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[Azkanan]

Chicken Tikka curry. Om nom nom.

[quinnr]

I have a rice cooker now too, perfect except it has a minimum of 3 servings. Got it from the thrift store though so I can't complain.

I like to put sushi-vinegar on my rice now, too. Pretty good stuff!

[Dave1004]

I usually put a mixture of spices into the water when the rice is boiling, generally something spicy. When the water is drained, I fluff the rice with vigorous amounts of butter and a bit of soy sauce. Sprinkle some parsley and thyme if you like that, and make sure to have a slice of lemon on the side. It generally turns out delicious!

[Neonivek]

I usually put a mixture of spices into the water when the rice is boiling, generally something spicy. When the water is drained, I fluff the rice with vigorous amounts of butter and a bit of soy sauce. Sprinkle some parsley and thyme if you like that, and make sure to have a slice of lemon on the side. It generally turns out delicious!

And when it doesn't?

[Yoink]

I tried a few different combos yesterday: Rice with vegemite, which was kinda nice, although the vegemite really just tasted like super-strong soy sauce; Rice with salmon, which was too normal to bear mentioning, rice with salmon and barbecue sauce which was delicious, and rice with mustard which was alright.

[Neonivek]

Did you try Rice with Butter Chicken?

[Yoink]

The heck is that? Chicken made from butter? Or just buttered chicken?

[Neonivek]

The heck is that? Chicken made from butter? Or just buttered chicken?

While there is such a thing as buttered chicken.

To my knowledge butter sauce (a Indian sauce) is used with cuts of chicken.

At least that is what I think it is called.

[Trapezohedron]

I usually put a mixture of spices into the water when the rice is boiling, generally something spicy. When the water is drained, I fluff the rice with vigorous amounts of butter and a bit of soy sauce. Sprinkle some parsley and thyme if you like that, and make sure to have a slice of lemon on the side. It generally turns out delicious!

As for me, using a broth cube, but not too much works just fine in terms of taste, although I prefer plain, ordinary rice, and eating it with teriyaki chicken or something.

[FearfulJesuit]

I am necroing this topic because I may be living on my own for the first time soon. What are some good ways to cook potatoes, as well? It looks likely that my diet in such a case would be mostly cheap grains with dairy, eggs, spices and butter to go with.

[crazysheep]

Potatoes can be fried or boiled and mashed, those are the easiest ways of cooking potatoes for students (read: low budget, minimal use of kitchen appliances).

[LordBucket]

I am necroing this topic because I may be living on my own for the first time soon. What are some good ways to cook potatoes, as well? It looks likely that my diet in such a case would be mostly cheap grains with dairy, eggs, spices and butter to go with.

What precisely is your goal? Minimize expenses? Minimize time and effort spent cooking? Live as extravagantly as possible while still maintaining a "reasonable" compromise with the other two factors?

You can make fried rice better than most restaurants:

 * Cook standard white rice. Use 1:1 rice:water ratio rather than 1:1.5 usually recommended. This makes it less moist.
 * Allow rice to sit in open air until cool
 * Sprinkle it as you like with any combination of black pepper, red pepper, onion powder, garlic, curry powder.
 * Fry it lightly in oil (Olive oil is more flavorful, but more expensive. Corn oil will work) while mixing/stirring regularly with a spatula
 * Add soy sauce. Continue to mix/stir regularly.
 * (Optional) Fry strips of chicken or sausage, then cut into bite sized chunks
 * (Optional) Cook any sort of vegetables: onion, carrots, brocoli, califlower, etc.
 * While the above is cooking, mix eggs in a bowl with any combination of above spices
 * Partially fry the eggs. Stir regularly and don't let them cook all the way. Once they are partially cooked but still runny, add to rice.
 * Continue frying the rice/egg mix until it is cooked.

If you make the meat/vegetables they can be served separately or together with the rice.

potatoes

I find that potatoes are something best served in small quantities while mixed with other things. They don't make good primary dishes. However, if potatoes are what you have to work with, it's very simple to make "good" mashed potatoes simply by peeling and cutting them into small pieces, then boiling them until soft. Then mash them into a paste and add any combination of the following:

 * Milk (this is for texture and consistency more than flavor)
 * Black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, cilantro
 * Shredded cheese (any kind) and/or sour creme/creme cheese. Cottage cheese will work in a pinch, but it substantially alters the texture.

Experiment with quantities. Mashed potatoes can probably take more garlic powder than you'd think would be reasonable and still be very tasty. But too much and it will become inedible. Cheese is something that's very difficult to use too much of, but there comes a point where the cheese, while being tasty, changes the texture so that the "mashed" potatoes become "sticky" potatoes. Experiment to find out how you like it.

[LordBucket]

read: low budget

If minimizing expenses is the primary consideration, then:

 * Don't become so fixated on eating cheaply that you starve yourself. It might be possible to go weeks eating nothing but rice, potatoes, top ramen, etc. but your body might start to object if you attempt it.
 * Macroni and cheese is a dollar a box for ~750 calories. That's a meal. It's not necessary to add milk or butter. Instead, when draining, simply leave enough water to dissolve/mix the cheese powder.
 * If you happen to live near a costco, pay the $20 to get a membership card, and regularly partake of the free sample tables. Provided you're close enough that you don't lose because of gas costs, this can pay for itself very quickly.
 * Consider getting pre-made pizza. Yes, pizza as "cheap food" might seem counterintuitive, but check the deli aisle and check the frozen food aisle. Don't get DiGiorno. Look for deli pizza made by the grocery store, and look for generic "nameless" brand frozen pizza in plastic wrap. Very often it's possible to pay $5-$7 for a large quantity of pizza. Don't eat it in one sitting. If you pad it with rice and potatoes, a large pizza can last 2-3 days and keep you from going crazy from eating nothing but rice and potatoes.

And, worst case:

 * Costco stores will generally fill a cart full of the leftover bakery goods from the previous day, and set it behind the store for collection by various charitable organizations. If you show up before they do and take a few items, it's unlikely that anyone will ask questions. Remember, they'll be donated to needy people. If you're starving, that's you.
 * Hotels very often set out complimentary fruit and pastries in the public area for guests very early in the morning. (6am or so). I have never been asked to show a room key.
 * Churches and auto dealerships often have weekend events with free food. It may take some looking, but once you find one it may be possible, for example, to have free hot dogs every saturday at your local dealership, followed by pancakes every sunday at your local church.

[ed boy]

What are some good ways to cook potatoes, as well? It looks likely that my diet in such a case would be mostly cheap grains with dairy, eggs, spices and butter to go with.

The easiest way to cook potatoes is to bake them - you just pierce them a few times and shove them in the oven. I eat potatoes pretty much every day, and baked is a staple.

[Tellemurius]

Potatoes are also awesome in casseroles for example the famous shepards pie of a mixture of meat, veggies layered on baked mash potatoes.