Takeout Kit is a meal subscription box aimed at helping you explore international food at home.
Each month, Takeout Kit will send along the ingredients to a globally inspired dish that ups the ante on your favorite takeout cuisine. According to Takeout Kit, all of their ingredients have a two-month shelf life—cook 'em up as soon as they arrive, or wait for a special occasion to break out of your typical meal routine.
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This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Takeout Kit Around the World Subscription
The Cost: $25.00 for 1 kit per month, or $48.00 for 2 kits per month. Shipping is free!
The Products: The ingredients you need to make takeout-inspired meals from around the globe.
Ships to: US
Check out the Meals Subscription Box Directory and make sure to add Takeout Kit to your subscription list or wishlist!
Pretty much everything's measured out for you, which means less waste and less time laboring in the kitchen. And alongside the recipe, Takeout Kit shares some context for the meal you're about to enjoy. The recipe is on the reverse side.
This month, we're making Thai Crab Curry and Jasmine Rice. (I love that they list a beer pairing up at the top right corner!)
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 3-4
deSiam Thai Yellow Curry Paste (2.4 oz) - Value $2.71
This deep-orange curry paste came packaged in a plastic pouch. It sort of has the consistency of a thick pesto, so you have to coax it out of the pouch with some gentle squeezing. Word of advice: the spices that give this curry paste its rich color also like to stain clothing and some kitchen utensils (my plastic mixing spoon now has an unexpected golden glow to it...), so be sure to wear an apron and opt for stainless or not-too-precious cooking hardware!
Shirakiku Snow Crab Meat in Water (two 4.23 oz cans) - $9.78 each, Total Value: $19.56
I'll admit, I'm not a big crab fan, so I skipped adding this snow crab to my version of this dish. But I was impressed to see such a classy item included in the box. They give you plenty of it, too. There are a couple things in this recipe that you can temper according to your personal tastes, which I like. It makes me more confident that I can tailor future recipes to what works for my palette.
Takeout Kit supplies about 4 cups of uncooked Jasmine rice, which is enough for everyone at your table of 4 to have one big scoop (or, if you're like me, have several big scoops while enjoying a dinner for one!). The beans were dehydrated to preserve their shelf life, but they sprung to life quickly after being soaked in water.
Orchids Organic Coconut Milk (13.5 fl. oz) - Value $1.68
I know it's just an extra few cents, but I appreciate that they sprung for the organic coconut milk, rather than something run of the mill. It's also cool that this is an Asian brand—it adds some authenticity to the experience.
This coconut milk was a little bit separated when I opened the can, but once I stirred it up (and into the curry paste), it was smooth and super silky. I love the subtle sweetness it adds to the dish, especially as it absorbs into the rice.
The last ingredients in the recipe came in a tiny takeout box—cute! Through the course of the recipe, you rehydrate the onions in water (they don't become as crisp as freshly minced onions do, but the flavor is there) and perk up the green onions by adding them to the curry.
Heads up that the Thai chili flakes mean business! Don't get me wrong, the kick they provide is a deeply flavorful one, but my brow was definitely sweating as I ate. Not a fan of spice? Hold off on this packet, or add chili flakes little by little to taste.
Two bowls, one saucepan, and a big pot later, and I had quite a tasty (if crab-less) Takeout Kit meal on my table. The paper says the process takes about 30 minutes, and I clocked in just past 25. This was super convenient, given my impatient post-work meal cravings. The trickiest part is waiting for the rice to cook. More specifically, not lifting the lid of the pot as the rice is cooking to take a peek. Otherwise, it's all about following the straightforward process outlined in the clear, concise recipe.
And, voila! Not bad, right? The curry was packed with earthy, spicy goodness and more green beans than you can shake a stick at. Seriously, if this is the universe trying to get me to eat more green beans, it's working.
The rice was fluffy and the perfect complement to this hearty stew. Here and there, I tasted very subtle bitter notes in the curry, but they were mostly offset by the gentle sweetness of the coconut milk. Had I chosen to include the crab, I bet its natural sweet flavor would've complemented things even more.
Verdict: I really liked Takeout Kit. I love food, though I wouldn't call myself a cook. But after I made this meal, I spent the whole next day telling friends about this amazingly easy (and delicious) this curry I made. It's encouraging to learn a recipe that you could make again on your own. Plus, $25 gets you 4 servings—for some, that might be a family dinner. For me, that's two work lunches and two dinners. $6.25 a pop? That's cheaper than what I'd pay for a way less filling grab-and-go lunch by my office. And did I mention—as is true of all great takeout meals, this was just as tasty (if not more so) after sitting in the fridge overnight!
What do you think of Takeout Kit? Have you ever tried a meal subscription box?
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