# What's your go-to simple comfort food recipe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 20, 2019, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120 "2019-12-20T01:31:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/61 "2019-12-21T14:32:30Z")
Missed edit window. ETA #2: At the end, she adds 1 tablespoon \*\*each \*\*of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, apricot jam, AND curry powder! Makes one wonder how flavorful the original sauce mix is to benefit from all those add-ons. However, now that the mystery has been removed, I will try this product. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/62 "2019-12-21T14:36:07Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Hey, thatā€™s easy! Ignorance mightily fought here todayā€“thanks. šŸ™‚ > > ETA: Ummmā€¦ looking at the video-- why is it called \*Vermont \*curry? Ya know, good question. I guess itā€™s something I thought about when I first discovered Japanese curry, but either never looked up or just forgot the origin story. So I did a little digging: > [@](#): > > The origin of ā€œVermontā€ in Vermont Curry dates back to a book entitled ā€œFolk Medicine: A Vermont Doctorā€™s Guide to Good Health.ā€ The book sparked a health fad that included drinking a mixture of apple cider vinegar and honey. This eventually found its way to Japan, sparking a health fad there that came to be known as the ā€œVermont Health System.ā€ From [their website](https://housefoods-group.com/products/en/vmt/). That story does not at all sound familiar to me, so I guess I just thought it was curious, and forgot to research it. [Hereā€™s a Serious Eats taste test](https://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/taste-test-japanese-curry-roux-mixes-golden-torukero-vermont-java-kokumaro.html) of various curry mixes. My local groceries are pretty 50-50 on whether they stock any Japanese curry blocks. If they do, itā€™s always Golden Curry, which is okay, but I doctor a good bit. I generally have to go to a Japanese or Korean grocery store to find a better selection (like all the ones listed in that Serious Eats article.) You can, of course, also buy online. ETA: > [@](#): > > ETA #2: At the end, she adds 1 tablespoon each of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, apricot jam, AND curry powder! Makes one wonder how flavorful the original sauce mix is to benefit from all those add-ons. However, now that the mystery has been removed, I will try this product. It depends on the brand. Golden Curry is pretty neutral, so the additions do perk it up a bit. From the research Iā€™ve done on it in the past, it seems to be one of those dishes that everybody wants to put their own spin on, like how, I donā€™t know, people like doctoring up a chili mix or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/63 "2019-12-21T14:38:21Z")
A local drive-inn adds a bit of coconut milk to their well known curry. IMO, works best with the hot curry as it helps counter the heat. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/64 "2019-12-21T14:47:05Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > A local drive-inn adds a bit of coconut milk to their well known curry. IMO, works best with the hot curry as it helps counter the heat. Oh, yeah. Iā€™ve also seen people put (regular dairy) cream in it as well for similar reasons, as well as for, well, making the dish creamier, of course. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/65 "2019-12-21T14:55:15Z")
Simple meal my mother would make us in a pinch: White rice topped with a fried egg, over easy, and a spoonful of oyster sauce on top of that. Or egg foo yong. Basically just a beaten egg with stuff mixed into it and fried. My mother usually put ham and peas in it, and my dad would just start going through the fridge and throwing in whatever he found like he did with the jook (I hated that), but you can add whatever you like. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/66 "2019-12-21T15:04:11Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Ya know, good question. I guess itā€™s something I thought about when I first discovered Japanese curry, but either never looked up or just forgot the origin story. So I did a little digging: > > From [their website](https://housefoods-group.com/products/en/vmt/). > > That story does not at all sound familiar to me, so I guess I just thought it was curious, and forgot to research it. > > [Hereā€™s a Serious Eats taste test](https://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/taste-test-japanese-curry-roux-mixes-golden-torukero-vermont-java-kokumaro.html) of various curry mixes. My local groceries are pretty 50-50 on whether they stock any Japanese curry blocks. If they do, itā€™s always Golden Curry, which is okay, but I doctor a good bit. I generally have to go to a Japanese or Korean grocery store to find a better selection (like all the ones listed in that Serious Eats article.) You can, of course, also buy online. > > ETA: > It depends on the brand. Golden Curry is pretty neutral, so the additions do perk it up a bit. From the research Iā€™ve done on it in the past, it seems to be one of those dishes that everybody wants to put their own spin on, like how, I donā€™t know, people like doctoring up a chili mix or something like that. Very informative! Thx! ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/67 "2019-12-21T16:20:59Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It depends on the brand. Golden Curry is pretty neutral, so the additions do perk it up a bit. From the research Iā€™ve done on it in the past, it seems to be one of those dishes that everybody wants to put their own spin on, like how, I donā€™t know, people like doctoring up a chili mix or something like that. find it benefits greatly form some heat - a good bit of Tabasco is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/68 "2019-12-21T16:29:42Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > find it benefits greatly form some heat - a good bit of Tabasco is my favorite. They sell Golden Curry up to ā€œExtra Hotā€ levels. Japanese ā€œextra hotā€ isnā€™t as hot as other Asian countries, but it still has some pep to it. Even the regular ā€œhotā€ is peppy if youā€™re not too used to spicy foods. I usually end up adding chili flakes to my curry to get it to a heat level I like (I tend to buy the mild Java brand curry so the wife & kids will eat it, but I do keep a few boxes of hot and extra hot around for myself.) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/69 "2019-12-21T16:36:39Z")
