Problem constraints:
- It’s supposedly “breakfast” time here, but my stomach is still on Italian time and i’m hungry enough for dinner…
- Nothing in the house but nonperishables, i’ve been gone for 3 weeks and my apartmentmate has an aversion to shopping…
- Craving Chinese food–haven’t had any quality chinese food in ages, due to my time in Europe…
Solution:
a hacked-up attempt at 麻醬麵 (noodles with sesame sauce)
- sesame paste (spoonfull)
- hot water (spoonfull)
- vinegar (spoonfull–add more to taste later as needed)
- soy sauce (a little less than a spoonfull)
- sugar (one teaspoon)
- minced garlic & ginger
- a bit of salt, if not salty enough
- cool vegetables (like carrots, if i have any, or cucumbers, which i know i don’t…) thinly thinly sliced
- mix it all together, trying to preserve an optimal balance of {salty, savoury, sour, sweet, and nutty}, using the hot water to dilute if it gets too strong
–update:
Very tasty, but the flavor balance is not as easy to acheive as i remember. very thirsty-making.
for next time:
- add a little chili oil or paste for some spiciness (just not this time, not for breakfast)
- add a little thyme (and the nation of Taiwan colletively shudders at the suggestion…but i think it could be tasty…)