Monday, September 17, 2007
Food Science : Foundation of Science
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
NUTS
Technically, acorns, chestnuts and hazelnuts are the only "true" nuts. Almonds, brazils, cashews, macadamias, peanuts, pecans, pinenuts, pistachios and walnuts are "seeds". The term "nut" has now been broadened to include the seeds.
Nuts are the edible fruit from trees or bushes that are enclosed in a shell, of varying degrees of hardness, which serves as a protective coating from predators. Inside the shell of each nut is one edible kernel. The outer skin of the nuts is usually bitter but can be removed by blanching or toasting. Toasting the nuts in the oven also enhances the nut's buttery flavor and gives them a golden color with added crunch.
To toast the nuts, spread on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for anywhere between 8-20 minutes. The nuts are done when they are light golden-brown in color and fragrant. The baking time depends on the type and size of the nut. Nuts can be toasted in advance and stored at room temperature in airtight containers or plastic bags for up to a week.
Nuts are sold in various forms: shelled and unshelled; raw, toasted, toasted and salted, smoked, candied and with various flavorings. Nuts also come whole, chopped, or ground. When buying unshelled nuts look for nuts that are smooth and unblemished, heavy for their size, and do not rattle when shaken (except for peanuts), as rattling indicates the nutmeat is old. Shelled nuts should be uniform in color and size, and plump looking. Discolored or shriveled nuts means they are old. Always buy nuts from a place where you know there is a high turnover rate. Most nuts are at their best in the fall, when they are harvested.
Nuts are high in fat and natural oils which causes them to turn rancid quickly. Store unshelled nuts in a cool dry place for up to 6 months. Shelled nuts are best stored in the refrigerator or freezer in airtight containers or plastic bags.
Some products made from nuts are flours, nut butters, pastes and oils.
Nuts contain a high percentage of fats, mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
- Toasted nuts are less likely to sink in cakes, quick breads and other baking. Another way to stop nuts from sinking in batters is to take 1-2 tablespoons (10-20 grams) of flour called for in the recipe and toss the nuts in it.
- Warm nuts are easier to chop.
- When a recipe calls for "coarsely" chopped nuts, cut into large pea-size pieces.
- Freshly shelled nuts have the best flavor but for convenience shelled canned nuts can be used.
- Unsalted nuts have a longer shelf life than salted ones.
- Chopping nuts by hand ensures uniformity as opposed to using a food processor.
- If you have bits and pieces of shell in your shelled nuts, place the nuts in a large bowl of cold water. The shells will float to the surface and can be skimmed off.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Cookies
During the early part of the 18th century North Americans began to use the word 'cookie' to define a small, sweet, flat or slightly raised confection. The word 'cookie' appears to come from the Dutch word "koekje or koekie" and refers to a small cake. Alan Davidson in The Oxford Companion to Food states that "cookies were originally associated with New Year's Day....references from the early part of the 19th century show that cookies and cherry bounce (a cherry cordial) were the correct fare with which to greet visitors on that occasion."
Cookies are now eaten any time of the day - coffee breaks, as a snack, for dessert, and even given as a welcoming gift.
- Bar - a soft batter is spread evenly into a shallow pan, baked, and cut into individual bars or pieces.
- Drop - a firm batter is "dropped" onto a baking sheet using a spoon or ice cream scoop. Each cookie should be of equal size and spaced evenly on baking sheet.
- Molded or Hand-Formed - a firm batter is shaped into balls, logs, etc. or pressed into a mold. The cookies are then placed on a baking sheet and baked.
- Piped or Pressed - batter is either put in a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip or placed into a cookie press. The batter is then piped onto a baking sheet or pushed through the cookie press into fancy shapes and baked.
- Refrigerator or Icebox - batter is shaped into a log, refrigerated until firm, evenly sliced into rounds, placed on a baking sheet and baked.
- Rolled - a firm batter is rolled into a thin layer, shapes are then cut out using a cookie cutter, cookies are placed on a baking sheet and baked.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Kalian Kebab recipe
Skewered rolls of lamb liver and kidney covered with chicken mince.
Ingredients
250 g (9 oz) Lamb, minced
1. Mix the lamb mince, kidney, liver, salt, red chilli powder, garam masala, fenugreek powder, ginger-garlic paste, green coriander, and green chillies together. Keep aside.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Apple salad
Amount Measure Preparation Method
2 large apples diced and pared
1/2 cup celery diced
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon mayo reduced calorie
8 lettuce leaves
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients except lettuce; mix well Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve on Lettuce Leaves, optional of course.
Galauti Kebab
75-100 gm chopped raw papaya
salt to taste
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic
8 cloves
seeds of 2 black cardamoms
2 tsp poppy seeds-roasted and dry ground
4 peppercorns
1/2 tsp pieces of cinnamon
2 tbsp dessicated coconut-lightly roasted
2 blades of mace
5 green cardamoms
1 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1 cup sliced onions-fried brown and crisp in 1/2 cup ghee
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp finely chopped green chillies
3 tbsp roasted gram flour
1 egg
ghee to pan fry the kababs
lemon juice to sprinkle over the kababs
Method
Marinate the minced meat in the ground ingredients for 4-5 hours.Mix together the coriander leaves, green chillies, gram flour and egg. Add to the meat and work at it for some time, almost kneading it like a dough.Shape mixture into round patties of desired size, and refrigerate for half an hour or so.Heat the ghee in a heavy-based frying pan or griddle. Fry the kababs, browning first one side and then the other, over medium heat.Arrange them on a serving dish, sprinkle lemon juice and serve.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Maas ke sule
Ingredients
lamb
For the marination
Kachri,
salt and lemon juice to taste
clarified butter
onions
Red chili Paste
Green chili paste
ginger garlic paste
Clove powder
garam masala; all to taste
7-8 cloves
Method
For the marination