add draft of culinary tips

content/tips/culinary.md

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+---
+title: Culinary
+author: 
+  - KemoNine
+publishDate: 2023-04-06
+lastMod: 2023-04-06
+toc: true
+draft: true
+categories:
+  - tips
+  - culinary
+tags:
+  - culinary
+---
+
+## Changelog
+{{< changelog >}}
+{{< change 2023-04-06 "Initial creation" >}}
+{{< /changelog >}}
+
+{{< end_section >}}
+
+## What Is Here
+{{< back_to_top >}}
+
+This page is dedicated to small culinary life hacks, tips, tricks and more.
+
+{{< end_section >}}
+
+## Uncategorized
+{{< back_to_top >}}
+
+- 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
+
+{{< back_to_top >}}
+