Two years ago, I bought a jar of an identically named TJ's product, used it to cook up some fake chicken, put the mixture over rice, and ended up loving the result. At that time, I intended to do more cooking with the sauce--but then I forgot about it and never did.
A few months ago, Nina was making dinner at her place, and I noticed that she was using a jar like the one shown above--very different (and far more boring) from the one I remembered. Clearly TJ's had changed the recipe, and probably the supplier. Comparing the two lists of ingredients makes it even more obvious that this is not the same stuff, despite the same name. They're similar, but with different proportions and spices.
I did basically the same thing with this as I had with the other one. I liked the result just fine. However, I was less excited about it than I remember being with the original. I'm not sure if that's because of the changed formula, or changed expectations on my part, or maybe the use of a different brand of fake chicken (this time, one called "Comrade Cluck," from the Asheville-based company "No Evil Foods"). The coconut component seemed less prominent, which was one of the things I most liked about the previous version. Most unfortunately, the color was about as unappealing as it could be--an icky gray-brown--though this may have been largely the fault of the Comrade Cluck, not the sauce, or perhaps a specific interaction between them.
Will I buy it again?
Yes. I wish I had jar of the old stuff to compare directly; maybe they're more similar than I'm thinking. But regardless of what might have changed, I like the result enough to add it to my regular rotation.
It is a bit different but certainly tasty. I used it for a curry with firm tofu since i like how it soaks up the flavor, and some veggies, i also used about a jar worth of veg stock to thin it since i like a more soupy dish. I potentially loved it because i added some fresh basil and bean sprouts with a bit of lime juice which made my easy dump and stir dinner feel more fancy :)
ReplyDeleteTtrockwood
I usually add a can of coconut milk to the sauce because I like the flavor it gives and it stretches the sauce for more servings. I'll add some extra spices to keep it balanced (ground ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt usually) and it's pretty tasty that way!
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