Archive for the ‘5 Ingredients or Less’ Category
Coconut Ant Eggs (and a few ants)
This is a basic, but often hard to find dish. As the name implies, this is made from ant eggs, the ants are the red flying variety. Surprisingly enough, the eggs taste like hard boiled chicken eggs. This actually very good, I have had this many times in Northern Thailand. Measurements are approximate.
Ingredients
- 2 cups ant eggs, there will be ants in there as well, that is ok
- 1 1/2-2 cups grated coconut
- salt, taste
Instructions
- Grate the coconut. Rinse the ant eggs.
- Add the coconut to a pot and add water to cover by about 1 inch, bring to a boil, add the ant eggs and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes (there, you made coconut milk), serve over rice.
Notes
Well under $1 per serving.
Provided courtesy of my wife, Rrayada Thayer.
Thailand.
Thailand.
Pork Leg Soup
This is a non spicy Thai soup with just 3 ingredients. It is purposely made non spicy.
Ingredients
- 1 pork leg, see Step 1
- 1 onion, quartered, OR about 3-4 shallots, also quartered
- 3-5 handfuls Tamarind leaves, free from our yard
Instructions
- A pork leg is basically a ham hock, these are large but inexpensive. Also called pork side leg. The tape measure is in view to show the size of these, and the tape measure in inches. These are cut through the bone in 4 places when you buy them.
- Once you get the pork leg home, all you have to do is cut it the rest of the way through and the pork is ready.
- Heat a large pot of water and add the onion and bring to a boil. Once boiling add the pork. Bring to another boil then reduce to a medium simmer and let the pork cook through, it will be fall off the bone tender when it is cooked, about 40 minutes to an hour. Use a ladle and skim off the foam at the beginning, then the broth will clear up.
- While the pork is cooking, pull the leaves from the thick stems, small stems remain, it actually goes quickly.
- Once the pork is tender, add the Tamarind leaves and simmer until they are wilted. Serve with a bowl of rice on the side.
Notes
The pork leg in the first photo is 1 1/2 kilos and cost 120 Baht. For an easy 8 servings, this is 45 cents per serving.
Provided courtesy of my wife, Rrayada Thayer.
Thailand.
Thailand.
Fry Sauce II
Contrary to the name, this is used on sandwiches as well as used for fries. I personally do not like ketchup on fries, I use mayo only. This is a combination of that. I am going to have to make both of these and compare them.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Mix well and refrigerate. Use for a dipping sauce on French Fries or even on burgers. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Fry Sauce I
Contrary to the name, this is used on sandwiches as well as used for fries. I personally do not like ketchup on fries, I use mayo only. This is a combination of that.
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Mix well and refrigerate. Use for a dipping sauce on French Fries or even on burgers. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Pork Ribs & Sauerkraut
This recipe is from a good friend, this is a make with what you have recipe, and sounds absolutely wonderful! On my to cook list.
Ingredients
- 1-2 racks baby back pork ribs, these are the short ones, about 3 inches long
- brown sugar
- 1 can sauerkraut, large can or jar
- mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C.
- Cut your ribs into 2 bone sections, boil until they are near falling apart tender, maybe 15-20 minutes. After they are cooked, layer then in a 9x13 baking dish.
- Sprinkle brown sugar over the ribs, then spread the sauerkraut over the ribs and sprinkle more brown sugar over the top.
- Bake for 45 minutes, serve over mashed potatoes.
Notes
The pork ribs that are shown in the photo are from Tesco and run about 120 Baht/kilo, until I make this, I am not sure what 2 racks (strips) would cost. The sauerkraut will be imported and I cannot price that until I pick some up in Phuket next time I go there. Over all this is a simple dish to prepare. I will update prices when I get the ingredients. For now I will say this is a Fair Value meal.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Jerry Collins.
United States.
United States.
BBQ Beans & Weenies
This is an old classic from years ago. Inexpensive for a side dish, lunch or even a main dish. Use quality hot dogs or spicy smoked sausage. This is true comfort food right here. You have to prep the day before, then start early morning the next day. I do like the fact that this uses red kidney beans instead of Pinto or Great Northern beans. I made this on 15 Dec 2016, very good! Followed the recipe as stated. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500 grams dry red kidney beans, (1 lb)
- 4 cups BBQ sauce, Shortcut
- 300-500 grams quality hot dogs, beef, chicken, or smoked sausage, (¾-1 lb)
Instructions
- The evening before, sort and rinse the beans (sorting meanings taking out bad beans or debris in the beans) then place in a container that will fit in your fridge, add water to cover by 2 inches, cover and refrigerate over night.
- Next morning, drain and rinse the beans and place in a large pot for the stove top, add water to cover by 2 inches, bring to a boil for 15 minutes, remove from heat, drain, rinse, and pour into the slow cooker, add enough water to cover by 2 inches (they will swell during this). IMPORTANT NOTE: kidney beans do have a toxin that needs to be removed by boiling first, a slow cooker will not come up to the temp needed to remove this toxin.
- Cook on Low setting for 7-10 hours or High setting for 3-5 hours. The beans are cooked when you can mush them by simply pushing against the roof of your mouth with your tongue. Last thing you want is a crunchy bean, that is not good.
- When the beans are done, drain the water from the slow cooker pot (carefully!). Rinse the beans and return them to the pot, add BBQ sauce of your choice and the hot dogs or sausage. I would cut the hot dogs to about ¾ inch pieces, for the sausage, since it is a larger diameter, I would slice into ¼ to ½ inch pieces. Give this a quick stir and place on Low setting for 4 hours or high for 2 or 3 hours, at this point you are just heating everything through. Serve as a side dish, lunch (the day after, always better the next day), or for a filling main course with a salad on the side.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
The sausage will run about 250 Baht/500 grams, this recipe screams of a lot of sausage so go with that. For 8 servings, this is about 92 cents per serving. If using quality beef hot dogs or even chicken hot dogs, the cost is less.
