Cooking:a relaxing hobby with a reward at the end!

There are many enjoyable hobbies. But nothing can even come close to cooking as a hobby when it comes to the benefits that people derive from it. No wonder you don't have to encourage most women to cook up a new dish. It is a reward in itself. There is no need for additional motivation. The joy of following a cookbook to produce a dish is a great experience in itself and if the end result is good then it is even more satisfying for the person and the admiration from others is an added bonus.

Some people cook for its relaxing qualities. Many do it for the thrill of experimentation or to improve their skills or to cook up an exotic dish that they have only seen on TV before. The other reason for its popularity is that you can learn cooking and improve your skills right at home.

Cooking as a hobby is the easiest to do among all rewarding hobbies. If you want to paint you must have the talent. If you want to do photography you must have the expensive equipment and the training. Other hobbies like listening to music are just plain relaxation and there is no end product. On the other hand most people have the equipment needed for cooking and though talent helps it is not such a basic necessity as in the case of other hobbies.

When it comes to cooking the possibilities are vast. There are so many cuisines in this world that there is no lack of variety. The availability of such resources like TV, cookbooks and internet has brought this variety within reach of almost everyone.
The dish that you choose to cook can range from the very simple to the complex. It all depends on how much time you want to spend and what ingredients you have on hand and to what extent you want to go. 

The amount of interest that cooking generates can be gauged from the high viewership of cookery show on TV, the number of recipes in magazines, the number of sites on the internet dedicated to cooking , the number of cookbooks being sold and the phenomenal success of cookery classes. 

Cooking is also an evolving art. Everyday people are experimenting with new dishes and adding on to the vast variety that is already available. The internet and the digital world have made it easier to share these innovations with others. So there is always something new to try and it need not be repetitive and boring.
So why is cooking so relaxing? Anything that takes your mind off your everyday problems is relaxing. The best way to relax is to do something that you enjoy. And if you enjoy cooking then it is the best way to relax. Some people feel there is something meditative about preparing and putting together all those ingredients. So pick up the cookbook and relax while putting together a great dish, and then enjoy it again while eating it and sharing your creation with others. Cooking is fun and a truly enjoyable and relaxing hobby and you can be sure that no one else in the family is going to complain about it.

Rice pilaf

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus 2 pinches
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• 1 pinch saffron, steeped in 1/4 cup hot but not boiling water
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1-by-2-inch strip orange zest
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup pistachios, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350.

Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucier over medium heat.

Stir in the onion, bell pepper and 2 pinches of salt.

Decrease the heat to low and sweat until the onion is translucent and aromatic but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and add the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until you smell nuts, another 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the saffron and its water, the broth, orange zest, bay leaves and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Increase the heat and bring to a boil.

OK, now the weird part: Thoroughly wet a clean towel, kill the heat, scatter the peas on top of the rice, then place the towel across the top of the saucier. Top with the lid, then fold the towel corners up over the lid.

Transfer the saucier (towel and all) to the oven and bake 15 minutes.

Remove and rest at room temperature for 15 more minutes without opening the lid.

Fish out the orange zest and bay leaves. Turn the pilaf out onto a platter, fluff with a large fork and garnish with the raisins and pistachios. Serve family-style, right in the middle of the table.

This recipe shines with preserved lemons. If you don't have access to any, you can use thin slices of regular or Meyer lemon, and you'll likely need to add quite a bit of salt to the dish at the end. If you use a tagine, you will likely need to soak it in water over-night before subjecting it to the heat of the stove. Doing so will help keep the tagine from cracking.

ingredients: 

• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 chicken, 3-4 lbs, cut into 8 pieces (or 3-4 lbs of just chicken thighs and legs, the dark meat is more flavorful)
• Salt

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped

• The rind from 1 preserved lemon, rinsed in cold water, pulp discarded, rind cut into thin strips (if you don't have preserved lemon, use whole thin slices of regular lemon)
• 1 cup green olives, pitted
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

preparation:

1 Combine all the spices in a large bowl. Pat dry the chicken pieces and put in the bowl, coat well with the spice mixture. Let the chicken stand for one hour in the spices.
2 If you are using a clay tagine (if you have one, you must soak the bottom in water overnight before using), place it on a heat diffuser on the heating element to prevent the tagine from cracking, and place the olive oil in the tagine and heat it on medium heat. If you do not have a tagine, you can use a thick-bottomed, large skillet with a cover. Heat the oil in the skillet on medium high heat. In either case, sprinkle the chicken pieces very lightly with salt (go easy on the salt, the olives and preserved lemons are salty) and place skin side down in the tagine or skillet for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the garlic and onions over the chicken. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes.

3 Turn chicken pieces over. Add the lemon slices, olives, raisins, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and quite tender.
4 Mix in fresh parsley and cilantro right before serving. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Serve with couscous, rice, or rice pilaf.

HUMMUS

Hummus is one of the more popular Middle Eastern dips. Served with fresh or toasted pita bread, hummus makes for a great snack or appetizer. Tahini is an important part of the hummus recipe and cannot be substituted. However, it can be omitted. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).
Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.
For a spicier hummus, add a sliced red chile or a dash of cayenne pepper.

Storing HUMMUS

Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be kept in the freezer for up to one month. Add a little olive oil if it appears to be too dry.