Looking for some inspiration, my wife’s out of town this week babysitting he grandmother with dementia, so she’s been eating a lot of very bland, old-white-lady-palate-approved meals (her grandmother once described some jarred vodka sauce as being “too spicy”)
We’re both pretty adventurous eaters and spice-lovers, and I know it’s driving her mad by now, so I figured I’d welcome her home in a couple days with a dinner full of all the biggest flavor bombs I can find
Help me light her taste buds on fire, decimated my spice cabinet, and make my toilet tremble in fear of what is to come.
Lot’s of Thai and Korean dishes for flavorful yet spicy dishes. They are not super easy to make though.
I’d maybe go for a good Tom Yum soup. The aromatics in this are Makrut Lime leaves (can sub in lime peels if you can’t find leaves), Lemongrass, Thai curry paste, and whatever spicy peppers type you want to use for heat. Put it whatever veggies you want, and let it go. AMAZING flavor. Perfect in colder weather.
Tom Kha is a coconut and chicken broth based soup with similar flavors as Tom Yum, but with coconut added in. It mutes the acidity and spice a tad, then adds in that nice sweet coconut dimension. Also delicious.
Maybe try one of these two soups, then some Korean Ban Chan dishes on the side. Side of cabbage or radish Kimchi, naturally.