My Journey toward a life of Vegetarianism
- Thread starter Kenbushway
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Whoever first mentioned Better than Boullion (TSQ?), thank you for the idea. I picked up some of their mushroom base today.
Wiki has a good chart on smoke points: Here.
And to put in perspective, for the better part of the last few centuries probably 90% of all sautés were done with butter. Butter's smoke point is only 350F. And you can sear any fish, poultry, and most meat in butter before it reaches its smoke point.
Even the most refined/purest EVOO doesn't start to smoke until 365F (the "generic" stuff at 375F). If you're really worried about it and still prefer the taste of olive oil, then lesser or "virgin" (without the extra) has an even higher smoke point.
And honestly, as I said up thread, if your pan reaches those temperatures, it's just too hot. Ignoring what I saying about the nutrients, it's just poor cooking technique. Any culinary textbook will cite 315-330F as the ideal range for sautéing vegetables.
This is usually 5-8 on the burner dial--this various depending on the range and whether or not your stove top is gas or electric. Really the only time you should ever have the dial all the way up is when you're boiling water.
Also remember "sauté" isn't so much about the heat as it is the technique. A pan toss may look fancy on TV, but there's actually a practical reason for doing it, and it really isn't nearly as hard as it looks. You can learn to do it in a day or two. There are dozens of vids on YT on how to do it. Watch a few and pick up some pointers.
The other thing to consider is your pan. If you're only cooking vegetables, then a good 8" non stick (Not Teflon!) skillet is all you need. Some prefer stainless steal for meat because it produces a better sear, but the focus here is veggies. Finding one that's light but sturdy and well balanced will help with the tossing. And of course you also want it to heat evenly, such that you won't actually need any oil at all except to add flavor.
You can find a good one for pretty cheap if you look around. If you have a restaurant supply store in your town, that's the place to go. Stay away from the budget lines (Target/Walmart) or the designer ones (BB&B and department stores) The later will obviously be much better, but whatever you find is bound to be overpriced.
If you can't find a supply store, Amazon is a good place to buy cookware, believe it or not. They actually have some pretty good stuff that isn't overly expensive.
TONIGHT! In teacake's house!
A tawdry tale of the inevitable downfall of all that is good in this world!
This story is now over, indeed digestion is upon it, but we shall never forget.
A tawdry tale of the inevitable downfall of all that is good in this world!
This story is now over, indeed digestion is upon it, but we shall never forget.
^BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
I'm actually boiling some brussels sprouts right now. I've put them in the pot with some Better Than Bouillon vegetable base (and that was me who recommended it, Tora Ziyal, and you're welcome! 
) and a couple drops of sesame oil. I love sesame oil because the flavor is so intense that really a few drops is all you need.
Brussels sprouts I cook thoroughly. I said upthread that I wouldn't be opposed to trying them raw, then I remembered why I boil them so long in the first place: to get rid of all the horribly painful gas. Undercooked sprouts wreak havoc on my tummy.
) and a couple drops of sesame oil. I love sesame oil because the flavor is so intense that really a few drops is all you need. Brussels sprouts I cook thoroughly. I said upthread that I wouldn't be opposed to trying them raw, then I remembered why I boil them so long in the first place: to get rid of all the horribly painful gas. Undercooked sprouts wreak havoc on my tummy.
Tonight I put some tomato kasundi all over the brussel sprouts and capsicums before I roasted them, it is very chilliefied and full of flavour. I have dolloped plain yogurt on top and it is totally delicious. TOTALLY DELICIOUS.
Today my sweet tooth was nagging me, so I made a salad of chopped cucumber, white onion, pepino dulce, celery, grapes, blueberries, oil, and lemon juice. It was lovely.
Does anyone know a good Falafel recipe? I looked up a couple and people commented they fell apart and I don't want to add egg.
YUM.
Okay this is veg so I'm posting it here though I posted it well south of here already. Veg Bento box, totally fast food and full of fried stuff, no where near my favorite veg Bento but on a cold day this was lovely.
Fried tofu with teriyaki sauce, seaweed salad, veg gyoza, rice with seasoning and pickled ginger in the middle. Came with miso soup.
Okay this is veg so I'm posting it here though I posted it well south of here already. Veg Bento box, totally fast food and full of fried stuff, no where near my favorite veg Bento but on a cold day this was lovely.
Fried tofu with teriyaki sauce, seaweed salad, veg gyoza, rice with seasoning and pickled ginger in the middle. Came with miso soup.
I have made it a few times but now I just buy the packets and make it from them. It is a huge huge task (in my experience anyway) making it from scratch and the packets taste fine. Then again I was making it from dried chick peas, I bet if you are using canned it is quicker. Must investigate!!
Not sure what other binding agents you would add.. I haven't made it in years though so I'm just blathering here.
I might try the packets then. 
ETA: I am trying to avoid meat and Falafel would help with one thing I enjoy usually with chicken.
ETA: I am trying to avoid meat and Falafel would help with one thing I enjoy usually with chicken.
Falafel is a great meat substitute. I think if I managed to perfect making it with canned chick peas I would play around with totally altering the flavours, get rid of the cumin and use something different. Mint with yoghurt. Jalapenos and cheese (oh.. this sounds great..). Throw in some black beans and mexiicanize it.
Isn't it mostly fried? I rarely fry stuff, I need a recipe that is baked and has canned chick peas. And then I can go nuts.
Isn't it mostly fried? I rarely fry stuff, I need a recipe that is baked and has canned chick peas. And then I can go nuts.
There's a great falafel place about a five minute walk from my apartment. It's owned by three Egyptian guys (one of whom I kind of have a crush on), and after business took off they hired a couple more guys, both Mexican. You can always tell when the Mexican guys made the hummus and falafel, because the balance of spices changes drastically. Mexicanized middle eastern food is delicious!
My favorite flavorings are Asian, Mexican & what qualifies as American Southern BBQ. LOL.
Which Asian? There's a whole lot of different and distinctive cuisines in Asia!
I am totally over cumin. It happened virtually overnight. I think thai basil came in, suffocated cumin with its astringent yet buttery wonderfulness and took up residence where the cumin had been loitering around for a few decades.
Mostly I eat asian food and if it's plain stuff I'm having at home with no asian influence I will jalapeno-ize it or cover it in chilli flakes.
Mostly I eat asian food and if it's plain stuff I'm having at home with no asian influence I will jalapeno-ize it or cover it in chilli flakes.
Oh my bad. Chinese.
ETA: Every time I see this thread I think; My Journey Toward FEARLESS!
Ignore me. 
As to which asian, well my city is mostly asian as far as eating out goes so I will say: all. I like real chinese (not the anglicized food court stuff, if they don't have intestines and varying feet on the menu they will be meh), korean, vietnamese for freshness, thai sometimes though it is over salty, japanese would be my least favorite. There are dumplings everywhere here, they are the cheapest and most ubiquitous quick food to buy. I could write about this all day. ALL DAY. Believe me you don't want me to do that. I make a lot of stuff now that I used to seek out, like green papaya salad which is dirt cheap to make and I am in love with it.
I'm not as into Chinese food, though I assume that comes from ignorance of the true variety. I've had a handful of home-cooked Cantonese meals and those were pretty tasty. I love Korean food. Like you I'm not as fond of Japanese food. I really like some, but I'm too picky about seafood and there is just so much seafood in Japanese cuisine that it limits what I enjoy. I think Indian and Thai are my favorite Asian cuisines in general. I just love curries and spices.
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