Bachelor Cuisine

[kato]

I like eating ginger as a vegetable. Cut it into thin slices and cook it for an hour till soft, then eat with some rice. Mixed with some hotter peppers it's really great for colds prepared that way too.

[Oracle]

I felt perfectly safe the entire time I was there. Lots of touters, scammers, and beggars bothered me at first in other parts of town, several times an hour. I never got bothered by anyone in Shivajinagar even once. They no doubt noticed me, but left me alone. The fact it was the only part of town open for business 24 hours a day was another major reason I started saying there. Given the tropical latitude and how I prefer the coolness of nighttime at that latitude, it was the ideal place to stay.

It's a crime prone area. Move around in the dark or late at night and one gets mugged. It's not about Muslims, it's about the area. There are places around IndiraNagar that is open 24*7, and some other areas.

The only sentiments I ever heard expressed in Shivajinagar, from the Muslim shopowners and other proprietors I briefly spoke to while purchasing things, were happiness over OBL getting killed. They brought the subject up, not me. I never really initiated any conversations with anyone while I was over there, except for an Australian guy I ran into.

Now you know why Indian Muslims aren't the extremist type.

A week or so after OBL was killed, I decided getting bothered by touters and beggars in other parts of town was better than getting nightly room service and other "favors" from the police. When a police motorcycle is waiting for you at all hours in the day to intercept you as you leave the hotel, and you don't really have a choice but to go down to the police station and converse with the police chief and whomever else for hours on end, it's time to check out from the hotel in the middle of the night and take a rickshaw back down to MG Road or Indiranagar, where you're just another random Farang of indeterminate nationality.

You know why you had that treatment from sick as F corrupt police? They didn't want to enter an American casulty in their books (too much pressure later). They kept an eye over you to keep you safe, and letting known rowdies know the Police are with you. You weren't living in exactly a very safe area.

Don't get me wrong - they were extremely polite, courteous, and respectful, at least overtly. It's very uncomfortable though, to put it mildly, to be the subject of attention when all you want is to go unnoticed and be left alone.

I understand that feeling. The Indian economy is booming in the metropolis. And migration takes place from remote Indian hinterlands to these metros. The people who come and make up for the Blue Collar workforce haven't seen a girl in mini-skirt, let alone an American walking down the streets. Another factor is, having a picture with a white dude is like a status symbol. Pretty sure they would get laid by claiming the white dude is his friend and he has promised a job in US/UK/West. Bla bla. It would take another 10-15 years before foreigners stop getting the stare in India. I hope it changes as soon as possible.

On the subject of cuisine, Shivajinagar is also one of the few parts of town where beef is available. I'd often get a kebab from a street vendor, and share it with a stray pariah dog I kind of adopted for a week or two. The Muslim doorman at the hotel wouldn't let the dog inside, but the dog would wait around the hotel until I came around again, and get another helping of beef kebab. The Muslims in the neighborhood probably thought it odd that I'd pet and feed a pariah dog, but the dog was perfectly well behaved, and probably would have been well-suited toward living with people.

Lol.

Beef/Mutton/Chicken for Shivajinagar. Muslims make good meat dishes. That is 100% guaranteed. And on the streets it doesn't pinch the pocket much.

Just one thing wrong with that recipe - I don't like ginger. I like gingers, but consuming ginger spice has never sat well with me digestively. Not sure why.

Okay. Ginger is good for throat. Also, any dish, veg or non-veg, throw in a little ginger paste, and it elevates the taste to a higher level. This is my experience of having cooked for myself for many many years.

[Ironduke]

You know why you had that treatment from sick as F corrupt police? They didn't want to enter an American casulty in their books (too much pressure later). They kept an eye over you to keep you safe, and letting known rowdies know the Police are with you.

I'm very confident that wasn't the case. It was a strange time. I could go into further detail, but won't.

The people who come and make up for the Blue Collar workforce haven't seen a girl in mini-skirt, let alone an American walking down the streets. Another factor is, having a picture with a white dude is like a status symbol. Pretty sure they would get laid by claiming the white dude is his friend and he has promised a job in US/UK/West.

Interesting. Maybe next time I'll find a way to leverage this to my own advantage. Nobody took a picture with me the entire time I was over there though.

I've heard in China there's jobs for white guys, acting gigs where they pretend to be the foreign business partner of Chinese businessmen. They just sit there, look important, and don't say anything.

Beef/Mutton/Chicken for Shivajinagar. Muslims make good meat dishes. That is 100% guaranteed. And on the streets it doesn't pinch the pocket much.

Indeed, that they do. Though I'd have loved to go in for a juicy steak, I could get by on beef kebab. The fried chicken was pretty good too.

New recipe:

• 3/4 cup of parboiled rice
• 1.5 cups water
• microwave for 20 minutes on low
• add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and a diced ready-to-eat bratwurst
• microwave for 5 minutes on high
• add a slice of cheese
• microwave for 1 minute on high
• add hot sauce, stir, and enjoy

This one ought to make Gun Grape especially proud. It's mostly non-meat based.

[Gun Grape]

New recipe:

• 3/4 cup of parboiled rice
• 1.5 cups water
• microwave for 20 minutes on low
• add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and a diced ready-to-eat bratwurst
• microwave for 5 minutes on high
• add a slice of cheese
• microwave for 1 minute on high
• add hot sauce, stir, and enjoy

This one ought to make Gun Grape especially proud. It's mostly non-meat based.

No.

Shitty tasting rice, processed meat and cheese.


