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Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by pg on Friday March 20, 2009 @04:32PM (#525529)
Our ramen was rice and beans. In fact the rice and beans I used to make during Viaweb became the basis of the dishes we make for founders at YC dinners. (I say we because we now have a cook make the dinners, but I made them for the first 7 cycles.)

Rice & Beans For 2n

   olive oil or butter
   n yellow onions
   3n cloves garlic
   n 12-oz cans Goya white beans
   n cubes Knorr beef bouillon
   n teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
   3n teaspoons cumin
   n cups rice, preferably sushi rice
Put rice in rice cooker. Add water as specified on rice package. (Default: 2 cups water per cup of rice.) Turn on rice cooker and forget about it.

Chop onions and fry in oil, over fairly low heat, till glassy. Put in chopped garlic, pepper, cumin, and a little more fat, and stir. Keep heat low. Cook another 2 or 3 minutes, then add beans (don't drain the beans), and stir. Throw in the bouillon cube(s), cover, and cook on lowish heat for at least 10 minutes more. Stir vigilantly to avoid sticking.

Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by aaronblohowiak on Friday March 20, 2009 @05:02PM (#525574)
While not only delicious, one reason Rice & beans is preferable to Ramen is that it is a complete protein[1], "a source of protein that contains an adequate proportion of all of the essential amino acids for the dietary needs of humans" [2].

[1] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complete_protein [2] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_and_beans

Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by defen on Friday March 20, 2009 @05:48PM (#525657)
You probably want a little more fat than this diet provides alone. Also be sure to watch out for Vitamin B12 deficiency :-)
Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by gcheong on Friday March 20, 2009 @07:31PM (#525766)
That's where the donuts come in:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=511085

Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by grinich on Friday March 20, 2009 @07:12PM (#525752)
"How to eat like a startup: A Cookbook by Paul Graham"

In the works?

Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by gcheong on Friday March 20, 2009 @07:26PM (#525764)
I remember reading about a startup that produced a cookbook for startups out of their experience. Unfortunately I couldn't find the reference, but I wouldn't mind hearing what others have come up with.
Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by mhb on Saturday March 21, 2009 @09:17PM (#526850)
Maybe consider cutting back on the bouillon cubes.

Beef bouillon cube ingredients:

Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Beef Fat, Hydrolyzed Protein (Corn, Soy, Wheat), Caramel Color, Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Water, Beef Extract, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Spice and Coloring, Dried Carrots, Parsley.

Per your serving size:

1340 mg sodium = 56% RDA

The Knorr vegetable cube trades off MSG for partially hydrogenated oil so doesn't seem much more appealing.

Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by dfranke on Friday March 20, 2009 @05:36PM (#525643)
24 ounces of beans for one person? Do you mean for 2n, not for n/2?
Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by pg on Friday March 20, 2009 @06:31PM (#525718)
Oops! Fixed; thanks.
Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by immad on Friday March 20, 2009 @09:22PM (#525856)
Too many ingredients for Heyzap's taste. I am going to try that out without the garlic and bouillon.

Though I did find a Chinese supermarket in Mission with cheap pre-chopped garlic.

Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by rms on Friday March 20, 2009 @09:27PM (#525859)
If you aren't going to use bullion, sprinkle some MSG on, umami is essential here.
Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by soundsop on Friday March 20, 2009 @07:19PM (#525760)
Stir vigilantly to avoid sticking.

Or allow a little bit of sticking at the end and add some white wine to unstick (deglaze) the sticky stuff. Cook away at least half of the wine you added. This little flourish always adds good flavors.

Re:ASK PG: What were your first thoughts knowing for sure Vi... by gord on Friday March 20, 2009 @06:09PM (#525690)
for n/2 weeks, right?

If you happen to be in Thailand, try the street food - satay skewers, spicy soup, deep fried fish cakes...

[ The crispy grasshopper beer snacks are mainly there to shock ]

geek culinary bliss on a budget