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Scientastic posted:It's that time of year again, when I make a Christmas pudding. The only problem is that we can't seem to find candied peel or dark brown sugar anywhere... Can anyone recommend an easy way to make candied peel (I am aware this might be a loving stupid question), and a substitution for the sugar? Would molasses do the job without adding too much liquid? Amazon sell both of these if you don't mind ordering them
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Oct 30, 2013 08:22
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Grand Fromage posted:So this is a longshot but does anyone have an idea how much hummus by weight you get from a weight of dried chickpeas? Obviously recipes vary but just a ballpark of how much I could make from, say, a kilo of chickpeas.
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Oct 30, 2013 11:20
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dino. posted:When we start with three cups of dry chickpeas at work, we end up with 5 lbs of hummus (ballpark). Whoa that seems like way more than what I end up with. How do you make it?
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Oct 30, 2013 12:29
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Grand Fromage posted:Whoa that seems like way more than what I end up with. How do you make it? Soak the thing overnight in water (or quick soak, as the case may be), then boil it until it's tender in fresh water (because cooking in the soaking liquid is apparently a Bad Idea), and then it gets hit with like a cup of tahini, a cup of olive oil, salt, garlic (a bunch; can't remember exact amount), and anywhere between 1/2 - 1 cup of water, depending on how the processor is behaving that day. Seriously, a small amount of chickpeas goes a very long way. If you don't need a huge vat of hummus, go ahead and cook up the chickpeas. Then, when you're done making your desired amount of hummus, use the leftover chickpeas in something else.
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Oct 30, 2013 12:34
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Wow, that's way more tahini and olive oil than I use. I usually use a few tablespoons. I'm basically trying to figure out costs for making it to sell at a little market here, people are always asking for hummus and it's nonexistent in my town. I had no idea you could use so much non-chickpea material though, mine is probably 80% chickpea. I'll experiment. E: It might not actually be as much of a difference as I thought, I'd never both weighed and measured volume on my chickpeas before. 250 grams is about a cup, so four cups for a kilo. Grand Fromage fucked around with this message at 13:14 on Oct 30, 2013 |
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Oct 30, 2013 12:59
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Grand Fromage posted:Wow, that's way more tahini and olive oil than I use. I usually use a few tablespoons. I'm basically trying to figure out costs for making it to sell at a little market here, people are always asking for hummus and it's nonexistent in my town. I had no idea you could use so much non-chickpea material though, mine is probably 80% chickpea. I'll experiment. It's really not. If you think about it, in the soaking alone the chickpeas gain almost double their weight (if not more). Then, once you cook 'em they take on even more. So if you start with like a pound and a half of chickpeas, it's not unreasonable to assume it'll end up as around 3 lbs of chickpeas. The other 2 lbs is water, oil, tahini, lemon, and garlic. Also, it could well be like 4 lbs or 4 1/2 lbs. This is just a rough estimate, you know? I have the exact yields at work, but I'm at home right now.
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Oct 30, 2013 13:22
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Yeah, I was thinking the volume and weight were a lot further off. It doesn't seem as far off now that I've measured it. Yours is still heavier on the tahini and olive oil but it's not a massive difference. I'm usually just cooking for myself or friends and eyeballing things so I didn't have much of a reference point.
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Oct 30, 2013 13:31
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Grand Fromage posted:Yeah, I was thinking the volume and weight were a lot further off. It doesn't seem as far off now that I've measured it. Yours is still heavier on the tahini and olive oil but it's not a massive difference.
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Oct 30, 2013 13:36
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Yeah, I'm planning to work out a precise recipe. I'm not going to be making huge amounts of it but I do want it to be a consistent product if I'm asking for money. I have some chickpeas soaking now to start experimenting until I have the recipe I like. There's literally only one other way to get hummus where I live in Korea and I can undercut them quite easily while still making a good profit, so I don't have much motivation to cheap out. Small batches of premium product once a month is the general idea.
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Oct 30, 2013 13:42
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If you are a masochist, peel the chickpeas first and make the smoothest, lightest hummus in existence. Then swear you will never do it again, while soaking your newly arthritic hands.
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Oct 30, 2013 13:51
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The first time I made hummus I tried peeling. gently caress that poo poo seriously. The recipe I was using said you had to do it and after that I decided I was never going to make hummus again, thank god I talked to a friend and found out that you didn't have to.
