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Real Life Cooking Mama: Share Your Cooking Projects!

edited April 2009 in Everything Else
I've been posting on Suffice to Say about wanting to make home made curry along with quinoa, which is a like rice, however with less carbs, more protein, and is gluten-free. This is ideal for people who are diabetic or can't have gluten in their diet. I'm not gluten-intolerant, however I was diabetic-medication-dependent, however with weight-loss and proper diet, my diabetes is in control.

So I searched the internets for various recipes for chicken curry, and finally decided to make it from scratch without using the already made curry sauces from Vermont or S&B. The recipe I used was from All Recipes, however I used regular milk instead of coconut milk, and I didn't use cayenne pepper, paprika, or cinnamon.

So I first had to prep cook by cutting up the chicken, onion, potato, mincing garlic, and shredding ginger. I also added green and red pepper, celery, cilantro, and parsley because I love the taste as well as I enjoy vegetables.
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I proceeded by sautéing the onions in olive oil.
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I then added the curry powder, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and other spices.
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After 2 minutes, I added the milk, yogurt, tomato paste, and chicken. (Sorry for the blurry picture.)
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After I a few more minutes, I added the vegetables and brought it to a boil. Then let it simmer for 30 minutes. I later removed the bay leaves, added lemon juice as well as flour to thicken the sauce. Later: Chicken Curry!
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During the simmer phase, I started cooking the quinoa. Most quinoa is prewashed, but I washed it anyways. It's like rice, you add 1 parts quinoa and 3 parts water. Let it boil, bring it to simmer for 15-20 minutes and it's done.
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I let both dishes cool down, then finally enjoyed the fruits of my labor.
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It came out well, although I think it could have used more salt, which I did add later on. My boyfriend couldn't handle it because it was too spicy for him which was rough because I doubled the recipe. I really didn't realize I made so much. It could have fed a family of 10. I pretty much ate curry all weekend long and brought it into work to give the rest to my coworkers.

It was fun doing this, however I honestly don't mind using the premade curry sauce. Also our apartment still smells like curry.
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Comments

  • Yum.. I really want to make some curry now. How is the tooth feel of the quinoa?
  • How is the tooth feel of the quinoa?
    I'm taking that as how does it feel on my teeth. Well it's a lot like rice but tinier particles/bits. The taste is very plain, so I plan on pretty much substituting it whenever I would eat rice. You can adjust the softness of the quinoa, like rice, with the amount of water you use. You can also cook it in a rice cooker.
  • edited April 2009
    It looks great, I love to cook but I don't have a digital camera, only film, so I can't really post anything.
    Post edited by MrRoboto on
  • It looks great, I love to cook but I don't have a digital camera, only film, so I can't really post anything.
    Digital cameras are so cheap. Also, scanners are just as cheap.
  • It looks great, I love to cook but I don't have a digital camera, only film, so I can't really post anything.
    Digital cameras are so cheap. Also, scanners are just as cheap.
    Cheap if you live in the US, then yes, remember, a really good salary here is about $1.000 a $100 is a 10% of one months salary and to add to that, you have to pay import taxes on it when it arrives, and for consumer electronics, its about 49%.

    I have a scanner and developing film is cheap but unless its street photography or in a studio my cameras are great, I love them, but for things like this, film cameras are not practical.
  • Cheap if you live in the US, then yes, remember, a really good salary here is about $1.000 a $100 is a 10% of one months salary and to add to that, you have to pay import taxes on it when it arrives, and for consumer electronics, its about 49%.

    I have a scanner and developing film is cheap but unless its street photography or in a studio my cameras are great, I love them, but for things like this, film cameras are not practical.
    Sucks. How about Youtubing it?
  • Cheap if you live in the US, then yes, remember, a really good salary here is about $1.000 a $100 is a 10% of one months salary and to add to that, you have to pay import taxes on it when it arrives, and for consumer electronics, its about 49%.

    I have a scanner and developing film is cheap but unless its street photography or in a studio my cameras are great, I love them, but for things like this, film cameras are not practical.
    Sucks. How about Youtubing it?
    I don't have a video camera either, I could buy a cheap $30 webcam though.
  • I really enjoy trying new recipes, so I guess my most recent cooking project was the newest recipe I tried. I had a craving for those Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits, but I really didn't want to spend the money eating out, especially just so I could get biscuits. So I searched around online, and after dismissing some recipes I found, I came across a recipe posted on ABC's Good Morning America's page.

