Vegan Cooking Tips
By Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD, EdD
Pilafs originated in Persia, traveled through the Middle East and the Mediterranean, and made it to the New World via the Caribbean. A pilaf is the preferred method of rice cooking in many parts of the world. Most commonly made with rice, pilafs can be prepared with any grain or vegetable that can stand up to heat and liquid. The basic technique is to sauté the rice (or barley, quinoa, mushrooms, couscous, etc.) in a small amount of vegetable oil or margarine. Then simmer in just enough liquid to allow the grain to become tender. That's it! You can add fresh or dried herbs, minced garlic or vegetables, saffron threads, or your favorite seasoning mix. To serve about 5 people, you'll need a cup of rice (or grains) and about 2 cups of water (or vegetable stock). Spray some vegetable oil in a pot, add rice, and sauté it for about 2 minutes or until most of the oil is absorbed. Boil the liquid, pour over the rice, and allow it to simmer until it is soft. Some people like to sauté onions or garlic in the oil before adding the rice. Or you can cook the rice on the stove until it is just soup and then bake it, covered, until it is dry.
Here are some pilaf tips:
- Spread it out:
- It is better to make a pilaf in a deep frying pan than in a small pot. The surface area aids in better absorption of liquid.
- Let your onions cry:
- If using onion, dry it on a paper towel after it's cut, so there's not a lot of extra moisture.
- Don't touch:
- To prevent sticking, stir as little as possible.
- If you must touch, be gentle:
- If you have to stir, use a fork. This incorporates more air and makes for fluffier pilaf.
- Chop, Dice, Mince:
- If adding veggies to pilaf, cut them up as small as possible. This ensures consistent cooking.
- Reheat and eat:
- You can prepare pilaf up to two days ahead of time and just reheat it in the microwave (or steam it in the oven with wet paper towel on top).
- Vegan Quick Meals:
- Grab-and-Go Breakfast
- Yeah, yeah, we know:
- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, blah, blah, blah. And we also know that, given a choice, three minutes more sleep usually sounds better than a three-course breakfast. Breakfast on the run, to take to the office or school, can taste good, be healthy, and be made ahead of time. A little planning, a little shopping, and a place to refrigerate it once you get there is all you need.
- Drinkable ideas:
- You can place the following ingredients in a blender canister the night before, refrigerate overnight, then blend it for a minute in the morning. Pour it into a thermos, keep it cold, and sip it throughout the morning.
- Banana, orange juice, wheat germ, nutritional yeast, strawberry preserves, soft tofu
- Soft tofu, canned peaches or apricots, canned pineapple, applesauce, nutritional yeast
- Applesauce, banana, peanut (or almond) butter, raisins, apple juice concentrate, wheat germ
- Frozen, thawed strawberries, orange juice concentrate, canned pineapple, maple syrup
- Soy yogurt, banana, canned fruit salad, wheat germ
- Soy yogurt, canned peaches, frozen strawberries or raspberries, apricot nectar.
Wrap some muffins or granola bars individually, grab some portable fruit (as in apples, pears, oranges, tangerines, bananas, grapes, or dried fruit) and toss it in the knapsack or the briefcase for a complete breakfast!
- Banana, orange juice, wheat germ, nutritional yeast, strawberry preserves, soft tofu
