chrisico
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Haybox cookingHas anybody tried cooking like this? I made a pot of veg soup today by bringing all the ingredients to the boil and then turning off the gas and covering the lid of the pan with folded tea towels and 2 hours later even the lentils were cooked! I was so chuffed!
What an energy saving!
Think I might try it next time I make a casserole or curry.
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tahir
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Should work well with a casserole. I remember seeing an article in permaculture magazine once about someone converting one of their kitchen units into a "hay box" oven with the aid of some expanded polystyrene and cardboard (I think)
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jema
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Is this so far off using a slo cooker/crock pot?
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tahir
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Exactly the same except the energy usage is supposed to be a lot lower.
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chrisico
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I think it minght be a good way to cook if you were on holiday say in a tent ( needing all the hot food you could get,I expect!).
I googled haybox cooking and it said it could be left all day or over night to cook pulses or grains. In fact the bigger the quantity the better,something to do with bigger masses holding heat for longer.
No money in it for anybody so not promoted,or am I being cynical?
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bagpuss
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I get the impression this is a manner of cooking frequently used in the middle east and north africa. They cook something to a certain point wrap it well and leave it to reach room temprature and then eat it. I guess if you live in a very warm country eating hot food might not be so tempting
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alison
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Tupperware (yes I know plastic, but it is how I first found out about it) have a rice cooker where you bring the rice to the boil, put in the cooker, which looks like a sieve above a bowl, and leave for 20 minutes for perfect rice, with no extra power. It works really well.
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Bugs
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Do you have a pic Alison?
I am very, very unreliable at cooking rice.
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jema
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alison wrote: | Tupperware (yes I know plastic, but it is how I first found out about it) have a rice cooker where you bring the rice to the boil, put in the cooker, which looks like a sieve above a bowl, and leave for 20 minutes for perfect rice, with no extra power. It works really well. |
I wonder how many people here can cook rice well? I bring to the boil transfer to the lower ring for a few minutes, turn off and leave the lid on to let the rice cook through. Much the same priniciple really.
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Bugs
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How long does that take, Jema?
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jema
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Bugs wrote: | How long does that take, Jema? |
Remember rice benefits from standing time, after about 5mins on low, 10 mins off, remove lid, stand for another 5-10mins. It really does not have to be very precise. Main thing with rice is leave the stuff alone, don't take the lids of early to look at it, and for heavens sake don't stir it.
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Bugs
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Well, that's at least two things I constantly do wrong
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jema
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Bugs wrote: | Well, that's at least two things I constantly do wrong |
Took me years to learn to cook rice
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alison
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I'll dig it out and do a picture.
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Bugs
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Lovely, thanks Ali.
Of course I'm asking because we might be able to adapt something
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alison
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I think that doing it in a tight lidded sausepan should do the same thing. The key is not opening the pot until the time is up.
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jema
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alison wrote: | I think that doing it in a tight lidded sausepan should do the same thing. The key is not opening the pot until the time is up. |
Yep, rice is all about knowing it will work, and therefore doing very little with it.
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Guest
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Basic info here on haybox cooking:
http://www.lostvalley.org/haybox1.html
It's a very popular method in America for cooking, for backwoodsmen, survivalists, etc. My friend has one whihc she says is excellent.
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Bugs
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alison wrote: | The key is not opening the pot until the time is up. |
Not opening the pot???!!!
How can I not look? Something interesting might have happened. There could be gremlins eating my rice. I think I'm tracking down my problems, I'm very bad at not looking at things.
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jema
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Bugs wrote: |
How can I not look? Something interesting might have happened. There could be gremlins eating my rice. I think I'm tracking down my problems, I'm very bad at not looking at things. |
Was very counter instinctive for me to. So it took me a long time to do good rice.
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Marigold123
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Are we talking white or brown rice here? The trouble I find with rice is that you've got to get to know your particular brand/type really well before you can cook it to perfection, (or, in my case, thereabouts), as all the different kinds seem to have different cooking times. I find brown rice a lot less predictable than white, but then it tends to be less ruinable as well.
I am also unfortunate enough to live in a rented house with a built-in electric hob that I can't change, and profoundly hate. You can't keep anything simmering, or even boiling constantly, and I can't use it to cook anything decent in a wok either. I think the 'wrap it up and turn the heat off' approach might work well for me, once I get the proper timings sorted out.
The teenage daughter has just decided to be vegetarian, so we went to Asda and stocked up on brown rice, pulses, bulgar wheat and polenta and things like that. I was quite surprised at the range they had, actually. It's been a while since I've done a lot of that sort of cooking, due to a combination of fussy and awkward partners, and bloody-minded children. Now that Madam has done a complete U-turn regarding the kinds of foods she is prepared to eat, I'm treating it as an opportunity to branch out into more interesting cooking again.
And she doesn't know it, but she's about to get a crash course in vegetarian cooking, while we're at it. It's time she made a bit more effort in the kitchen, and this is the perfect opportunity for her to learn!
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