tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2019364330275165959.post-52162200500469524612008-03-15T10:17:00.003-04:002008-03-16T21:57:21.374-04:002008-03-16T21:57:21.374-04:00<em>"How did you learn to cook? Where did you learn to cook? When did you learn to cook? I get asked these questions often. And often I am stumped because my answer would never be as straightforward as naming a person, place or time. Truth be told, I am constantly learning. This week, however, I thought I'd attempt to answer those questions as concisely as I can."</em> <a href="http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article_affairs?id=56541112">Read on here for more</a>.<br /><br />Based on the subject of <a href="http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article_affairs?id=56541112">this week's column</a>, I thought that I'd share with you 3 of many dishes that are now a part of my cooking repertoire. This first dish of Coconut-Cilantro rice, I read about it 4 years ago in Gourmet magazine. This dish is so good that you don't need to have anything else to go with it. Of course I have adapted and adjusted some of the ingredients to suit my taste such as using fresh coconut that I fire-roasted before grating and grinding it. When the coconut-cilantro paste is added to the ginger-chilie-infused hot basmati rice, your senses are bathed with an indescribable aroma. Promise me you'll try making this dish, just <a href="mailto:tasteslikehome@gmail.com">email me</a> and I'll send you my adapted recipe.<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w279/cynthiaanelson/?action=view&amp;current=CoconutCilantrorice.jpg" target="_blank"><img height="350" alt="Coconut-Cilantro Rice" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w279/cynthiaanelson/CoconutCilantrorice.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />I've also learnt to make a lot of new dishes from many of you, my blog friends and this Chicken Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge), I learnt from my gal Jaden over there at <a href="http://steamykitchen.com/blog/2007/11/24/turkey-congee-rice-porridge/">Steamy Kitchen</a>. This was the first time I had used dried shrimp and as Jaden rightly instructs, the dried shrimp gives to this dish that "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami">umami</a>" flavour so highly sought in Chinese food.<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w279/cynthiaanelson/?action=view&amp;current=Congee.jpg" target="_blank"><img height="325" alt="Chicken Congee (Rice Porridge)" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w279/cynthiaanelson/Congee.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />Now you all know how much <a href="http://www.tasteslikehome.org/2007/09/gimme-plantains-friendship-breads.html">I love plantains</a> so I never pass up an opportunity to make or try a new plantain dish. For me, tostones was love at first bite. Have it with a dip or some hot pepper sauce and you'll be saying to the tostones: "Where have you been all my life?" I am serious (lol)<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w279/cynthiaanelson/?action=view&amp;current=Tostones.jpg" target="_blank"><img height="375" alt="Tostones" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w279/cynthiaanelson/Tostones.jpg" width="475" /></a></div><br />Do you want to learn more about cooking techniques and about the know-hows and whys of preparing certain ingredients and dishes? Well, let me introduce you to a very good friend of mine, Sue. She is the author of the blog <a href="http://foodnetworkmusings.blogspot.com/">Food Network Musings</a>. Apart from reviewing and offering constructive criticism of various FN shows, Sue evaluates by also offering solutions, suggestions and advice based on her more than 20 years of experience as a trained chef and cooking teacher. I've picked up so many valuable tips from her.<br /><br /><ul><li>Read her post <a href="http://foodnetworkmusings.blogspot.com/2008/03/jamie-wins-by-hare.html">Jamie wins by a Hare</a> and learn about coating before frying and what adding water to eggs does when coating before frying.</li><li><a href="http://foodnetworkmusings.blogspot.com/2008/03/today-and-out-to-dinner.html">Today and out to dinner</a> we learn why garlic should sit 10 minutes after we've sliced, chopped or pressed it before cooking</li><li><a href="http://foodnetworkmusings.blogspot.com/2008/03/make-boome-for-danny.html">Make Boome for Danny</a> tells us about heat temperature when cooking mushrooms; we learn what it means to have ingredients "<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/b.shtml?baton">batoned</a>"; and we understand the notion of first deglazing with wine and then using the wine for cooking.</li><li><a href="http://foodnetworkmusings.blogspot.com/2008/02/call-cardiologist-neelys-are-cooking.html">Call the Cardiologist, the Neely's are Cooking</a>, instructs on the best utensil to use when browning meat. Using a pot with high sides almost ensures <em>that steam will gather up the sides of the pot and wash down on the meat</em>.</li></ul>There are many more valuable tips and advice, just check <a href="http://www.foodnetworkmusings.blogspot.com/">her</a> archives. It's well worth the read.<br /><br />Remember <a href="http://www.tasteslikehome.org/2008/03/its-lent-what-to-eat.html">last week's post</a> with my stuffed calamari? I'm sending it over to Marie of <a href="http://prouditaliancook.blogspot.com/">Proud Italian Cook</a> and Maryann of <a href="http://findingladolcevita.blogspot.com/">Finding La Dolce Vita</a> for the event they are co-hosting: <a href="http://findingladolcevita.blogspot.com/2008/02/festa-italiana-food-lovers-event.html">Festa Italiana</a>. You can <a href="http://findingladolcevita.blogspot.com/2008/02/festa-italiana-food-lovers-event.html">find more details here</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://forgivememynonsense.blogspot.com/2008/03/whats-important.html"><strong>At Forgive me my nonsense...</strong> </a>find out what's important.<br /><br />Have a great week everyone.Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01565340772467109199noreply@blogger.com