Perfecting Brown Rice

We officially started whole grain brown rice last night amidst my quest for the correct way to prepare and cook this whole new grain for us. I started with a 1:2 ratio after soaking for at least 4 hours on warm water. Cooking time is between 45-55 minutes for 2-3 cups of brown rice. I did not use any special pot for this though. I just used my regular AROMA Rice Cooker.  I was actually considering on purchasing a rice cooker that has multi-functional buttons for all other types of rice, if my precious cooker won't  produce me a good brown rice.  But it didn't disappoint me. I was very happy with the result except that I reduced the water ratio into 1:1-1/4, which worked perfectly well.  Finish product is pictured above and we're enjoying our brown rice so far.

How to Store Green Onions/Scallions

Green onions/scallions are the most widely used ingredient in the kitchen.  They are very affordable and are readily available in the local market.  And it's so easy to stock up on them just to have them anytime you need them.  

The problem is they get rotten even before you used them all up.  Have you been successful storing them for a longer period of time?  Say for about a month without rotting?

I have experimented on different kinds of storage.  So far these work wonders for me. 

I plant them on a pot of dirt or in a jar of water.  I place them on my kitchen window sill to get enough sunlight. They last forever as long as you take care of them.  Change water weekly if you keep them in a jar of water.  Water them weekly if they're in a pot of dirt. No fertilization necessary unless you want them to grow faster. Cutting them encourages growth.  So imagine the steady supply of green onions year-round.  But there were times that the growth was just too fast for my demands.  I need to harvest some or they'll turn brown before you know.  Also remember to take out dried leaves to renew growth.

When storing, the key is to cut them just above the white part, and store them in a glass jar.  No water.  And store them in the fridge.  They last longer than you can imagine.  I make use of glass jars I get from spaghetti/pesto sauces that has tin lids.  They are best in handling fresh veggies.  I cut them up to fit my container.  I usually need them chopped up for soups and other dishes, so I cut them about a quarter inch apart or a third.  Then I leave some uncut too.

I tried paper napkins and brown bags as well.  They work great too!  But my only concern with that is its ease of visibility.  You can label, but you can't easily check its state of freshness.  I like something that's easy and neat inside my fridge.

I try not to use moist paper napkins as a few people suggests.  They encourage molds/mildew formation in the fridge. You wouldn't want that to happen, right?  That's why storing them in glass containers are way better than anything else.  They form dew inside the jar, which gives off enough moisture, that keeps them fresh for a longer period of time.

So tell me, how do you effectively store your supplies of green onions/scallions at home?

How to Store A Ginger

Have you ever wondered why gingers are sold in such huge bulk?  I wondered if I could ever buy just a piece of ginger since I don't use them often in the kitchen.  If I get them in bulk, I end up with a wasted, rotten, or molded-gingers in a matter of days.  Glad my mother-in-law came by and saw my fresh gingers in my fridge.  She took it out and wrap it up with a paper bag.  Not plastic.  Plastics collect and trap moisture.  We all know that moisture is the root of molds and mildews.  And we don't want that on our food.  I was told if we want our vegetables still looking fresh even after 3 or 5 days, wrap them up in a paper bag really well.  Paper allows the vegetables to get enough air circulation and moisture to stay fresh.  At the same time, paper absorbs any excessive moisture that our veggies don't need.  So if your gingers last about a week or 2, depending where you live, wrapping them up with paper allows you to prolong their shelf-life even longer.  I could store mine for months without freezing.

Another way of storing ginger is to cut them up in a serving size and store them in an airtight plastic container, which is freezer-friendly.  Freeze them.  It's the best way.  They last longer.  Taste and texture are not altered significantly.  They're as good as they were fresh.

Sushi Rolls - You can make one too.

Since I've been making a lot of sushi rolls for my school bentos, I decided to feature the basic ways to make it.  So you can make yours too.  It's a little bit tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy as tying a shoelace.

I like packing this for school for so many reasons:

1. It's mess-free.
2. Perfect as finger foods - no need to pack for utensils.  
3. Easy to make & prepare.
4. It's packed with meat, seafood, fruits per slice.