I just discovered this site. Intriguing. I'm single and live in a remote desert. Most recipes are way too ... big. Yes, I have a freezer. But, is there an easy way to make less? Also, I am bad at math and do not know what the heck a gram is.
The twice cooked tofu with leeks was AMAZING. I ordered from Mala to get the right ingredients and this was definitely the best Chinese dish we've had since eating at restaurants was a thing. Thank you!
For what it is worth... a suggestion. I wish you had a print option on your recipes. One that would print the recipe on one page (or two if needed and the recipe could be printed two sided)"al a NYTcooking" I love reading the commentary, the tips, the suggestions, the methodology and I frequently find a great new technique BUT! When I go into the kitchen to cook, my computer or iPad are not with me. I just want to cook. A neat sheet with ingredients and simple steps is all I need. And if I love the results and want to put the recipe on repeat I save the one page recipe in a file.
Hi Joyce! This is Daniel; I work with Mark on The Bittman Project. Thanks so much for reaching out; because of suggestions like yours, we actually started adding "print" buttons underneath the recipes that we publish. If you click on them, they should take you to a simple document (just text, no photos) that you'll be able to print. You can see some examples here: https://www.bittmanproject.com/p/the-best-citrus-makes-a-big-difference
Hi, I have the same question I had regarding your cookbooks- I live outside of the US, and therefore the measurements in cups and ounces and things like “ half a stick of butter” are not useful and would be a dealbreaker for joining (and also would preclude me from buying the new edition of your cookbook, which I have wanted to get for years).
Any plans to offer the recipes (and your cookbook recipes) with metric units for those of us in the rest of the world who don’t use US measurements and can’t be bothered to look up and convert every measurement to make a simple weeknight dinner?
Thanks for reaching out. Sadly, I've never been able do the books in metric, and I know the conversion charts in the backs of the books don't always do the trick. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, and of course I'll reach out if anything changes.
Reader Request: Low-Sodium Sichuan-Style Twice-Cooked Tofu with Leeks:
A reader asked for a low sodium version of the twice-cooked tofu Daniel and I videoed for the first new newsletter. And since the key ingredients offer the Sichuan-style flavor bomb of umami and heat, there’s a lot of salt involved. Here’s an idea that will get you close to the original in terms of savory-ness without the extra salt. And it includes one of my “secret ingredients.” I figured I'd share it here in case anyone's interested. Maybe TBP community has more ideas…
Start by soaking a fistful of dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms and 1 star anise in 1 cup hot tap water in a small bowl. Keep them submerged with a ramekin or small plate until pliable, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the tofu and leeks as described in Steps 1 and 2. To adjust the sauce in Step 3 omit the bean paste and sweet bean sauce. Lift the mushrooms from the bowl, reserving the soaking water; discard the star anise. Chop the mushrooms as finely as you can manage and put them in a small bowl with the garlic. Add about 1 teaspoon each crumbled Sichuan peppercorns (the kind that look like small dried flowers), ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes (more or less of each to taste). Rinse the fermented black beans under warm running water before adding them. Mash everything together with a fork. To make a chunky paste, stir in enough of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid (leave any grit in the bottom of the bowl). Add some or all of the optional sugar to taste and a teaspoon of soy sauce if you think your sodium ration can handle it. Use this as your sauce in Step 5. Add more mushroom soaking liquid as necessary in Step 6 to coat the tofu and leeks as you toss everything together.
Excited about this new venture, but does this mean Mark Bittman is divorcing my other favorite food/recipe source, NYT Cooking? If so, I can deal, as several couples I know have broken up and I find it's possible to stay on good terms with both!
I guess the NYT and I technically separated a few years ago (when I stopped writing my regular columns), but whatever recipes of mine are still up on NYT Cooking (I think there are a bunch) aren't going anywhere. The recipes weren't part of the prenup.
Hey everyone! I just joined and got Mark's new book. Food is the original and future human transformational technology. Mom's nipple is the first kitchen, and IV's feed the last. All between is creating and recreating our bodies, thoughts, feelings, and the world through food. Cheers from Harlem, NYC
Very excited about this new project and to have the opportunity to join the journey. My pantry is pretty much on point related to your suggestions, so I'm good to go!
Regarding your pantry list: Instead of keeping fresh lemons and limes, I freeze fresh-squeezed juice in small quantities (using 100mL plastic bottles). No need to worry about 'Do I have a fresh lemon/lime on hand?' I purchase bags of lemons/limes at Costco then use a juicer (Cuisinart).