    Apparently the "Top Secret Recipe" guy was one, and this was the recipe he gave out. I've cooked his recipes before with rather good results and I had the ingredients in anyway, so I gave it a shot.

    Well, if this was Cooking Mama, it would have received a solid, "Terrific! Even better than mama!" These turned out fantastic. If they weren't 100% identical to the biscuits I was craving, they were at least 99%. Also, the recipe was very easy. The only thing I changed was his method. He said use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the bisquick, but whenever I make biscuits I just use my fingers. (Learned that on Good Eats)

    So that's my latest cooking adventure. Next time I shall regale you with my tale of Irish Soda Bread I made for St. Patties Day.
  • We have sworn off Bisquick ever since we found out that it is loaded with trans fat.
  • edited April 2009
    Super Pot Roast: (Made this morning before work!)

    2.5 to 3 lb Chuck Roast, thawed
    1 bag baby cut carrots
    2 cans sliced or whole white potatoes, drained (You can use fresh yellow potatoes or red new B (approx. half a bag and cut in half), but this can lengthen the cook time required. You can soak them in warm water so they are slightly easier to slice or half.)
    1 can french cut green beans
    1 can 26.7 oz cream of mushroom soup (the just add water or milk kind)
    1 packet Lipton Onion and Mushroom soup mix
    1 can beef broth (I use the resealable, larger carton so I can add a bit more as needed).

    Meat Tenderizer:
    2 tbsp red french wine vinegar
    1 tbsp olive oil
    dash of minced garlic
    dash of black pepper

    Add together all meat tenderizer ingredients and set in a flat pan or plate. Set roast on the plate and spoon or baste the tenderizer liquid to coat the meat. Use a spoon to push the mixture into the top of the meat. Flip and repeat on the other side. Let the meat stand in this liquid for approximately 30 minutes. The vinegar is lightly breaking down the very outer layers of muscle, which allows the juices to better permeate the meat as it slow cooks.

    Add only the meat to a large slow cooker; discard the tenderizer liquid. Add the can of cream of mushroom soup and the packet of Lipton Onion Soup on top of the roast. Add the vegetables. Add a can of beef broth on top of the vegetables. Set the slow cooker to cook on low for approximately 8 to 9 hours. Tastiness awaits you when you return from work!
    Post edited by Your Mom on
  • I've been meaning to post a cooking thread for awhile. Now I'll just have to remember to keep my camera handy next Monday.
  • We have sworn off Bisquick ever since we found out that it is loaded with trans fat.
    I have no idea about the quality of it, but they have a new version called Heart Smart that has no trans fat among other things, JSYK.
  • We have sworn off Bisquick ever since we found out that it is loaded with trans fat.
    Bisquick Heart Smart has 0 Trans Fat. It is widely available and has been for a few years.
  • Bisquick Heart Smarthas 0 Trans Fat. It is widely available and has been for a few years.
    Is it really 0 trans fat? A lot of companies are playing games with serving sizes and such so that there are .9g of trans fat per serving, and they can then legally label it as 0g. If the ingredients say anything about partially hydrogenated oil, there's trans fat there, even if the nutrition label says 0. You have to closely investigate each and every thing very closely.
  • Is it really 0 trans fat? A lot of companies are playing games with serving sizes and such so that there are .9g of trans fat per serving, and they can then legally label it as 0g. If the ingredients say anything about partially hydrogenated oil, there's trans fat there, even if the nutrition label says 0. You have to closely investigate each and every thing very closely.
    I just did a quick Google and this is what one of the first websites said:
    Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin, Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Canola Oil, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Dextrose, Sugar, Salt, Tricalcium Phosphate, Datem.
  • You might want to do a bit of research before you swear off of something. ^_~
  • I have sworn off Bisquick ever since I found out it could kill me. ^_~

    Ro, unless I am horribly mistaken, rice is gluten-free. I know rice has a form of gluten, but it's not the gluten that Celiacs (and GI people in general) react to. It's just wheat, barley, rye, oats, and things in that family. As most gluten-free stuff has a high component of rice flour, I don't think rice is a problem.

