A thread about cooking.

I don't know about you, but I enjoy cooking my own meals. It allows for cheap quality food. Even with expensive ingredients, you can, most of the time, come in at or below what a restaurant would cost, but with much higher quality and healthiness.

So, I'd like to start a thread that involves cooking tips and recipes, and advice about how to start cooking such as, what's the difference between dicing and cubing, broiling and baking, and what tools are required.

I say this because it's been a long time since I managed to get out and buy some food from the market, so I'm excited about my current meal (Baked salmon with caeser salad and couscous) and, admittedly, I love to help teach others how to cook, even if noone has really taken me up on the offer.

So if anyone's interested, feel free to ask about anything! Tips, good starting recipes, whatever. Er, I should note that I do not eat red meat, so don't ask me about recipes for beef, lamb, pork, etc. And, before y'ask, I don't do this for animal rights reasons (even if it's a nice bonus) but mostly because, from the literature I've read, red meat is unhealthy. So I'm selfish in this regard.

But it's fun to call others traitors in regards to mammal kind

Skyguy delanda est.

Moff Taris wrote:I should note that I do not eat red meat, so don't ask me about recipes for beef, lamb, pork, etc. And, before y'ask, I don't do this for animal rights reasons (even if it's a nice bonus) but mostly because, from the literature I've read, red meat is unhealthy. So I'm selfish in this regard.

But it's fun to call others traitors in regards to mammal kind

You're my new best friend. I'm a vegetarian, but I get so tired of people asking me if it's because I'm a Peta-frenzied hippie nutjob; I do love animals, but that isn't why I don't eat meat; I don't eat it because, not only do I dislike the taste of most kinds, but it's far healthier and is more economically viable for myself (I save so much money on shopping) and the environment. (It takes at least 1000 times less water to get a pound of wheat than a pound of beef.)

In regards to culinary arts, I wouldn't call myself the next Emeril, but I do enjoy cooking. I'm particularly fond of stir fries because there are so many different sauces, they're quick, and you can throw in just about anything you want.

Hmm, while PETA can be extreme, one should remember it did do some good things in the past. Not that I know of any, or remember any... I just reason that they had to do something to gain their prominence they have now, in a positive way so they got some support. It is sad they've become something of a target of ridicule for animal rights.

I'm particularly fond of stir fries because there are so many different sauces, they're quick, and you can throw in just about anything you want.

I myself enjoy soups for that reason. Soups are nigh-indestructible and you can add just about anything. In fact, one of my soup recipes (Miso soup actually) I add in vegetables, in the "Hmm... what's in the refrigerator?" way. Oh hey! There's celery! Let's add that in!

Skyguy delenda est.

mmmmmm....Miso Soup!

When I lived in Japan, I used to get breakfast at a little place close to my work....it was a fried egg, rice, and miso soup. YUM!!!!!!

Ah that sounds tasty, Sakana! I do like rice, I have to admit. In fact, I got one of those large bags of rice so I don't have to buy rice every time I go to the market.

Of course, I also like food that isn't Japanese or Chinese and such. Like today, it's fish taco time. Cabbage, spring onions, jalapeno, Mahi Mahi, and some rice of course. Oh, and monterrey jack cheese. Hey, I should prepare some black beans... rice+black beans+cheese is a very tasty combo. I think I learned about that combo back when I lived in south Florida, near Miami and little Havana (i.e. the Cuban section).

Skyguy delenda est.

mmmm....sounds like the fish tacos I used to get on Key West

Now I'm hungry....

I'm lazy...I usually use a pre-packaged curry mix...like "Golden Curry", but does anyone have a good curry recipe, ala japanese curry rice?

Well, I use some curry spice you can buy at an asian market. Red curry, yellow curry spice mixes, that kind of thing. Then, I heat the spices over oil, then add 2 chopped yellow onions and 2 chopped sweet peppers (Green or Red). I add some sliced chicken breast before, if I want to add in some meat to the meal. Sautee for a while, then add in a can of coconut milk. Let it simmer 'til the sauce is as thick as you like it. If you want a sweeter curry, add coconut cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Skyguy delenda est.

I'll have to try the coconut milk....that sounds tasty. btw...not to offend anyone, but today (Thursday) is market day for me, which means lamb curry from my favorite Indian restaurant for lunch! Yum!

Sounds tasty, and I hope you enjoy it! As I said, I mostly don't eat mammals since eating red meat is less healthy. If someone else wants to go eat it, fine by me. Although I might tease a bit sometimes

*lol* I actually don't eat a lot of red meat, but haven't completely cut it out of the diet. Oh...I did make a vegetarian chili a couple weeks ago (when we were snowed in) and used cocoa powder as a thickening agent...the cocoa/chili combo rocks (imho)

*edit* and now, I'm totally starving from all the food talk

I find it odd about the chocolate/chili thing. I'm not sure if it would taste good, but I haven't tried it yet either. Still, I like my spicy stuff to be spicy, not sweet, heh heh!

I find sweet and spicy to be one of the best combos out there, along with spicy sour and salty sweet.

I've had red pepper drizzled with chocolate before as a garnish on the side of a meal. Though primarily intended to be decorative, it was surprisingly tasty. I'd have to say my favorite sweet and spicy combo is dulce de tamarindo con chile, which is a really popular treat where I live. You can buy these huge balls of sticky taffy-like tamarindo flavored candy, and they come with packs of chili powder that you can just sprinkle all over it.

Now I've gone and given myself a craving.

Actually, cocoa isn't sweet on it's own....I think it adds an almost smoky quality when mixed with hot....but at the same time, if you're mixing in something like a butternut squash along with the spicy and the cocoa, you get a really nice mixture of hot, smoky, and sweet.

I gotta go make something to eat now.

sakana wrote:Actually, cocoa isn't sweet on it's own....I think it adds an almost smoky quality when mixed with hot....but at the same time, if you're mixing in something like a butternut squash along with the spicy and the cocoa, you get a really nice mixture of hot, smoky, and sweet.

I gotta go make something to eat now.

Cacao on its own is incredibly bitter. I'd compare it to cinnamon in terms of revulsion, but luckily, it's rarely used in pure form. If you've ever eaten a spoonful of pure cinnamon powder, you'll know what I mean. Nutmeg and tarragon also share similar properties in terms of bitter grittiness. However, when you mix each of these in the right amounts with other foods, they flavor beautifully.