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Oct 30, 2013 13:57
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LOL, that's such a waste of time that I can't imagine anyone would seriously suggest it. Besides, I LIKE texture in my hummus. I tend to use a lot of tahini, about 3/4 of a cup per batch. Oil I don't measure; I throw some in the initial mix, and then as the last step I pour oil into the food processor until the hummus comes together just right.
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Oct 30, 2013 14:14
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Could you use a food mill to take the skins off? edit: I go heavy on tahini and garlic when I make it. It's hard to use too much tahini imo.
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Oct 30, 2013 14:23
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I want to be a cool coffee drinker, what should I start with? VVVVVV: is there one? Austrian mook fucked around with this message at 15:28 on Oct 30, 2013 |
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Oct 30, 2013 14:48
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The Coffee Thread EDIT: Yes, there is. It's in GWS. And everyone is friendly to newbies unless you come in espousing the wonders of your Keurig and why would you bother with this stupid expensive poo poo. lament.cfg fucked around with this message at 15:47 on Oct 30, 2013 |
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Oct 30, 2013 15:09
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Yeah, but be warned, the denizens of that thread are way cooler then you are. Start with a French Press and a cheap bladed coffee grinder. This will drastically improve your coffee, no matter what you drink. EDIT: "And everyone is friendly to newbies unless you come in espousing the wonders of your Keurig and why would you bother with this stupid expensive poo poo. " That's not what I was saying at all. My point was that many of the folks in that thread go far beyond "I grind my own beans", so it can be a little intimidating. As I said, start small. Squashy Nipples fucked around with this message at 17:17 on Oct 30, 2013 |
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Oct 30, 2013 15:43
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Any good garam masala recipes? I can't find a jar of the stuff for the loving life of me. Can't seem to find black cumin either. Did find cardanom, but not the pods. Gonna go run to get coffee and do one more search real quick. e: welp drove around opposite side of my city and found a big rear end south asian place that didn't have much of a web prescence at all. Score. THE MACHO MAN fucked around with this message at 17:03 on Oct 30, 2013 |
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Oct 30, 2013 16:21
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Toasted together: cumin (the regular kind; nobody actually uses the black cumin in a ground application), coriander (mostly coriander), allspice (I prefer it to clove, because it doesn't destroy the grinder that you're grinding it in with a hideous colour), cassia (I prefer it to cinnamon, because it grinds easier), bay leaf, cardamom pods, black pepper (go heavy or easy, depending on how spicy you like it) fennel (go easy on this), dried chiles (same as pepper, go easy or heavy, as you wish), and saffron if you can get your hands on it (not essential, but delicious). If you don't have whole cardamom pods, it's pretty much going to be like pissing in the wind, because cardamom loses its potency in a very short time. Leave it out rather than bother with subpar product. You'll be fine. Toast well, grind together, sprinkle on a thing.
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Oct 30, 2013 17:04
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For garam masala, the mix varies a lot, there is no consistent recipe for it. Second, it's one of the few spices mixes that I don't bother making myself, because it usually contains a few obscure ingredients that I wouldn't use for anything other then garam masala.
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Oct 30, 2013 17:13
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Ok, so I bought a couple of flank steaks from H-Mart over the weekend and when I took them out of the package, I immediately noticed that the meat was significantly more lean and pliable and soft than any other flank steak I had ever had seen before. I thought this would be a good thing but after marinading and sous vizzling it and a sear in the pan it was absolute mush. I used the alton brown fajita marinade and it has olive oil, soy sauce and lime juice (in addition to other stuff). Any thoughts what could have caused this?
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Oct 30, 2013 18:30
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So about peeled chickpeas, are chana dal (split chickpeas) different from regular chickpeas? I think they're different varieties and different sizes, but the internet seems to think they're the same species. Is the taste the same? If it's the same, why not use the chana dal to make hummus since it's already skinned and would cook quicker. I've made hummus with the dal before, but I can't remember if it tastes different since i'ts been a while since I've had the whole. Also, is tahini supposed to be pretty bitter? The jar I have is a bit bitter, where adding an appreciable amount makes the hummus taste very bitter, more than I'm used to. Should I get a better brand?
