Burning me onions

corblimey

I make a pretty good jambalaya that starts with softening celery, red pepper and onions in a pot and ends with simmering about a litre of stock long enough to get soaked up by the rice. All well and good. Except the last few times I've done it, there's been some rather nasty black bits in the finished dish.

I suspect they're onions that are overdone to begin with and have gotten caught at the bottom of the pan as the soaking progresses and just burn to a cinder. But how to avoid?

There's a couple of options, like turning down the heat (but won't the absorbing just take longer meaning more of a chance of burning anyway), softening for a shorter time (which would mean making sure all the chopped peppers, onions and celery are similar sized), stirring a lot while the absorption process proceeds (the recipe doesn't say to do this, but then it doesn't say not to either).

I can generally pick these bits out, but I'd prefer not to have to do that, so any tips would be gratefully received.

Ponster

I don't see why the onions are burning? If you cook the veg until the onions are translucent and then add the rest there's no real reason for the onions to brown (or go black) once liquid has been added to the pan, unless you were boiling this liquid off (or as you say some are getting 'stuck').

Wouldn't a stir solve that?

Sorry for not being helpful !

nikpmup

Try adding a grind or two of salt to the onions as you're softening them - it makes them release water which stops them catching

vicwatson

Would you not soften the onions in the pan, then take them out and add them back near the end of cooking?

CJhaughey

You could sauté them with a lid, the added moisture makes them less likely to stick, also keep them moving during the sauté don't just let them sit and stick.
I'd probably use a pan and transfer them into the pot as they cooked, one by one.

Curry Addict

the problem is in your cooking method.

i cook byriani about once a week which is very similar to a jambalaya.
the method i use works every time and turns out perfect.
the key thing is the amount of liquid in the pot must be 1.5 times the amount of rice you are going to cook, when you go to cook your rice.

so you cook everything in the pot, then add your rice and then your stock. simply use 1.5 times stock to rice ratio to make it simple. so add your stock last bring the pot to the boil. when it starts to boil put the lid on, reduce the heat to low and time 6 minutes. do not remove the lid during this 6 mins. when the 6mins is over, turn off the heat, remove the lid and stir the rice. the liquid will now be absorbed completely by the rice. it will still look a little wet, it now needs to sit for 20 mins with lid off stirring it every 5mins to allow all the steam to dissipate. after the 20mins its ready to eat. if you are leaving some in the pot you now you need to keep the lid on or it will become lumpy.

it sounds like an odd method with only 6mins to cook the rice etc but it does work great and will solve all your issues!

corblimey

Tks CA, might try that next time. The recipe calls for 300g rice and 900ml stock which is twice as much as you state, but I think I'm going to try just the 450ml as you say.

if you are leaving some in the pot you now you need to keep the lid on or it will become lumpy.

This bit has me a little worried. I make enough for 4 meals, eat 1 straight away and put 3 in tupperware for freezing. In what way will it become 'lumpy'? Will heating in the m/wave later resolve the lumpiness?

@nikpmup; I usually add salt after chopping the onions before I start cooking - does the timing of the salt make any diff?

Curry Addict

corblimey wrote: »

Tks CA, might try that next time. The recipe calls for 300g rice and 900ml stock which is twice as much as you state, but I think I'm going to try just the 450ml as you say.



This bit has me a little worried. I make enough for 4 meals, eat 1 straight away and put 3 in tupperware for freezing. In what way will it become 'lumpy'? Will heating in the m/wave later resolve the lumpiness?

@nikpmup; I usually add salt after chopping the onions before I start cooking - does the timing of the salt make any diff?

for the stock i would suggest using 450ml of water and adding the amount of cube for 900ml water.

the rice clumps together if you dont put the lid on after the steam dissipates. so after you take your portion out for eating simply put the lid on the pot and leave it to cool before freezing and it will remain perfect. its odd but true