Cooking!

So, I've been chatting with another Otaku on MO for a while now, and it came out she never had Rutabagas (they are basically german turnips). Since I love cooking with them, I couldn't believe someone never even tried them. But then again, it's a kind of country specific food. Do you guys like to cook? And if so, do you ever cook something that someone else might have never even had or heard of? Tell me about your culinary experiences. And even if it's not that exotic or whatever, share your favourite recipes and tell me what you like to cook.

Actually, I just made some fried gnocci and ground hamburger in spicy tomato sauce for a couple friends the other night. Gnocci is like a potato noodle. But you cut them into around bite-sized bits and boil them. While they're boiling I start the sauce and let the ground hamburger meat cook and brown. The sauce is just a canned tomato sauce base, but I add some Frank's Red Hot and finely diced jalapenos and let it cook down. Finally take the now boiled gnocci and lightly fry it in a sauce pan with some garlic seasoned butter. You get a crisp crunch with a smooth, potato interior. Lastly fix the plates, mix the hamburger and gnocci, and pour the sauce over it. Top it all off with a little salt and pepper to taste, I also like a little Parmesan on mine. I have a few other recipes too. I make a mean meat and bean base chili con carne.

Aw yeah, bring it, I love chili and make it myself rather often! :D And if anyone is interested, in collaboration with my mother (who is vegetarian) I created (through trial and error) a recipe for vegetarian Lasagne, which tastes like and has exactly the same consistency of regular Lasagne! It's like magic I tell you. Vegetarian magic! No concessions for the poor veggies!

I'm going to explain how I make my curry. ^_^ Ingredients 4-6 oz of meat of choice (I usually use stew cut beef) 1 1/2 cups cut potatoes 1 1/2 cups cut carrots 1/2 medium size diced onion 1 teaspoon diced garlic 2 tbsp. of olive oil 1 to 2 tbsp. of curry (I don't really measure it but I use a lot - it depends on personal taste) 1 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp of chili powder 1/2 tsp of cumin If I have no diced garlic sometimes I toss in a tsp of garlic powder step 1 - Add cut potatoes and carrots to pot and boil them. Give these 10-15 minute head start before next step. step 2 - Heat olive oil in pan, once hot add beef. Lightly season with salt and pepper (this is not a necessary step, just a personal preference). While beef browns on all sides add garlic and onions to sauté. Once cooked and onions have stared to carmelize remove from oil and pan. Step 3 - Add beef mixture to carrots and potatoes. Toss in all the spices. Now you let this start to boil and then reduce heat to medium low and let it stew for a bit. If you want RICH curry you can drain the carrots and potatoes and then put them in broth/stock then add the beef mixture. Usually I just use the water because I like to focus in on the flavors the spices give the meat and veggies. Note : The idea is to reduce everything. The best curry to me is when it's no longer runny but has thick liquid to it. You still need it to cook for a while to get the correct consistency so if you just add the meat to the carrots and potatoes but the water boiled off in the beginning, just add more water :). Once it arrives at this stage, remove it from heat and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Sometimes this is just how I eat it. Other times I will cook basmati rice to eat with the curry. I season my rice with coriander, cumin, mint, and salt to taste. ^_^ I like it aromatic.

Cooking mostly to de-stress myself. In other words I do it very often.

I love making home-made pasta on special occasions. My favorite pasta is a saffron-infused pasta I make. I make a high class alfredo out of it. I also love the nights I make veal piccata with a kalamata olive-red pepper tapanade and lemon-caper sauce. 99% of the time though.... half-assed burrito a la carte

Rutabagas are awesome~ Especially when they made into jelly. I'm the chef in my family which is totally cool and a bummer, having to cook for people that like complaining all the time. I grew up near a Chinatown so most of my foods are Asian influenced. But I can make a lot of different types of meals. Anything with noodles is my specialty~ Homemade ramen is the best!

Homemade ramen! Ally, can you cook for me, and send them to me in the mail? jk. Rutabagas ARE good! I like making a "root soup" with them, along with potatoes, turnips, and parsnips. They're pretty good just on their own, as well. Thanks for sharing your curry recipe, verucassault. I know I'm gunna try that as soon as possible. As for my exotic culinary experiences, I've made Stir Fry with Udon noodles in a Wok. I didn't really like it that much. OH! I used Rutabagas just recently: I made Finnish Pasties. It's basically a dry pot pie that you wrap in crust. It needed some gravy...hehe.

Oh I love Ramen. Ally give me a how-to! :O Doesn't need to be THAT detailed, I cook einough stuff to know about stuffs. Maybe list the ingedients you use? I'm sick and tired of having to journey through half Frankfurt just to get to a decent Ramen-ya! :D

She said it's basically just beef broth, Japanese rice noodles, and thinly sliced meat and veggies. It's surprisingly simple.