Skillet Skills
Posted on | September 30, 2004 at 10:33 pm | 8 Comments
For the last several months, I’ve dabbled in the not-usually-male art of cooking. I never did much home cooking before, preferring instead to eat fast food or processed meals like “Healthy Choice” frozen dinners (which are anything but, as most are laden with trans fats and crap). I’ve found that when I cook things myself, I can eat things I actually like, which satisfies my appetite better and therefore reduces it. I can also control my portions more easily and I can control the caloric content of the foods I eat by being careful about the ingredients I use and the proportions of them. I try to eat pretty lightly for dinner, which has totally alleviated my nighttime acid reflux problems and allowed me to sleep better. This regimen has helped me lose over 15 pounds since April and keep it off. I’m still trying to go even lower, but I think I like what I’ve been making and eating too much and I’ve hit a plateau.
I get a lot of my recipes from Cooking Light magazine, which also has a lot of good lifestyle articles, like about what’s the right hair color for me and how I can cope with the onset of menopause. I subscribed.
These days, my three favorite cuisines are Indian, Thai and Japanese. Thai and Japanese look a bit hard to do and get right, though I admit I’ve never tried. Indian looked easier, since the key seems to be getting the right mixture of spices, and the cooking itself is not all the difficult. A co-worker of mine from India had his wife make some Lemon Chicken for me, which was very good. I got the recipe and tried it a few times. The first time, I really messed it up, but the second I did much better and it was incredibly yummy. He also pointed me to this website with Indian food recipes. Last Sunday, I made Chicken Curry from the recipe on it. Even though I messed it up a bit (since I’m a moron and can’t read), it still came out pretty tasty. And of course no curry powder was used, since there’s really no such thing in authentic Indian cooking. I look forward to trying more recipes and may someday soon attack my favorite Indian dish, Chicken Vindaloo. Heck, I might even try to do one of the breads someday. Baking is the final frontier…
Latre.
Comments
8 Responses to “Skillet Skills”
October 1st, 2004 @ 9:24 am
hey ! I love INDIAN cooking!!!! let’s try some recipies together…actually theres a great indian restaurant out by me…
Star of India on Parker …and they do a great buffet lunch…which is cheaper than a dinner ..believe me…and they do all kinds of different dishes, The owner has spokne to me several times about the ingrediants and their chef and all…very nice place…
lets go!
:hehe:
October 1st, 2004 @ 11:36 am
For the last several months, I’ve dabbled in the not-usually-male art of cooking.
Huh? Auguste Escoffier, Brillat-Savarin, freakin’ Lucullus? The world of restaurant chefs has traditionally been a male-dominated one, and it’s only fairly recently that women have been welcomed into professional kitchens. In 1972, only 5% of the Culinary Institute of America was female; it’s now around 25% — and less than 5% of certified executive chefs in the U.S. are women. (Ann Cooper has written a great book about women in the culinary field.)
Still and all, kudos for your exploration of cooking — I’m glad it’s been satisfying to you on multiple levels!
October 1st, 2004 @ 12:19 pm
Point taken, Amy. In my chauvinism, I was referring to home cooking rather than (professional!) restaurant cooking. "Cooks" rather than "Chefs".
Patty, if you can get Ray to go to an Indian restaurant, I’m all for it. Indian buffets are usually not a good way to go, however.
October 1st, 2004 @ 2:28 pm
You might say buffets in general are not the way to go, Rog. Hm, old food and as much of it as you can tolerate eating. But hell, I love buffets, and we have a couple good Indian ones here, should you ever find yourself in Ohio again.
Good on ya for all the wonderful cooking! Here’s a link to Bid’s mom’s cookbook, should you be interested.
October 1st, 2004 @ 3:37 pm
Sorry for going all Second Wave on you, Rog — and thanks for not thinking I was being grouchy with you.
I come from a long line of folks who love to cook. My dad’s done practically all of the cooking in my parents’ household since my mom went back to work in 1980.
Janet, thanks for that link. Mighty tempting — I do loves me some chaat papri — but it would be moreso if the thing came in bound, printed form.
October 1st, 2004 @ 5:48 pm
Cooking Light rocks! We’ve sub’d for quite a while now – it’s rare we hit a recipe we don’t love.
October 2nd, 2004 @ 1:12 am
Joe & I get EVERYDAY FOOD (formerly MARTHA STEWART LIVING’S EVERYDAY FOOD — Martha’s name disappeared from the cover once she was sentenced to the pokey). I’ve found a lot of good recipes in there; today, I made portobellos stuffed with spinach, leeks & goat cheese. Everything in it is fast & easy, which appeals to my incredible laziness when it comes to cooking.
October 4th, 2004 @ 9:11 am
well the reason i go to the one out here in aurora for lunch is..they are always fresh.and tasty..seriously..i do know BAD indian food! ..and its cheaper than a dinner where evrything is ala cart!
yeah..i can just SEE us getting Ray to an indian restaurant..do they serve beer? hee hee hee