4 ms·

I think it all comes down to what type of meal recipes or what one already has in stock. Do u already have complementary cooking resources; powder, garlic, oil

by Fundlab 12y ago

I think it all comes down to what type of meal recipes or what one already has in stock. Do u already have complementary cooking resources; powder, garlic, oil etc? These often overlooked in a buck a day meals. One thing with western dishes is the attempt to give food an aesthetic appeal. In places where people live on a dollar a day, they tend to be more concerned with getting full and not the appealing or garnished outlook of food. Also, in places like Africa,food is stored! I cant emphasize this more. A peanut soup or chicken soup could last a span of 3 days to a week. It cab be served with rice, bread, or other dough meals. After taking servings, the soup is warmed and placed back in the fridge and can be eaten another day. This to me is what frugal cooking is. It is easier to tweak frugal eating this way than shopping fresh groceries every other day. NB: Pardon my incoherence :)

14113 12y ago
As I mentioned elsewhere, this is also better for who this book is aimed at - poorer people. They generally have less disposable time on top of lack of money, so will prefer less time consuming, but more expensive meals (such as fast food, ready meals). If instead they could prepare a load of (say) stew that would last for a weeks worth of lunches and dinners, it would be much easier for them spend less money on food.
theorique 12y ago
Do u already have complementary cooking resources; powder, garlic, oil etc? These often overlooked in a buck a day meals. Excellent point. There is a baseline capex to getting a kitchen in shape. Yes, you can go to the dollar store for cheap spatulas, or the discount supermarket for 89 cent herbs, but the point is that the startup cost is non zero. Especially for a person or family who is tired from long hours of work, microwave burritos or pizzas or other "convenience" foods are cheap enough. Also, skills are a big factor. If you don't know how to cook, making and freezing a giant pot of chili or stew in portions is a daunting task. And if you get it wrong, and you just blew your entire food budget for the next two weeks ... good luck!
keithpeter 12y ago
I'm cooking for myself all next next week, not for the usual collection of hungry people, so I shall be making a large pot of vegetable stew. Might try pot of peanut soup as well! Oatmeal/porridge for breakfast as I have that a lot anyway. I think the idea of providing storage times in the fridge is a good one.
- keithpeter 12y ago
  Phase one: ratatouille Bought two large aubergines (egg plants) and four courgettes (zuchinis?) and three red peppers, a couple of cans of tomatoes and a can of kidney beans from local corner shop[1]. Cost less than 4 pounds sterling. Cut and salted the aubergines for 20 minutes and rinsed the bitter liquid. Chopped the courgettes and peppers. Put in large oven dish with four table spoons (60ml) of olive oil. Roasted on gas mark 8 (230C, 450F [1]) for 45 min, stirring once. Added canned tomatoes and beans and a couple of garlic cloves and cooked for a further 30 min at gas mark 6 (200C, 400F). 5 meals... 1. Served a small portion with rice (cooked in my one button rice cooker). Rest allowed to cool and stored in fridge. Rice is bought in 10Kg bags from local shop for Pounds 7.50 2. A small serving cold on fresh thick white toast for breakfast 3. Fry onion in heavy frying pan and add ready made Rogan Josh sauce from the corner shop. Add substantial serving of the ratatouille. Served with rice with Tumeric/Haldi and naans from the local nan man (1 pound for four naans fresh cooked at local street side bakery). Yoghurt and cucumber (50p per half) dressing. 4. Pasta bake: boil old leftover pastas from various jars. Drain. Stir in 100g (4oz) of cheap grated cheddar cheese (£3.50 for 750g from local supermarket). Spoon in ratatouille from fridge into base of oven dish. Top with the pasta and cheese mixture. Serve with cheap Italian wine (5 pounds and let it breathe) 5. Liquid reserved from the ratatouille plus a few courgettes used in final stages of stir fry of cabbage and mushrooms (50p and 1 pound from local supermarket). Served with rice. Next: peanut soup but I'm looking for a non-chi-chi recipe. Another local shop oriented to African Caribbean community sells yam and cassava as well as tapioca. They have harissa as well, but I find that hard to digest (burns twice &c). [1] http://sohcahtoa.org.uk/pages/spicy_lentils_recipe.html http://sohcahtoa.org.uk/pages/spicy_lentils_recipe.html [2] http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/equiv.htm http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/equiv.htm
jcarpio 12y ago
> Also, in places like Africa,food is stored! Indeed. And, in savvier kitchens. See MFK Fisher's How to Cook a Wolf and the nicely written modern interpretation by Tamar Adler: The Everlasting Meal.
araes 12y ago
"Do u already have complementary cooking resources; powder, garlic, oil etc? These often overlooked in a buck a day meals." This comment is specifically addressed in the opening section of the book. They even lay out a strategy for how to slowly build up the basic necessities for preparing good tasting, as well as cheap food, over a long period of sprinkling in 1-2 more expensive items per trip.

