MEET YOUR NEW FAVORITE FLAVOR-BOMB
[VOL.12]
welcome to SUPERMARKET.
if you’ve been here a minute, you might remember us as DINNER PARTY. then a very large, very fancy publication launched a newsletter with a suspiciously similar name - so we decided to change ours. because we could.
i’m jeremy fall, a chef and restaurateur from los angeles. i started this newsletter to share bold, creative recipes that are surprisingly easy to make - mostly using just a microwave. some lean high-low, others feel luxe, but all of them are designed to taste like something you actually want to eat.
today’s flavor is black garlic - the slow-fermented, sticky-sweet kind that turns any dish restaurant-quality. it’s what happens when the maillard reaction meets a clove of garlic: caramelized, tangy, deep with umami, but soft enough to spread like butter. it’s been part of asian cooking traditions for centuries, but in western kitchens, it’s often framed as “gourmet” because it tastes like it went to culinary school.
pair that with melted butter and a spoonful of lime pickle yogurt and it turns into a full-spectrum bite. rich, bright, funky, and a little spicy. each flavor doing its job without stepping on the others.
this is dinner that reads as thoughtful. comforting. complex. a little mysterious. and still completely microwaveable.
BLACK GARLIC BUTTER RICE WITH LIME PICKLE YOGURT
BUTTERY, FUNKY, CITRUSY AND FULLY MICROWAVEABLE
this one’s rich, savory, and balanced in a quietly genius way.
black garlic brings the sweetness, butter adds depth, and the lime pickle yogurt cuts through it all with sharp, citrusy heat.
INGREDIENTS
•1 pouch microwave basmati rice
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (room temp, ideally)
• 1 tsp black garlic paste (or 1 soft black garlic clove, mashed smooth)
• 2 tbsp full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp Indian lime pickle
• Optional toppings: toasted sesame seeds, crushed lentil chips, crispy shallots, or even furikake.
INSTRUCTIONS
HEAT
microwave your pouch of rice according to package instructions - usually 90 seconds. let it sit for a minute to steam.BLACK GARLIC BUTTER
in a small bowl, mash together the butter and black garlic paste until fully blended and glossy. if the butter’s too cold or firm, give it a 10-second microwave.FLAVOR
stir the black garlic butter into the hot rice. mix until every grain’s coated.MIX
in another small bowl, combine the yogurt and lime pickle. taste and adjust if needed. you want it loud but not not too loud.ASSEMBLE.
spoon the rice into a bowl, top with dollops of the lime pickle yogurt, and finish with something crunchy like the sesame seeds or lentil chips if you’re feeling extra.
MOTHER'S RECIPE LIME PICKLE
sun-ripened limes, bold spices, and unapologetic flavor.
this jar brings serious tang and slow-building heat - it’s a kind of punchy, old-school condiment that refuses to stay in the background.
WHY I CAME BACK TO FOOD
lately, i’ve been thinking a lot about why i make things.
after six years away from restaurants, i just opened a new concept in the hamptons called drugstore. this time, i’m creating from a place that’s real. not ego. not distraction. just clarity and love for food, community, and building things that mean something.
i wrote more about that journey in this post →
PAIR IT WITH:
whenever you’re cooking or need a soundtrack, you can listen to the DINNER PARTY playlist on Spotify.
this week’s flavor match is “Because I'm Me” by The Avalanches - sample-rich, layered and kind of nostalgic. black garlic in song form.
this combo works with jasmine rice, short grain, even leftover takeout if you reheat it right. swap in labneh if you’re out of yogurt. or greek-style coconut if you’re plant-based and still want that thick tang.
if you want to dress it up add a six-minute egg, some quick-pickled cucumbers, or crispy chili oil.
this dish doesn’t need much.
just a microwave, a jar of something fermented, and a little love.
see you next week.
JEREMY
lastly, your thoughts are always greatly appreciated and make this newsletter better each week. if you've got a minute, i'd love to hear from you in the poll below.