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Oct 30, 2013 18:46
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BrosephofArimathea posted:If you are a masochist, peel the chickpeas first and make the smoothest, lightest hummus in existence. Just buy a chickpea peeler duh
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Oct 30, 2013 19:09
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Searched up to a little more than ten pages back and didn't find anything, so hopefully this isn't a repeating thing: is there a basic list of really good cookbooks that are generally recommended? I would like to look into a few because some of the best recipes I have ever tried came from the literature (which I found through the internet), but I have no idea whatsoever about authors or celebrated titles or anything regarding the subject. Many thanks in advance!
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Oct 30, 2013 19:19
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Transmetropolitan posted:Searched up to a little more than ten pages back and didn't find anything, so hopefully this isn't a repeating thing: is there a basic list of really good cookbooks that are generally recommended? I would like to look into a few because some of the best recipes I have ever tried came from the literature (which I found through the internet), but I have no idea whatsoever about authors or celebrated titles or anything regarding the subject. This is a tough one because it all really depends on the kind of food you want to cook. Keller's books are always solid, and I really like "Ad Hoc at Home." "The Bread Bible" is an excellent resource for bread-making. One of the books that really changed things for baking for me was "I'm Just Here for More Food" by Alton Brown. He's a smarmy, condescending nerd, but there is a lot of good instruction in that book. Let us know what it is you're looking to learn and maybe we can focus in on specific books. I've also found that a good 85% of the recipes in "America's Test Kitchen" books are solid. If you want to get into the science of it, then you have to read McGee's "On Food and Cooking". Its not a recipe book, but a tome of cooking knowledge and science. He makes Alton Brown look like the class dunce.
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Oct 30, 2013 19:31
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I use The New Best Recipe quite a bit. A collection of recipes and other stuff from Cook's Illustrated.
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Oct 30, 2013 19:34
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Transmetropolitan posted:Searched up to a little more than ten pages back and didn't find anything, so hopefully this isn't a repeating thing: is there a basic list of really good cookbooks that are generally recommended? I would like to look into a few because some of the best recipes I have ever tried came from the literature (which I found through the internet), but I have no idea whatsoever about authors or celebrated titles or anything regarding the subject. The Barbeque Bible. Seriously, it is the very best book. I have an older edition (no pretty color pictures, but recipes and write ups are all that matter) and it is ripped up, dog-eared, and favorite pages are covered with stains.  It's like an old friend. Yes, it's about grilling and BBQing, but it's so much more than that. Raichlen gives write ups about various cuisines and countries, as well as cooking techniques. And there are countless recipes for sauces, drinks, and sides as well. It contains the only sangria recipe that should ever be made. Ever. If you want a how-to-cook primer, look no further than the good old Betty Crocker Red Book. How to make basically everything. Instructions on baking (kneading bread, why cookies turn out flat or hard or chewy, etc), basic go to recipes for staples like biscuits, cornbread, pancakes. How to roast a chicken or a turkey, how to braise, substitutions, etc. It's really good to just have on hand, and if you are starting as a beginner cook, it is really helpful.
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Oct 30, 2013 19:42
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Phummus posted:I've also found that a good 85% of the recipes in "America's Test Kitchen" books are solid. Just a heads up, I found ATK's slow cooker cookbook to be full of hot garbage. It's basically America's Test Kitchen Goon Edition, takes WAY too many shortcuts and even the photos of the final products in the cookbook itself looked pretty bad for the most part. Thumbs down.
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Oct 30, 2013 20:09
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Phummus posted:This is a tough one because it all really depends on the kind of food you want to cook. Well, to be honest, besides the generalist/utilitarian suggestions that you and others have so kindly posted about, I am on the lookout for a good Asian cuisine primer - particularly Chinese and Japanese. A kitchen's hardware guide (I think Alton Brown has made one?) would be fantastic too. Butch Cassidy posted:I use The New Best Recipe quite a bit. A collection of recipes and other stuff from Cook's Illustrated. AlistairCookie posted:The Barbeque Bible. Seriously, it is the very best book. Great stuff, thanks again!
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Oct 30, 2013 21:38
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Re: Hummus chat, is it necessary to have a food processor to make it? I have the World's Shittiest Blender so I probably couldn't rely on that, but I was thinking about buying an immersion blender one of these days, is that doable?
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Oct 30, 2013 23:58
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I killed my mom's immersion blender last Christmas trying to make hummus. It was a lovely one though.