by Fundlab 12y ago

14113 12y ago

As I mentioned elsewhere, this is also better for who this book is aimed at - poorer people. They generally have less disposable time on top of lack of money, so will prefer less time consuming, but more expensive meals (such as fast food, ready meals). If instead they could prepare a load of (say) stew that would last for a weeks worth of lunches and dinners, it would be much easier for them spend less money on food.

theorique 12y ago

Do u already have complementary cooking resources; powder, garlic, oil etc? These often overlooked in a buck a day meals. Excellent point. There is a baseline capex to getting a kitchen in shape. Yes, you can go to the dollar store for cheap spatulas, or the discount supermarket for 89 cent herbs, but the point is that the startup cost is non zero. Especially for a person or family who is tired from long hours of work, microwave burritos or pizzas or other "convenience" foods are cheap enough. Also, skills are a big factor. If you don't know how to cook, making and freezing a giant pot of chili or stew in portions is a daunting task. And if you get it wrong, and you just blew your entire food budget for the next two weeks ... good luck!

keithpeter 12y ago

I'm cooking for myself all next next week, not for the usual collection of hungry people, so I shall be making a large pot of vegetable stew. Might try pot of peanut soup as well! Oatmeal/porridge for breakfast as I have that a lot anyway. I think the idea of providing storage times in the fridge is a good one.

keithpeter 12y ago
Phase one: ratatouille Bought two large aubergines (egg plants) and four courgettes (zuchinis?) and three red peppers, a couple of cans of tomatoes and a can of kidney beans from local corner shop[1]. Cost less than 4 pounds sterling. Cut and salted the aubergines for 20 minutes and rinsed the bitter liquid. Chopped the courgettes and peppers. Put in large oven dish with four table spoons (60ml) of olive oil. Roasted on gas mark 8 (230C, 450F [1]) for 45 min, stirring once. Added canned tomatoes and beans and a couple of garlic cloves and cooked for a further 30 min at gas mark 6 (200C, 400F). 5 meals... 1. Served a small portion with rice (cooked in my one button rice cooker). Rest allowed to cool and stored in fridge. Rice is bought in 10Kg bags from local shop for Pounds 7.50 2. A small serving cold on fresh thick white toast for breakfast 3. Fry onion in heavy frying pan and add ready made Rogan Josh sauce from the corner shop. Add substantial serving of the ratatouille. Served with rice with Tumeric/Haldi and naans from the local nan man (1 pound for four naans fresh cooked at local street side bakery). Yoghurt and cucumber (50p per half) dressing. 4. Pasta bake: boil old leftover pastas from various jars. Drain. Stir in 100g (4oz) of cheap grated cheddar cheese (£3.50 for 750g from local supermarket). Spoon in ratatouille from fridge into base of oven dish. Top with the pasta and cheese mixture. Serve with cheap Italian wine (5 pounds and let it breathe) 5. Liquid reserved from the ratatouille plus a few courgettes used in final stages of stir fry of cabbage and mushrooms (50p and 1 pound from local supermarket). Served with rice. Next: peanut soup but I'm looking for a non-chi-chi recipe. Another local shop oriented to African Caribbean community sells yam and cassava as well as tapioca. They have harissa as well, but I find that hard to digest (burns twice &c). [1] http://sohcahtoa.org.uk/pages/spicy_lentils_recipe.html http://sohcahtoa.org.uk/pages/spicy_lentils_recipe.html [2] http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/equiv.htm http://www.godecookery.com/goderec/equiv.htm

jcarpio 12y ago

> Also, in places like Africa,food is stored! Indeed. And, in savvier kitchens. See MFK Fisher's How to Cook a Wolf and the nicely written modern interpretation by Tamar Adler: The Everlasting Meal.

araes 12y ago

"Do u already have complementary cooking resources; powder, garlic, oil etc? These often overlooked in a buck a day meals." This comment is specifically addressed in the opening section of the book. They even lay out a strategy for how to slowly build up the basic necessities for preparing good tasting, as well as cheap food, over a long period of sprinkling in 1-2 more expensive items per trip.