Food Hacks - Cool tricks for dear frens

[Señora Airi]

This is more of a question, but for the Kiwis that make their own rubs/spice blends at home: how do you keep them from clumping up? I usually try to make them in bulk, but then I never use up all of them prior to the clumping.

 

[DankSmoker]

This is more of a question, but for the Kiwis that make their own rubs/spice blends at home: how do you keep them from clumping up? I usually try to make them in bulk, but then I never use up all of them prior to the clumping.

I've never had too much of a problem with that but I use terracotta humidifiers on my jar of brown sugar. Soak them for like ten minutes every few months and it keeps it clump free. It even makes the big solid unusable chunks bounce back if you've got some ancient shit around.

They're useful for other shit too, like weed and tobacco obviously.

 

[CallmeCicada]

This is more of a question, but for the Kiwis that make their own rubs/spice blends at home: how do you keep them from clumping up? I usually try to make them in bulk, but then I never use up all of them prior to the clumping.

Desiccant packs, and vacuum seal if you're storing it for more than 4 months. I recommend this brand because they aren't made in China. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E880DYS

 

[Chongqing]

Sometimes for a quick and easy meal i'll chop up a hard boiled egg and put it in leftover rice with some cheese.
Also if you don't have a rice cooker buy one, it will change your life.

What kind of cheese do you use and how long do you microwave the rice?

 

[analrapist]

This is more of a question, but for the Kiwis that make their own rubs/spice blends at home: how do you keep them from clumping up? I usually try to make them in bulk, but then I never use up all of them prior to the clumping.

I never even knew this was a problem. I make a blend of nearly 20 quasi "Italian" herbs that I use in salad dressings, and while I have the occasional clump, it's never failed to declump just by shaking. Are you in some insane high humidity region or something?

 

[Friedchickenfan]

What kind of cheese do you use and how long do you microwave the rice?

I like to buy cheddar and shred it myself, also it depends on the heat settings of your microwave but I do 2-3 minutes depending on the quantity of rice.

 

[Señora Airi]

I've never had too much of a problem with that but I use terracotta humidifiers on my jar of brown sugar. Soak them for like ten minutes every few months and it keeps it clump free. It even makes the big solid unusable chunks bounce back if you've got some ancient shit around.
View attachment 6431597
They're useful for other shit too, like weed and tobacco obviously.

Desiccant packs, and vacuum seal if you're storing it for more than 4 months. I recommend this brand because they aren't made in China. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E880DYS

Thank you for the recs.

Are you in some insane high humidity region or something?

without powerleveling too much, yes.

 

[Dawdler]

This is more of a question, but for the Kiwis that make their own rubs/spice blends at home: how do you keep them from clumping up? I usually try to make them in bulk, but then I never use up all of them prior to the clumping.

Dry everything up.
Dry salt in oven, pan or other dish.
Mix salt with spices.
Put it into a jar with lid and close tightly. Make small batches that you use in a week.

 

[Señora Airi]

Thank ye kindly

 

[Chongqing]

I like to buy cheddar and shred it myself, also it depends on the heat settings of your microwave but I do 2-3 minutes depending on the quantity of rice.

I see. Cheese is added after, right?

 

[Friedchickenfan]

I see. Cheese is added after, right?

Yep it melts when you mix it in.

 

[S3y88]

How can i make the taste of soy sauce less overwhelming in a marinade, no i don't have any other sauce i can mix it with maybe i can do half and half with sparkling water ?

 

[AnOminous]

How can i make the taste of soy sauce less overwhelming in a marinade, no i don't have any other sauce i can mix it with maybe i can do half and half with sparkling water ?

Use a less pungent sauce like tamari or just light soy sauce.

There's also something called white soy sauce which looks more like wine or vinegar. I've never used this so I don't know if it's a substitute.

Also Bragg's Liquid Aminos are pretty mild.

 

[analrapist]

Also Bragg's Liquid Aminos are pretty mild.

Maggi Seasoning is another soy-sauce-alike that you can use less of for similar effects.

How can i make the taste of soy sauce less overwhelming in a marinade, no i don't have any other sauce i can mix it with maybe i can do half and half with sparkling water ?

The trick to actually balance it out would be to water it down or draw attention elsewhere. Add honey and it becomes "teriyaki"-ish. You could add tomato, garlic, ginger, fruit juice, beer, wine, almost anything. Basically, distract from the flavor. Directions to go can be sweet, tomato, garlic, spice, sour. Lots compliments soy sauce, that's one of the reasons it's so loved.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole 2]

Maggi Seasoning is another soy-sauce-alike that you can use less of for similar effects.
View attachment 6444912

Oh Maggi. That's a good thing to buy for poor students. You can get a huge bottle for NOTHING! Frying up some cold rice while splashing Maggi on it is a decent struggle meal.

 

[The Stranger]

its a pet peeve whenever i see someone cooking and they do the most retarded rough cut of onion/garlic etc it annoys me like nigger just cut it finer, it will incorporate better into the food

my food hack: use a cheese grater to mince your sauce ingredients

 

[CallmeCicada]

my food hack: use a cheese grater to mince your sauce ingredients

Especially useful for things like sauces and risotto.

 

[AnOminous]

Especially useful for things like sauces and risotto.

Get a microplane grater, nigga!

 

[CallmeCicada]

Get a microplane grater, nigga!

You use a micro-plane for onions? I don't think that's what you mean, but that's what I am saying. To use a box grater for your risotto is really perfect imo because the shape lets you get good leverage to grate and secure your grip. And a box grater cuts it fine enough for onions, unless you're very good with a knife you wont ever be able to cut the onions small enough to melt into the rice properly. And it would take too long to use a micro-plane. For small things like garlic micro-plane is awesome, and other than some spices like nutmeg, hard cheeses, zesting citrus or rock salt I don't really use my micro-plane for anything else. If I ever find somewhere that sells fresh wasabi or I manage to grow some (whichever comes first) I would want to get a wasabi grater and I would also use it for my garlic instead.

 

[AnOminous]

You use a micro-plane for onions? I don't think that's what you mean, but that's what I am saying. To use a box grater for your risotto is really perfect imo because the shape lets you get good leverage to grate and secure your grip.

Usually not, but now that you point it out, that might actually be good if you wanted to put onions in risotto. That might actually be a good idea.