Toasted\* pimento cheese sandwiches (2), cut diagonally. \*Preferably in a toaster oven, but under a broiler will do, it just takes longer. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/70 "2019-12-21T16:44:36Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > They sell Golden Curry up to ā€œExtra Hotā€ levels. Japanese ā€œextra hotā€ isnā€™t as hot as other Asian countries, but it still has some pep to it. Even the regular ā€œhotā€ is peppy if youā€™re not too used to spicy foods. I usually end up adding chili flakes to my curry to get it to a heat level I like (I tend to buy the mild Java brand curry so the wife & kids will eat it, but I do keep a few boxes of hot and extra hot around for myself.) Sorry. I meant the Vermont mild for the kids (as itā€™s the sweetest of the bunch) and the Java brand I have for hot (though it looks like I also have a box of Kokumaro I had forgotten about.) Incidentally, there are a couple other similar roux-based Japanese stew cubes out there as well. [Thereā€™s this Japanese Cream Stew](https://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Cream-Sauce-Torokeru-5-6-Ounce/dp/B001AYBCLG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=japanese+white+stew&qid=1576946336&s=grocery&sr=1-1), which is basically like a lightly flavored cream sauce ā€“ this is one that my kids especially seem to like, but is definitely on the blander side. And then thereā€™s also this [brown stew](https://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Beef-Stew-Sauce-5-6-Ounce/dp/B007FMLPZA/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=japanese+brown+stew&qid=1576946415&s=grocery&sr=1-4) or [Hayashi rice sauce](https://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Hayashi-Rice-Sauce-5-6-Ounce/dp/B003NB1SIQ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=japanese+brown+stew&qid=1576946602&s=grocery&sr=1-1)mix, which is probably what you expect it to taste like: kind of like a middle-of-the-road brown gravy, but not quite the same flavor as American gravy. Those, though, Iā€™ve only seen at the Japanese and Korean markets here. But if youā€™re not a fan of curry flavor, worth a shot. Well, I know what Iā€™m having for dinner tonight! ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/71 "2019-12-21T17:12:38Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > This Babish guy is cute. I see he has a bunch of videos (which I will now watch). šŸ™‚ Andrew Rea (aka Babish) is a YouTube sensation and has skyrocketed to the upper echelon of successful YouTube content creators. His videos are entertaining and (usually) informative. I made his [chocolate chip cookies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylxzfecackM) and everyone except my BiL has raved about them. I even got a (joking) marriage proposal from one woman who swooned over them. NOTE: I followed his recipe _exactly_. I did every step exactly as he did (including a bit of kosher salt sprinked on top which really makes them pop) and cooked a couple test cookies to dial-in the time to cook exactly. This recipe takes a lot longer to do than most recipes (things like browning and re-cooling the butter and letting the dough rest) add a lot of time to it but the end result is soooo worth it. NOTE2: You also really need a stand mixer for this recipe. Perhaps you could manage it by hand but it would not be easy at all and I would not want to try. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/72 "2019-12-21T17:33:33Z")
Wow, those are huge cookies! I prefer smaller cookies, and I like my cookies crisp. I really donā€™t enjoy a gooey cookie. (I like raw dough okay, but I want the cookie to snap.) So I think I would not follow the last parts of his instructions. But Iā€™m going to try browning the butter. I did that recently for rice crispy treats, and it made an enormous difference. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/73 "2019-12-21T17:49:44Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Sorry. I meant the Vermont mild for the kids (as itā€™s the sweetest of the bunch) and the Java brand I have for hot (though it looks like I also have a box of Kokumaro I had forgotten about.) > > Incidentally, there are a couple other similar roux-based Japanese stew cubes out there as well. [Thereā€™s this Japanese Cream Stew](https://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Cream-Sauce-Torokeru-5-6-Ounce/dp/B001AYBCLG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=japanese+white+stew&qid=1576946336&s=grocery&sr=1-1), which is basically like a lightly flavored cream sauce ā€“ this is one that my kids especially seem to like, but is definitely on the blander side. And then thereā€™s also this [brown stew](https://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Beef-Stew-Sauce-5-6-Ounce/dp/B007FMLPZA/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=japanese+brown+stew&qid=1576946415&s=grocery&sr=1-4) or [Hayashi rice sauce](https://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Hayashi-Rice-Sauce-5-6-Ounce/dp/B003NB1SIQ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=japanese+brown+stew&qid=1576946602&s=grocery&sr=1-1)mix, which is probably what you expect it to taste like: kind of like a middle-of-the-road brown gravy, but not quite the same flavor as American gravy. Those, though, Iā€™ve only seen at the Japanese and Korean markets here. But if youā€™re not a fan of curry flavor, worth a shot. > > Well, I know what Iā€™m having for dinner tonight! Where do you find these? Mitsuwa? