What Did You Cook Today?

[Pomai]

In a spin on the ever-popular "What's for Lunch" and dinner and breakfast threads, tell us, WHAT DID YOU COOK TODAY?!

It's one thing to go out and eat (highly recommended), but cooking yourself has its own therapeutic qualities, as well as earning the love of those you do it for (providing that it's good!).

Today I cooked several things...

One was a bowl of "Nama" Myojo brand Shio Ramen, including home-made chashu, which I'm blogging later.

Another is oven style Kalua Pig (using a rather small pork shoulder)...



Gotta' have da' Ti leaves. A must! Hawaiian Salt, check. And liquid smoke of course. Next best thing to Kiawe. Wrap that buggah in tin foil and roast in oven @ 300ºF for about 4 hours. Winnahz.

This will result in Kalua Pig and Cabbage with Rice for dinner. Comfort food at its best!

[scrivener]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

but cooking yourself has its own therapeutic qualities...

Interesting. And what would you have with yourself once you've been prepared? Fava beans and a nice Chianti?

I think this is a great idea for a thread, since one of my resolutions this year is to eat better but to spend less. Today I made a variation of the old Coca-Cola pot roast in the slow-cooker, using Sprite instead of Coke. Such a simple but satisfying meal. Should last me at least a week, too.

The kalua looks good, but have you noticed how ubiquitous in local food is the flavor of liquid smoke? I wonder if there's a better way to get a smokey taste without that stuff.

[1stwahine]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?


Here's how Niihau Hawaiian Salt looks like. Compared to regular rock salt it is quite different in color and in texture. There is also a difference in taste and when using it to cook.

Auntie Lynn

[Pomai]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

Interesting. And what would you have with yourself once you've been prepared? Fava beans and a nice Chianti?

Ha ha! Would take a school teacher to notice that messed-up sentence.

I dunno. I've never "eaten myself". I wish I could!

As far as the liquid smoke, that's pretty much the ONLY dish I use it for. It's the only way to simulate Kalua pig in an Imu using real Kiawe (mesquite) wood. And it works well.

I can't think of any other "'local" dish that uses liquid smoke, or that's smoked for that matter, besides Big Island style smoked pork. But that's another thread!

Smoked Marlin is awesome. And those are always made in smoke houses.

OK, nuff about smoking, here' that Myojo "nama" (fresh noodles) Shio Ramen I also made today...


Myojo Shio Ramen (salt-seasoned broth), with home-made chashu (pork), boiled egg and green onions

I'd say this is eating healthy and spending less. This package of ramen includes 3 servings (shown is just 1!) for just $2.79 from Marukai. The chashu, egg and green onion garnishings easily adds up to less than a dollar in this serving, so we're looking at, I'd estimate under $2 (including electricity and water to cook it) for this absolutely oishii bowl of ramen.

[scrivener]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

What's that red-and-white pointy-looking thing in the background?

[tutusue]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

[...]WHAT DID YOU COOK TODAY?! [...]

NOTHING! Unless you count instant oatmeal, a South Beach Diet breakfast wrap and fresh fruit...as cooking! Will probably have a salad for dinner!

Wow. This thread got a bit racey very quick! Love it!

[Pomai]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

Double post. Disregard.

[Pomai]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

NOTHING! Unless you count instant oatmeal, a South Beach Diet breakfast wrap and fresh fruit...as cooking! Will probably have a salad for dinner!

Alright. We're gonna' have to lay down some rules here. lol

"Cooking" has to at least involve more than putting something in the microwave, adding boiling water or pouring milk over cereal. O.K.?

We'll let you go if it's saimin. But you better add more to that than just what's in the package. `

I'm curious about Scriv's "Coke" Pot Roast. Soda?

Usually when I make pot roast, I use Lipton's Onion Soup Mix as a seasoning. Guaranz' ono.

[cynsaligia]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

I dunno. I've never "eaten myself". I wish I could!

blyeeeeeeeeeeaaaauuuuugh!! reading this line gave me horrid flashbacks of a picture someone once emailed me of a skinny, bukkitnekkit guy in a pornoyoga position. *spits* thanks, pomai!

OK, nuff about smoking, here' that Myojo "nama" (fresh noodles) Shio Ramen I also made today...