Really smart. Doing the prep ahead of time when you can get away with it makes such a difference. (Another good one: mince a bunch of ginger at once, put it in a small baggie, roll it into a log and toss it in the freezer. Then whenever you need ginger you can just cut thin little slices off the log while it's still frozen.)
Yep, I do the ginger thing too. Other 'prep-aheads' I practice: peel fresh garlic n store under olive oil, freeze chopped scallions, freeze tomato paste (1 T quantities). Half A Can of Tomato Paste is a great book for such ideas.
Hi Everyone. Kerri Conan here. I’ve been helping Mark produce his cookbooks for more than 15 years and am going to be contributing for The Bittman Project. Really enjoying the prep-ahead direction this thread is going. Private Douglas, thank you for sharing your tips. You didn’t mention whether you keep the garlic in olive oil in room temp or in the fridge. Either way, there is some concern about botulism, even though people have stored garlic this way forever. Here’s a link to a recent study and some ways to do this safely:
Kerri, Now you've done it. Now I have to worry today not only about the Senate Impeachment Trial but now also my garlic. BTW, I store the garlic in the frig of course. I clean 3 to 4 heads of garlic at a time so my 'stock' never lasts a long time. Plus, the bacteria responsible for botulism, if I remember correctly, requires an anaerobic environment which is unlikely to occur in my jar of cleaned garlic. In any event, I will checking out your link.
More a question than a comment. Questions come up. Some sites are great at answering. Some not so much. Frustrating often. Will your team be answering?
Sometimes it can be hard to get to everything, but we are going to do our best! You can always ask questions here in the comments section, or send me an email (bittman@markbittman.com). Thanks for reaching out.
I just discovered this site. Intriguing. I'm single and live in a remote desert. Most recipes are way too ... big. Yes, I have a freezer. But, is there an easy way to make less? Also, I am bad at math and do not know what the heck a gram is.
The twice cooked tofu with leeks was AMAZING. I ordered from Mala to get the right ingredients and this was definitely the best Chinese dish we've had since eating at restaurants was a thing. Thank you!
Thanks for narrating "Last Man Fishing" http://www.lastmanfishing.com/ -- your voiceover adds gravitas to this powerful and beautiful film!
For what it is worth... a suggestion. I wish you had a print option on your recipes. One that would print the recipe on one page (or two if needed and the recipe could be printed two sided)"al a NYTcooking" I love reading the commentary, the tips, the suggestions, the methodology and I frequently find a great new technique BUT! When I go into the kitchen to cook, my computer or iPad are not with me. I just want to cook. A neat sheet with ingredients and simple steps is all I need. And if I love the results and want to put the recipe on repeat I save the one page recipe in a file.
Hi Joyce! This is Daniel; I work with Mark on The Bittman Project. Thanks so much for reaching out; because of suggestions like yours, we actually started adding "print" buttons underneath the recipes that we publish. If you click on them, they should take you to a simple document (just text, no photos) that you'll be able to print. You can see some examples here: https://www.bittmanproject.com/p/the-best-citrus-makes-a-big-difference
Perfect! Thank you.
Hi, I have the same question I had regarding your cookbooks- I live outside of the US, and therefore the measurements in cups and ounces and things like “ half a stick of butter” are not useful and would be a dealbreaker for joining (and also would preclude me from buying the new edition of your cookbook, which I have wanted to get for years).
Any plans to offer the recipes (and your cookbook recipes) with metric units for those of us in the rest of the world who don’t use US measurements and can’t be bothered to look up and convert every measurement to make a simple weeknight dinner?
Thanks
Thanks for reaching out. Sadly, I've never been able do the books in metric, and I know the conversion charts in the backs of the books don't always do the trick. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, and of course I'll reach out if anything changes.
No worries. Thanks for the update. Would love to purchase the How To Cook Everything one day if you ever consider writing a global edition!
