Food Question!!!

[snidegrrl]

OK, so I have been observing the fantastic bentolunch community lately. And then today tzel sent me this bento link. It is easy to chop up some things, or grab a few pita chips or carrots, or what have you to put in a bento box. But what I don't get is

Comments

[belladonnalin]

I totally prepare a bunch of noodles or a bunch of rice every time I cook either so that they can be used for leftovers. I've found that rice only gets hard (and noodles goopy) if you don't cover them - it's important to make sure that they're properly sealed. Other than that, they're perfectly reheatable.

If either is getting a little dry on reheating, you can throw a tablespoon or so of water to rehydrate. Works like a dream!

[snidegrrl]

Noted. I of course was imagining the rice you get with say, take out chinese, which on day two of sitting in the refrigerator in that foldy cardboard thing, is like a brick.

thanks!

[peregrin8]

yeah, that is the worst rice. When I cook rice at home, it doesn't do that.

[peregrin8]

or, duh, maybe it's the container. Because I just realized that Indian basmati rice turns into a rock too - WHEN I don't take it out of the styrofoam carry-out thing to put it in plastic!

[peregrin8]

Just don't mix the noodles with the sauce until you're ready to nuke and eat. As long as they are stored separately, they keep for days.

[snidegrrl]

So I should just be able to keep a whole mess o' cooked noodles in the fridge for random use?

I mean, random eating. I don't use noodles for anything else. I swear.

[peregrin8]

Absolutely. When I cook pasta, I always cook the whole box and then throw the rest in tupperware in the fridge. I've had it a week later and it's perfectly fine.

[valancymay]

I suppose noodles might get a little strange (although they soften up quickly enough in the microwave with some butter). I find that homemade rice (unlike restaurant rice) stays soft much longer, especially the whole-grain rice I invariably make.

I make huge pots of both at the beginning of the week and eat one or the other for lunch and supper each night, because I hate to cook.

[snidegrrl]

Fantastic. I will consider making a huge batch on sundays!

[angela_la_la]

If you rinse the noodles in cold water and then put the sauce on them, it stops the cooking and removes the starch which makes them gummy.

With rice, as another commenter said, covering it tightly is the key. However, if your rice dries out, don't despair, that makes the best fried rice (which contrary to its name does not need much oil).

I keep a whiteboard in my kitchen and list allllll the food I have in the house. All of it. It's the only way to stop myself from going shopping, when I can look at the board and say, "hey, dummy, you have tomato soup, beans, and tortillas, make dinner out of that."

[angela_la_la]

I should specify that my sauces tend to be oil-based (like sesame noodles), so they don't get soggy. I wouldn't sauce ahead of time with tomato sauce or something else water-based.

[snidegrrl]

The bento boxes I was attracted to looked like they had something like pad thai in them, which I do like, and would enjoy having in my lunch even cold. But I'd need to be sure it wasn't going to be disgustimacating by day 3.

[snidegrrl]

I am pleased to know that we both came to the same plans seperately. I don't have a whiteboard but close enough. :)

Do you think whole wheat pasta will be any different?

What about the type of noodles you'd use for say, pad thai, versus spaghetti?

[asimplelife]

You may like the vegan lunch box for inspiration as well. As the name suggests, it's vegan, but there are lots of good ideas there.

Personally, I much prefer noodles and rice that are pre-cooked and left to dry out overnight (as in stored in tupperware in the fridge). I find that they tend to hold up a lot better if you saute them in a little soy sauce and seasonings to make the noodles more interesting. If they are plain, they also tend to suck up the liquid from my stir fries.

[crafting_change]

I loooooooooove vegan lunch box (and the schmoo food blog) I just got a laptop lunch kit and joined the cult of cute and tiny portions!

[snidegrrl]

You totally started this. :D