Since I moved into my new house last week I’ve been exploring cooking again. It’s been a few months since I cooked last, instead I’ve been opting to eat out or make simple things like toast with peanut butter. It was fine with me because I eat something healthy like yogurt with granola before work, then a good, hearty meal at ILRI’s cafeteria every day — meals at home were more of a casual “tide myself over until lunch tomorrow” thing. All other reasons aside, I guess it really boils down to not feeling “at home” in my old apartment. The stove was only 1/4 functional, the pots and pans were funny, the sink was dinky, and there were always people coming and going.
Cooking
Rice Milk is Delicious!
I know I haven’t written about cooking recently, but tonight I re-discovered something delicious and comforting from my past: rice milk. I used to eat it all the time when I was a kid. Take a bowl of white rice, pour some warm milk over it, add a pinch of sugar and cinnamon, and voila! I guess it’s a popular dish worldwide. It’s eaten everywhere from Norway to Malaysia, so there are plenty of variations. I guess the name is a bit misleading and only refers to one variety of this sweet dish. My version isn’t a pudding or purée, just rice sitting in a bowl of warm milk!
I remember eating this on family camping trips when I was a kid. More recently, I remember requesting warm milk for my rice when eating at the dining hall during my first year at Chico State University (2002–2003). It’s great when you have some left over rice and you want a sweet snack in the morning, especially if it’s cold outside (or if you’re just feeling lazy).
On a side note: I had some German friends over recently and they mentioned that it’s a popular dish in Germany. I know the people in Tala think I’m a Jew/Israelite, but maybe I’m German after all?
An Improved Tala Salad
I posted a few days ago about making a “salad” for dinner in Tala. I found some new ingredients in the market and I’ve improved on my past attempt. I don’t know what I was thinking before, but I’ve got it down now. I decided that hot peppers and cilantro are not necessary, but I’ve added zucchini, bell pepper, and avocado! Tonight I used the following:
- Two small cucumbers, cubed
- One small zucchini, cubed
- Half a small onion, diced
- One medium-sized tomato, cubed
- One medium-sized avocado, cubed
- Two small carrots, diced
- One small green bell pepper, sliced
I just throw it all in a bowl and add a pinch of salt, mix, and let it sit for a few minutes… and voila! I only wish I hadn’t lent my ground black pepper to a buddy because I think that would be the ultimate addition. It’s delicious AND nutritious!
Sara has a book which has a funny caption on the front, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” It’s Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food. I never read it, but I think the the caption is catchy and probably true (duh?). Anyways, I’ve been enjoying eating a lot of vegetables lately. No cooking, no cleaning of dishes. I think it’s a no brainer…