Author Topic: Cauliflower rice techniques needed  (Read 13317 times)

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Offline BonitaApplebum

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Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« on: January 31, 2018, 11:46:37 AM »
My cauliflower rice is sadness. It's always watery.

Is it even possible for it to come out any other way if you are using the frozen kind?

My food processor sucks and I hate using it, so frozen pre-riced cauliflower is my go to until I replace the food processor.

Offline merigayle

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2018, 12:36:29 PM »
I have only used fresh. Can you use a cheese grater?
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Offline omega lambda

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2018, 12:56:22 PM »
I buy fresh, riced cauliflower at Costco:



 

Offline Run Amok

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2018, 01:10:33 PM »
The fresh stuff holds up better. But I have never felt it was anything like rice. I still use it. But I don't think of it as rice. But maybe I'm doing it wrong.

Offline omega lambda

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2018, 01:40:29 PM »
The fresh stuff holds up better. But I have never felt it was anything like rice. I still use it. But I don't think of it as rice. But maybe I'm doing it wrong.

I agree.  It isn't rice.  But it's a good stand in.  Same for mashed cauliflower for me.  It isn't potatoes, but if I dress it up with some cheese and garlic, it's good.

Offline BonitaApplebum

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2018, 02:03:29 PM »
OK, so I don't think of it as "rice" -- that path leads to madness. :D

I try to think of it as a sauce vehicle. Or a casserole filler. I don't expect it to taste like rice, but I'm looking to get a better mouth feel -- I've read that that is possible, but I can't seem to hit it. And it's because my cauliflower is consistently watery, which wrecks everything (especially a casserole, gross).

I did not know you could buy it fresh but already chopped. That might be a good solution, because I think the frozen stuff has more water than I can expect to cook out.

Hand grating sounds unfun, I am lazy. :)


Offline Run Amok

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2018, 02:44:08 PM »
So, what they sell as "rice" in the store is chopped up stems. So, one thing you could try is to use only stems. I would chop it in the food processor vs grating, myself. Although it always comes out too watery when I do it myself.

I do kind of like that fall apart/mush texture in some things though-- like an indian curry, for example.

Offline witchypoo

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2018, 03:18:43 PM »
i pulse heads of cauliflower in the food processor, and then nuke them in the 'wave.
THEN i dump the cauliflower onto a cheesecloth towel and squeeze all the water out.

Offline BonitaApplebum

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2018, 04:36:45 PM »
So, I just tried roasting the (frozen) riced cauliflower in the oven.

I stirred the cauliflower bits with some melted butter, and spread it all out on an oven tray. After it started browning I added some caramelized onions and let them roast together for a bit, and at the end I added grated cheese. Finished with a bit of truffle salt.

That was pretty good, definitely better than the results I've been getting in the pan. Not watery.

Offline diablita

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2018, 04:39:21 PM »
I buy the bags of frozen at TJ's.  Need to buy some tonight in fact.  This is exactly what I do:

I pop the intact bag in the microwave for a minute to loosen up some of the chunks.  Meanwhile I heat up a big saute pan with either a bit of coconut oil or olive oil.  When the oil is warm I add a couple small spoonfuls of bouillon (if I'm using it) and put the riced cauliflower in.  I let it heat by itself for a good long while.  Maybe 5 minutes.  That gets most of the water out.  Meanwhile I chop other vegetables or whatever. 

Then I generally add in whatever vegetables I want to cook slightly, like peppers or spinach.  Often I'll also make a well in the center and scramble a couple of eggs in there a bit, then mix the semi- scrambled eggs into everything else.  Add already-cooked protein (I'll sautee the shrimp beforehand, for example) and done!
"Some things you just need to do for yourself, even if it means nicking your nads."  --nneJ

Offline diablita

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2018, 04:39:41 PM »
posted at the same time.  glad that worked for you!
"Some things you just need to do for yourself, even if it means nicking your nads."  --nneJ

Offline merigayle

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2018, 07:29:20 PM »
roasted riced cauliflower (with garlic!) is awesome! And it tastes about as much as rice as spaghetti squash tastes like spaghetti  :roll:
Fionn mac Cumhail :Meri will rise from the casket and beat you...and then run one last Badwater before burying herself.

Offline BonitaApplebum

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2018, 07:47:18 PM »
roasted riced cauliflower (with garlic!) is awesome! And it tastes about as much as rice as spaghetti squash tastes like spaghetti  :roll:
Duh, I can't believe I didn't add garlic to mine!

Offline Dagstag v 2.0

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #13 on: January 31, 2018, 08:48:23 PM »
Ah diablita, I never thought to add bouillon to it. I’ve got to remember to try that next time.

