Cooking for 2 different tastes - ideas

ikkleosu

Due to work commitments, my brother is living with hubby and I for a few months. He's contributing to groceries and I am cooking him his main evening meal with us.


However, I am finding it hard to think of a good selection of meals that keep everyone happy.

My sis-in-law is Indian and veggie so when he's at home he gets plenty of veggie dishes and spicy curries etc. My husband likes curry and spicy but would rather die than eat a meal without meat in it. I like veggie food but can't touch spicy.

And to make matters worse, the 2 veggies my brother hates are peas and carrots which is my usual go-to veg combo!

Any suggestions of healthy meals I can make that keep everyone contented? Many thanks!

Bronnie

Perhaps your BIL would appreciate a change from spicy vegetarian dishes whilst he's with you?

I'm sure you'll get some great meal suggestions soon, but can't help but think that everyone will have to give and take a bit as regards preferences or you're going to drive yourself nuts trying to please everyone.

VJsmum

Is brother actually veggie tho? You could do a curry base and then add veggies for him to some and chicken (eg) to some for OH. YOu could then have some of the fried chicken with rice, perhaps with some batch cooked tomato sauce.

Have you asked Brother? Maybe, as suggested, he would appreciate a bit of a change. If he will eat meat and non spicy then presumably there is no problem. But if not it's more difficult. Do you like veggie food? If so it's only 2 different things you need to do.

With the 4 of us i often have to cater for different tastes, my DS is quite picky. I often do the same potato, veg for example but with different protein. Or i do a big pot of mash, put some on a veggie shepherds pie and the rest on a normal one. Or DD and i will have say salmon with accompaniements whilst OH and DS have, say, sausages.

kalaika

If I was your brother, I wouldn't expect you to cook me indian food for me just because that's what I had at home. As I'd be staying with you, I would eat what you normally cooked.

You say that your SIL is veggie - but is your brother? Maybe he would actually enjoy eating meaty meals for a while?

Unless there was something that you knew your brother actually doesn't like (like the veg mentioned) or is allegic to, I suggest you just continue to cook whatever you normally cook for you and your husband (but enough for three, obviously! )

ladylouise62

Pizza is good as you can cater for as many tastes as you want on one pizza.

ragz_2

Cook whatever you normally would, it's your house!
Alternatively, let him use the kitchen to cook a meal a few times a week then you can either eat it or cook something else.

Meals that anyone could eat would be things like quiche, pizza, 'normal' food like pasta and things with chips. Is your brother Actually a veggie or does he eat meat?

Kiwisaver_2

If we have visitors I am inclined to do DIY / help yourself types of meals, especially when the weather is warmer.

Fajitas, breads and salads, coleslaws, hot new potatoes or jacket potatoes, corn on the cobs, cold cooked meats or grilled meat or fish for the bloke and there's heaps of thing you can do with different types of kebabs. Then everyone can assemble their own according to their meat or veggie preferences and add sauces or dips if they want some spice. I like hearty salads as a meal, such as chicken or egg n bacon caesar - you could offer up the same ingredients 'deconstructed' and see who goes for what.

My bloke has a very high meat eating profile and mine is more towards the veggie end of the scale. :rotfl: I can rarely get him to eat a salad unless it's served up with pita bread and some kind of kebab (be they meat or veggie falafels) You can up the veggie content with different flavoured hummus and ring the changes with different sauces, chilli for the spice lovers or yoghurt and cucumber.