Good morning…today’s reader Q/A below discusses foods that are more difficult to recreate at home and usually worth going out for.

• We’re curious — what kinds of food are you willing to splurge on? Reply to let us know!

TRY SOMETHING NEW 🤯

Papaya salad

Som tum (sometimes som tam) is a Thai style papaya salad that uses green, unripe papaya (but could be made with shredded cabbage or carrots if you can’t find it).

• You can make it as spicy or funky as you like — just dial the chilis and fish sauce accordingly.

Som tum components

• Green papaya, shredded or very thinly sliced into thin batons

• Supporting vegetables: green beans & tomatoes, roughly chopped

• Aromatics: garlic cloves, destemmed Thai chilis, ginger, & peanuts

• Dressing: Sugar, salt, fish sauce, and lime juice, all to taste

Instructions

1) Crush the aromatics: In a mortar & pestle, crush all aromatics until they form a paste. Scoop out into a large salad bowl.

2) Bruise the vegetables: In batches, lightly crush the papaya shreds and vegetables in the same mortar & pestle. This will bruise and allow them to soak more of the dressing.

3) Toss & adjust seasoning: Toss the vegetables with the aromatic paste, and then add a sprinkle of salt, some sugar, and a few spoonfuls of lime juice and fish sauce. Do this a bit at a time until the salad is seasoned to your liking.

TOGETHER WITH PERC ☕️

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THROWBACK TIME 🍳

Spicy Cumin Lamb Burger

This burger from Xi'an Famous Foods was a favorite of the late Anthony Bourdain, and for good reason. The aromatic & crispy lamb bits are perfectly spiced and enveloped in a warm crisp roll.

Luckily for all of us, it’s a surprisingly simple recipe to remake at home. Check out the full video or written recipe.

• You can either make the bread rolls yourself or just buy some of your favorites.

Plus, the leftover lamb is a versatile topping for many leftover meals…

THE LEFTOVER SHELF 🥡

Leftover lamb pasta

For a more authentic use of this lamb, you can try Ethan’s breakdown of Chinese hand-pulled noodles with a Xi’an hot & spicy sauce.

• But in Leftover Shelf fashion, here’s a simpler way to turn the leftover spiced lamb into a fast weeknight meal:

Lamb pasta components

• Leftover cumin lamb

• Pasta of choice — try pappardelle!

• Extra olive oil for tossing

• Hard, sheep cheese like pecorino or cotija, finely grated

• Garnishes of choice: cilantro leaves, pickled onions, etc

To assemble

Boil your pasta according to the package directions. Drain and toss with the cooked lamb and a splash of olive oil until everything is warmed through and coating the noodles.

Top with grated cheese and garnishes, and serve warm.

FOOD TRENDS EXPLAINED 🚀

California Burritos

Q: What is a California Burrito?

A: Originating in San Diego, the California burrito combines classic fillings of meat, cheese, & avocado with a dose of French fries — all wrapped up together in a flour tortilla.

• Like the southern coast of CA, the burrito represents Mexican heritage mixed with American culture.

Why are California Burritos so popular?

• Intriguing: Rolling up a handful of french fries onto a guac and cheese-smothered burrito makes for visually compelling and shareable social media content, we have to admit.

• Easy eating: Because California burritos fuse generic Mexican flavors with American elements, they appeal to a wide range of tastes.

• Satisfying & hearty: These dense burritos are known for their filling portions.

So it’s a winning combo. But you don’t have to wait until your next beach trip to eat one — it’s not out of the picture to recreate one at home.

READER Q&A 🧠

Laborious foods

Answer: While we're advocates for recreating most recipes at home, some cooking styles are almost always worth paying for at a specialty establishment.

• Why? These foods require serious time or specialized ingredients & equipment to pull off.

Here’s our shortlist:

American BBQ — Low and slow-smoked meats take hours — even days — to prepare. Without lots of experience, and the right equipment, smoked BBQ is challenging to get right at home.

Artisan bread —Naturally leavened sourdough loaves are inexpensive compared to the time-consuming process of making them. Bakeries produce them in large quantities, making them affordable and saving you the effort of baking a perfect loaf. The same applies to wood-fired pizza.

Tonkotsu ramen — While instant ramen is convenient and affordable, making traditional broths, noodles, and toppings from scratch can be time-consuming and challenging (although a pressure cooker can speed things up).

Sashimi — Depending on where you live, it can be hard to source fresh, sushi-grade seafood for home use. Restaurants have special access to fishmongers in places that might not have a good seafood scene for the average shopper.

If you want to recreate any of these, it’s worth visiting a respected place to try a few examples and take notes.

READER PHOTO SUBMISSION OF THE WEEK 🏆

Superb soup

The competition lately has been fierce, but Gregor S. blew us away with this tomato version of mul nengmyun. Well done!

Send in pictures of the best dishes you've cooked at home for a chance to be featured in a future email!

MORE YUMMY CONTENT 🍽️

A read: Do all hazy IPAs taste the same?

In a minute or less: Why you should have gochujang in your pantry rn

What we’re watching: How to make corn tortillas (by feel)

Food science: You’re probably committing these salad sins

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