What do you all cook down here?

[LAtoBA]

I am not a great cook. Basically trying to step my game up. But I'm really at a lost with where to begin since moving down here. Was just wondering if someone would be so kind to give me an idea of what you cook on a weekly basis? I know very general question but anything would help. I lean more on the healthy side but if it tastes good I won't turn it down.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[MizzMarr]

Ha, well, that's a broad question! Funny, actually I was just an "ok" cook before I came here, and due to all the constraints you'll find here in the food realm I've been forced to cook anything I couldn't find here (enchilada sauce, mexican salsa, cream of mushroom soup, quality marinara, etc.etc.) I can say I'm a good cook now.

I get bored of eating the same things all the time, so I use websites like www.foodgawker.com and food blogs as inspiration for when I'm stumped or uninspired. I bookmark any recipes that sound good and go back to them. I'd die without really spicy food, and my go-to recipes are spicy Thai and asian inspired stir fries, teriyaki, curries, etc. over arroz yamani (that's a whole grain brown rice that's sold in dieteticas and barrio chino stores down here). Otherwise I mainly do lots of Mexican food, and in between I make chili, salads, soups, pasta (the pastas here are great--if without much variety--as are gnocchi and you can make any sauce to go with it), quiche, etc. I've even started making my own breads lately (cinnamon raisin loaf, english muffins). Easier meals include garden burgers with oven fries, or chicken sandwiches, etc. Real lazy cheats are just throwing chicken in the oven and making a salad.

Are you looking for specific recipes? I generally find anything I need online, there are so many food resoures out there. Have fun experimenting!

 

[Napoleon]

What did you cook in LA?

I just ate almonds, almond butter on crackers, and some kind of cereal with soy milk from Trader Joe's when I lived in LA. Maybe I ate fruit and/or dried fruit as well. I didn't have an oven/stove and I never quite got around to buying one... for ~5 years. (Obviously not living with a girlfriend during that time.)

I would suggest throwing a bunch of chopped vegetables in a pot and then tossing in a couple of bouillon cubes (Caldo de Gallina)... or something like that.

That's a good starter for someone who doesn't know anything, because it's difficult to mess up.

Cooking eggs is also a good starter. Hardboiled & Scrambled are the easiest.

Eating RAW vegetables is pretty difficult to screw up as well.

Start with that and then slowly start expanding.

 

[davonz]

I cook stir fry's, as easy, quick and taste great, and cheap, also pasta, meatballs are my fav, and curry, butter chicken is my fav, and i have lots of steak and salad during summer.. or salad and boiled egg and ham or some other cold meat..
If something takes more than 30 mins to prepare/cook i dont cook (well maybe longer to cook as long as i dont have to stand over stiring it for ages etc), i am very lazy in the kitchen..

 

[LAtoBA]

What did you cook in LA?

I just ate almonds, almond butter on crackers, and some kind of cereal with soy milk from Trader Joe's when I lived in LA. Maybe I ate fruit and/or dried fruit as well. I didn't have an oven/stove and I never quite got around to buying one... for ~5 years. (Obviously not living with a girlfriend during that time.)

I would suggest throwing a bunch of chopped vegetables in a pot and then tossing in a couple of bouillon cubes (Caldo de Gallina)... or something like that.

That's a good starter for someone who doesn't know anything, because it's difficult to mess up.

Cooking eggs is also a good starter. Hardboiled & Scrambled are the easiest.

Eating RAW vegetables is pretty difficult to screw up as well.

Start with that and then slowly start expanding.

Haha too funny. Okay I didn't say I didn't know how to cook anything....just that I'm not a great cook. I can cook the basics like pasta, chicken, eggs (lol), pork chops.....but that's pretty much about it. And I have no creativity when it comes to food.

I relied a lot on trader joe's too. Can't beat $4 salads.

 

[LAtoBA]

Ha, well, that's a broad question! Funny, actually I was just an "ok" cook before I came here, and due to all the constraints you'll find here in the food realm I've been forced to cook anything I couldn't find here (enchilada sauce, mexican salsa, cream of mushroom soup, quality marinara, etc.etc.) I can say I'm a good cook now.

I get bored of eating the same things all the time, so I use websites like www.foodgawker.com and food blogs as inspiration for when I'm stumped or uninspired. I bookmark any recipes that sound good and go back to them. I'd die without really spicy food, and my go-to recipes are spicy Thai and asian inspired stir fries, teriyaki, curries, etc. over arroz yamani (that's a whole grain brown rice that's sold in dieteticas and barrio chino stores down here). Otherwise I mainly do lots of Mexican food, and in between I make chili, salads, soups, pasta (the pastas here are great--if without much variety--as are gnocchi and you can make any sauce to go with it), quiche, etc. I've even started making my own breads lately (cinnamon raisin loaf, english muffins). Easier meals include garden burgers with oven fries, or chicken sandwiches, etc. Real lazy cheats are just throwing chicken in the oven and making a salad.