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Oct 31, 2013 00:18
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Consumer immersion blenders aren't really all that great for anything but basic stuff like pureeing soups in a pot, or building emulsions. Even for the former, it doesn't really do that good of a job.
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Oct 31, 2013 00:24
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I used to make hummus in a $16 blender that I got at Kohls. I made probably close to 50 batches before I eventually burned out the motor. Made great hummus while it lasted!
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Oct 31, 2013 01:19
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Transmetropolitan posted:Well, to be honest, besides the generalist/utilitarian suggestions that you and others have so kindly posted about, I am on the lookout for a good Asian cuisine primer - particularly Chinese and Japanese. I haven't gotten a Chinese one, but I have The Japanese Kitchen and also use the website justhungry.com. Between the two of them it seems to be a firm foundation, I've followed their advice and recipes and made Japanese food for Japanese people who were happy with it. The Chinese thread here is a goldmine while you're looking for a book. I've heard good things about Fuchsia Dunlop's work but haven't seen her books. I suspect you're going to end up needing multiple books for Chinese, one for each major cuisine style. A universal Chinese primer would be ungodly huge.
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Oct 31, 2013 01:21
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Tannin posted:Re: Hummus chat, is it necessary to have a food processor to make it? I have the World's Shittiest Blender so I probably couldn't rely on that, but I was thinking about buying an immersion blender one of these days, is that doable? Totally doable. I stab my hummus to death with a stick blender and it turns out fine. It just takes a little longer to get it smooth. Edit: I do have a  stick though, not a flimsy cheap one. YMMV.
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Oct 31, 2013 01:37
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Grand Fromage posted:I haven't gotten a Chinese one, but I have The Japanese Kitchen and also use the website justhungry.com. Between the two of them it seems to be a firm foundation, I've followed their advice and recipes and made Japanese food for Japanese people who were happy with it. Yan Can Cook is a good book should you want to give that a try.
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Oct 31, 2013 01:41
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Tannin posted:Re: Hummus chat, is it necessary to have a food processor to make it? I have the World's Shittiest Blender so I probably couldn't rely on that, but I was thinking about buying an immersion blender one of these days, is that doable? Last time I made it, I made it kind of like refried beans, and it turned out not too bad. So if you don't have a blender, try something like that. I'm a Luddite though, so I don't like technology.
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Oct 31, 2013 03:11
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I'm looking for a long lasting dairy delivery method for my coffee at work. I've tried bringing a small coffee cream package and keep it in the company fridge, but it gets pilfered by coworkers (apparently they drink it black but if I bring cream they'll use it) so I've been thinking about powdered creamer that I can keep in my desk drawer instead. Is there any such product that is not vile? Could you make your own perhaps from milk powder?
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Oct 31, 2013 09:20
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Eeyo posted:Also, is tahini supposed to be pretty bitter? The jar I have is a bit bitter, where adding an appreciable amount makes the hummus taste very bitter, more than I'm used to. Should I get a better brand? It should taste similar to peanut butter, but not quite as "buttery". It definitely has a bit of a bitter kick to it, but not much. But yeah, the tahini should have a kind of bitter-sweet cloying flavor, and then you balance that out with your lemon juice and pepper ratios. Also, I always used Joyva tahini. edit: Make sure to thoroughly mix it when you open it -- the paste and the oil have most likely separated by the time you buy it. 
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Oct 31, 2013 10:01
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His Divine Shadow posted:I'm looking for a long lasting dairy delivery method for my coffee at work. I've tried bringing a small coffee cream package and keep it in the company fridge, but it gets pilfered by coworkers (apparently they drink it black but if I bring cream they'll use it) so I've been thinking about powdered creamer that I can keep in my desk drawer instead. Is there any such product that is not vile? It's kind of low tech, but what about putting the creamer in a plain brown bag with your name on it, or a cheap thermos? You can't trust these people to not empty your creamer without permission, so just obfuscate. Most decent people won't go digging through a bag that's clearly labeled with someone else's name on it. Evil option: Bring in a container of creamer that has vinegar added to it and let it go for a while.
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Oct 31, 2013 14:55
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I just bought a box of the coffeemate creamer cups to keep at my desk. It's not as good as real creamer, but for the small splash I use in my coffee or tea, it gets the job done and is non-refrigerated. The coffee at work is already pretty bad so it's not like I'm ruining good coffee. That, or a thermos is a good idea.
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Oct 31, 2013 15:41
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