Less than A$1.77 - carrot pilau

[fred_mouse]

Quantities approximated. Prices also very approximate, so my barely scraping under the line might be erroneous. But this is the rice dish for six people (along with microwaved potatoes and stir fried greens with cashews, so approximately 1/3 of the meal). And I've used sushi rice which is more expensive than standard. So I'm calling it as fine.

500 g sushi rice, bought in bulk @ $2.50/kg = $1.25
300 g carrots (grated), $1/kg = 30c
2-3 g cardamom pods (crushed), say 20c (local online price says $8.50/100g, but not sure what I paid for them)
cooking oil (pantry staple) [enough to cover the bottom of the pan]
4 cups boiling water (staple...)
= $1.75

Heat oil in heavy bottomed pan (high heat). When you start to see movement in the oil, add the cardamom. Stir gently. For people with average sense of smell, the next step happens when you can start to smell the heated cardamom. Otherwise, approximately 30s? Add all the grated carrot, turn the heat down to medium. Cook until the carrot gets either paler or softer. Add the rice, stir it through to warm it.

The next step is adding the water, and depending on how your pot holds heat, you have to be very careful. I pour it in slowly, over as much of the area as possible, stopping to stir it through if needed.

Once the water is added, keeping stirring until it is obvious that nothing has stuck to the bottom. You can either put a lid on, go away and hope (my preferred way) or stick around, leave the lid off, stir it regularly, as you might if you were making risotto (what I did this time). At some point the rice will either be soft, have absorbed all the water, or better yet, both.

Challenge 47: Less than £1 - carrot ragoût

[el_staplador]

This is a dish from Katharine Whitehorn's Cooking In A Bedsitter that I first cooked when I was actually living in one, and have repeated so many times that I have given up looking in the book. Lunch or supper for one. It doesn't look like anything special but it's tasty and comforting, and quick and cheap and easy.

I honestly did have all the ingredients at home, so the prices are a bit approximate.

Ingredients

1 rasher bacon (pack of ten is £2; this particular pack had already done for a bacon sarnie and a pasta thing) - £0.20
1 small onion - £0.04
2 carrots - £0.12
2 small potatoes (or one largeish one) - £0.40
herbs - I used a handful of fresh herbs from the garden (planter acquired years ago for a price I now forget, but I think I've already had my money's worth out of it) but the original recipe called for a generous pinch of mixed herbs. Thyme works well, in my opinion.
about 150ml water

I would also advise a teaspoon of oil but I was going for maximum cheapskatery.

Total - £0.76

Equipment

Sharp knife
Chopping board
Kitchen scissors are optional but useful
Hob
Saucepan
Wooden spoon


Method

Peel and chop the onion. Peel and slice the carrots and the potatoes.

Cut the bacon into squares (this is where the scissors come in handy).

Either - heat the bacon very gently in the saucepan to release the fat - or - just use oil. Cook the onion and bacon gently for 5 minutes or so. Add the potatoes and carrots and turn in the fat for a minute or so. Add the water and herbs, season, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn, and add a little more water if necessary. When it's done, tip the whole lot into a bowl and eat with a fork or a spoon depending on how liquid it is.