The cooking thread for beginners and me

J

Jonny Two Shoes

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Well I come from a background where I never ever had to cook food. Everything was routine and I often had to wash/dry all the dishes and clean up afterwards. It was seen as a chore and of course I stayed out of the kitchen for as long as possible for want of avoiding the chore :p

These days if I get hungry I would just make something simple like a sandwich, toast, 2 minute noodles or anything immediately edible.

So understand that when I say I can't cook I really mean it. Only once before have I attempted to make myself steak, rice and something to pass as gravy because I was in the mood to try something. Well it was like eating sand, sandpaper and water. I love rice by the way.

Quite ironically I watch BBC Food (BBC lifestyle thesedays) almost everyday but have never picked up any tips as those usually apply to people who already know the basics and have a genuine cooking interest. I love Masterchef and that show where they competed to cook for the Queens 80th.

As a start though I would like to know from all you good people who claim to know how to cook if you would be so kind as to share some of the basics :) where and how did you learn to cook? maybe share some basic recipes that would suit a dinner table?

Bare in mind that I live with family on a big plot and the cooking is usually taken care of...I also come from a mixed background of Afrikaans to English style cooking as I have a split family. So I have no grounding at all. I can braai meat to perfection but tend to throw in whatever spices or sauce come my way without considering the flavour :D if they want it they bring it :cool:

Oh and I also won an electric wok from a work function a while ago so any interesting thoughts on that would be nice :)
 
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Well I just love cooking because it impresses the ladies:p (joking).

My mom tought me that if you want something done well do it yourself :)

Thus I started learning to cook from about age 8.

1 Rule and one rule only: Try everything once :D

Also I kind of tought myself by trial and error :o

Something you might like and it is easy.

http://chinesefood.about.com/cs/rice/ht/cookrice.htm

Mix some bacon and mixed veggies(both already cooked/fried) with the rice.

Then bake an egg (soft yolk).

Dish up egg and then serve the rice over this.

Serves very well with chicken :)
 
Johnny, start with the basics and perfect them before moving on. If you were to choose 3 dishes that you wishd you could cook really well, what would they be?
 
My one rule - follow the recipe at least once before you start experimenting with it. :)
 
this place seriously needs a stickyed cooking thread ..... what's this, like the 3rd one already :rolleyes:

get off your arse DJK :p


(or at least a sub forum to accommodate all the cooking threads ;))
 
DJK said:
And there go your chances of an actual foodies thread, blu...:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Oh please, you have threatened to start a thread .... then you threatened (twice or thrice) that you're not gonna do it.

I really wanted to read it, but if it does not happen, it's not the end of the world.
 
I know the feeling.
You are going to make a lot of unedible food before it comes together.
My bf used to say when he saw me cooking that its McDonalds time.

I bought Jamie Oliver’s book. One of the first ones, Will get the name. When he use to cook for him and his wife.
And the huisgenoot se wen resepte thats good easy recipes.

Chinese is easy.
Rice takes about 45min to cook.
Pasta goes into boiling water, rice goes into cold water then you bring it to boil then let it simmer.

Meat- start with what you know. Braai. Now do it in a pan. I like my meat well done so my pan is always hot to seal it then i bring it down to med. But it’s easier if you like it less cooked.

And do not give up you’ll get there. I was the dish washer in the family as well.
I was such a disaster...now i have my own veggie and herb garden.:D
 
Mephisto_Helix said:
this place seriously needs a stickyed cooking thread ..... what's this, like the 3rd one already :rolleyes:

get off your arse DJK :p


(or at least a sub forum to accommodate all the cooking threads ;))
Click to expand...

I was going to, but then blu always does or says something at the last minute that makes me adopt my thick-skinned, stubborn outfit and stop dead in my tracks.

blunomore said:
Oh please, you have threatened to start a thread .... then you threatened (twice or thrice) that you're not gonna do it.

I really wanted to read it, but if it does not happen, it's not the end of the world.
Click to expand...

Shame - all you had to do was apologise...Typical women who thinks she knows best...:rolleyes:
 
Seeing as you like rice, here is a recipe:

Add 1 cup of rice, 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt in a pot.
Bring to the boil
Reduce to lowest heat
Cook covered until all the water is gone, takes 45min to an hour.
 
DJK said:
Shame - all you had to do was apologise...Typical women who thinks she knows best...:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Is this going to turn into another of those threads? :rolleyes: :mad:
 
DJK said:
..... blu always does or says something at the last minute that makes me adopt my thick-skinned, stubborn outfit and stop dead in my tracks.
Click to expand...

That makes me pretty darn powerful ! ;)

Stop using me as an excuse for your inefficiency and slackness :p
 
Interesting :) ty Devill

blu, well my problem being that I have no knowledge at all...no grounding to even begin to cook. So I don't really know what I need to know if that makes sense :) I guess what Devill says...to just make a total hash of it over and over is the way to go. Problem is others would suffer too :D if you handed me something to cook I would look so daft.

Maybe it is wrong but I am led to believe that good cooking is a talent that many don't have and by simply following a recipe you may still come short even if it is followed carefully.

I would like to know how to cook one day if and when I settle down. You know...spoil the woman a bit ;)

My greatest difficulties afaik would be:

1. Flavouring: I have no idea what spices and herbs go with what
2. Gravy and sauce: I attempted this once and it didn't turn out well but I didn't really know what I was doing
3. Time: How long basic things take...chicken vs beef...rice vs pasta...frying vs boiling
4. Complementary foods: Things that go with each other very nicely

EDIT: gee this thread moves a bit fast :p I see some were answered above already
 
bwana said:
How can you improve on something you've never tasted? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Because I am : Legen- hope you are not lactose intolerant because the next word is - dary :D

Also some thing I prefer not to eat and I have better supstitutes :)

I also almost never use salt but rather other spices.
 
Jonny Two Shoes said:
Interesting :) ty Devill

blu, well my problem being that I have no knowledge at all...no grounding to even begin to cook. So I don't really know what I need to know if that makes sense :) I guess what Devill says...to just make a total hash of it over and over is the way to go. Problem is others would suffer too :D if you handed me something to cook I would look so daft.

Maybe it is wrong but I am led to believe that good cooking is a talent that many don't have and by simply following a recipe you may still come short even if it is followed carefully.

I would like to know how to cook one day if and when I settle down. You know...spoil the woman a bit ;)

My greatest difficulties afaik would be:

1. Flavouring: I have no idea what spices and herbs go with what
2. Gravy and sauce: I attempted this once and it didn't turn out well but I didn't really know what I was doing
3. Time: How long basic things take...chicken vs beef...rice vs pasta...frying vs boiling
4. Complementary foods: Things that go with each other very nicely

EDIT: gee this thread moves a bit fast :p I see some were answered above already
Click to expand...

I came from a 'Western' background as far as cooking is concerned, so when I met Mr Blu, I had to learn about Indian Cuisine.

I literally started by buying a few good cookbooks and followed the recipes step by step (no deviation!).

It will obviously work with any cuisine and if you do it often enough, you start becoming bolder and experiment a little here and there.

Normally the recipe books will tell you what foods are good accompaniments to your main dish.
 
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