What's Your Name, Little Dinner? 8/10/13

[Steve Kroll]

We had our quarterly dinner club get together last night. The theme was Hawaiian.

We started on the patio with some wonderful coconut shrimp skewers, paired with Sancerre wine, that one of the other couples brought. The next course was a tropical fruit salad with Macadamia nuts. The hosts served the main course, Mahi Mahi with grilled pineapple, rice pilaf, and mango salsa. This was paired with an unoaked California Chardonnay. We brought the dessert course - chocolate haupia pie with Macadamia nut crust, paired with a Spanish "Cream" Sherry.

 

[GotGarlic]

How do you steam rice, GG, suspend it over the water?

I'm not sure why I wrote that I cooked it in the microwave, actually.

 

[pacanis]

I'm not sure why I wrote that I cooked it in the microwave, actually.

I've seen the term used before, or people calling rice cookers rice steamers. I wasn't sure if there was an actual technique to steam the rice or if steaming and boiling are interchangeable terms when it comes to rice.

 

[Dawgluver]

Filet mignon, shrimp marinated in lime juice, olive oil, garlic and salt, along with roasted vegetables.

They look great, Bob!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I've seen the term used before, or people calling rice cookers rice steamers. I wasn't sure if there was an actual technique to steam the rice or if steaming and boiling are interchangeable terms when it comes to rice.

The rice comes to a boil at first, but you continue to cook at a simmer until the water has been absorbed by the rice...thus steaming the rice.

 

[pacanis]

The rice comes to a boil at first, but you continue to cook at a simmer until the water has been absorbed by the rice...thus steaming the rice.

hmmm... I don't know if I consider simmering until the liquid is absorbed steaming, but maybe that's the difference in this case.
If you put potatoes in boiling water, put the lid on and turn the heat down are you steaming them? No. But perhaps a food that absorbs the liquid, like barley and rice, and using just enough liquid for it all to be absorbed crosses over from boiling to steaming.
I always considered cooking with steam to be steaming. As in suspended above boiling water or using just a small amount of liquid, like in foil packet foods.
But I'm not going to lose any sleep over it

 

[PrincessFiona60]

hmmm... I don't know if I consider simmering until the liquid is absorbed steaming, but maybe that's the difference in this case.
If you put potatoes in boiling water, put the lid on and turn the heat down are you steaming them? No. But perhaps a food that absorbs the liquid, like barley and rice, and using just enough liquid for it all to be absorbed crosses over from boiling to steaming.
I always considered cooking with steam to be steaming. As in suspended above boiling water or using just a small amount of liquid, like in foil packet foods.
But I'm not going to lose any sleep over it

Me, either. I just cook it the way I like it.