accessible.tips/content/tips/culinary-misc.md

---
title: Culinary - Misc
author: 
  - KemoNine
publishDate: 2023-04-06
lastMod: 2023-04-06
toc: true
draft: false
categories:
  - tips
  - culinary
tags:
  - misc
  - uncategorized
---

## Changelog
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{{< change 2023-04-06 "Initial creation" >}}
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## What Is Here
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This page is dedicated to small culinary life hacks, tips, tricks and more.

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## Uncategorized
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- Time how long to boil 1 and 2 cups *cold* water from tap
   - Put in pot
   - Set on high heat
      - Run tests for both covered and uncovered
   - Time how long to boil
- Check boiling things at 1/2, 2/3 and 3/4 time marks
- Focus on "simmer" for `n` minutes starches
   - Once simmering, pretty hands off
   - "ancient" and "whole" grains are all 15 - 45 minute simmer times
- Yogurt that's "fancy" but cheap and not heavy on processed ingredients
   - Plain, unsweetened yogurt (2 big spoon fulls)
   - Honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup (1 tablespoon ish)
   - Preserves or jam (1 tablespoon ish)
   - Fruit if desired
   - Nuts if desired
- Frozen fruit will defrost in 8 - 12 hours in the fridge
   - Put paper towel in container to prevent water logging and mushy texture
   - Mason jars are a good container for this use case
- Wild rice + long grain rice blends take 40+ minutes to simmer hands off
   - Good low effort nutrition
   - Bullion, broth, and spices can add significant flavor and savoriness
- You can cook rice and chicken together in a rice cooker
   - Search the internet for techniques
   - Ensure the chicken gets to the appropriate temperature prior to eating
- Vegetables like spinach, kale and frozen corn can be cooked *in* rice directly. Just add it to the pot with the rice and cook per standard methods.
- Spinach and Rice
   - Add spinach to your rice and cook normally
   - Saute onion then add rice + spinach + water for additional flavor
   - Add lemon juice and olive oil when serving for a savory but bright meal
- Quinoa has a good, mild "nutty" flavor that skews neutral
   - Good filler for adding carbs and texture
   - Is a good addition to tuna salad and similar dishes
- Toasting grains / nuts / etc
   - Can be skipped in all but the rarest circumstances
   - Best toasted in non stick pan
   - If the food being toasted has a richer smell and / or darker color, the toasting is done
- Low brain, low spoons, flavorful rice
   - Rinse rice (optional)
   - Add 1 tbsp to pot
   - Medium heat until frothy (optional, melt minimum ; sub olive/canola/sunflower oil for vegan)
   - Add rice
   - Stir/mix until rice turns translucent
   - Add water
   - Bring to boil uncovered
   - Reduce to simmer
   - Cover
   - Wait recommended amount of cook time (usually 20 or 40 minutes and 5 minute rest)
- Sunflower oil...
   - Has a mild flavor that goes well with sauteed vegetables, can be better for cooking than canola or olive oil
   - Is considered a healthy oil
   - Works as a butter substitute for popcorn
- Olive oil works as a dressing in many context. Can be a good addition for dry foods.
- Vinegar comes in many varieties, each having its own flavor profile. This can be a good dressing option.
- Honey + Sumac makes a sweet yet savory dip for proteins like chicken or pork
- Simple baked protein with seasoning
   - Coat meat in olive oil (less is more)
   - Dust with preferred spices on both sides
   - Bake at 350 Fahrenheit until meat reaches safe temperature
- Eggs can be microwaved safely
   - Search the internet for more details
   - Results in fluffy eggs
   - May be good alternative to adding dairy to scrambled eggs
- Non steel cut oats (quick, rolled, 1 minute, 5 minute) are great carb treats from the microwave
   - Add honey, agave nectar or maple syrup to make it properly sweet
   - Add fruit, jam, preserves or similar for flavor
- Steel cut oats can be a good "hands off" base
   - The simmer for at least half an hour
   - One the risk of froth forming is past they simmer untouched (after the first ~10 minutes)
   - They can be refrigerated for 5 - 7 days per the internet
- There are a variety of forms of lentil and it can be a good addition for nutritional needs
- Frozen fish fillets
   - Bake easily when thawed
   - Coat in olive oil and dust with spices
   - Cook 15 - 30 minutes until the center reaches safe temperature
- Steamed Vegetables
   - 1 inch (ish) water at bottom of pot
   - Add vegetables (can be frozen)
   - Bring to boil
   - Cover
   - Simmer until complete (check at 5 minute intervals)
- Cous Cous - fast, thoughtless (gluten / wheat warning)
   - 2:1 water ratio
   - Boil water
   - Remove from head
   - Stir in cous cous
   - Let sit ~5 minutes until water absorbed
   - Eat
   - Can use broth, stock instead of water
   - Can add sauteed vegetable and spices to finished mix
- Seeds and nuts for bulk
   - Great for adding calories to meals
   - Great in yogurt, salad and other cold meals
- Easy Teriyaki sauce
   - Soy sauce (low sodium)
   - Honey
   - Ginger (fresh or powdered)
   - Fresh ground pepper
   - Mustard powder (small amount ; optional)
   - Up ginger for bite
   - Up honey for sweet
   - Up soy sauce for savory and salty
   - Mustard for after bite
   - You do *not* need much as it's a thin sauce that is absorbed into a stir fry, rice and other ingredients
   - This works as a salad dressing too
- Granola recipes tend to be oats, honey and fruit mixed then baked on a parchment lined sheet
