Weevils - can I save some of my foodstuff?

Post by **lomuamart** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:36 am

Help!!!! The past two times I've been down to Penang, I've brought back Indian rice, pulses and spices. Going into the cupboard this morning to get the black eyed beans out for soaking and they were overrun by weevils. The chana dal dosn't look too good either (one bag, bought only two weeks ago seems OK and I've put it in the ice compartment of the fridge - seemingly this kills the eggs off - the other looks dodgy to me as almost every grain has a small hole in it). The basmati rice looked bad, but after washing seems OK.
My missus says that as long as everything's cleaned and cooked properly it'll be OK. I'm not so sure. Anyone know about this?
Even if the rice and pulses need to be thrown out, it's not the end of the world as the little blighters havn't got into the spices. I'll just do some other dishes.

Post by **buksida** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:44 am

Get a large oven try, spread the seeds over it and put them in direct sunlight for a few hours. The little buggers hate it and will soon vacate your spices (also works for ants). Then buy an airtight container!

Post by **Vital Spark** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:15 am

We get the same problem, it's a damn nuisance when the foodstuff is a) expensive, and b) not available locally.

Great idea about the sunlight Buksida, I'd forgotten that the little blighters aren't too keen on a bit of brightness. I spent hours once sifting a huge back of tortilla flour with a tea strainer - stuck the newly sifted flour in a sealed container. A week later it was crawling again.

VS

VincentD · Post by **VincentD** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:46 am

Sigh. I just threw out some of that almost irreplaceable stock of spices because of just that.

Lomu, you don't have to go all the way to Penang for your Indian spices. Try the Pahurat area (also known as Little India, just next to Chinatown) in Bangkok the next time you're up. I've managed to get most of what I want from there.

Here's a map link..
http://www.travelfish.org/map_detail/th ... pahurat/26

Had lunch at the Royal India, reasonable price and decent food.

Post by **lomuamart** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:00 am

Thanks for the advice everyone. I've got the cumin seeds outside baking in the sun and the little blighters don't seem to like it one bit. I'll decide in a couple of hours whether they're salvageable.
Reckon the black eyed beans and chana dal are gonners. Basmati rice looks OK. If the coriander seeds are contaminated (they've got holes in them so I reckon they may contain eggs and are currently being frozen), I've got fresh coriander powder, so all's not lost.
VincentD, thanks for the tip. I don't just go to Penang for the spices though - visas come into it somewhere. I'm also reliably informed that Macro in Pranburi stocks a full range, so that's a bit closer to home.
Friends coming for a meal tomorrow, so I'm having a panic. Reckon I'll quieten down with a beer Chang. Weevils are full of protein anyway, aren't they

Post by JD » Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:02 am

Lomu, Just give me a call if you're missing any spices, I'll probably have them here.

Pesky bloody things get everywhere.

Now look what you've done, you've infected the whole thread.

Wash your hands before you post next time.

Post by **Guess** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:11 am

Another alternative is to add corn to the spices. This way the weevils will eat the corn and leave the spices alone. They will get nice and plump and when cooked the taste like prawns apparently.

They were prepared by Kryten for Lister and went down very well.

Post by **lomuamart** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:16 pm

Thanks, JD.
I reckon the cumin seeds are saved and the coriander seeds don't look too bad - I'll go with them.
Black-eyed beans and dal - no way. Whizzed up to The Golden Place and whilst they were out of black eyed beans, I got mung beans. They're soaking and will be cooked later so the little critters don't infest them as well.
Never had this problem before. All the other stuff - turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, cardamon etc is fine.
My hands are clean!!

Post by **buksida** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:30 pm

Stopped off in Makro yesterday in Pranburi - its like little India in there, they have the lot!

Wouldn't sell me wine though as it was the wrong time of day or some bullshit.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:50 pm

Nice one JD - just swatted the bloody laptop screen

Post by JD » Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:26 pm

Terry wrote:Nice one JD - just swatted the bloody laptop screen

Spray man, spray.

It'd make a good Avatar. Hell, why not for a few days. Wonder how many will be poking their screens?

Post by **lomuamart** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:46 pm

Another tip, from my Nepalese neighbour:
Mix a teaspoon or two of turmeric powder in with the weevil infested spices and again leave in the sun.
Dunno why but the little devils aren't in the coriander now.

Post by **lindosfan1** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:41 pm

JD brilliant just had me looking for a minute best post I have seen for days

PET · Post by **PET** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:33 pm

VERY well done JD - I thought I had them in my laptop and now I itch !!

Post by **MrPlum** » Tue May 19, 2009 2:28 pm

Try using dried Holy Basil, Neem leaves or Garlic to deter beasties.