Horizontal swipes on onions are overrated

[stringer]

My background is from psychology. PM me to talk about that dream, no charge

@stringer: wouldn't mind a recipe for that dish. Looks great!

The daal is my wife's recipe. It came from the internet. She cooks it in the instant pot (computerized pressure cooker). I don't know how to program it and refuse to learn.

But here's the ingredients:
Dry Daal medley, about 1.5 cups
1 onion, diced
I can fire roasted tomatoes
Turmeric
Cumin
Ajwain (if you go to an Indian grocer to get the daal, see if they have ajwain seed. The flavor is kind of like thyme. It adds a nice earthy roundness and will aid in bean digestion)
Crushed red pepper
Salt and Pepper

I make the crispy onion topping. That's actually what I was cutting onions for in at least two of those videos up there. We go through a LOT of onions in my house.

Basically crispy onions are mirepoix, only with a hell of a lot more flavor. And you cook them until they are caramelized little bits of candy. How long it takes will depend on how you cut them. You can cut them big and they'll take a lot longer, cut them very small it will go faster but there's greater risk of burning them. You can't rush it and have it come out right. Which I is why I don't even make them on the same night that my wife makes the daal. I make them a day or two ahead of time because I never know exactly how long it will take. But figure no less than an hour even if you cut them really tiny.

Crispy onions ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil or something that can be cooked awhile without scorching
5 onions, minced
2 fingers ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chiffonade curry leaf
1 tablespoon crushed red chilli
2. Teaspoons cumin


Cook the onions first alone in the oil until they are golden brown
Add chili pepper and curry leaf and cook a few minutes on medium low
Add the ginger and garlic cook very slowly until onions are dark brown, almost black
Add cumin, cook a few more minutes.

Don't burn them!

It takes practice

 

[Garm]

The daal is my wife's recipe. It came from the internet. She cooks it in the instant pot (computerized pressure cooker). I don't know how to program it and refuse to learn.

But here's the ingredients:
Dry Daal medley, about 1.5 cups
1 onion, diced
I can fire roasted tomatoes
Turmeric
Cumin
Ajwain (if you go to an Indian grocer to get the daal, see if they have ajwain seed. The flavor is kind of like thyme. It adds a nice earthy roundness and will aid in bean digestion)
Crushed red pepper
Salt and Pepper

I make the crispy onion topping. That's actually what I was cutting onions for in at least two of those videos up there. We go through a LOT of onions in my house.

Basically crispy onions are mirepoix, only with a hell of a lot more flavor. And you cook them until they are caramelized little bits of candy. How long it takes will depend on how you cut them. You can cut them big and they'll take a lot longer, cut them very small it will go faster but there's greater risk of burning them. You can't rush it and have it come out right. Which I is why I don't even make them on the same night that my wife makes the daal. I make them a day or two ahead of time because I never know exactly how long it will take. But figure no less than an hour even if you cut them really tiny.

Crispy onions ingredients
5 onions, minced
2 fingers ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced

Much appreciated man!
Ajwain was that name I always forget..

 

[stringer]

I accidentally posted before I was done so check it again for better instructions. I edited it.

 

[ModRQC]

It’s funny you should mention this quoting @Barclid schematics, as he posted a video about 5 replies before that using the very technique you described and asked about... so yeah someone still does that at least.

Not directed at Barclid specifically, I just wanted the picture... so, when I did my training long ago, I was taught simply to discard the pieces marked in green (they would go into stock or whatever) and finely dice only the core section as it were. That way you avoided uneveness and (allegedly) saved time. Anyone does that these days?

 

[captaincaed]

She cooks it in the instant pot (computerized pressure cooker). I don't know how to program it and refuse to learn.

I'm glad I'm not the only luddite here. Do not get the obsession.

 

[bahamaroot]

I'm glad I'm not the only luddite here. Do not get the obsession.

Add me to that list....

 

[Nagakin]

I have no problem using one for specific tasks to save significant amounts of time, like getting lengua tender. My issue is when they become substitutions for learning how to cook with the excuse that it "saves time" in normal situations.

 

[Michi]

I have an ordinary stove-top pressure cooker, and I have a bunch of large pots and a dutch oven, as well as a sous vide circulator. Even without the sous vide option, I'm hard pressed to think of what I could do in the slow cooker that I couldn't do with my pressure cooker and pots.

I do see some advantages though. If you have a small kitchen with limited space, a slow cooker is probably the better option compared to a stove-top pressure cooker plus a dutch oven. And there is the convenience of "set and forget", especially for temperature.

On the other hand, it's probably difficult to make good sourdough bread in a slow cooker (or a number of other oven dishes that need high heat and air circulation). It's hard to beat the versatility of an oven.

But, if you are constrained in space (or, alternatively, have lots of it), I think a slow cooker can make sense. I get the impression though that slow cookers (much like air fryers) are a bit of a fashion trend at the moment. (Remember when everyone had to have a juice extractor?)

 

[Luftmensch]

I went to a sushi making class a few years back...

... I was the only gaijin/gweilo (my words, said in good humour) in the class. That correlated perfectly with the number of people in the class who did not own a rice cooker. All considered, we have a fairly low tech kitchen...


