heat

[Eater of Clowns]

Another neti-pot alternative is simply to mix up a warm (not hot!) mix of what Nigel suggested, although I use table salt, put it in a glass, stick your nose in, and snort. It's a very weird sensation and people outside the bathroom may ask why it sounded like you were hacking up a sea cucumber, but the results are well worth it.

As for spicy, sambal oelek chili paste goes well on nearly everything, I've discovered. Good spiciness, and the flavor is great IMO.

I've heard table salt is a bad idea because most of it comes with anti-caking agents.  So you might want to look into that.  Sea salt as Nigel said will probably dissolve easiest, and kosher salt should with a little stirring in that lukewarm water.

[Reginald Ret]

methanol spray doesnt mean immediate brain damage, does it? also where'd you buy pure methanol? I'm a go with spiritus, which is available in the supermarket

I don't know man, i just don't want it anywhere near me.
i vaguely remember seeing proper ethanol available in some supermarkets(the bigger AH)

ETA Got my hands on a mister.
Will get some neutral tasting vodka next tuesday.
Attempt one will use dried peppers.
Attempt two pickled peppers.
And if those both have funny side effects or just dont work then i will have to actually buy fresh peppers.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

Go find yourself a spice mix called 'Ras el hanout'. It's likely available at many middle eastern shops (though its technically Moroccan so if you have a Moroccan shop, its a sure bet). If you can't find it, then do the following:

Get the following whole spices if you can:

cardamom, clove, cinnamon, chili peppers (dried birds eye peppers are awesome), coriander, cumin, nutmeg, peppercorn, and turmeric

Whatever whole spices you find, roast them in the oven (toaster oven works great)... basically toss them on a cookie sheet and stick them in a 350 oven for a bit until they smell awesome and are nice and toasty.

Next, grind them all together, you can play with the mix based on which flavors you like the most. Generally I go light on the tumeric (cause its bitter) and then play with the mix until I like it.

Now, keep that mix in a jar and use it on anything you like. Here are some examples:

Coat a turkey/chicken/goose (under the skin and on the skin) or use it with pieces (breast etc)
Cover a roast or steak with it
Mix it in your hamburger for awesome hamburgers
It's awesome to kick up most soups
wonderful on lamb or goat

Personally, I like to give whatever meat a good coating of the spices and then baste it in something sweet while it roasts, like honey, agave nectar, fruit jelly etc.

The result is 100% win and as spicy as you like it.


EDIT: Sjaantze says don't forget grains of paradise.

[NWC]

Lots of awesome, possibly delicious, possibly painful, possibly ingenious ideas in this thread, thank you!

I'm going to invest in a neti pot yeah, when I see one. There's a health food/hippy remedy store in my town that I'll check. Meanwhile my sinus infection or whatever it was is mostly gone, and I survived it with half a bottle of tabasco and a lot of raw garlic(which I love anyway, but can usually only eat when my girlfriend isn't there).

And there hasn't been any goddamn curry at the grocery store for 2 weeks now! Really not cool.

And yeah Cainad I tried sticking warm salt water up my nose with my finger, but I didn't  have any baking soda, so it kindof hurt and just seemed really weird.

Sig, enough garlic, enough onions, and you can forget breathing in a confined space.  When my husband cooks, he uses so much garlic and onions that I can FEEL the burning in the back of my eyes by the time I open the door to the garage to put my car in if I've been away while he's chopping.

Depends from person to person. When I was cooking in a restaurant, everyone would leave the part of the kitchen I was cooking in when I made the roasted pablano salsa, where I had to roast about 40 of them, as well as cut 30 onions and a couple garlic bulbs. People the the next room would be tearing up, while the only affect it had on my was my mouth watering

[NWC]

Go find yourself a spice mix called 'Ras el hanout'. It's likely available at many middle eastern shops (though its technically Moroccan so if you have a Moroccan shop, its a sure bet). If you can't find it, then do the following:

Get the following whole spices if you can:

cardamom, clove, cinnamon, chili peppers (dried birds eye peppers are awesome), coriander, cumin, nutmeg, peppercorn, and turmeric

Whatever whole spices you find, roast them in the oven (toaster oven works great)... basically toss them on a cookie sheet and stick them in a 350 oven for a bit until they smell awesome and are nice and toasty.

Next, grind them all together, you can play with the mix based on which flavors you like the most. Generally I go light on the tumeric (cause its bitter) and then play with the mix until I like it.

Now, keep that mix in a jar and use it on anything you like. Here are some examples:

Coat a turkey/chicken/goose (under the skin and on the skin) or use it with pieces (breast etc)
Cover a roast or steak with it
Mix it in your hamburger for awesome hamburgers
It's awesome to kick up most soups
wonderful on lamb or goat

Personally, I like to give whatever meat a good coating of the spices and then baste it in something sweet while it roasts, like honey, agave nectar, fruit jelly etc.

The result is 100% win and as spicy as you like it.

them, and there was a
EDIT: Sjaantze says don't forget grains of paradise.

