What’s the most impressive “go to” meal that you can cook?

I never cooked when I first moved out from my parents’ home. Well actually, that’s not entirely true. When I lived with a friend, we would cook a stir-fry with meat from the butcher, but it was pre-seasoned and we only needed to cook it in the fry pan, so it was easy. I never had any idea of how to match flavors together and it was easier to buy frozen meals from the supermarket or to eat take-away food. After I grew up a little and started living with girlfriends, they cooked, but I remained the dishwasher and helped out with the chores.

It was when I moved to Japan that I met a girl who decided that I should cook, both to save money, and to try and be a little healthier. Not sure if the latter came true, however I’m still trying.
Anyway, she bought me a saucepan and showed me a few recipes, and I learned how to cook, finally. That’s not to say I’m a professional by any means, but I have a few things that I could try and impress someone with. One of my favorites is Taco Rice. My English friend explained the basics and so I tried it once and it was pretty good, so I tried it again a few times until I perfected my style.

Now, I’m sure everyone’s eaten Mexican food at some point in their life. I don’t think taco rice is authentic though. Maybe it’s a Japanese version of Mexican food, I’m not sure. I only have one burner in my kitchen, so it makes it a little difficult to make the dish in terms of the timing. But, I try my best, so this is how I make it.

I buy pre-cooked rice to make it easier, as I don’t have a rice cooker. First, I brown the mince along with some onion, then I add a taco spice mix, and sometimes some diced tomatoes. Once that’s cooked, I add the rice, as I find they taste better mixed together. After that, I put the mixture into the base of a big bowl. Then, I add shredded cheese on top, and put it in the toaster oven to melt the cheese. After, I add shredded lettuce, lots of corn chips, some guacamole and salsa and get ready to enjoy the feast. I love eating this with a beer while watching TV.

A funny story about this meal is that I had a taco rice challenge with a friend once from my local bar. She thought that her taco rice was awesome so I challenged her, saying that mine was better. So we set the date for the challenge and prepared. That day, I wasn’t working and she was, so I had a slight advantage. I made one bowl and took it to the bar and waited. She decided to half prep at home and finish the rest in the bar. Can you guess who won? I think you can. Yes, I was victorious, but we all ate together and had a few drinks and a few laughs. It was lots of fun and we had a great night, so everyone went home happy. I went home a little happier than the rest, haha.

Peter

Vocabulary

butcher (n) - a person whose job is cutting up and selling meat in a shop
pre-seasoned (adj.) – spices and flavors having already been added to the food
chore (n) - routine tasks, especially household tasks
latter (adj.) – the second of two things; the last thing mentioned
saucepan (n) - a deep cooking pan, usually round and made of metal, with one long handle
brown (v) – to lightly fry or grill some food until it just turns brown