What's cooking? part 4

someone took the cupboards :(

why the combo of oils? is sesame kind of strong-tasting? (just bought some, never had it before because i'm a disgusting savage etc.)

that actually sounds yum but i'm not sure about using the yam... i bought it on a whim, hoping it was secret kumara, but it's def not, and i don't like nz yams at all (the little orange ones that look like short carrots). maybe the buttercup would work, do you think?

found them!

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_3CnQQEvhUBQ/SyG8D-v2-oI/AAAAAAAABu8/sP6Zua_s6RA/s640/IMG_0137.JPG

wait there's a second R in tumeric??

tza that is gorgeous

your kitchen is gonna kick so much ass

lol i just checked, can't believe all these years i thought it was tumeric!

it's my parents' kitchen! hahaha mine is like a closet.

sesame oil is very strong, use it as a flavoring, not as a cooking oil

fwiw a lot of ppl say too-meric, not terr-meric.

ime

my mom says toomeric!

i think at one point i was like WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT???

yeah J, like WmC says the sesame is more of a flavoring oil - sometimes you'll see it as "toasted" sesame, which has a lovely roasted flavor and is part of the magic of tasty fried rice. I think either the yam or the squash would be fine with the rice - I'd go for the yam personally b/c it would be easier to peel and dice.

Yeah its only reasobably recently I realised it was "TERmeric" as well, which feels so american and mouthfully to say, for some reason.

That kitchen looks awesome, I wish I had $$$ ;_;

And yes do not cook with sesame oil - its not for cooking with, it'll burn and taste bad. Drizzle at end of cooking over rice/salad.

I think some '70s cooking show host infected the country with the toomeric

lol i learned the do not cook with sesame oil rule in college when i did so and my roommate, who was allergic to sesame, FREAKED when it started burning and 'sesame fumes' were released into the air.

what sort of ratio to canola oil should i use the sesame?

(i don't like olive oil much)

this is embarrassing but could i get some no-fail advice for cooking rice on the stovetop (i usually microwave it)

what kind of rice you got? basmati or regular ol' long grain white rice?

if you are gonna make something delicious like be bim bop or an asian-flavored dish i love to put a little sesame oil in the rice while it cooks. helps keep it from sticking to the pot and adds awesome flavor.

a little goes a v v v v long way

if it's basmati, you need to wash it real good first, there's a lot of starch on the outside that will make your rice gummy if you don't

My perfect-every-time-rice (no sticking, even in stainless steel):

1. wash a cup of rice if it's basmati, don't bother if it's generic long grain (rinse it in a strainer until the water runs clear)
2. saute the rice in your saucepan with olive oil (or canola I guess) until the rice starts smelling like popcorn
3. add 2 cups of water and a good pinch of salt
4. cover and drop the heat down to VERY LOW
5. set a timer for 20 minutes and fuhgeddaboudit
6. when the timer goes off, turn the heat off, don't take the lid off, set the timer for 10 more minutes and fuhgeddaboudit
7. PROFIT

I usually get the water boiling first before I turn it to VERY LOW for 20 mins – do you not do this?

Also I have never sauteed rice 'cept for when making a pilaf or risotto. Perhaps I will try yr method some time (subbing an auditory,visual or temporal cue for the smell one).

depends on the rice. for some rices that take longer to cook i put them in and bring the water to a boil so they get more heat.

i've been thinking about getting a kitchen timer actually

thanks WmC! (i have boring white rice, short grain i think)

Amount of sesame oil is literally in the 2 or 3 drops category btw, shake it like tabasco, the bottle should already have a tiny opening anyway.

justine, your oven should have a timer on it!

and if not that, microwave.

our oven is really basic - no timer!

also: i have a lime. also bought on impulse.

I just put the water in at room temp -- I've sauteed the rice at med-high heat for long enough that I get a big dramatic WHOOOSH and the water pretty much comes up to a boil/simmer immediately.

BTW, J, just use barely enough oil. About a tablespoon for a cup of rice?

Perhaps I will try yr method some time (subbing an auditory,visual or temporal cue for the smell one).

I forgot about you not having a smeller! I think the visual cue would be the rice turning opaque and maybe just a tad golden.

WmC yr method sounds v similar to the tasajara method iirc!

what sort of ratio to canola oil should i use the sesame?

Just a shake or two really. You want 1 part oil to 1/2 part balsamic to 1/2 part cider vinegar, with 1/2 part (or more) sweetener and a healthy amount of paprika (1 Tablespoon per cup of oil) and a few shakes of sesame oil.

so we made this tonight!! jaq, you are AMAZING! i used the pumpkin, which was a nightmare to prep, as expected. that shit is rock hard.

i also caramelised some onions to toss through it, which gave it a bit more flavour.

i used wmc's rice cooking method... but when i turned it down low, the flame went out at some point, so it took awhile longer, but was successful!

A+++ meal, would cook again

now what should we cook tomorrow???

i have the above ingredients (minus the spinach and pumpkin and rice) + a small lime
+ some fresh 'savoury' herbs (rosemary and some other mysterious herbs)

Good spanish-rice variant: strain the liquid out of a can of Rotel tomatoes, reserving the liquid. Squeeze the tomato/chili solids real well in a strainer to get as much out of them as you can. Add water or veg stock to the tomato/chili liquid to achieve your 2:1 ratio. Make rice as normal, adding the spicy tomato solids along with the spicy tomato liquid after you've sauteed the rice.

so i thought the 'drawer microwave' sounded like a bad idea when i was told about it... now that it's a reality, i hate it even more. and what awful placement! one will have to bend over to push the buttons!

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_3CnQQEvhUBQ/Syr_sJ43oaI/AAAAAAAAB6I/cu5-aB-nB18/s640/IMG_0178.JPG

not to mention it sticks out several inches from the counter. my parents are always ruining nice things with crazy accents!

but tehresa according to the sticker that microwave is not only LARGER sleeker but also more accessible. what went wrong??

marketing.

that looks like a terrible idea. We generally only use the microwave to reheat cups of tea and melt butter. I wonder how much the cups will slosh when you open and close that drawer?

In other news, 2 pans of 7 layer bars in the oven for tomorrow's pitch-in. One standard, one with layer 7b (candied ginger bits).

yeah we are kind of chat-fiting about it now. well, 'disagreeing' bc i think it's stupid and he swears it's not. but whatever, his kitchen!

but we can truly go "Freezer or fridge to M/W" in 2 secs flat

he says...

it's also adjacent to the busiest pathway in the house - everyone always walks through the kitchen to the dining/living rooms that way instead of using the other hall. "there was no other place to put it." uhhh what about... anywhere in the giant kitchen???

ok i'm stopping.

Time from fridge to nuker has never been on my kitchen necessity list, tbh.

yeahhhhhhh

i think he was trying to come up with ridiculous justifications?