[Errr... .... I also do my horizontal swipes perpendicular to the board... I never got comfortable doing them parallel)

 

[Michi]

[Errr... .... I also do my horizontal swipes perpendicular to the board... I never got comfortable doing them parallel)

Oh my… I think that's at least five Dalstrongs and two Forged in Fires for you!

 

[Nagakin]

@Michi definitely space. That's the fun part about living in Seattle...I make more than twice the national average for cooks and still qualify for low income housing.

 

[stringer]

[Errr... .... I also do my horizontal swipes perpendicular to the board... I never got comfortable doing them parallel)

That's actually why this thread is called what it is. I usually do my horizontal swipes perpendicular as well. Here in the USA we grow our produce real big. and you can get more swipes in and with better control if you do them vertically. Which works out better for JUMBO Spanish onions.

 

[Michi]

@Michi definitely space. That's the fun part about living in Seattle...I make more than twice the national average for cooks and still qualify for low income housing.

Man, I had had no idea

Hang in there. I truly do admire your passion!

 

[Michi]

That's actually why this thread is called what it is. I usually do my horizontal swipes perpendicular as well.

One more serving of Dalstrongs and Forged in Fires coming right up!

 

[stringer]

Like this

 

[Michi]

@stringer: How dare you! You just posted a video providing proof that it is possible to apply horizontal swipes vertically.

Are you really aware of what you just have done? Do you know how many culinary school students' illusions you just shattered? Do you not care about centuries of tradition and wisdom? Are you aware of the penalty for violating dogma?

Have you heard of Galileo Galilei?

There are some very patient and skilled people who know how to ask questions. Over a prolonged period. With tools. Usually underground.

They are waiting for you, somewhere…

 

[Carl Kotte]

@stringer:

There are some very patient and skilled people who know how to ask questions. Over a prolonged period. With tools. Usually underground.

They are waiting for you, somewhere…

Is one of them dressed in a full size saya without air holes?

 

[Michi]

Is one of them dressed in a full size saya without air holes?

You do not know of my darker side—yet…

 

[Luftmensch]

[Errr... .... I also do my horizontal swipes perpendicular to the board... I never got comfortable doing them parallel)

One more serving of Dalstrongs and Forged in Fires coming right up!

That's actually why this thread is called what it is.

Hehehe! Oh man... yeah.... That probably sounded sarcastic!? Sorry... I don't mean to belittle the thread! Very interesting indeed. I'm enjoying the heck out of seeing people's technique! I rather unsuccessfully tried to communicate a 'self-aware' post-note to my otherwise off topic comment. .... as if to be read: "I couldn't help commenting on kitchen gadgetry, not the main point of the thread, so here is my weak contribution on the topic". - not successfully communicated, I know!

Even more disgusting.... who closes a left square bracket with a right parenthesis? Yuck!

 

[Luftmensch]

You do not know of my darker side—yet…

(Do you think the piano tuner in that scene ever tuned the piano properly? I thought it was a bold choice for a scene track... usually the music director chooses a finished composition)

 

[Michi]

Do you think the piano tuner in that scene ever tuned the piano properly?

I can't remember—I watched that movie when it first came out. I probably should re-watch it and pay attention to the piano tuner.

 

[ian]

(Do you think the piano tuner in that scene ever tuned the piano properly? I thought it was a bold choice for a scene track... usually the music director chooses a finished composition)

Hah! My guess is no, since they spent like an hour working on one key.

I was a fan of that soundtrack, though.

 

[Garm]

I'm just guessing it was the same person who wrote the "Jaws" soundtrack.
You can really hear his evolution as a composer. Still just two notes used, but so much more advanced rhythmically..

 

[ian]

I'm just guessing it was the same person who wrote the "Jaws" soundtrack.
You can really hear his evolution as a composer. Still just two notes used, but so much more advanced rhythmically..

This was a joke, right? Jaws=John Williams, EWS=Jocelyn Pook

 

[Garm]

This was a joke, right? Jaws=John Williams, EYS=Jocelyn Pook

Yes, I hoped it would be abundantly clear with the rhytmically advanced part, but perhaps I should have added an emoji of some sort.
For the record, I like the EWS soundtrack too. Less can absolutely be more.
I better stop now before I further derail the derailment of..

 

[ian]

Yes, I hoped it would be abundantly clear with the rhytmically advanced part, but perhaps I should have added an emoji of some sort.
For the record, I like the EWS soundtrack too. Less can absolutely be more.
I better stop now before I further derail the derailment of..

Man, I have this problem all the time. The lack of expressivity in written text + not really knowing the person who’s writing = lots of confusion.

 

[Garm]

Man, I have this problem all the time. The lack of expressivity in written text + not really knowing the person who’s writing = lots of confusion.

Yeah, I hear you. That makes two of us.
Also, I'm no longer as fluent in English as I used to be, which probably adds a little extra confusion sometimes.

 

[Barclid]

Not directed at Barclid specifically, I just wanted the picture... so, when I did my training long ago, I was taught simply to discard the pieces marked in green (they would go into stock or whatever) and finely dice only the core section as it were. That way you avoided uneveness and (allegedly) saved time. Anyone does that these days?

Yeah depends on the kitchen. I've definitely done that before too. Depends where the trim can get used on the menu vs. being relegated to staff.

 

[captaincaed]

Stringers lentils are really yummy. I think I could have pushed the onion topping a bit further but ran out of time. They still tasted like spicy candy.
I think this one deserves a spot in the recipe section.