Are you looking for specific recipes? I generally find anything I need online, there are so many food resoures out there. Have fun experimenting!

Very helpful actually. Especially about the thai food stuff. Do you get the stir fry sauces at the barrio chino stores?

 

[FeelGoodLost]

I cook stir fry's, as easy, quick and taste great, and cheap, also pasta, meatballs are my fav, and curry, butter chicken is my fav, and i have lots of steak and salad during summer.. or salad and boiled egg and ham or some other cold meat..
If something takes more than 30 mins to prepare/cook i dont cook (well maybe longer to cook as long as i dont have to stand over stiring it for ages etc), i am very lazy in the kitchen..

Oh man, I would kill for some butter chicken right about now. Yumm.

Can anyone recommend anywhere to get some good butter chicken in the city or good indian restaurants?

 

[MizzMarr]

Very helpful actually. Especially about the thai food stuff. Do you get the stir fry sauces at the barrio chino stores?

I get the curry pastes, fish sauce, coconut milk, and ALL my asian staples in barrio chino (rice noodles, rice in general, soy sauce, oyster sauce, crushed and dried hot peppers, etc.). I'd be lost without that place. The large Casa China (there are two, the bigger is further away from Juramento on the second block on Arribeños) is my favorite grocery store there. Sometimes they don't carry everything I need, so it's good to check out what the other stores have. Sometimes the big asia market on Olazabal (I think? it's the parallel street to Juramento) has what Casa China lacks (dry wide rice noodles, for one, I love those things and with them you can make Pad Kee Mao and Pad See Ew, two of my favorites). I do try to get friends to bring in some stuff when I can (coconut oil and coconut sugar I can't find here, in addition to thai basil seeds, etc.), but for the most part you can make due with what's here. If you can't get palm sugar, use the azucar integral (the closest approximation to the soft, crumbly brown sugar we're used to in the States) instead. As for teriyaki sauce and other stir fry sauces, I make my own (with BC ingredients, of course). Lots of good recipes online, but for example here's one that is the best teriyaki I've tried to make on my own:

1 TBS cornstarch
1 TBS water
1/3 C soy sauce
1/4 C sugar (to taste, maybe more or less depending on how sweet you like it)
1/4 C cider vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic (crushed or diced--I like more)
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger (I like more)
1/4 tsp ground pepper
+hot pepper to taste

In a small sauce pan whisk together cornstarch and water until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until combined, then simmer until thickened. Make sure to stir every few seconds to keep from burning. I like to make this and cook some chunked chicken thigh with it, and serve it over steamed broccoli and rice. I always add more veggies to whatever I'm cooking, and usually less sugar. I'm pretty much incapable of following any recipe as written, but they're great inspiration.

Honestly, I realized through having to make so many things on my own here that I really prefer the homemade versions to store bought now (I'll never go back to canned enchilada sauce, ever!). Have fun with it. Know that not everything will be a masterpiece, but you will surprise yourself!


Oh yeah, I like to cook Indian food too.
Feelgood, Mumbai in Palermo is a pretty good Indian restaurant here, and the food is actually spicy. Tandoor is pretty good, too. That said, any ethnic foods are really quite pricey here, and you can make your own butter chicken easily at home (here's the first recipe I looked at online: http://www.expatrecipe.com/2010/10/05/butter-chicken/)! I know it's more work, but you can also get basmati rice and even make your own Naan (mmm, garlic naan) for a very enjoyable meal at a fraction of the price.

 

[BROOKLYN]

Try Asado al horno! Throw some sweet potato,potato,red peppers , any kind of steak,chorizo,morcillas.. let the oven do the job..just be sure to add a little bit of chicken stock

 

[elhombresinnombre]

Get a copy of El Libro De Doña Petrona. Every Argentine household may not have a copy (though most will...) but every household will be cooking her recipes since mamá and abuelita grew up on them, watched her cook them on television (assisted by Juanita) and passed them on to their own kids. All the ingredients can be sourced within walking distance of where you live - most of them within a block or so - because that is the way Argentine people still shop and cook. If you want the discipline of cooking something different each day or are just looking for variety in a balanced diet, near the front there is a section of suggested recipes for a fortnight's-worth of meals throughout the day, a variety of main-meals and - this being Argentina - cooking for children.