Food, Drink & Dining Out Learning to cook

[Beerfish]

I've been making a grilled vegetable salad recently which I really like. Just slice up some zuchinni, eggplant, red onion, asparagus, capsicum, mushrooms, haloumi. Grill on the bbq. Dice up some sweet potato. Roast that in the oven. Put it all together in a bowl with some strained tinned lentils and dress with a balsamic dressing (or whatever you prefer). Delicious.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Also, a good cast iron skillet is decent investment. You can cook so many different things with it.

 

[RonSon]

Start by keeping it simple e.g. Stir-fry, pasta etc.

Exactly what I came here to post.

Make a pasta dish or cook a piece of meat and make a side salad.

Stir fry or curry and steamed rice.



Get more complicated from there.

 

[GWBogan]

Do the almonds need to be activated?

According to this campaigner, they do...

 

[Yidaki]

Simple coconut chicken curry. I make this at least once a week. You can substitute the chicken for beef (rump cuts).

Ingredients:

• Onion (1 medium/large diced finely)
  
• Garlic (3-5 cloves diced finely)
• Curry Powder (1 tsp)
• Garam Masala (1/2 tsp)
• Cumin (1/2 tsp)
• Turmeric (1 tsp)
• Ginger (can be either fresh or powder) (3/4 tsp)
• Coriander Powder (1 tsp)
• Coconut sugar (1/4 to a 1/2 tsp)
• 1 can coconut milk/cream
• 1/2 lemon
• 400-500g of chicken (can either be thighs or breasts) cut into 1.5-2cm cubes.
  
• Coconut oil
  
• Vegetables: whatever you want really. I use kale and zucchini. Potatoes work well to. Don't add to many veggies though as it will spoil the curry.
  
• Himalayan Salt
• Pepper

Steps

1. Put 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil into a pan and heat up. Add onion and garlic and saute on a medium heat for about 4-5mins until translucent at the edges and softish overall.
   
2. While the onions and garlic are cooking, add all your spices (also add about 1/2 tsp of Himalayan salt and a few cracks of pepper) into a mug and add some warm water so that you can make it into a paste. Not thick, but not watery either. You have to be able to pour it. If you're using fresh ginger, add this to step one instead of step 2.
3. Once onions and garlic have been sauteed, add the paste and heat through for about 2-3 mins so that you can smell the spices. If it gets dry and begins sticking to the pan, add a few dashes of water. Add the sugar at this stage too.
   
4. Add the chicken and mix through the spices and heat this through for about 5-10mins on a low-medium heat. What you are doing is seasoning the meat whilst slighting cooking it on the the outside. You will have to stir it fairly often during this period. If you are using thighs, then the fat from this will help to keep things moist without having to add extra oil or water. If it gets dry (which is rare) just add a dash of either oil or water.
5. Once done, add 1/2 of the coconut milk and stir through.
6. Add your veggies. I use 2-3 medium zucchinis diced into cubes. I add about 1-2 cups of diced kale with the stalk removed. If using potatoes, three to four should do the trick. Cut them into cubes too.
7. Add another few cracks of the salt shaker.
   
8. Add some water until it looks like most things are floating.
   
9. Let it simmer covered for about on a low-medium heat for 30 to 40 mins. The longer the better. It will take longer to cook the potatoes.
10. At about the 20-25min mark above, add the remaining coconut milk and squeeze the lemon juice into the pan and stir through.
    
11. Cook for the remaining time specified above.
    
12. I like my curry quite saucy. If it's too watery, either take the lid of and reduce it down until you reach the desired consistency, or you can add 1-2 tsps of peanut butter and cook for a little bit longer.
13. Serve with rice or by itself if you are looking for a more paleo friendly dish

 

[Catfish Alley]

I like to cook but don't get the Himalayan salt thing. Why is it better than regular rock salt?

 

[GWBogan]

I like to cook but don't get the Himalayan salt thing. Why is it better than regular rock salt?

Sounds like a pretentious hipster form of salt.

 

[Shane Sheridan]

I prefer my vegetables uncultured. A zucchini telling me to GAGF makes sure I don't get too far ahead of myself.

 

[Beerfish]

I like to cook but don't get the Himalayan salt thing. Why is it better than regular rock salt?

Because it's pink.

 

[The Lemon]

An easy as **** curry. I use Poh's recipe.

Make the rempah in a blender, parboil the potatoes and you're ****ing apples m8

 

[Yidaki]

I like to cook but don't get the Himalayan salt thing. Why is it better than regular rock salt?

Because of its taste and exceptional mineral profile.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Mmm...mineral profile

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Hey buddy, if you're a novice, start with making your own pizza dough. 100 times nicer than anything bought. Hard to eff up too (use bread flour!)

I love cooking and just taught my missus how to make dough. Eating smoked salmon and goats cheese pizzas now. Will teach my three year old this too when I see her next

I can't get pizza dough right. Ends up being flat and heavy, no matter how much it rises before being shaped. I must be over-working it and all the air coming out or something.

Then again, I cant boil an egg. Boiling water is a stretch, cheese toasties way beyond me. And this after fending for myself for 25 years.

 

[The Lemon]

I can't get pizza dough right. Ends up being flat and heavy, no matter how much it rises before being shaped. I must be over-working it and all the air coming out or something.

Hard to **** it up. A pizza stone in the oven for about 90 mins helps. A light base will puff up nice in 10 mins.

With pizza, less is more. People who overstack pizza toppings shit me. 3 toppings is enough

 

[Plugger35]

Problem solved

 

[04 Durif]

According to this campaigner, they do...

My stevia levels are dangerously low

 

[GWBogan]

Problem solved

That would be popular with Chrisco hamper customers.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

Problem solved

I'm not sure whether this makes me want to puke, or cry. Maybe both.

(still would).

 

[The Lemon]

A good chicken schnitzel is a proven winner.

Easy AF

 

[Catfish Alley]

I haven't done a schnitzel for ages! What's the best way to crumb it?

 

[The Lemon]

I haven't done a schnitzel for ages! What's the best way to crumb it?

I have large bowls of Flour, Beaten egg and Breadcrumbs.

Slice your chicken breast and tenderise. Put the tenderised chicken in the flour and coat it completely. Put the floured chicken in the egg and use tongs to ensure both sides are completely coated. Pick it up, let the drips drop for a bit and then in the breadcrumbs.

Flip to coat both sides, pushing down with knuckles to ensure a tight packed coat.

Repeat and pan fry. Wowee lovely

 

[kickazz]

Jimmy Oliver is a horrible, bland cook.

Dunno about horrible but yeah he does pretty simple food, could argue bland

Problem solved

Looks horrible but I have to try it.

 

[Beerfish]

Slice your chicken breast and tenderise.

Why do you tenderise chicken?

 

[The Lemon]

Why do you tenderise chicken?

Old lady told me to do it, so I have always done it. it works because the chicken is phenomenal

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

Why do you tenderise chicken?

I was told it makes it an even thickness all over so it cooks evenly