Sounds amazing, thanks. And this place has tons of Moroccans, there are at least 3 Moroccan stores in my town. And I know one of the owners too. I will check this out today/tomorrow.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

Also, garlic can be made even more awesome by the following:

Chop the top off the garlic bulb(just to where you can see the cloves)
Wrap the bulb in foil leaving the top exposed for now.
pour a little olive oil into the bulb.
cover the top.
Stick it in an oven at 400 for about an hour.

The result is that all of the cloves turn into a soft squeezable paste that you can squish out and add to anything. It's as awesome as garlic, and then some. If you want to complete the 16th century Italian version, you also chop a few fresh cloves very fine and add them to the paste. It was called "Agliata" and there are several variations, including some that add bread to thicken it and a little red wine/vinegar.

It is awesome and can be used on anything. At the feast we ran in October, the sauce accidentally hit the tables early. It was supposed to be for the lamb, but many people put it on their salads, as a dressing... just pure garlic... and they all loved it. Scadians are weird!

[NWC]

If I put this in a jar and then in the fridge(or freezer), will it stay for a long enough time? This sounds like something I want to make alot of and eat forever, so it'd be easier to make alot at once.

[Jenne]

Depends from person to person. When I was cooking in a restaurant, everyone would leave the part of the kitchen I was cooking in when I made the roasted pablano salsa, where I had to roast about 40 of them, as well as cut 30 onions and a couple garlic bulbs. People the the next room would be tearing up, while the only affect it had on my was my mouth watering

Might've been some clogging goin' on in your pipes, then...   But you're right, if you're used to it, it's not so bad.

Afghans have this street kababi recipe that's ALLLLLL raw onion juice.  NOT the onions but the JUICE of them, chopped finely, and sieved through cheesecloth.  HOODOGGIE that's some powerful schtank.  But  the kababs melt in your mouf.

[Jenne]

Also, garlic can be made even more awesome by the following:

Chop the top off the garlic bulb(just to where you can see the cloves)
Wrap the bulb in foil leaving the top exposed for now.
pour a little olive oil into the bulb.
cover the top.
Stick it in an oven at 400 for about an hour.

The result is that all of the cloves turn into a soft squeezable paste that you can squish out and add to anything. It's as awesome as garlic, and then some. If you want to complete the 16th century Italian version, you also chop a few fresh cloves very fine and add them to the paste. It was called "Agliata" and there are several variations, including some that add bread to thicken it and a little red wine/vinegar.

It is awesome and can be used on anything. At the feast we ran in October, the sauce accidentally hit the tables early. It was supposed to be for the lamb, but many people put it on their salads, as a dressing... just pure garlic... and they all loved it. Scadians are weird!

Yup.  LOVE this method...putting it in potatoes and sauces is my favorite technique.

[LMNO]

If I put this in a jar and then in the fridge(or freezer), will it stay for a long enough time? This sounds like something I want to make alot of and eat forever, so it'd be easier to make alot at once.

No.



Garlic, even cooked garlic, carries a risk of botulism.  This risk increases the longer you store it after preparing.  Always use fresh garlic, and consume it within a day or two.

[NWC]

Ok so I'll make lots

and then consume it in a day or two. Cool.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

If I put this in a jar and then in the fridge(or freezer), will it stay for a long enough time? This sounds like something I want to make alot of and eat forever, so it'd be easier to make alot at once.

No.



Garlic, even cooked garlic, carries a risk of botulism.  This risk increases the longer you store it after preparing.  Always use fresh garlic, and consume it within a day or two.

Correct Motorcycle!

However, the work is really about 10 mins, and then an hour of waiting. So its not a big inconvenience and you get the added bonus of an awesome smelling house.

[trippinprincezz13]

If I put this in a jar and then in the fridge(or freezer), will it stay for a long enough time? This sounds like something I want to make alot of and eat forever, so it'd be easier to make alot at once.

No.

Garlic, even cooked garlic, carries a risk of botulism.  This risk increases the longer you store it after preparing.  Always use fresh garlic, and consume it within a day or two.

Well. I did not know this. I haven't done this before, but I did not know that about cooked garlic. If that is the case, how long is it ok to store/use fresh garlic even? This is probably a dumb question, but i am curious now since I do love garlic

[BADGE OF HONOR]

Fresh garlic is fine for a long time, it's just putting botulinum in an anaerobic environment that is dangerous.

[NWC]

I wanted fries but I have no ketchup, all of the stores are closed cos of lundi de pâques, so I'm going to try this

Also, garlic can be made even more awesome by the following:

Chop the top off the garlic bulb(just to where you can see the cloves)
Wrap the bulb in foil leaving the top exposed for now.
pour a little olive oil into the bulb.
cover the top.
Stick it in an oven at 400 for about an hour.

I'm going to mix half with vinegar like you said, and mix half with cream and fresh ground black pepper, which I think will be more conducive to fry-dipping.


Edit: ended up talking to a candian friend, and I was thus inspired to make poutine. I used the entire bulb of garlic in the sauce and it was absolutely delicious