Cheese and rice is/was Jarhead slang in the PI for food something bad.

[Ironduke]

I don't buy it for the taste. I buy it because it's nutritious as a result of the parboiling process.

[Oracle]

See this is the reason. You guys don't know how to eat rice. The best is with curries, veg or non-veg. Kato gave some rice recipes and left me wondering how on earth do people eat that. :D

Having said that I love burgers, pizzas and steaks etc. All cultures have their unique food experience and I try to blend all in. But the best curries are made by Indians, and had with rice.

[Ironduke]

See this is the reason. You guys don't know how to eat rice. The best is with curries, veg or non-veg. Kato gave some rice recipes and left me wondering how on earth do people eat that. :D

I used to douse my rice with Kikkoman soy sauce when I was in college. I'd have thought that lycopene-heavy tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, some Muenster cheese, and a diced lean turkey brat with nutritious parboiled rice would be a vast improvement over the plain white rice with soy sauce of my college days.

[Oracle]

I'm very confident that wasn't the case. It was a strange time. I could go into further detail, but won't.

Okay, great.

Interesting. Maybe next time I'll find a way to leverage this to my own advantage. Nobody took a picture with me the entire time I was over there though.

I've heard in China there's jobs for white guys, acting gigs where they pretend to be the foreign business partner of Chinese businessmen. They just sit there, look important, and don't say anything.

This is a sneak peek. I can't find the full video.

Indeed, that they do. Though I'd have loved to go in for a juicy steak, I could get by on beef kebab. The fried chicken was pretty good too.

Do you get fried chicken in Shivajinagar? Must be tandoor chicken.

[Oracle]

I used to douse my rice with Kikkoman soy sauce when I was in college. I'd have thought that lycopene-heavy tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, some Muenster cheese, and a diced lean turkey brat with nutritious parboiled rice would be a vast improvement over the plain white rice with soy sauce of my college days.

Indeed, it is an improvement. Just prepare normal white rice. Then make some turkey curry. That's it. Good food right there. I am sure Gun Grape would like it too.

I don't know if parboiled rice is nutritious, but this is what is eaten in 99% of Indian home, 99% of the time.

[Gun Grape]

OK an easy one, that I had last night.

Samgyeopsal-gui

Fried pork belly

And this is a cook at the table meal using an electric skillet.

Ingredients

Sliced pork belly (or thick bacon) Not the salt or sugar cured type either. Just plain pork belly

Lettuce leaves. We use red leaf lettuce. Romaine would be good also. Iceberg lettuce should only be used as bait in a rabbit trap.
A few cloves of garlic thinly sliced
Long grain white rice. Could use Jasmine rice if you like
Salt
Pepper
Sesame Seed oil

Cut the port into bite size pieces allowing for shrinkage during cooking (make it bigger than you think)
Grill/fry the pork. No need to add oil to the pan.
When a piece gets cooked take half a lief of lettuce .Make a bed of rice in it. Place a sliver of raw garlic on the rice. Add pork

Dip in a mixture of salt pepper and sesame seed oil. Stuff it in your mouth and enjoy.

If you don't like the taste of raw garlic, you can throw it in the skillet with the pork and cook till brown

If Yeller is still lurking he will add either hot pepper paste or miso paste in with the wrap. Most people don't have that handy. But FYI I really like the miso paste on this.
Another good addition to this is to throw a little KimChee in with the pork.

And when eating pork. Drinking Soju is a must.

Its the only way I eat pork. And I do it about twice a year

[Gun Grape]

See this is the reason. You guys don't know how to eat rice. The best is with curries, veg or non-veg. Kato gave some rice recipes and left me wondering how on earth do people eat that. :D

Having said that I love burgers, pizzas and steaks etc. All cultures have their unique food experience and I try to blend all in. But the best curries are made by Indians, and had with rice.

I'm kind of partial to Chinese curries (edit) I don't like the sweetness of the coconut milk or yogurt in the Indian curries I've eaten

I used to douse my rice with Kikkoman soy sauce when I was in college.

Kikkoman is like the worst soy sauce ever

And I know, I'm the weird one that thinks plain white rice right out of the rice cooker is one of the best flavors ever

[Ironduke]

How about this?

Went to Aldi today. On sale were 1 lb. packages of Deutsche Kuche Smoked Knackwurst, and 10 oz. packages of cracker cut gouda and extra sharp cheddar slices.

Since they were each only $0.99 apiece, I got 11 of each. Cost was $21.78 total.

The Strategic Knackwurst-Gouda-Cheddar Reserve.

[Ironduke]

Kikkoman is like the worst soy sauce ever

Better than the LaChoy Soy Sauce made from hydrolyzed soy protein.

Do you get fried chicken in Shivajinagar? Must be tandoor chicken.

No idea what kind of chicken it was, but it was good. I was hungry and it looked good, so I ate some.

[Gun Grape]

Don't know if I posted this one yet. Simple and uses leftovers.

Fried rice omelet. Smothered in ketchup.

Put that left over takeout fried rice from last night to work. And although the ketchup sounds gross. Its really good

[Gun Grape]

Better than the LaChoy Soy Sauce made from hydrolyzed soy protein.

Yea got me there.

If you don't like the taste of plain rice. Mix it with sesame seed oil. Much better for you. And sweet. Its how my wife would get or son to eat rice when he was little.

Wrap a piece of Nori around it for an even better taste. And nutritious. Way better than soy sauce, tomato sauce or cheese