Are You Supposed To Cook Lentils Like Pasta Or Like Rice

What are some tips for cooking rice noodles?

Rice noodles are much more delicate and fragile than their wheat noodle counterparts. This actually makes them so easy to prepare that we hardly think of it as cooking.Place all your rice noodles in a deep mixing bowl, trying to snap as few of them as possible as you remove them from the package (always a challenge for us). Bring a good amount of water to boil. Pour the boiling water over the rice noodles until they are completely submerged. So make the best food at home.Every minute or two, give the noodles a stir to loosen them up. When they are completely limp, give them a taste to see if they’re cooked through. The thread-like vermicelli noodles used in spring rolls will cook through in just a few minutes. The flat rice noodles might take upwards of ten minutes depending on thickness. Pay attention and test the noodles frequently because they’ll become mushy if they overcook.Once the noodles are tender, drain them and run them under cool water to stop the cooking. Toss them with a bit of sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking to each other if you’re not going to use them right away.• If the noodles will be used in a stir-fry dish like pad thai, you definitely want to under-cook them a bit. They will absorb more moisture and cook the rest of the way through once in the stir fry. If your noodles are perfectly cooked to start, they will turn to mush in the stir fry. Trust us, we’ve done that more times than we can count!• If you’re making a soup, you can cook the noodles directly in the broth. Add them just before serving and monitor closely to make sure they don’t over-cook.• Even with a bit of sesame oil, the noodles still tend to clump up after you drain them. They will loosen again once you mix the noodles into your dish.

Can I cook spaghetti in the rice cooker? If yes, how?

Yes you can! The more basic the rice cooker, the better. Get one of those with the flick swich between “cook” and “keep warm”. I've cooked entire meals in those before when i didn't have access to a kitchen. It's basically a stove and pot two in one.Noodles were included on my menu, so spaghetti is certainly possibleFirst either get the kettle boiling or have the water heat in the rice cooker. You only want the pot to be filled half way to prevent boiling over. Use the “cook” setting of the rice cooker.Once the water is hot, add the spaghetti and mix so the strands are fully submerged. Pop the lid on and wait. Check every now and then to see when the spaghetti is cooked. It'll probably take between 5 to 10 minutes.You can also poach/boil other foods in this manner to go with your spagetti. You can also saute and onions and cook minced meat. The only thing is that the stuff in the pot needs to be heavy enough, otherwise the spring at the bottom of the cooker won't be compressed, which means the rice cooker won't heat up. It's a safety feature you'll have to work around.

What can I eat instead of carbs like rice, potatoes, bread, and pasta? If I eat only protein and veggies I never feel full/satisfied.

I am currently following something called the 5:2 diet. On 2 days a week, I eat a very low number of calories and at the start it could be very difficult to feel full and satisfied.I have found that the best idea is to eat soup on those low calorie days. I can make it myself or buy ready made soups in the supermarket - the ones in the chill cabinet are the right ones to go for as they don’t have the sugar and additives that go into tins and are much more nutritious.But mostly I make my own soups from veggies and maybe a bit of protein like cooked chicken, prawns or tofu.I can buy Japanese miso soup in sachets and add a selection of 2 or 3 different finely sliced or shredded veggies like carrot, celery, fennel, mushrooms, green beans, spring onion (scallions), cabbage and leaves like spinach that wilt quickly. I can add protein to this as above, again finely chopped, sliced or shredded.I just put the ingredients in a bowl and pour the boiling soup on top and it all cooks in the bowl in a minute or two.Just a tiny amount of rice or egg noodle within my calorie allowance can be added to this.Alternatively I can use a vegetable like zucchini, squash or sweet potato and blend it when cooked to create a thicker soup or cook lentils or beans into it which also add protein.It is principally the liquid that helps fill you up, so you can also drink a lot of water or black tea/coffee with your meals as an alternative.I hope you can find something useful in these suggestions.

What is an easy food to cook instead of ramen?

Have on stock in your dorm room/apartment:ricebrown lentilsquinoacouscouspasta + tomato saucespices including: salt, curry, chili powder, cumin, and dried herbs like oregano or thyme.An easy meal is:Bring 4 cups water to boilAdd 1/2 cup rice and 1/2 cup brown lentils, along with a tablespoon or so of curry powder and a teaspoon of salt.Simmer for 25 minutes.  Check on them at 15 minutes to see if you should add more water.Eat! Like instant soup but instead, actual food.VarietionsAdd veggies when you add the rice and lentils, including but not limited to carrots, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, or zucchini."Italian style" - omit curry and add oregano, basil, and/or rosemary."Mexican style" - omit curry and add cilantro, plantain, and lime juice."People who know how to cook style" - Sauté a diced onion and a clove of garlic in a bit of oil until cooked. Add rice, lentils, curry, and any veggies, and stir until you can really smell the curry and the veggies.  Add stock or water and cook until ready. Serve with awesome fresh bread and red wine, because you're a cook and that's how we roll.An easy side dish is:Add water to coat the bottom of a pan. Add chopped veggies and cook, over low heat, until tender.  If you are using a variety of veggies you'll want to add them to the mix based on the time it takes them to cook.  See below.Add salt, pepper, and if you feel fancy a bit of fresh lemon juice.  Serve.Got lots of different sorts of veggies?  What to do?!!Hard veggies go in first.  These are your carrots, potatoes, and other root veggies.Now for the seconds - add your string beans, zucchinis, tomatoes, etc.And for thirds. Add the greens. Let them wilt and you're good to go.An easy drink is:You're in college. Think outside the box.The greatest drinks are lemonade-esqe drinks that you can spike with booze if you want, but it isn't required.  Let us not forget our smarter friends who decided not to partake. Easy agua fresca is:Juice of 5 lemons3/4 cup honey or unrefined sugar2 liters waterCombine all ingredients. Adjust as you want. Serve, with or without booze. (skip the soda!)