Reader Request: Low-Sodium Sichuan-Style Twice-Cooked Tofu with Leeks:
A reader asked for a low sodium version of the twice-cooked tofu Daniel and I videoed for the first new newsletter. And since the key ingredients offer the Sichuan-style flavor bomb of umami and heat, there’s a lot of salt involved. Here’s an idea that will get you close to the original in terms of savory-ness without the extra salt. And it includes one of my “secret ingredients.” I figured I'd share it here in case anyone's interested. Maybe TBP community has more ideas…
Start by soaking a fistful of dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms and 1 star anise in 1 cup hot tap water in a small bowl. Keep them submerged with a ramekin or small plate until pliable, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the tofu and leeks as described in Steps 1 and 2. To adjust the sauce in Step 3 omit the bean paste and sweet bean sauce. Lift the mushrooms from the bowl, reserving the soaking water; discard the star anise. Chop the mushrooms as finely as you can manage and put them in a small bowl with the garlic. Add about 1 teaspoon each crumbled Sichuan peppercorns (the kind that look like small dried flowers), ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes (more or less of each to taste). Rinse the fermented black beans under warm running water before adding them. Mash everything together with a fork. To make a chunky paste, stir in enough of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid (leave any grit in the bottom of the bowl). Add some or all of the optional sugar to taste and a teaspoon of soy sauce if you think your sodium ration can handle it. Use this as your sauce in Step 5. Add more mushroom soaking liquid as necessary in Step 6 to coat the tofu and leeks as you toss everything together.
Got a fully stocked pantry. Ready to go! So excited to cook with all of you and of course Mark!
Excited about this new venture, but does this mean Mark Bittman is divorcing my other favorite food/recipe source, NYT Cooking? If so, I can deal, as several couples I know have broken up and I find it's possible to stay on good terms with both!
I guess the NYT and I technically separated a few years ago (when I stopped writing my regular columns), but whatever recipes of mine are still up on NYT Cooking (I think there are a bunch) aren't going anywhere. The recipes weren't part of the prenup.
Hey everyone! I just joined and got Mark's new book. Food is the original and future human transformational technology. Mom's nipple is the first kitchen, and IV's feed the last. All between is creating and recreating our bodies, thoughts, feelings, and the world through food. Cheers from Harlem, NYC
Samir, what Mom feeds in the womb precedes the nipple. ☺️
Yes, yes, yes! thank you
Very excited about this new project and to have the opportunity to join the journey. My pantry is pretty much on point related to your suggestions, so I'm good to go!
I checked my pantry! I have everything on your list PLUS. And all your books. Ready to roll.
Fabulous.
This is so helpful!! Now I finally know what you mean in your recipes by good-quality vegetable oil.
Regarding your pantry list: Instead of keeping fresh lemons and limes, I freeze fresh-squeezed juice in small quantities (using 100mL plastic bottles). No need to worry about 'Do I have a fresh lemon/lime on hand?' I purchase bags of lemons/limes at Costco then use a juicer (Cuisinart).
Really smart. Doing the prep ahead of time when you can get away with it makes such a difference. (Another good one: mince a bunch of ginger at once, put it in a small baggie, roll it into a log and toss it in the freezer. Then whenever you need ginger you can just cut thin little slices off the log while it's still frozen.)
Yep, I do the ginger thing too. Other 'prep-aheads' I practice: peel fresh garlic n store under olive oil, freeze chopped scallions, freeze tomato paste (1 T quantities). Half A Can of Tomato Paste is a great book for such ideas.
Hi Everyone. Kerri Conan here. I’ve been helping Mark produce his cookbooks for more than 15 years and am going to be contributing for The Bittman Project. Really enjoying the prep-ahead direction this thread is going. Private Douglas, thank you for sharing your tips. You didn’t mention whether you keep the garlic in olive oil in room temp or in the fridge. Either way, there is some concern about botulism, even though people have stored garlic this way forever. Here’s a link to a recent study and some ways to do this safely:
https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/Can-you-get-botulism-from-garlic-in-oil#:~:text=Research%20performed%20by%20the%20University,be%20frozen%20for%20several%20months.
Kerri, Now you've done it. Now I have to worry today not only about the Senate Impeachment Trial but now also my garlic. BTW, I store the garlic in the frig of course. I clean 3 to 4 heads of garlic at a time so my 'stock' never lasts a long time. Plus, the bacteria responsible for botulism, if I remember correctly, requires an anaerobic environment which is unlikely to occur in my jar of cleaned garlic. In any event, I will checking out your link.
I would zest them first snd freeze that too - don’t waste that zest!!!
More a question than a comment. Questions come up. Some sites are great at answering. Some not so much. Frustrating often. Will your team be answering?
Sometimes it can be hard to get to everything, but we are going to do our best! You can always ask questions here in the comments section, or send me an email (bittman@markbittman.com). Thanks for reaching out.
Thank you! (Fan from the earliest NYT days.)