From 0a0c5cf001ce6ba323b973de694dacc4a9840af9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: KemoNine Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2023 11:31:16 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] add draft of culinary tips --- content/tips/culinary.md | 245 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 245 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/tips/culinary.md diff --git a/content/tips/culinary.md b/content/tips/culinary.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..af74350 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/tips/culinary.md @@ -0,0 +1,245 @@ +--- +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 >}} +