I'd say this is eating healthy and spending less. This package of ramen includes 3 servings (shown is just 1!) for just $2.79 from Marukai. The chashu, egg and green onion garnishings easily adds up to less than a dollar in this serving, so we're looking at, I'd estimate under $2 (including electricity and water to cook it) for this absolutely oishii bowl of ramen.

i'd wholeheartedly agree with the "spending less" and "oishii" part, but certainly not the healthy part. have you seen how much salt is in a serving? and sometimes, those half-fresh ramen kits come with a packet of lard. it's enough to give a cardiologist hypertension!

back on topic, i cooked nothing today unless you count cutting up some leftover deep fried turkey and mixing it with mayo & some seasonings for turkey salad sandwiches as cooking. however, i did prep a four bone prime rib roast for tomorrow's dinner by seasoning it with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and rosemary. drooling in anticipation for that meal!!

[Pomai]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

i'd wholeheartedly agree with the "spending less" and "oishii" part, but certainly not the healthy part. have you seen how much salt is in a serving? and sometimes, those half-fresh ramen kits come with a packet of lard. it's enough to give a cardiologist hypertension!

Not nearly as much as that "Prime" rib.

Of course the key is balance. What ramen affords in that is the hot soup, which helps to melt some of the (delicious) fats that come from the broth base and chashu pork.

As for your vision of the "eating myself" statement, that's all in your head. Did I say that right? I seem to never say things right lately. lol

[Honoruru]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

I have a pork butt roasting in the oven. About half-way done. Seasoned with Dijon mustard, lots of freshly ground black pepper, garlic salt, and a sprinkle of kosher salt. I'll have a lot left over for various things in the coming days, including ramen! Not very healthy, but very economical.

[scrivener]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

I'm curious about Scriv's "Coke" Pot Roast. Soda?

There are variants all over the place. Basically, I get a three-pound chuck roast (usually), throw it in the slow-cooker with a bag of baby carrots, two huge onions cut into wedges, and three huge potatoes, sliced. Pour a 20-oz. bottle of Coke over it, add three bay leaves and a few pinches of rosemary. I usually don't salt and pepper it until after it cooks for about eight hours on low. Most recipes call for just a cup of Coke, but since I put all those veggies in, and because I like my pot roast with lots of soup, I put the whole 20 ounces in.

It works with any liquid of course. I recently did a beef and Guinness stew, which was good, but not better than the exact same recipe with a bottle of V8 rather than the Guinness. A nice change of pace, though.

Anyway, yeah. I used Sprite today. It came out really, really good! Thinking of trying root beer next time.

back on topic, i cooked nothing today unless you count cutting up some leftover deep fried turkey and mixing it with mayo & some seasonings for turkey salad sandwiches as cooking.

This totally counts as cooking. You physically altered an ingredient, then combined with other ingredients to make something radically different.

[cynsaligia]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

Not nearly as much as that "Prime" rib.

just because i point out that ramen is not healthy does not mean i think prime rib is healthy.

Of course the key is balance. What ramen affords in that is the hot soup, which helps to melt some of the (delicious) fats that come from the broth base and chashu pork.

pomai, i most assuredly do believe you must be well acquainted with the law of conservation of mass, correct? you would never imply that the fat being melted away by the soup has the effect of making the lard disappear off into, oh, i don't know, maybe fat heaven? or a fat farm, to become not-fat? thereby saving you from ingesting it, of course.

As for your vision of the "eating myself" statement, that's all in your head. Did I say that right? I seem to never say things right lately. lol

***************

now that dinner has come and gone, i'll share that my contribution was a relish of tomatoes and onions with bagoong to go with the eggplant, akule, opelu, and milkfish that eric and my uncle grilled. grilling is a very different experience if you're in <40 degree weather, by the way. oh! i also reheated rice in the microwave. but i don't think any of that qualifies as cooking. eric and i have been spoiled most of this past week with my mom's cooking.

scriv, thanks for telling me you think i cooked today. i've been quite the voracious brat.

[tutusue]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

[...]oh! i also reheated rice in the microwave. but i don't think any of that qualifies as cooking.[...]

It does in my hale!

[Pomai]

Re: What Did You Cook Today?

i've been quite the voracious brat.

I'll concur to that!

Love you!

Pomai