How do I wean my girlfriend into Chinese/Thai food?

tr3mor

Since living with my girlfriend over the past couple of years I've managed to change her tastes dramatically. When we moved in she wouldn't eat curries, vegetables, gravy, potatoes other than chips/mash, rice, pies, etc. All of which she now enjoys. The only things she would eat were pizza/pasta and oven type foods.

Obviously I'm having great success, but how do I get her to like Chinese food? Surely everyone loves Chinese!

I think it's the sticky sweet texture that puts her off it.

I don't want us to eat things like sugary MSG laden sweet and sour, just some nice stirfries and things for a change. And it would be nice to be able to go to some of the huge number of buffets in Manchester.

Could anyone suggest any recipes that are close enough to Indian food for a start so she doesn't realise I'm doing Chinese??

hazzie123

You could always dump her and go out with me,I love chinese food:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Only joking (maybe!):rotfl:

caffeinehit

Thai should be easy - just add some coconut milk and a bit of basil and lemongrass to a basic Indian curry paste (I like balti). If she likes that you could try adding fish sauce and other Thai flavourings.

Not sure about Chinese but could you start with a basic stir fry with fresh ginger and a bit of soy sauce, and gradually introduce new flavours?

organic_wanabe

Wish my OH enjoyed cooking! What about making one of the versions of Egg Fried Rice posted recently. She obviously eats rice (with curry) and if she likes egg and a bit of veg (peas/spring onions) she might enjoy it and then progress from there. Good luck - you're doing a great job.

freakshadow4

caffeinehit wrote:

Thai should be easy - just add some coconut milk and a bit of basil and lemongrass to a basic Indian curry paste (I like balti). If she likes that you could try adding fish sauce and other Thai flavourings.

Asda do a wee pack of Thai stuff (Lemongrass, garlic, galangal, chillies etc) in the fresh produce dept. I think it's about 90p. Decide on an acceptable selection (I'm not sure even I would recommend using all of the chillies and garlic in the pack in one go!), blitz the lot in a food processor, bung it all in a stir fry, add some creamed coconut or a tin of coconut milk (I think the creamed coconut works out cheaper, anyone out there know for sure?), stick in some fresh basil (some in the pre-blitz mix, some in the stir fri), and wahey, I'm hungry just thinking about it!

You needn't use all of the pack in one sitting, and the leftover fresh basil can also go in yer next italian bolognaise.

For a good litmus test, give her a smell of the blitzed mixture before cooking it and see what she thinks. Personally it drives me wild!

NB, remember to take out the chilli seeds if she doesn't like it too spicy. Full chilli safety protocols should be observed at all times!

tr3mor

Thanks for all the suggestions, she loves spicy food and garlic so that's not a problem. She hates coconut though

hazzie123 wrote:

You could always dump her and go out with me,I love chinese food:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Only joking (maybe!):rotfl:

Oooh, done and done!

lynzpower

i too hate those gloopy sauces

But a decent chinese makes me weak in the knees

what about starting off with some prawn toasts ( you can do these easily yourself) prawn crackers ( buy the dry ones & fry off yourself) , spring rolls, ( bit trickier, but if she likes samosas, these are not far off, if you cant cook them and I have struggles M&S ones are good and good value at about 2 quid for 6 opf the veggie ones ) or duck & pancakes ?

Chinese curry & rice isnt far away, different veg though, with your bamboo shoots, water chestnuts . Mayflower is a chinese curry sauce sell in farmfoods and a lot of chinese shops

If she doesnt like these then give up there! And scoff it all yourself and give her a chowmein pot noodle!

fabwitch_2

My Husband had never had chinese or indian food befor he met me I started him off simple bits like Vegatarian pancake rolls and chowmein., egg fried rice , special fried rice. Now he loves all types of indian and chinese food. Does your girlfriend like sea food as you could try sweet and sour king prawn balls in batter. If she is not keen on the sauce you can leave it out. My mouth is watering just thinking about chinese food

lynzpower

me too fabwitch, thats whats on the menu tonight, Ive just decided!!!

holstar

why is it so important that she likes Chinese if she doesn't like it, she doesn't like it.

tr3mor wrote:

Surely everyone loves Chinese!

umm, no! hate hate hate hate it!

tr3mor

She'll eat all the starters and prawn crackers etc and fried rice.

If I use things like vinegar and honey, or five spice in anything she'll immediately turn her nose up and say it smells chinese