't tell her it was foreign, sue me, she smiled for the first time in a month.''
Nurses used to give drugs to sedate, off I trot with the Massaman Curry to revive. Palliative my ass, I got two of our extended family up and dancing like they were 40 again.
The jaggery I think can be shredded if whole and added for balance, I'd tend to put the aggressive ingredients first, aromats second and sugars and juices (lime etc) to balance at the end. Extra lime splash at the end of a stir fry gets the jaggery all jiggery too, the 'off heat' zing at the end (unless it's in the marinade, can cause funniness if added and heated after) livener.
You play yourself down, a 5/10 on a cuisine as complex as Asian is a complement, I'd be well happy with that. It is all about the practice and palate, at a certain point you'll be able to identify what the flavour should be like before it hits the heat, then be able to tweak after (it changes bigly). I'm very happy to look up a couple of recipes tomorrow if you'd like.
Your emotion touched me deeply fren, that is honestly the nicest thing anyone has said to me about this, it's a wonder to speak to someone that understands. Apologies for increasing your kleenex bill, didn't mean to...
Big heat, lowest possible time for perfection (unless you have to slow cook any 'tougher' meats). The dudes in China do it on a rocket burner, awesome theatre. Can't take your eye of the beggar though...
For soup-style or potsticker types, it sounds like you're doing the exact right thing, just gotta stand over it all the way. It's tactile, grab a bit out of the pan and test as you go (chefs treats!).
You're totally right in your observations, it changes in an instant- all the flavours go through 'notes' like music- try to feel, smell, hear and taste them in that guise.
There's a lovely simple chicken thigh recipe I've used before, it's so forgiving it doesn't mind an extra bit of time if something else is cooking. You can add any flavours you want to it, versatile as you like. Monica Galetti recipe:
https://archive.fo/soBGo (BBC recipes, archivey no clickey clickey BBC sods)
She does with coconut rice, which is great too but can be subbed.
You are so right, in general western food is comforting, slow and forgiving. If your ducks aren't in a row with eastern food often it's a tangle (unless it's a low ingredient choice as above).
'Mis en Place' is the way- prep, prep, prep. Then go at that wok like a proper loon. If anyone is within 10 feet they're going to be at risk. The theatre is all a part of the fun!!
Also, had to look up Verklempt. Awesome new word added to the nomenclatural catalogue! ThanQ fren!