I like to eat c rice with curries. One day I mean to mix it with bagna cauda and eat it that way :d

Offline hally

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #14 on: February 06, 2018, 02:24:19 PM »
I bought the freshly chopped in bags and find it goes bad really quickly once you open it so use it quick!

I pulse it in the food processor when I make my own.
I bought a couple of bags of frozen at TJ's but if fresh is on sale I prefer it.
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Offline DocBuzzkill

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #15 on: February 06, 2018, 03:52:35 PM »
Thanks to this thread, I was curious enough to buy some fresh cauliflower rice (just 10 ounces) at the local market.  Since I was making steamed fish with spicy bean sauce (douban yu) for dinner, I treated the cauli rice w/ a more east Asian influence:

Heated ~ 1T of peanut oil in a large skillet over a medium flame, added minced garlic (2 cloves) and ginger root (~1T) and sauteed until golden and aromatic (about 30 sec-1 min).  Then I added the cauli rice, gave it a stir, then deglazed the pan with ~1T of shaoxing wine, then added about 1/4 cup of water.  Turned the flame down to medium-low and let the liquid reduce while I did other stuff, stirring occasionally.  I think I cooked it about 7 minutes or so.  Although not rice, it was nonetheless delicious, not at all watery and went well with the fish.



#notallprogressives

Offline Run Amok

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #16 on: February 20, 2018, 04:09:02 PM »
That sounds good, Doc!

So here is something I do with this stuff that I think is pretty tasty. I eat it on it's own but you could serve it along side something if you wanted.

Mix together 1/2 serving of ff greek yogurt (plain)  or 1/2 serving of ff cottage cheese, 46 grams of egg whites, and 28 grams of low fat sharp cheddar. Set this aside

Sautee onion, garlic, 1 cup of cauli rice, and 1/2 cup of frozen spinach (or 1 cup of fresh), + green onions with a little spritz of olive oil over med-high heat until the water is gone and everything is brown.

Mix in the cheese mixture. Turn to med-low and let sit for a few minutes until it's solid and brown underneath.I like to flip it (don't worry about getting this too precise) and let it brown on the other side.

Variations: use a mexican type of cheese & top with enchilada sauce. Use mozz and top with pizza or tomato sauce.

Depending on your ingredients this is low carb, high protein, and low fat.

I also mix cauliflower rice into smoothies. You can't taste it and it adds good body.

Offline Ice Cream

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #17 on: February 21, 2018, 07:58:57 AM »
OK, so I don't think of it as "rice" -- that path leads to madness. :D

I try to think of it as a sauce vehicle. Or a casserole filler. I don't expect it to taste like rice, but I'm looking to get a better mouth feel -- I've read that that is possible, but I can't seem to hit it. And it's because my cauliflower is consistently watery, which wrecks everything (especially a casserole, gross).

I did not know you could buy it fresh but already chopped. That might be a good solution, because I think the frozen stuff has more water than I can expect to cook out.

Hand grating sounds unfun, I am lazy. :)



I dislike any appropriation of a name for another product in general. It isn't rice, period.

Offline BonitaApplebum

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #18 on: February 21, 2018, 08:40:22 AM »
That sounds good, Doc!

So here is something I do with this stuff that I think is pretty tasty. I eat it on it's own but you could serve it along side something if you wanted.

Mix together 1/2 serving of ff greek yogurt (plain)  or 1/2 serving of ff cottage cheese, 46 grams of egg whites, and 28 grams of low fat sharp cheddar. Set this aside

Sautee onion, garlic, 1 cup of cauli rice, and 1/2 cup of frozen spinach (or 1 cup of fresh), + green onions with a little spritz of olive oil over med-high heat until the water is gone and everything is brown.

Mix in the cheese mixture. Turn to med-low and let sit for a few minutes until it's solid and brown underneath.I like to flip it (don't worry about getting this too precise) and let it brown on the other side.

Variations: use a mexican type of cheese & top with enchilada sauce. Use mozz and top with pizza or tomato sauce.

Depending on your ingredients this is low carb, high protein, and low fat.



This sounds similar some of the low-carb "pizza" recipes I've seen, like fathead pizza. I have been meaning to try it, but haven't gotten around to it.

I ate an entire head of cauliflower yesterday. Just roasted with salt and olive oil. So good.

Offline Run Amok

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Re: Cauliflower rice techniques needed
« Reply #19 on: February 21, 2018, 11:49:32 AM »
This sounds similar some of the low-carb "pizza" recipes I've seen, like fathead pizza. I have been meaning to try it, but haven't gotten around to it.

I ate an entire head of cauliflower yesterday. Just roasted with salt and olive oil. So good.

hmm. interesting. This definitely doesn't satisfy my pizza cravings. But for me the bread is a big part of pizza. The cheddar version is a little more like hashbrowns. The italian version is more like lasagna without the noodles or eggplant parm-- or something along those lines.

 

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