Can Anyone Help?

[secondmayfly]

Hello everyone! I've been wanting to make vegan butter chicken, but most recipes call for coconut milk. I'm worried that any I buy is harvested with monkey labor, and don't want to make it with coconut milk for that reason. Do you guys know if other plant based milks work fine? If I used oat milk, would it taste like oats?

 

[shyvas]

Hello everyone! I've been wanting to make vegan butter chicken, but most recipes call for coconut milk. I'm worried that any I buy is harvested with monkey labor, and don't want to make it with coconut milk for that reason. Do you guys know if other plant based milks work fine? If I used oat milk, would it taste like oats?

Coconut products from Indonesia don’t use monkeys to harvest.
Never buy coconut from Thailand
as they exploit monkeys.

Buy Kara products.

 

[KLS52]

I want to make my own vegetable broth but I'm afraid it's going to taste bland without all of the preservatives and salt lol. Has anyone actually made their own vegetable broth from scratch? If so, what do find gives it the most flavor and how long do you simmer it for?

 

[Tom L.]

I might have tried something like that. I have both of Anna Thomas' "Vegetarian Epicure" cookbooks, and one of them has a recipe for vegetable broth. I can bring it with me and post the recipe if you wish- it isn't that long. IIRC, she calls it (or maybe just one of them) Potato Peel Broth. She mentions that, after making it, she has a lot of potatoes to use up. I'll see if she has it posted on-line... BRB.

ETA: there are versions of this posted on-line, but I'll being my copy the next time I log on and post it. But it's a lot like what @silva posted just below.

 

[silva]

I want to make my own vegetable broth but I'm afraid it's going to taste bland without all of the preservatives and salt lol. Has anyone actually made their own vegetable broth from scratch? If so, what do find gives it the most flavor and how long do you simmer it for?

I used to do that in the Instant Pot with veg scraps I'd save in a bag in the freezer. Onion and garlic peels and cuttings, carrot, broccoli, greens, celery...I had a strainer basket that fit inside and I'd cook for I think 10 minutes (?) then strain and lightly press the scraps.
I did not like any pepper or anything bitter, but it was very good. I just got tired of saving and often lacked freezer space.
I may do this again when I get the chest freezer

Do you have an Instant Pot? Hmmm?

 

[KLS52]

I used to do that in the Instant Pot with veg scraps I'd save in a bag in the freezer. Onion and garlic peels and cuttings, carrot, broccoli, greens, celery...I had a strainer basket that fit inside and I'd cook for I think 10 minutes (?) then strain and lightly press the scraps.
I did not like any pepper or anything bitter, but it was very good. I just got tired of saving and often lacked freezer space.
I may do this again when I get the chest freezer

Do you have an Instant Pot? Hmmm?

No instant pot. I was hoping to simmer on the stove.

 

[KLS52]

I might have tried something like that. I have both of Anna Thomas' "Vegetarian Epicure" cookbooks, and one of them has a recipe for vegetable broth. I can bring it with me and post the recipe if you wish- it isn't that long. IIRC, she calls it (or maybe just one of them) Potato Peel Broth. She mentions that, after making it, she has a lot of potatoes to use up. I'll see if she has it posted on-line... BRB.

Interesting...I looked up a few recipes. It does seem pretty basic. But all say not to use potatoes! Something about making the broth cloudy. But I don't think that would bother me as long as it tasted good.

 

[Tom L.]

@KLS52 I was thinking that using potatoes instead of just the peels would make for a cloudy broth, too. I suppose it would be tasty, but it wouldn't make a convincing minestrone.

 

[Lou]

I used to do that in the Instant Pot with veg scraps I'd save in a bag in the freezer. Onion and garlic peels and cuttings, carrot, broccoli, greens, celery...I had a strainer basket that fit inside and I'd cook for I think 10 minutes (?) then strain and lightly press the scraps.
I did not like any pepper or anything bitter, but it was very good. I just got tired of saving and often lacked freezer space.
I may do this again when I get the chest freezer

Do you have an Instant Pot? Hmmm?

I still do this. I have one of those 1 qt ziplock bags. it only takes up a lot of space when it's full.

• • 3-4 cups trimmings from carrots, celery, onion, fennel, turnips, potatoes, or other vegetable trimmings
  • 2-3 cloves garlic crushed
  • 10-12 whole peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves

Steps

1. • Place the vegetable trimmings in a large stock pot or dutch oven. Fill the pot just above the trimmings with cold water and add crushed garlic cloves (skins and all), peppercorns and bay leaves.
   • Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes.
   • Place a large sieve over a bowl and pour the contents of the pot through the sieve. Press on the solids to squeeze out any extra liquid. Discard the solids.
   • Broth will last a week, refrigerated or three months frozen.

 

[silva]

I cannot imagine not having an Instant Pot--or similar electric pressure cooker--even if all I used it for was soups!!!

 

[KLS52]

I cannot imagine not having an Instant Pot--or similar electric pressure cooker--even if all I used it for was soups!!!

Yeah. I'm sure I posted somewhere here about it...I'm afraid of the whole "pressure" thing. I know they are safe...I just can't get past it. And I feel like since I've never had one I don't know what I'm missing and that's ok with me.

 

[Tom L.]

@KLS52 Neither I nor my family have ever had a pressure cooker- just the standard stoves, with range, oven, and broiler; slow cookers; toaster ovens; and microwaves.

 

[shyvas]

I also would be lost without my IP. However, I do understand that some people may be nervous using a pressue cooker.

 

[silva]

Has anyone had Rancho Gordo beans? The heirloom ones with a price that rivels premium cuts of steak and has a cult like following?

I love beans, and have no issues with the cheap bags of dry beans I get at Aldi or Indian grocery. I am verrrrry curious, and would love to have the gigante beans that are NOT like large lima,"butter beans". The Royal Coronas however, come to over $15 a pound bag after shipping . I can't find any store by me that sells these, and even amazon with free shipping has them for that price!
I guess I could think of buying them as opposed to going to a restaurant
I can't go by reviews because they all are either from people who don't already appreciate beans, eat canned, or cook them with meat, or just sound like the usual paid writers I can't ever trust

 

[KLS52]

I've never heard of them.

 

[Tom L.]

I haven't heard of Rancho Gordo beans- or Royal Coronas, either. For beans that cost that much, I'd try growing them. Google time... BRB...

ETA: Rancho Gordo is the company that grows and sells a number of different heirloom beans (and at least one variety of popcorn). Royal Corona looks to be a rather large white runner bean with "creamy texture and rich flavor". I've heard of scarlet runner beans.

 

[silva]

I haven't heard of Rancho Gordo beans- or Royal Coronas, either. For beans that cost that much, I'd try growing them. Google time... BRB...

ETA: Rancho Gordo is the company that grows and sells a number of different heirloom beans (and at least one variety of popcorn). Royal Corona looks to be a rather large white runner bean with "creamy texture and rich flavor". I've heard of scarlet runner beans.

You know the marinated Gigante beans they often have on olive bars? They aren't just large limas or canelli beans, but even larger and really fat. Native to Greece. I just love them and really think I'll try them
Butterbeans have a texture I dislike, kinda like a pear, sorta mealy---I haven't had butter beans in many years though. I did just buy a can I should try