Sunday, January 9, 2011

Slow Cookers & You, a PSA

I have only briefly mentioned it, but I'm an English Teacher in South Korea presently.
Ooh ahh! Alright.
In most teacher's apartments, you have a gas stove and a microwave. This may sound strange to say, but it is rare for someone to have an actual oven. Living and working abroad in this country has given me an appreciation of the privilege of having an oven. I also miss having a wider selection of cheeses, bacon, and other general western foods at the store.
I accept that in Korea, where cheese just isn't a part of the traditional culinary history, it's not going to be cheap or readily available like it is back home; but that doesn't save me from missing it.

Having been abroad for a few years I have locked in on a secret: Get a slow cooker / crock pot if you don't have an oven. Instant Ramen and Instant Curry is best left for those weeks when the budget's tight, and with produce cheaper than eating out every meal, it's a good choice.
It's as simple as preparing veggies, meat and dropping them into a slow cooker before work. When you get home from work dinner is ready. Plus you've got leftovers for slow days at work if you've actually got the time to microwave and let cool a meal in-between classes.
I purchased my slow cooker from an electronics mall in Yongsan, Seoul for 40,000 won (roughly $35USD at the time of this writing) a few months ago, and it has been a worthy investment. I've saved money on meals that would have been spent at a restaurant, and had meals which were as close to home-cooked as I can get.
While the directions and manual are all in Korean, it is easy to deduce which setting is equivalent to how many hours of slow cooking, as a handy table in the manual shows. Knowing how to "spell" Korean words and look up their meanings on a cell phone dictionary doesn't hurt either.
But enough about that, this is the part of the blog where I give back to my fans for putting up with my posts regarding games. Have a recipe:

Veggie Curry
Ingredients: 1-2 Carrots, 1 Onion, 2 Potatoes, a handful of Cherry Tomatoes, 1 Cucumber, and 2 Bell Peppers.
Spices/Sauces: Sri Racha sauce (use a glass bottle of it, not the "Cock Sauce" with the rooster on it, it will be thicker and better for slow cooking,) and 1 can of Coconut milk.

First, peel the Carrot(s). Save the peels. Then chop Carrot(s) into wedges.
Slice the whole Onion.
Peel the Potatoes and then cube them.
Half the Cherry Tomatoes.
Peel the Cucumber if desired, and chop into thin slices.
Slice the bell pepper into either "O"'s or thin strips. (I prefer strips.)

Lay the Onion slices at the bottom of the crock pot.
Add half of the ingredients.
Pour the Coconut Milk evenly into the crock pot.
Add the remaining half of the ingredients over the layer of coconut milk. 
Pour a liberal or conservative amount of Sri Racha sauce over the top. More will be spicier, and less will be milder, etc.
Now you saved those Carrot peels right? Put them on the top of everything.
Close the lid and turn on your crock pot.

Let cook for 7~9 hours on a low setting in your crock pot. Serve with rice.


If you want to add meat like chicken breast, go on ahead. I would recommend pan searing it before putting it into the slow cooker to help trap moisture within the meat.

For awhile I'd eat dinner from cheap restaurants near me because I couldn't be bothered to spend 10~15 minutes doing prep, then 15~20 minutes cooking the food on my stove before it's actually ready. Right after I get home from work? Hell no, I'd have to really want something to actually get motivated to make it.
I've heard other expats say they don't have time to cook or prepare their meals as well. But that's just silliness and lazy. All of the prep in the veggie curry recipe can be done in less than 15 minutes, and with a slow cooker, there's few dishes to clean after the slow cooker's done.
The most complicated recipe I've undertaken involves marinading beef overnight in the fridge. Prep for that meal could be stretched to maybe 20 minutes if you were watching TV while you prepped. With a slow cooker, you just go about your business. Return later and the food's done.

While I've had a slow cooker in the US, I wasn't sold on getting one while in Korea until my girlfriend got one. She made a very delicious and nutritious curry and with the next paycheck, I got a slow cooker, too. It has made simple meals more flavorful than cooking with only a frying pan on a gas stove.

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