    However, the quinoa looks totally delicious. Perhaps I shall try making some curry of my own!
  • edited April 2009
    Ro, unless I am horribly mistaken, rice is gluten-free. I know rice has a form of gluten, but it's not the gluten that Celiacs (and GI people in general) react to. It's just wheat, barley, rye, oats, and things in that family. As most gluten-free stuff has a high component of rice flour, I don't think rice is a problem.
    Yes, you are right. The only reason why I prefer quinoa over rice is because it has a lower glycemic index than rice. Being Pacific Islander, rice is pretty much a staple food for our meals. I'm trying to get my father, who is now insulin dependent, to use quinoa instead of rice. He is very stubborn in keeping rice intake low in his diet, so I'm trying to help substitute a better choice.

    I have a friend who is gluten-intolerant and is constantly eating rice. I am trying to come up with various quinoa recipes for whenever he comes over to hang out.
    Post edited by Rochelle on
  • Is quinoa widely available in the States?
  • Is quinoa widely available in the States?
    I would think so. I didn't see it at the local grocery store, however I got mine at Costco. I'll keep an eye out at other various stores.
  • @Ro: cool, just wanted to check. If there was some kind of rice that I couldn't eat, I'd want to know!

    @Kate: I believe you can get it in mix boxes (like Near East rice), but those may not be quite the same because they have additional ingredients. You should be able to get it at a store that sells bulk grains, if you have any up there.
  • Here is a Flickr set of the crock pot fiesta chicken that I am cooking right now. Here is the recipe that I used for it.
  • Here is a Flickr setof the crock pot fiesta chicken that I am cooking right now.Here is the recipethat I used for it.
    That looks delicious. Now I want to buy a crock pot, but I'd rather get me a new set of knives first. I've been looking at the Miracle Blade III set for a while now and probably will buy soon. I've used them before and they are excellent, but they went with my ex in a previous relationship. The knives I currently have are poop.

    BTW, how are you with cutting onions. Just seeing the amount you chopped up would have me in painful tears. I have to take small breaks when I cut onion and wipe my eyes with a towel. However, next time when I chop up onions, I will take extra precautions.
  • BTW, how are you with cutting onions. Just seeing the amount you chopped up would have me in painful tears. I have to take small breaks when I cut onion and wipe my eyes with a towel. However, next time when I chop up onions,I will take extra precautions.
    My dad works in the food industry, so he taught me how to cut all the different fruits and vegetables. Also, YouTube is full of great videos that teach you how to chop/dice/slice just about any food that needs cutting. Keep in mind that unless your knives are sharp, and unless you have the proper kind of knife, many of the techniques become difficult to impossible.
  • My dad works in the food industry, so he taught me how to cut all the different fruits and vegetables. Also, YouTube is full of great videos that teach you how to chop/dice/slice just about any food that needs cutting. Keep in mind that unless your knives are sharp, and unless you have the proper kind of knife, many of the techniques become difficult to impossible.
    Yeah, I wish I paid more attention to whenever my parents cooked. If I had half the skills of my father, I'd be set for life.

    I saw a lot of cool things about quinoa from YouTube, and I plan on looking there in the future for other tutorials.

    As for knives, they are pricey for anything that is high quality, so I'll probably stay away from the difficult techniques.
  • Keep in mind that unless your knives are sharp, and unless you have the proper kind of knife, many of the techniques become difficult to impossible.
    I had no idea about this. Do you have any suggestions as to what kind of knives every cook should have?
  • Remember: A dull knife is a dangerous knife.
  • I had no idea about this. Do you have any suggestions as to what kind of knives every cook should have?
    I don't know much about any of this specific stuff, but as long as you have a decent 8"-or-so chef's knife, and you keep it sharp, you should do well enough.
  • I had no idea about this. Do you have any suggestions as to what kind of knives every cook should have?
    I'm not a culinary person, so I don't really know all the knives a cook should have. What I do know is that you should have a serrated knife for cutting breads, a paring knife for doing small things, and a nice big knife for chopping. Other knives are probably good too, but I am not an expert.

    To give a better idea of what I'm talking about, check out this video.

    Does this guy have some skills? Yeah, he has some skills, but it's really the sharpness of the knife that makes that possible. If he had a crappy knife, he wouldn't be able to do that. Also, if you tried that at home with your crappy knife, you would probably cut yourself. You would have to exert lots of downward pressure to cut into the onion, and the knife would not slide up out of the onion very easily at all. It would slow you down tremendously. If you tried it with a proper knife you could be just like the video after some practice.
  • After seeing that video, I think I'll have to send my knives to a knife sharpener.
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