January 26, 2012

TIME-LAPSE FOODTOGRAPHY

Faux pho, loosely adapted from this recipe. (Instead of buying snow peas, I used some oyster mushrooms and grated jicama we had on hand; instead of hot sauce, I added half of a finely chopped jalapeno.)

(I know - who has oyster mushrooms and jicama on hand? WE DO. Welcome to Durham.)

I highly recommend that you just leave work early and make this. Not that it takes that long to make - it just needs to be in your face ASAP. The preparation was disproportionately easy for how impressive the results were. You basically just simmer everything in a big pot, then cook the noodles and serve. Tip: Don't skip on the mint because it sounds weird or dessert-y or unnecessary. It totally wraps the whole thing up.

The most exciting part for me was realizing that I added no seasonings to it (and I am a chronic over-season-er). No salt, no pepper, no... Italian seasoning (my fave). Nothing. And yet - flavors galore. Flavors exploding into other flavors, setting off a flavor chain-splosion. Like a minefield. But not in a violent way - in a sexy way.

That's right - sexy flavor-minefield chain-splosions.

Just make it.