   - This may be a good, low brain option
   - The recipes ask you to mix the ingredients which can get "heavy" enough to be an issue for some
- Jerky
   - Is surprisingly low thought
   - Can be made with ground meat
   - Can be made with fish
   - Needs a low temp oven or dehydrator
   - Will smell up kitchen or whole floor depending
   - Use marinades overnight for flavor
   - Can roll out ground meats and slice into strips like cookie dough
   - Takes 4 - 12 hours untouched
- Dehydration, canning and fermentation can be helpful for some food prep and storage though the up front learning curves may be high
- You can add spices directly to the water grains simmer in. If toasting, add spices when toasting for added flavor
- You do *not* have to use "official" water ratios for grains like rice, quinoa, barley and others that hold shape like pasta
   - You can just cook them in an excess of water until tender
   - Drain like pasta when cooked to desired tenderness
   - This does *not* apply to
      - Amaranth
	  - Oats (any style)
	  - Cous Cous
- Use an electric kettle to heat water ahead of need
   - Best for gas stoves that take a long time to boil water
   - Use if you "bring to a boil" in a recipe
- Some large pots come with baskets for steaming or boiling
   - May be able to get generic one for helping with lifts and getting ingredients transferred to a strainer
- Peeling
   - Some folks prefer peelers
   - Some folks prefer paring knives
   - Both are valid and use different motions -- one may be more valid than the other depending on your individual biology
- Rice cookers and pressure cookers *are* valid options for cooking meat
- Boiling meat is valid
- Look for "chicken and rice one pot" online for easy chicken and rice meals. This also works for other proteins.
- Slow cooker recipes can usually be simplified
   - Can sometimes be turned into "one pot" styled meals
- Instant Pot
   - Can saute, boil, steam and pressure cook
   - It's a whole kitchen as a single pot
   - This is akin to having a hot plate but more flexible
   - Can be a huge help for not having to fight standing at a stove top
   - Put on floor and sit to cook is valid
      - Do not use on carpet or similar
      - No flammable flooring is valid for use
- Box meal recipes...
   - Tend to be simple and straight forward overall
   - Flavorful
   - Healthier than processed foods
   - Worth reviewing for ideas
   - Sour cream sauces tend to be straight forward and fast to make
   - Wine sauces are tasty with a bite
   - Jam sauces are usually savory sweet
- Stuffed peppers, cabage, grape leaves and similar...
   - Are usually just ground beef (can be subbed), onion, spice and maybe rice as a filling
   - Can be adjusted if needed or desired
   - Are cooked for long periods in a hands off manner after assembly
   - Can be frozen
   - Reheat well
- Brown rice is...
   - Far more nutritious than brown rice
   - Can be substituted for white rice except in rare circumstances
   - Reheats better than white rice
- Fresh baked bread freezes safely
- Fruit juices freeze reasonably well
   - Use ice cube trays for portion control
- Baby red and fingerling potatoes can be added to soup and stew whole usually
- Frozen vegetables can be added -- frozen -- to soup, stew, slow cooker, baked and other recipes except in rare situations
- Wild rice...
   - Is a *separate* plant species from rice
   - Is more nutritious than brown rice
   - Is very filling
   - Has a 3:1 water ratio (ish)
- Ethnic foods skew "one pot" and can be surprisingly straight forward to cook
- Most one pot meals and carbs can be judged for "doneness" by smell, using more than a timer in cooking is very valid
- Broiled vegetables
   - Zucchini, squash, potato, asparagus, carrot, etc
   - Cut into larger / thick slices or chunks
   - Toss in olive oil and spices
   - Under broiler or bake until tender
   - This cooks quickly, rarely more than 5 minutes in a broiler and 10 minutes at 350 Fahrenheit
- High end steak houses generally use broilers and salamanders to cook their overpriced slabs of meat they sell
   - You can do this at home
   - Coat in olive oil + Dust with spices
   - Bake / broil until safe to eat at desired "doneness"
- Ghee (if obtainable) is a great fat to use for toasting rice, it adds a richness that you can't get from other fats
- Spice blend packets and "rubs" tend to list the main spices used (and other crap). You can usually recreate these using component spices
   - The internet has good starting points
   - Requires a lot of trial and error
   - Can be helpful for avoiding filler like "corn meal" (yes... that's in a common brand's taco seasoning mix)
- There are "no soak beans" pressure cooker recipes that simplify the process of making beans
- Any ground cooking can be a danger to yourself, children, pets, etc
   - Related to cooking on the ground sitting being valid
- Adding variety, not complexity
   - Meal prep only base ingredients, not full meals (if able)
   - Keep things unseasoned, add when reheating
- Low Brain Tricks
   - Stick to 5 - 6 "staple recipes" that can be made on auto pilot and provide foundational nutrition
   - Find 12 staples that can be varied over time and swap one staple for another over time so food doesn't feel highly rigid or templated
- Recipe development
   - Find 6 existing recipes that are "close"
   - Look for the minimum of common ingredients
      - protein
	  - carb base
	  - vegetables
	  - spices
   - Make the minimum version
   - Add spices from recipes to fill flavor profile to your preferences

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