What are you having for dinner? *PICS*

Gutty96 wrote: ↑ Your new air fryer might change your mind on this as you get used to it.

UrbanPoet wrote: ↑ One thing is deep fried food. Can’t beat perfectly deep fried food due to the quality commercial grade fryers used in restaurants.

I always rather buy fried chicken & wings instead of cooking it myself. Plus oil is expensive now! Even when filtering it out for second use, thats a messy job.

Also good sushi. Like the premium high end stuff. Restaurants have good connections to fish mongers.

I buy toro and slice myself its okay. But the toro you order from the restaurant is so much better marbled.

But the above is more like an experience thats difficult to replicate. Rather than something thats cheaper to dine out.

Gutty96 wrote: ↑
Your new air fryer might change your mind on this as you get used to it.

NoFrillBill wrote: ↑ Personally, I am not too sold on the air fryer. Maybe the one I have is not very good but I prefer other methods of cooking. It is good for re-heating stuff.

hierophant wrote: ↑ I've been using my air fryer in lieu of the toaster oven/oven for many things like frozen spring rolls, homemade fries, frozen onion rings, hashbrowns, etc. It only has one setting on/off (can't control the temp) I really like it.

Dragon120 wrote: ↑ It costs way less to make.

: $4 beef bone marrow (2-pieces @ RCSS)
: $4 3lbs pork bones (Chinese supermarket)
: $5 2lbs beef bones (Chinese supermarket)
: $9 package of thinly sliced beef roll
: $7 package of beef tendon balls
: $6 two packs of Pho noodles
: $2 bean sprouts + handful of basil
Estimated total $37 for raw materials.

Made in an 8 quart pot. Enough to eat 2.5 meals for family of 4 (so tens bowls altogether). Factoring other costs, perhaps $8 per bowl to make at home.

Yes, it tasted delicious. Of course I can’t compare to the true Viet restaurants but against Pho Metro or other generic Pho places, my broth can stand toe-to-toe with them.

Bottom-line is: I enjoy making it and my family loved eating Pho. It’s a bonus that it tastes good and cost less.

• This will be subjective depending on the source, from the traditional Viet families, restaurants and what the internet has posted. I believed it's star anise, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and cloves.
• My parents uses only star anise and cinnamon sticks, toasted in a dry pan, so that is what I used. They use at rough ratio of 2 star anise pieces to 1 cinnamon stick for every rack of beef bones.
• Whole onions (1-2) and a few knobs of ginger, charred via gas/electric burner or oven broiled.
• Optional - A cheesecloth to bundle everything (except the onion) together for easy skimming out in the broth.

• I checked at Superstore first as they usually sell 1-4 racks of beef back ribs in the late mornings. Of all the major (and greedy) grocery stores, they charged the least at ~$11/kg (before inflation) to $13/kg (after inflation). Probably higher after I post this.
• The racks usually have 2-6 bones with a good amount of meat attached to it.
• If none available, any beef bones from there (usually frozen) or at the Asian grocery stores will work.

• Brisket, flank steak, and/or any shoulder cuts.
• Optional as it will depend on the costs. I usually buy when on sale and freeze the meats.

• My odd twist.
• More collagen than the beef bones. Cooking it down over time will produced a gelatinous broth at the end.
• It gives off a "stickiness" or "richness" feeling on your taste buds.
• The broth will look like Pho jello after chilling in the fridge.

• Decide if you want a clear or dark broth.
• Dark side of the Pho Broth Force - roast the bones and tough cuts using the broiler or on stovetop until brown. Blanching is not necessary.
• Clear broth (my pick) - Blanched all the bones and tough cuts in boiling water for 10-15 minutes to remove impurities.
• Another option is put everything in the pot with cold water and slowing heating it up to a boiled. Either way works, as long as you see the impurities float up.
• Rinse everything with cold water, scrubbing any impurities stuck on the bones and the pot.
• Placed the clean bones back to the pot, filled up with water (around 3/4 of the size pot), and get back to boiled.
• Once boiled, turn the burner down to low until you see gentle water bubbles.
• Add your toasted spices, and charred onion and ginger to the pot.
• Simmer the broth for 4-8 hours, depending on the size of the pot.
• I usually prepare the broth during the evening for the next day breakfast/brunch. Unlike my parents, I don't want to babysit the pot for 8 hours.
• I would heat up the pot first to get the broth as close to boiled. Once there, I will transferred the pot inside the oven (turn off) to let the residual heat continues to cook overnight.
• After the long simmer, removed the bones, meat cuts, onion and cheesecloth onto a large plate/bowl and set to the side.
• Optional - Skimmed off most of the excess oil from the top of the broth. I usually keep it as fat equals ~ 9 calories per gram... I mean flavour!
• Adding fish sauce to taste. I usually start with 3 tbsp first, mixed and wait for a few minutes to taste. Add more, repeat until desire taste.
• Optional - Add a small piece (~30 grams) of palm or rock sugar for a faint hint of sweetness. Regular sugar can work as a substitute.
• Add the meats back to the seasoned broth to stay hot. Sliced at the end when about to serve.

• Pick any rice noodle sticks you like, what's available and pricing. The wide-size dry variant is the most common.
• If you have the time, soak the dry rice noodles in cool-to-warm tap water for ~ 15-30 minutes. This will allow the noodles to cook very quickly in boiling water in < 60 seconds.
• Some Asian stores may sell the vacuum-packed fresh rice noodles. I usually pick those if available.

• Bean sprouts (either raw or quick blanch in hot water or broth for 60 seconds).
• Onions (green and/or white, sliced thin)
• Cilantro
• Thai Basil
• Rice paddy herb (optional as it may be hard to find in Asian stores)
• Chili peppers, whole or sliced thin (Thai is common)
• Lime wedges
• Hoisin sauce
• Sriracha

Gutty96 wrote: ↑ Your new air fryer might change your mind on this as you get used to it.

UrbanPoet wrote: ↑ Havent had this one in a while!



This looks great. How much does this all cost and which city+country if you don’t mind me asking.

UrbanPoet wrote: ↑ I reeeeally like this air fryer thing.
I’m just screwing around @ this point.
But I made flat bread! Lol.
It actually works…