Eat-In Takeout

If you're like me, you probably have a huge weakness for takeout.  It's easy, (relatively) fast, and it means you don't have to cook.  Plus, I'm sucker for Chinese takeout, and I crave some of those flavors like crazy.  But takeout on a regular basis adds up quickly, and money spent on takeout is money that can't be spent experiencing the rest of the amazing food scene this city has to offer.

So before I get into sharing some "Better Than Takeout" recipes I've found (Rachel tested, Rachel approved), we're gonna talk a bit about why it's SO GOOD, so you can get at the heart of that craving and hopefully replicate the flavors at home.  That requires talking a little bit of food science and food history, so bear with me.

Umami is a Japanese term used to describe an often-forgotten flavor category (like bitter, sweet, salty, and sour).  Umami is a full, almost meaty flavor found in a lot of Asian cuisine.  Typically derived from dashi (a kind of seaweed which has been used as a flavor additive for centuries) and glutamic acid, umami is also present in soy sauce and, most notably, monosodium glutamate.  Monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG, is a salty, delicious compound that has an incredibly bad reputation because it's not great for your health.  Considering it's a form of salt, however, that's not entirely surprising.  High sodium levels can lead to weight gain, headaches, and more.  But MSG is not the be-all-end-all of bad foods: proper water consumption and a healthy diet can mitigate its effects.

Assuming you don't have a bottle of MSG sitting in your kitchen, the best way I've found to imitate its umami-full goodness is combining salty, meaty soy sauce with a little bit of butter to create a sauce or marinade that turns chicken, seafood, fish, and veggies into Asian-inspired mouth-watering goodness.  Add a little garlic and pepper to take the flavor in a different, still tasty direction.

Now, onto some recipes.  I would feel awful trying to take credit for these epic recipes, since I haven't done much of altering them and they're just awesome the way they are.

• This Soy Sauce Butter Pasta with Shrimp and Shiitakes from The Woks of Life is just absolute perfection, and you know everything that goes into it!
• Turn any leftover rice into fried rice by tossing them with some butter, fresh chopped veggies, garlic, onion, and egg.  Top with soy sauce and pepper and serve!  There's an example of this idea here, but really I don't even really work from a recipe when I do this, since it's really easy and mostly up to what I have around.
• Crab rangoon is definitely a food I should avoid, because it's fried and heavy and full of cheese...but I can't help it.  I often find myself choosing my Chinese restaurants based on whether they have this (not the least bit authentic) appetizer on the menu.  While I haven't actually tried I Breathe I'm Hungry's Crab Rangoon recipe, I know other people who swear by it!

I hope this list encourages you to seek out some better-than-takeout and cheaper-than-takeout Asian-style food options, or at least to incorporate soy sauce and butter into your seasoning repertoire.  You will 500% thank me for that one.