To Serve Bachelor Chow

March 21, 2020 12:30 PM

Can you point me to YouTube channels featuring what I'll refer to as bachelor chow cooking? Particularly interested in non-American versions of this.

By "bachelor chow" I mean dishes that are simple and quick to make using ingredients at hand, and intended for consumption by a single person. Eating over the sink optional. An example for Korean food would be One Meal A Day, featuring such delicacies as Spam Mayo Rice. (Please note: Maangchi does not count as bachelor chow cooking in my book.)

So what are some other YouTube channels featuring this type of cooking? It might not help my waistline, but it will definitely keep me entertained as I try to eat through the contents of my pantry.

posted by needled to Food & Drink (8 answers total)

Egg fried rice - left over rice, eggs, freezer veggies, soy sauce.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 6:00 PM on March 21, 2020

My son went off to grad school with a cookbook called A Man And His Pan.
posted by SemiSalt at 6:03 PM on March 21, 2020 [1 favorite]

Jack Monroe (twitter, website) does not yet have a youtube channel but is making noises about something coming out soon. Some of the recipes are more elaborate than others, many are oriented to people living in poverty and food insecurity and so are simple, flexible, not terribly dependent on fresh foods, possibly working with food bank groceries, and not necessarily having a ton of time or skills. (And yet! The recipes do care about flavor and technique, it's about making the best of minimal resources. There's an entire subset of vegan-ish recipes as well.) UK-based.
posted by Lyn Never at 6:14 PM on March 21, 2020 [1 favorite]

Cookpad! And especially Cookpad Japan. ( it used to all be Japanese but westerners ruined, I mean expanded it). I haven’t looked in a while but it used to have tons of quick recipes using shortcuts perfect for commuters and students. Imagine Japanese dishes but with cheese sometimes and judicious use of a microwave. Oh, and ketchup. I learned a lot about traditional Japanese basics as well.
posted by Conrad-Casserole at 7:43 PM on March 21, 2020

I'm not super fluent in French so maybe my search terms weren't right but it doesn't look like this is an issue for men in France? I did find some «cuisine pour débutants» which is just beginner cooking.
From Gourmand magazine
Recipes for «célibataires»
I have found good results in the past looking for "busy work night recipes" in my language of choice. They do tend to be for a while family but if you're looking to add to your recipes box, they have some good ones. Marmiton is my favorite French site.
posted by fiercekitten at 10:18 AM on March 22, 2020

I recommend Happy pear on YouTube. They are more focused on healthier eating but also cover some South Asian dishes. Their 5 minute chickpea curry is an example. Search happy pear 5 minute for other ideas.
posted by Lucubrator at 1:23 PM on March 22, 2020

Not a YT channel but I made Bachelor Chow last night:

- pound of ground beef, browned
- add a packet of taco seasoning
- add in a package of Vigo Red Beans and Rice and follow its instructions
- vegetable optional -- sometimes I like to add a can of corn

When the red beans & rice are fully cooked, top with shredded cheddar cheese if you like. Goes great with a piece of naan or some tortilla chips. I also like to throw some Tabasco Sauce on it.
posted by jzb at 12:04 PM on March 24, 2020

Some of Cookat's videos are in this vein, like Cheesy Tteokbokki Spaghetti, Ramen 3ways, or Mac & Ham Cheese, though they've got some more ambitious recipes too.
posted by sigmagalator at 9:51 PM on April 21, 2020