Alright, how many of us here actually knew that cauliflower is a flower? Insert collective gasp I know, right!? That edible part we all enjoy eating? That’s the immature flower head. It was carefully cultivated that way so it stays compact and white. And speaking of its color, did you know that its thick leaves …
Let’s set the scene with some Arabic music… Picture an Arab market. A souk. You’re plunged into a world of vibrant chaos. Shopkeepers howling at the sides fending off bargaining customers. Fabrics upon fabrics in every color you can imagine. Gold jewelry at every turn in these narrow, stone paved alleys. Then it hit you. …
Immortality. A fascinating concept that many have longed for (or detested). And there is said to be a certain ingredient that can grant eternal life, at least according to ancient Egyptians. Disclaimer, though, for those on the edge of their seats. It’s not by way of simply eating it. It’s not even in the healthy …
Since I was a kid, I never liked plain rice because it often tasted bland. So, my parents used to toast rice with many aromatic spices before cooking it, especially in dishes like pilaf (Middle Eastern) or pulav (Indian subcontinent). This gave the rice a whole new twist! If you also want to turn simple …
As a lazy cook, fresh rice noodles are God-sent for me. Can you imagine that you don’t even have to boil them before using them in dishes? Just toss them in with your Asian meals, and they’ll cook perfectly! Yet, the one thing that gets on my nerves is how often these noodles clump in …
Louisiana fried chicken used to be one of my favorite dishes from Louisiana! Now, one day I stumbled upon this local dish named jambalaya from the same state, and let’s just say the fried chicken got some tough competition. As jambalaya isn’t readily available around me, I had to follow different recipes to cook it …
When I learned about the existence of risotto online, I thought to myself: Is this the Italian version of our Filipino dish, arroz caldo? Huge mistake. I used a locally-made glutinous rice to whip up risotto and the dish ended up being too gluey and not creamy at all. That’s when I realized not all …
Rice balls are some of the easiest on-the-go foods to make. They usually take me less than an hour to prepare. From scratch to having the perfect onigiri (or other types). But, if you use the wrong rice variety for this dish, you better prepare yourself for a long, frustrating battle against the grains. Yup, …
Sweet, creamy, and heavenly—that’s rice pudding for you. Or, at least, when done correctly. My friend cooked this dessert once. Only then did I realize that pudding can be literally hard to swallow. Her pudding wasn’t creamy, and some grains were too firm. A comfort food turned uncomfortable. Turns out, she was using the wrong …
Don’t you just love the smell of steaming rice? This one is especially aromatic, it’s even dubbed the “fragrant rice.” Contrary to popular belief, Jasmine rice actually gets its name not from its fragrance but from its color. Because yes, the color of the rice resembles the color of the flower, jasmine. And speaking of …