Shortcut: BBQ Sauce.
Used in Recipe Listed on this Site:
Bean Burritos, made it.
Bean Burritos, made it.
Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
Or Grilled Cheese Sloppy Joe. I normally have a thick slice of onion with my Sloppy Joe sandwich, some people use a slice of cheese. But cooking like a Grilled Cheese, this is interesting. This recipe, more of a guide than a recipe, is for one sandwich. Think leftovers.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Sloppy Joe mix, leftovers are perfect for this, cold
- Cheddar cheese, real cheese, sliced thin, as needed
- 2 slices bread
- butter
Instructions
- Spread butter on one side of each piece of bread. Place one piece of bread, butter side down in your heated frying pan.
- Place on slices of real cheese on the piece of bread. Top with leftover Sloppy Joe mix (cold works best, so that you can spread it evenly without it sliding out). Top with remaining slices of cheese and piece of bread, butter side up.
- Cook until the first side is golden brown. Flip sandwich and cook until the second side is equally golden brown. Enjoy.
Notes
Actually, not that really an inexpensive meal, real cheese is the costly part, as the Sloppy Joe mix was already prepared. This would be about 75 cents to $1 per sandwich.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Mike Early.
United States.
United States.
Sour Cream & Onion Potatoes
I got this from a good friend, a mix between fried potatoes and scalloped. No serving size or times are given, this is a make as you need recipe. Measurements are approximate. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- potatotoes, sliced, go with 1 large potato per serving
- onion, sliced, go with 1 small onion per potato
- sour cream, OR make from a shortcut
- olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Slice your potato or potatoes and fry in a nonstick pan with a splash of olive oil. You are looking for nice and golden brown and tender. Once cooked, drain off any oil.
- Add the sour cream, the amount is up to you for your preference. Add the sliced onions, mix up a bit then cook on a low simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until the onion is tender. Serve as a side with a rib eye steak as my friend did.
Notes
Shortcut: Sour Cream.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Miguel Morris.
United States.
United States.
Pork Liver
Probably not a favorite of many readers, but I like fried liver, chicken, beef, and pork (and for some who have had it, bear liver is hands down, the best there is). Liver is the easiest thing to cook, but if over cooked, it can be tough. Once in a while the store in town will have pork liver, and on Tuesdays in the village, sometimes beef liver is available. No serving amounts are given as that varies from one persons preference to another. Cook time is not listed as liver is cooked in batches.
Ingredients
For Liver
- beef or pork liver, cut into ⅜ to ½ inch thick slices
- 1-2 cups all purpose flour, for coating liver slices
- butter
- olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
For Onions if desired
- 1-2 onions, thinly sliced
- olive oil
Instructions
For Liver
- Melt a tablespoon or so of butter with a splash of olive oil in a heavy bottom non stick pan on medium to medium high heat.
- If the liver slices are large, cut them in half. Place some flour on a large plate and roll the liver pieces in the flour to coat and add each slice to the hot pan. Cook in batches, do not overload the pan at one time. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown then turn and cook for another 2 minutes or so until golden brown. The KEY to good liver is to not over cook it, light pink on the inside is perfect for tender liver. As the liver cooks, remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep them warm and continue cooking the rest of the liver in batches. Add butter and olive as needed but allow it to heat before adding more liver.
- Serve with a side of your choice, and I really like spicy mustard as a sauce on the side as well.
For Onions if desired
- In a second pan on low temp, heat a splash of olive oil, when heated, add the sliced onion, stir to break up rings, and cook until limp and browning, stir occasionally. Plate the liver and spoon the onions over the liver pieces.
- My photo did not do this justice, this liver is still pink in the middle. Plated with baked butternut squash and spicy mustard on the side as well. Easy and nutritious meal.
Notes
Pork liver runs about 130 Baht/kilo. I really have no idea how much I get when I buy liver or even how much I cook up at a time. I get beef liver from an open market in the village and I have no idea how much this is. I will report prices and pricing when purchase more liver. I will safely say the cost per meal would $1 or less per serving.
Scrapple
This is a an old Pennsylvania Dutch recipe that in my opinion is very good, an acquired taste really. Recipe is based on making your pork sausage. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
Equipment
- Loaf Pan (4x8 inch)
Ingredients
- 750 grams pork sausage, Shortcut
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 cup yellow corn meal
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and rinse in colander under cold water, breaking sausage into pea sized pieces. Return to skillet along with the condensed milk, and heat over medium until just bubbling. Immediately stir in the cornmeal and pepper and reduce heat to simmer. Continue cooking, 5 minutes total; mush will be stiff.
- Remove from heat and pack into 8x4 loaf pan, cover and chill overnight, pack tightly. To serve, cut into ¼ to ½ inch slices and sauté until golden in nonstick skillet.
- Removed from the fridge the next morning, the end piece fell apart when I floured it, the other pieces, cut about ⅜ inch thick, held together well for the most part.
- I did the optional step and floured the slices and fried them in bacon fat.
- Browning in the pan.
- Served.
Notes
Minced pork is about 130 Baht/kilo, 750 grams would be about 98 Baht. For 8 servings minus sides (like eggs and hash browns), this is about 37 cents per serving.
Optional, slice about ¼ inch thick, roll in flour then fry, also, slice thin for crispy fried slices or slice a bit thicker for a softer less crispy variant.
Shortcut: Pork Sausage.