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/74 "2019-12-21T18:05:44Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Where do you find these? Mitsuwa? Mitsuwa if you want the maximum selection. H-Mart has a lot of these brands, too, and they now have a location in the West Loop at Jackson, just east of the expressway. They have the Golden, Java, and Vermont brands of curry at that location. For the cream stew and brown stew I _think_ that was only at Mitsuwa, but Iā€™m not sure. Mitsuwa is where I found the Kokumaro brand of curry roux. The H-Mart also stocks some Korean-style curry mixes, too, which are similar to Japanese, but the ones Iā€™ve had were more turmerick-y. The one I bought came in a dry bag as a powder with the thickening agents mixed in, not like the Japanese curry cubes, but I think they may have had some wet versions there, as well. I didnā€™t like it as much as the Japanese curry, though. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/75 "2019-12-21T18:11:13Z")
Ah, there is a pouched, paste version of the Korean curry as well. [Hereā€™s a link to it.](https://www.hmart.com/645175290315) But thatā€™s more like a sauce you pour over your finished dish at the end. The powdered Korean curry I bought you cook it all together with the vegetables, protein, and liquid. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/76 "2019-12-21T18:20:19Z")
My comfort food has to be easy to prepare. English muffin with a hard-fried egg, some salsa, maybe some cheddar cheese. ā€¦ Or a packet of Liptonā€™s noodle soup mix, maybe with some extra noodles (fine egg noodles) thrown in to boil. With crackers, thatā€™s good eats. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/77 "2019-12-21T18:49:03Z")
Puttanesca sauce with rigatoni. Sauce is simple, takes only 30 minutes or less. Olive oil Garlic, minced ( or sliced ā€˜Goodfellasā€™ style ) Anchovies Tablespoon of capers Sliced olives Diced tomatoes ( canned but not pureeed ) Add them all in that order. Very bold strong taste and satisfying, if youā€™re into that. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/78 "2019-12-21T21:02:14Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Can anyone recommend a comfort food that I can prepare in such a way that I could prepare a weekā€™s supply and then I could just heat and serve? Iā€™m asking because I really donā€™t like to spend 30-60 minutes preparing a meal and then spend 10 minutes eating it. > > Iā€™d really like to spend maybe 15-30 minutes preparing a weekā€™s (maybe more?) supply of meals and then either freeze them or just store them in the fridge and then heat and serve when itā€™s dinner time. I didnā€™t think it would be worth starting a new thread for this and so I asked for ā€œcomfort foodā€ meals but Iā€™m really not picky what kind of food it is as I will eat most anything. Tamale pie 2# ground beef One medium onion, chopped One Tbsp minced/chopped garlic One Tbsp chili powder 1 1/2 Cups yellow cornmeal 2 Cups milk One can (14 ounce) whole kernel corn, undrained One can (14 ounce) cut tomatoes One can (14 ounce) black olives, DRAINED 2 Cups shredded Cheddar cheese Mix the milk and cornmeal. Set it aside while youā€™re putting everything else together. Brown the burger meat. Cool the onion and garlic with the meat, and drain off excess fat. Add chili powder (also salt and pepper if you like). Add in the tomatoes, corn and olives, and heat it all through. Add the cornmeal/milk mixture, cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Put it all into a large casserole dish, cover it with the cheese, and bake for an hour at 350[sup]o[/sup] F. You should be able to get five generous servings out of that. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/79 "2019-12-21T21:02:33Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > Soup or stew which not only freezes well, but tastes better the second or third day. > > If you like Japanese style curry, S&B Curry blocks makes a nice alternative to regular beef or chicken stew. They also have curry packs with vegetables. Eat it alone or add your favorite protein of choice. Yes! S&B curry blocks are great! And you can add any veggies or protein you want to change it up. My sister spent over a year in Japan and used to make scratch curry based on what she learned there. But once she tried S&B she said why go to all that bother? It tastes just as good. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/80 "2019-12-21T21:12:59Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > Creamed tuna on toast. My B-i-L called creamed salmon on toast Salmon Wiggle. He grew up in Maine, so Iā€™m assuming that was a local term. Does anyone else know that name? Most of the foods listed here are things I grew up eating and never ate again once I left home (and never wanted to). But one thing my mom made from a recipe she found in the paper back in the late 50s/early 60s we still eat. My older sister had made some before Thanksgiving this year, but because sheā€™s the only one in her family who likes it, I got to take the leftovers home. Yum! We called it wieners and spaghetti. Slice hot dogs and brown in oil with LOTS of diced onion. As it browns, add LOTS\* of clove, allspice and some salt. Add a large can of tomato juice. Cook long enough to blend the flavors and pour over spaghetti. \*We eyeball it. The spices should turn the sauce to an almost brown color. If itā€™s still obviously red itā€™s not spiced enough. Sounds weird, but for a cheap family meal, it serves. And I get cravings for it several times a year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120.md?page=5)