Fixing Dinner
Yesterday I used one of those little seasoning packets that is supposed to transform your basic ingredients into a delicious dinner. I used the Pad Thai one, because I usually like that flavor. I learned a few things last night:
Rule 1: Make sure you have the other add-in seasonings the packets requires. Soy sauce is a non-substitutable good, even if you do have "wasabiyaki" sauce and Panda orange chicken sauce in your fridge. They aren't the same thing.
Rule 2: Follow directions. Don't add more veggies/noodles/protein than the packet suggests, or your meal turns out flavorless.
Rule 3: Don't make big batches on the first go-round. Make sure you like it before you have to eat it for a week.
Now I have a huge tub of mildly flavored food that isn't terribly appealing. With it, I am experimenting new ways to "fix" said culinary mistake.
1. Cheese. Everything is better with cheese, right? Las night I added a little Italian flair with some powdered parm (borrowed from Carrie). Verdict? It was actually a nice add.
2. If you make ramen noodles like me (you drain noodles instead of making it into soup) you end up with extra seasoning packets because one serving only requires half-pack. The flavor is pretty heady (hence the half-pack issue) so certainly it can mask a milder flavor, right? Plus: It's vaguely stereotypically pan-Asian, and so is my creepy noodle creation. These two things belong together. Verdict? Yes, it does mask quite a bit and makes the whole dish less bland, but the smell is horrid and the aftertaste less-than desirable. So far, the cheese wins.
I'll try to let you know how the next two or three servings go. Any suggestions on what could work? Maybe drown it in orange sauce? Wash it off and start a new with flavor? (Sounds like WORK!)
Rule 1: Make sure you have the other add-in seasonings the packets requires. Soy sauce is a non-substitutable good, even if you do have "wasabiyaki" sauce and Panda orange chicken sauce in your fridge. They aren't the same thing.
Rule 2: Follow directions. Don't add more veggies/noodles/protein than the packet suggests, or your meal turns out flavorless.
Rule 3: Don't make big batches on the first go-round. Make sure you like it before you have to eat it for a week.
Now I have a huge tub of mildly flavored food that isn't terribly appealing. With it, I am experimenting new ways to "fix" said culinary mistake.
1. Cheese. Everything is better with cheese, right? Las night I added a little Italian flair with some powdered parm (borrowed from Carrie). Verdict? It was actually a nice add.
2. If you make ramen noodles like me (you drain noodles instead of making it into soup) you end up with extra seasoning packets because one serving only requires half-pack. The flavor is pretty heady (hence the half-pack issue) so certainly it can mask a milder flavor, right? Plus: It's vaguely stereotypically pan-Asian, and so is my creepy noodle creation. These two things belong together. Verdict? Yes, it does mask quite a bit and makes the whole dish less bland, but the smell is horrid and the aftertaste less-than desirable. So far, the cheese wins.
I'll try to let you know how the next two or three servings go. Any suggestions on what could work? Maybe drown it in orange sauce? Wash it off and start a new with flavor? (Sounds like WORK!)