Learning to Improvise

Be proud of me, dammit. This is directed at the people who laugh because I *need* to follow the Cream of Wheat directions. Yes, I really do.

Today I made mapo tofu from a box mix. Well, don't be proud of me for that part. I assumed that if House brand curry was okay, then House brand mapo tofu would also be okay. Wrong. It was watery and tasted like spicy and oily. I didn't eat it that often in Japan, but I knew it was wrong. I was actually impressed that I could tell how flat and boring it tasted.

So I checked some recipes online, and eyeballed from there. Yes. Be proud of me for improving a box (pouch) of mapo tofu sauce with a spoonful of miso paste, a couple glugs of hot water, sesame oil and mirin, a couple glops of oyster sauce, a spoonful of cornstarch, some grated ginger, and a few cloves of garlic. (Although, I think I put in too much mirin, because it tasted too sweet and I had to glop on more oyster sauce later.) And yes, I made that list so I'll remember for next time. I know, I'll make from scratch eventually, but I bought two boxes. Whoops.